DVD Releases: December 2013

Check out these two awesome new releases coming in December!

Despicable Me 2  &  Smurfs 2

Place your holds now!

Book List: Library Love!

Here are some books for library lovers!

Title: The Boy who was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris

Melvin discovers that the public library is the place where he can find just about anything--including three librarians who help in his quest for knowledge.

Title: The Library Card by Jerry Spinelli

The lives of four young people in different circumstances are changed by their encounters with books.

Title: Bats at the Library by Brian Lies
Bored with another normal, inky evening, bats discover an open library window and fly in to enjoy the photocopier, water fountain, and especially the books and stories found there.

Title: The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy

Miss Lotta Scales is a dragon who believes her job is to protect the school's library books, from the children, but when she finally realizes that bookds are meant to be read, the dragon turns into Miss Lotty, librarian and storyteller.

Title: Dewey's Christmas at the Library by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter

After finding a red ball of yarn, Dewey the cat, who lives in the Spencer, Iowa, public library, finds a way to help decorate the Christmas tree.

Title: When the Library Lights Go Out by Megan McDonald and Katherine Tillotson

When the lights go out in the library, the storytime puppets set out on an adventure to find their missing friend, Hermit Crab.

Title: No Pirates Allowed! said Library Lou by Rhonda Gowler Greene

Big Pirate Pete's treasure map has led him to Seabreezy Library, where Library Lou must convince him that the true treasure is the books.

Title: Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
A lion starts visiting the local library but runs into trouble as he tries to both obey the rules and help his librarian friend.

Title: Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn

Every Tuesday Lola and her mother visit their local library to return and check out books, attend story readings, and share a special treat.

Giving Thanks!

THE PLAN

Playtime
We played with the gear toys today!

Two Little Hands
We stretched out our limbs and shook out our wiggles before doing our rhyme.  See this post for our Two Little Hands rhyme.

Beginning Song

See this post for our Beginning Song.

All About Today

Friday's weather was cold and sunny!  We also decided that it is now Winter instead of Fall because of the snow on the ground.

Read & Listen:

We read two books today!  First we read Run Turkey Run by Diane Mayr.

Then we read Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson.

Learning Time:

We created hand-print turkeys for our craft.  I was told by one kid that my turkey was HUGE.

She only wanted the sparkly crayons

Cheese!

Huh?

Using his hand to draw a turkey.

Getting some help.

Book List: Not Your Average Pets

Want books that feature more than just cats and dogs?  Check out these gems!

Title: Super-pets! by Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani

Jimmy Olsen has his own theory about Supergirl, the sky is filled with Super-pets, and something is wrong with Jimmy's wristwatch.

Title: Me Want Pet! by Tammi Sauer

When Cave Boy wants a pet, he tries a woolly mammoth, a saber-toothed tiger, and a dodo bird, but none seems suitable.

Title: The Pet Project by Lisa Wheeler

The child of two scientists sets out to do research into what sort of an animal would make the best pet and reaches a surprising conclusion.

Title: Charley's First Night by Amy Hest

A book about friendship, new beginnings and that indescribable measure of love that we call a dog.

Title: Cecil the Pet Glacier by Matthea Harvey and Giselle Potter

Ruby Small's embarrassingly eccentric parents take her on a vacation to Norway where she acquires an unwanted pet, a glacier named Cecil, who finds a way to melt Ruby's heart.

Karma Wilson & Bear

THE PLAN

Playtime
We played with the car and truck toys today.  

Two Little Hands
We stretched out our limbs and shook out our wiggles before doing our rhyme.  See this post for our Two Little Hands rhyme.

Beginning Song

See this post for our Beginning Song.

All About Today

Friday's weather was cool and sunny!  

Read & Listen:

We read two books today!  First we read Bear Gets Scared by Karma Wilson.

Then we read Bear's New Friend by Karma Wilson.

