Read All About It!

Not heading out of town for Spring Break?  Me neither.  I’m going to try not to be resentful of my family and friends who are fortunate enough to be heading to warmer and sunnier parts this Spring Break.  Instead, I’m going to give this “staycation” notion a try. 

In thinking about what to do next week, I’ve realized that there are plenty of options to keep the family occupied.  The Brewers are in town—we’ll take in a game.  I love day trips to Chicago—there’s another day covered.  I’m treating myself to a little “me” time by attending a gardening workshop and the first gathering of a new book club at the Bay View Library (more on that another time).  Most of those things cost money, though.  Since this is a staycation, I need to explore some not-so-costly options as well. 

There are some wonderful, free Spring Break options available at the Milwaukee Public Library.  We’ll be taking advantage of those as well.  Preschoolers can enjoy a story time at their neighborhood library.  Every afternoon Central Library is hosting a program.  Options include: Game Day, Picasso Faces (art activities inspired by Picasso), and Book Jacket Bingo.  Feel like taking in a movie?  Check out Mill Road, Atkinson, and Martin Luther King.  Have a teen at home?  Encourage them to participate in the gaming program at the Capitol Library.  There are plenty of boredom busters available!        

While I may not come home with a great tan and sand in my ears, I think we’ve got the makings for a pretty great Spring Break right here at home.    

How do you plan to spend Spring Break?   

For a complete list of Spring Break @ the Milwaukee Public Library visit www.mpl.org

Sergeant Joe Friday from the old television show “Dragnet” is remembered for his oft repeated saying, “Just the facts, ma’am”.  There is an entire group of readers for whom this phrase applies.  Most adult readers have a preferred genre.  I’m a fiction gal.  Adults sometimes think that children want only storybooks.  Storybooks are easier and perhaps more fun for adults to read to children. 

Truth is, however, many children prefer non-fiction.  I call these kids the “just the facts ma’am kids”.  Often, but not always, boys are the readers that seek facts.  They want to know about the natural world, science, and tangible information.  You know these kids when you meet them.  They can rattle off the names of the entire dinosaur kingdom without blinking an eye.  They can tell you all you ever wanted to know about how gadgets work. 

These kids may, in fact, be on to something.  More and more, educators are encouraging children—young and old to read non-fiction.  The information gained from reading non-fiction helps children build background knowledge that is necessary for the reading students eventually encounter in science, social studies, and other subjects.  And, exposure to non-fiction helps to create life-long learners by fueling and encouraging children’s natural curiosity. 

So, don’t be afraid to seek out a new section at the library the next time you’re selecting a book.  You just might learn something! 

Ask your librarian to recommend great non-fiction titles or visit www.mpl.org and check out Kid Zone. 

You know you’re an icon when you’re the featured Google site id for the day.  March 20 is not only the first day of spring (yeah!), but it also marks the 40^th anniversary of the now-classic Eric Carle book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  This book is so familiar to the children’s literature landscape that it even has its own wiki (see link below).  So how does a book become a classic?  How does a book go from popularity with one generation of readers to a book that has staying power across generations?  That’s a good question.  

In honor of the 40^th Anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar a beautiful pop-up version of the book has been published.   Happy spring and thanks, dear caterpillar friend! 

Most parents understand the importance of learning to read.  You wouldn’t be reading this if that weren’t true—sometime during your early years the mystery of the printed word unfolded and you became a reader.  Reading is critical to nearly every function of our adult lives.  For children, daily reading practice is essential to developing reading skills and building a solid reading foundation.  The only way children will become readers or improve their reading skills is by reading—pretty simple, right?  Those whose children are natural readers are fortunate.  But, sometimes we face the challenge of getting our children to sit down and read.  Some of us seek the elusive “hook” or magic bullet—something to engage our children and make them want to read; to discover the pleasure of reading and all the wonders that books hold.  So, what do we do?  One of the most wonderfully simple ideas I’ve seen is the Milwaukee Public Library’s Read to Rover program.  In collaboration with the Wisconsin Humane Society, certified therapy dogs are brought into the library so children can read to them.         

Why read to a dog?  Because, a dog won’t embarrass you if you make a mistake.  A dog won’t interrupt you.  A dog won’t start to fidget and roll its eyes as you work on deciphering a passage.   True, the dog can’t correct you, either, but just think about the benefits a child gains by reading for a solid 25-30 minutes.  Children need models for fluent reading so they know what good reading sounds like, but they also need opportunities to build their fluency by reading and re-reading until the words are automatic.  Rover won’t mind listening to the same story until it flows off your child’s tongue like butter. 

If you can’t participate in the Milwaukee Public Library’s “Read to Rover” program, this is an idea that is easy to implement at home—with your own pet be it a dog, cat, chinchilla or gecko.  Children might even enjoy reading to a favorite teddy bear.  Any loving and accepting audience will do!   What is important is the motivation to read.   

