July 31, 2010

Saturday Rhyme Time


Rhymes and finger plays are an important part of story time. They encourage participation, can be used for any age and are a great way to transition between stories.


This weeks rhyme:

Two Little Blue Birds

Two little blue birds sitting on a cloud (hold up two thumbs in front of you)
One named quiet (speak quietly)
One named loud (speak loudly)
Fly away quiet (fly thumb behind your back)
Fly away loud (fly other thumb behind your back)
Come back quiet (bring thumb back)
Come back loud (bring other thumb back)
-source unknown

I usually repeat this 2 or 3 times. Children enjoy alternating the quiet and loud. With the preschool group I ask when would we use our quiet voices? When would we use a loud voice?

July 30, 2010

Friday Follow


It's Friday Follow time, a great way to discover new blogs. Hosted by Parajunkee's View.

July 29, 2010

Hippity Hop

I love fridays! I always discover new blogs, new books and new authors, thanks to the Book Blogger Hop and Jennifer at CrazyforBooks.
This weeks question:
Who is your favourite -new author you've read this year?
That's a hard question there have been so many!
The one that stands out though is Janice Hardy-author of the Healing Wars Series. The first one was called The Shifter and I could not put it down.

July 28, 2010

My First Award!












Thanks to Amelia
http://theauthoress-amelia.blogspot.com/

for giving me the Versatile Blogger Award-you made my day!


As a recipient I need to share 7 things about myself and then nominate 15 other bloggers.

7 Things about me


  1. I love to sing and have been in an opera
  2. My favourite colour is purple
  3. I'm still very much in love with my husband -we've been married almost 12 years
  4. I love to travel
  5. I hate to cook (mostly because I'm terrible at it)
  6. I'm learning to play the guitar
  7. I love to scrapbook but wish I had more time for it
The blogs receiving an award from me:) (I only chose ten)
Check them out and you'll see why.
They are inspiration!

  1. GreenBeanTeenQueen

  2. Abbythelibrarian

  3. CrazyforBooks

  4. Parajunkees view

  5. SevenImpossibleThingsBeforeBreakfast

  6. Mindful Musings

  7. Ninja Librarian

  8. Story Siren

  9. SmartyOwl

  10. BookChickCity





New Movie

A friend sent me this link to a trailer for a new movie coming out in late August of this year.
It's a spoof on the Twilight Saga Movies and it looks hilarious.

I am a huge Stephenie Meyer fan, The Twilight Series offered a written escapism I had never found anywhere else.
The movies have there entertainment value, but will never (in my opinion) even come close to the value of the books.
In saying all this, I mean no disrespect to the saga that is Twilight.
When I saw the trailer for this I LMAO.
You can see it here vampiressuck

July 25, 2010

In My Mailbox # 3

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

This week:

Blue Fire (-The Healing Wars#2 ) by Janice Hardy
Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom by Susin Nielsen





From the library:

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Beastly by Alex Flinn


July 23, 2010

Magnificent 12:The Call by Michael Grant

"Twelve-year-old Mack MacAvoy suffers from a serious case of mediumness. Medium looks. Medium grades. Medium parents who barely notice him. With a list of phobias that could make anyone crazy, Mack never would have guessed that he is destined for a more-than-medium life
And then, one day, A three-thousand-year-old man named Grimluk appears in the boys' bathroom to deliver some startling news: Mack is one of the Magnificent Twelve, called the Magnifica in ancient times, whatever that means. An evil force is on its way, and it's up to Mack to track down eleven other twelve-year-olds in order to stop it"
Michael Grant is a great story teller. I've enjoyed his books for teens and this one written for younger (junior fiction 8-10) totally met my expectations. I read this one out loud to my nine year old and he enjoyed the adventure, magic and we laughed out loud a lot. I needed to explain some parts of the book as he's not yet familiar with Lord of the Rings but he caught on quickly.-I can't wait until it arrives in the library and I can recommend it!
Title: Magnificent 12- The Call
Author: Michael Grant
Publication Date: August 24th 2010
Publisher: Harpercollins

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger hop is a way to discover and connect with book blogs and their "bloggers". It's hosted by Crazy-for-Books.

This week's question: Tell us about the book you are reading:

I just began Beastly by Alex Flinn. It's a modern take on my favourite fairytale Beauty & the Beast but told from the Beasts perspective. So far, I'm really enjoying it. It was recommended to me by a teen, had great reviews and is going to become a movie in the next year.

