Just Life| Library Fines

I pay library fines left and right. I know, I know, I work in the library and I should keep track of my books better. You see, the reality is, I forget time to time to renew my own books.

So I was curious to find out how much I have paid in the past few years in overdue fines.

Are you ready?

Don't tell this to my daughter but since 2012, I have paid more than $80 for 117 overdue items. 

Oops!

But the way I see it, that was a great bargain. If I wanted to purchase those 117 books from a bookstore. Those 117 books would be costing me almost $3000. 

You see, it was a bargain. I read 117 books for the price of $80. If I was a bit more diligent, those 117 books would have cost me $0.00.

My old reading corner at home

Every time I pay library fine, I tell myself that the money goes to a good cause. 

That brings me to another point. I wish we all remind ourselves to donate money to our local libraries. 

When you donate money to your library, you would receive a receipt for your donation and your money would be used to purchase more books for the entire community to enjoy.

This book is one of my favorite non-fiction books.

Let's all be literacy superheros and fund libraries in our community.

Library has books for everyone.

The way I see it, an educated community is a much better community to live in.

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha

Just Life| Walking to the library

Imagine walking for an hour to get to the library when it is 45 degrees outside. That is exactly what one of our teen volunteers did on Dec 31. She walked for an hour with a bag full of books to get to the Troke library. 

It totally blew me away that a teen would do that. So I asked her what her plan was for New Year's eve, and she said that she would be reading. 

I was so impressed. 

So, cheers to a wonderful year of reading.

By the way, what is the tallest building in town?  The library, because it has the most stories.

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha

Just Life| Charles are you listening?

So here I was in the Children Room at the Cesar Chavez Library last Monday.

The room was unusually quiet and there was a lady sitting on a chair reading quietly to this little boy. He was about two-years-old.

The little boy was just walking around and exploring his surroundings but he was actively listening to the story that his caregiver was reading to him.

Every once in a while, the lady would look up and asked the little boy-I am going to call him Charles,: " Charles are you listening?"

And Charles would answer back every time with his cute baby talk as if he was saying: " Yes, I am listening. Please keep on reading."

And this interaction went on and on for a good ten minutes.

She was actively making this little boy smarter by just reading to him.

We all have to join forces to increase the literacy rate in the San Joaquin county.

Please read to your child as often as possible. 

Here are some famous quotes on  this topic from www.readingrockets.org

• Today a reader, tomorrow a leader." — Margaret Fuller

• I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library." — Jorge Luis Borges

• Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and all the nooks." — Dr. Seuss

And if you ever doubt the true power of reading, I dare you to read this book:


Reading magic : why reading aloud to our children will change their lives forever 


Signing off until next Monday- Panteha

Learning | Reading Comfortably

If you read as much as I do, you have probably found yourself reading in a lot of different places, from noisy airports to coffee shops to different rooms in your own home.  I tend to keep a book near the bed, in my car and one in my den, just in case I have the time and inclination to read.

I also carry two e-readers in my purse. Why two? Because I have different content loaded on both of them, and I like to keep my options open.  E-readers offer a lightweight, compact means of carrying around a big stack of books.  

"A PECULIAR READING CHAIR. illustration explains itself. The seat may be stuffed and upholstered to suit, and the desk can be made to rest at any desired inclination." Image from page 493 of "American engineer and railroad journal" (1893) From Internet Archive Book Images' photostream on Flickr.com. No known copyright restrictions.

I laughed when I discovered this picture of a "peculiar reading chair" on Flickr.com.  It reminds me of reading (usually on a Kindle or a Nook) while I get my 30 minutes of daily exercise on my stationary bike. Well, it's supposed to be daily.

Hmm, I see that picture says the desk part of that chair is adjustable to any inclination. I wonder if my stationary bike could be modified to do that.

That chair looks comfortable enough, for a classroom situation.  But I think if I had one of those in my house, I would probably be gravitating toward cozier reading places, on the sofa, recliner, or bed.

Where do you read? Comment below, and let us know.

For those of you with e-readers, please remember that SSJCPL is always getting more downloadable e-books and e-audiobooks for your reading pleasure.  We even let customers check out Nooks that are pre-loaded with reading content.  Find out more about all of these electronic reading options by clicking on this link.

Ms. Suzy Reads | At the Giants Game

Here was our spectacular view at Sunday's Giants game: 

 

 

Photo courtesy of A-Fay Photography

I spent the day with my good buddies cheering for the San Francisco Giants. We didn't win, but I will keep cheering anyway. That's what a true fan does.

I digress. 

While enjoying lots of food, watching the game, and being with my friends, I happened to glance up at a young guy sitting in the row behind us. He was reading. A book. During a baseball game. A book. 

My initial shock turned into: "Right on! He reads!!" Because I get pretty tuned into baseball games, you won't find me reading at a baseball game. Ever. But I have been known to read in some pretty strange places, including the bathtub and at the top of the Statue of Liberty. Hey, I'm afraid of heights so the book kept me calm!