I do want to offer one word of caution.  After we participated in “Read to Rover”, a four-year “please can we get a dog” campaign was launched in our household.    I think you can guess the outcome.  Yup, we now have a dog; in part because of our “Read to Rover” experience.  And our little pup faithfully supervises homework each night and is eager to cuddle when either child stretches out to read.  Now, if I could just launch a “Rover Takes out the Trash” program…  

To learn more about the Milwaukee Public Library’s “Read to Rover” program, visit www.mpl.org 

As parents we want to do what is best for our children to help give them the best start in life.  Most of us understand the importance of reading to our children and are accustomed to nightly bedtime stories and all of the good that comes from shared reading experiences.  We also talk with our children, we sing, and we even pop the latest “Wiggles” CD in while we tool around in the car to help entertain and engage them.  There is one more thing that we can do to help build young children’s literacy skills: play—play with them and encourage them to play in ways that are constructive and meaningful.  It is often said that play is the work of children and that statement is genuinely true.  It is during play that children explore their world, practice new words and create and retell stories of their own making.  Children tend to play with whatever is at hand. Tangible “props” help them to explore and expand their vocabulary and their world.  When we play with our children—even for just an hour (and let’s face it, after an hour of good, focused play we’re ready for a break) we are doing an enormous amount of good.  We can help to plant the seeds of language that are associated with certain situations or scenarios; words that children might not otherwise be able to play with and try out.  If we create a make-shift grocery store with our children, think about all words we can teach them from turnip to sushi.   

The Milwaukee Public Library understands the importance of play in the lives of young children.  One of our many literacy programs is called Saturday Morning Family Play Date.  During these sessions, families with children ages 5 and younger are invited to enter into a world of make-believe and imagination.  What better way to start your weekend than with some good, old fashioned play time?  This week our play session will be hosted at the Center Street Library.  The theme is Construction Site.  Children and their grown-ups will create plans for a building, put on a hard hat, grab a hammer and build away!  Children will have a great time because it is such pure fun, but adults will know that we are building essential vocabulary and narration skills as we spend what is truly quality time together.  Please join us for some serious play. 

Center Street Library

2727 W. Fond du Lac Avenue

Saturday, March 14 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Visit www.mpl.org for more information    

One of my favorite people is having a birthday this week and we at the Milwaukee Public Library are celebrating in style. 

This week we remember the lovable Dr. Seuss, born Theodore Geisel on March 2, 1904, by honoring his life and his work.  Dr. Seuss is an institution in children’s literature, with parents remembering him from their own childhood and often enjoying crossing the generational divide by sharing the timeless good Doctor with their own children.  There is something comforting and familiar about Seuss’ characters and the whimsy of his work.  A fun fact about Dr. Seuss is that he wrote The Cat in the Hat as a challenge to what he thought were the tedious easy readers of his time.  If you read The Cat in the Hat closely, you’ll discover that it contains nearly all of the “high frequency” words that children encounter when they are first learning to read.  Pretty impressive!  I say read it for fun and don’t worry about the word count.    

I thought I had moved on from Dr. Seuss with my children being older now, but it seems I can’t escape him.  Last year their school staged “Seussical” as their spring musical.  It was uplifting to be reacquainted with Horton and Gertrude McFuzz.  This year, one of my sons is taking a class titled “Dr. Seuss and WWII”—all about Seuss’ works that are allegories for bigger issues. I’m learning so much!  Selfishly, I’m delighted that I still get an occasional dose of Seuss.   

Join us at the Milwaukee Public Library on Saturday, March 7 at Central Library from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. when we celebrate Seuss and reading and childhood!  If you can’t join us, why not build an enthusiasm for reading by staging your own “Read Across America” event?  Why not have a “Read Across our Block Day” or even on a smaller scale—“Our Family Reads Day”.  If Seuss isn’t your thing, go ahead and read something else!  I’m sure Dr. Seuss wouldn’t mind.  What a wonderful excuse to celebrate reading and one of the “good guys” who inspired so many.    

For more information about the Milwaukee Public Library’s Dr. Seuss celebrations at Central and all 12 neighborhood libraries, visit: www.mpl.org

And the winners are:

2009 Awards for Children's Books:

Newbery Award for Literature: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Caldecott Award for Illustration: The House in the Night illustrated by Beth Krommes, written by Susan Marie Swanson

King Award for African-American Authors: We are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball words and paintings by Kadir Nelson

King Award for African-American Illustrators: The Blacker the Berry illustrated by Floyd Cooper, written by Joyce Carol Thomas

Sibert Award Informational Book Award: We are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball words and paintings by Kadir Nelson

Geisel Award for Beginning Reader Books: Are You Ready to Play Outside by Mo Willems

Awards for Young Adult Literature:

Printz Award for Literature: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

So what is all the fuss about? Award winners are a good reference point for finding what’s “hot” in literature for children.  Much like the results of the Oscars, there are strong opinions about the winners and losers in this balloting. Why not check out some of these books yourself and decide if you agree or disagree with the results.   

Get your kids involved with the process by asking them their opinion of these award winners compared to the panel of experts.

For a complete list of award winners and honors visit www.mpl.org.