Friday Follow is hosted by one of my favourite blogs Parajunkee's View and is another way to connect with others.

Thanks so much to all of you stopping by!!!

July 21, 2010

The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson

What I can I say about the author Karma Wilson?
She is an incredibly talented author who writes amazing read aloud stories- perfect for story time.
I love books that have a great rhythm when you read them, and this one has it for sure. I find myself tapping my foot as I read.

The story follows the farmer as he tends to the animals on his farm. He feeds them and we learn that horses like hay, geese love corn, but the cow LOVES cookies. Repetition and a memorable and endearing ending make this a new favourite.
Visit Karma Wilson's website to learn more about her and her books.

July 17, 2010

Family Storytime- In the Jungle










This past week we had 62 in attendance at our In the Jungle Family Story Time! This years Summer Reading Club theme is Destination Jungle and I'm having a wonderful (wild) time with programs. Our family story times are intended for all ages.

Books Read:
Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson
17 Kings and 42 Elephants by Margaret Mahy (fantastic rhythm)
I Am Going by Mo Willems (lol)
The Mightiest by Keiko Kasza

We played freeze dance after reading Hilda must be dancing, and I modified a rhyme, so that we could go on a mini safari in the children's section.
I hung pictures of jungle animals all around the story area.
We tapped our knees and said:
"Walking through the Jungle, and what did I see? A great big crocodile smiling at me"

The children would then search the area (with their eyes) for the crocodile and point to it- we then acted like crocodiles. This game continued until we found all of the animals.
It went really well and I think we could have even played that game for the full 30 minutes and the kids would have loved it.

A complete story time plan including the songs we sung will be posted on my website shortly.

Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! Find out more at Crazy-For-Books

This weeks question:

RIGHT THIS INSTANT, WHAT BOOK ARE YOU DYING TO GET YOUR HANDS ON (PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE)?

MockingJay of course! by Suzanne Collins. The third book-I can't wait!!! A close second is the new Cassandra Clare- Clockwork Angel!

July 12, 2010

So Close by Natalie Columbo


"The story of Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit is a lesson to us all about reaching out. Every morning, Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit hurry past each other on their way to work and every evening they hurry past each other on their way home. Their paths cross in the town square and in the street and even in the park, but though both of them are dreadfully lonely, neither has the courage to speak."

A lovely picture book for preschool groups and older. The illustrations are colour rich and the text though short and simple speaks to the power of the word "Hello" and what can follow.
A wonderful addition to any storytime
So Close

The Shifter by Janice Hardy


"Nya is an orphan struggling for survival in a city crippled by war. She is also a Taker—with her touch, she can heal injuries, pulling pain from another person into her own body. But unlike her sister, Tali, and the other Takers who become Healers' League apprentices, Nya's skill is flawed: She can't push that pain into pynvium, the enchanted metal used to store it. All she can do is shift it into another person, a dangerous skill that she must keep hidden from forces occupying her city. If discovered, she'd be used as a human weapon against her own people"
The first book in The Healing Wars series by Janice Hardy. I read this in a morning as it was impossible to put down. The main character Nya was courageous, strong and self sacrificing-everything you want a heroine to be. Nya struggled with her abilities; knowing they could help her get the very things in life she desperately wanted and also save her sister but at what cost? Inflicting horrific pain on others to save someone she loved? Who is worthy of being healed and who should be tortured?
A plot driven story that also had wonderful character development. I can't wait for book #2.
The Healing Wars: Book I: The Shifter

July 5, 2010

Nursery University Documentary


I just had to mention this documentary "Nursery University" I found it fascinating. It follows several couples as they strive to get there preschoolers
(2 and 3 year olds) into the top preschools of Manhattan New York.
I couldn't believe the stress the parents were under let alone the 20,000 tuition fees for part time care.
Definitely worth watching...

July 4, 2010

In My Mailbox #2

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

In my mailbox -I was spoiled and received lots of wonderful titles-here are just a few....

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins
The Red Queen by Phillipa Gregory
The Magnificent 12 : The Call by Michael Grant
You by Charles Benoit
Mr.Stink by david Walliams
Sabbotaged by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Limit by Kristen Landon

What did you get in your mailbox?