Learning Time:

We listened to nursery rhymes on a CD and played along with the instruments.

Book List: Not Disney Princesses

Looking for books about Princesses?  Here are some NOT Disney Princess books.

Title: Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconer

Olivia is having an identity crisis! There are too many ruffly, sparkly princesses around these days, and Olivia has had quite enough. She needs to stand out! She has to be special! What will she be? Join Olivia on a hilarious quest for individuality in this latest book of the Olivia series, and rest assured, you won't find THIS pig in pink!

Title: Pirate Princess by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

Tired of the royal life, Princess Bea boards a pirate ship and sets out for adventure on the high seas but soon finds she is not good at swabbing decks, cooking in the galley, or keeping watch from the crow's nest.

Title: The Very Fairy Princess Sparkles in the Snow by Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton

Gerry, a most enthusiastic singer, is certain her music teacher will choose her to perform the solo at the Winter Wonderland Festival, and when someone else is chosen it takes a snowfall to bring Gerry's sparkle back.

Title: Princesses on the Run by Smiljana Coh

Princess Antonia cannot be cured of her boredom, so despite pretty dresses and the coolest toys, she decides to run away--and with friends like Rapunzel, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White, a big adventure ensues.

Title: Princess and the Peas by Caryl Hart & Sarah Warburton

Refusing to eat peas even when her father disguises them in smoothies, shakes, and cupcakes, Lily-Rose May is diagnosed with "princess-itus" and sent to live at a palace where princesses are given a certain perfect, and very unwelcome, kind of food..

Title: You Can't Eat a Princess by Gillian Rogerson and Sarah McIntyre

Princess Spaghetti blasts off into space to save her kidnapped father, King Cupcake, from hungry aliens, who are introduced to a wonderful new food: chocolate.

Title: Part-Time Princess by Deborah Underwood

A girl escapes her annoying little brother and the drudgery of school and home life when she travels to a magical kingdom each night and embarks on a series of adventures.

Sheep!

THE PLAN

Playtime
We played with linky toys today.

Two Little Hands
We stretched out our limbs and shook out our wiggles before doing our rhyme.  See this post for our Two Little Hands rhyme.

Beginning Song

See this post for our Beginning Song.

All About Today

Friday's weather was cold and sunny!  

Read & Listen:

We read THREE books today at Storytime!

First we read One Sheep, Blue Sheep by Thom Wiley.  The kids loved this one!  They thought the sheep were so funny!

The second book was Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton.  He's also the author of Splat the Cat!

Finally we read Sheep by Wendy Dieker, a book about real sheep that live on a farm.

Learning Time:

We experimented with color mixing today for Learning Time.  I put colors in a plastic ziplock bag and the kids had to mix it up to find what color it changed to!

Book List: Being Thankful

Here are some books in honor of Thanksgiving.  Place your holds now!

Title: Run, Turkey, Run! by Diane Mayr

The day before Thanksgiving, Turkey tries to disguise himself as other animals in order to avoid being caught by the farmer.

Title: Fancy Nancy: Our Thanksgiving Banquet by Jane O'Connor

Join Nancy and her entire family as they celebrate Thanksgiving, complete with a gigantic turkey, Grandma's secret stuffing, green beans, and authentic cranberry sauce, the kind that doesn't come out of a can. And desserts? There are almost too many to count!

Title: Annie and Snowball and the Thankful Friends by Cynthia Rylant

Annie wants to have a big Thanksgiving dinner and thinks about who she can invite to share it with her.

Title: Olivia Talks Turkey by Farrah McDoogle

Olivia perfects her turkey call and ends up with a turkey who wants to be her pet! Olivia can't keep the turkey, but luckily she knows someone else who is an expert turkey talker!

Title: Junie B., First Grader: Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff) by Barbara Park

To celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, Mr. Scary's first grade class prepares a Thankful List for the school contest, but Junie B. Jones finds it hard to be grateful for squash or Tattletale May.