What about you? What's the strangest place you've ever found yourself reading a book?

It's July 1, and I'd like to propose that we all read one book this month...in whatever strange place we wish!

And here are a couple of book suggestions, in case you're looking:

For you young readers: Two Tough Crocs by David Bedford

 

This is the story of Sylvester and Arnold -- two crocodile bullies -- who are competing with each other to be the toughest animal in the swamp. And along comes Betty. Betty the bad. I'm not going to tell you how this turns out, you'll have to read it yourself to see! But it does end with a positive message. Enjoy!

For older readers: The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson. 

This is a little bit historical fiction and a LOT of medical mystery! Set amid the 1854 London cholera outbreak, this attention-grabbing story of Eel, an orphan who survives by combing the filthy banks of the Thames for anything he might sell, is a delightful combination of race-against-the-clock medical mystery and outwit-the-bad-guys adventure. Eel, a hardworking and bighearted kid with no shortage of crummy luck, is being hunted by a notoriously mean crook, who happens to be his stepfather. When the first cholera case hits, the town blames the polluted air, but Eel and his mentor, Dr. Snow, have a different theory-that it's being spread through a local water pump-which they set out to prove before the death toll escalates further. 

  

And last but not least...for teens: The latest from the ever-so-popular author John Green: Paper Towns. 

Here is a little bit to whet your appetite: Weeks before graduating from their Orlando-area high school, Quentin Jacobsen's childhood best friend, Margo, reappears in his life, specifically at his window, commanding him to take her on an all-night, score-settling spree. Quentin has loved Margo from not so afar (she lives next door), years after she ditched him for a cooler crowd. Just as suddenly, she disappears again. 

Fans of Green's books -- such as The Fault in Our Stars -- will want to get their hands on this one!

Read wherever you want....just read! And you've still got the whole month of July to finish your reading logs for the Fizz! Boom! Read! Summer Reading Club. 

Stay cool!


 

4 Kids | Famous Celebrities Share Favorite Childhood Books

That's right! Today I will share with you some of the favorite childhood books of celebrities. Perhaps a title or two will strike your fancy and you'll pick up a copy at your next trip to the Library! I hope you do!

But why, you may wonder, am I interested in what famous people read as children? 

I just came across a new-ish non-fiction book entitled The Book That Will Make You Love Books, by Francoize Boucher. I must admit: the title very much intrigued me. So I opened it up and immediately started laughing out loud. It's a quick, cartoon-filled book filled with little tidbits about the benefits of reading:

If you love a book you can read it over and over thousands of times, but, if you love chocolate, you can only eat the same bar once.

Sometimes, a book is like a lamp: it sheds light on life's great questions.

Although there is a lot to chuckle at, there is also some very valid information about the benefits of reading. And by that, I mean reading a lot! Check it out and read it for yourself!!

In the meantime, as promised, favorite childhood books of famous celebrities. And by famous celebrities, I do mean famous local celebrities. You knew that, right?

As a child, Lori Gilbert, Record Columnist, loved A Fly Went By by Marshall McClintock because of the pictures and the way the story repeats. Hint: You'll find this one in the Easy Reader section!








Another celebrity -- Bill Maxwell, Archives Manager at the Bank of Stockton and longtime Friends of the Stockton Public Library Board Member -- loved The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf because of illustrations like this:

Our last celebrity is none other than Chris Freeman, our City Librarian. Mr. Freeman's favorite childhood book is Magician by Raymond E. Feist, a Tolkien-esque saga that features two pre-teen boys (instead of Hobbits) in a fast-paced and fantastical world full of elves, dwarves, "dark" elves, and (even!) aliens! Man oh man I want to read that one! That title was actually published in two volumes here in the good ole United States. And we have one of them: Magician, Master.

So let's get reading! What do you say? Thanks to our celebrities, we've got some good recommendations!

Happy Reading!

Just Life | Too Tired To Read

Sometimes I have a hard time getting my child to read. Some nights she says, "Mom I am too tired to read."

So, we try to compromise and take turns reading. Although, I think I am still doing the majority of the nightly reading.

Last month, I came across these children books that are life savors. They are the perfect books for those nights that you don't have any energy to read a long book. 

They are full of funny, but grotesque facts. These books are published by the National Geographic Kids. Here are a few of these books:

That's gross!

Weird but true! 5 : 300 outrageous facts

Just joking 4 : 300 hilarious jokes about everything...

Kids really dig reading about yucky stuff. Here is an example of what you find in these books:

My daughter and I laugh uncontrollably reading funny factoids from these books.

I wonder if I look this like this Batfish when I use too much lipstick in the morning.
 

So, check out these great books on your next visit to your local library. Here is a link to other books by the National Geographic Kids:

National Geographic Kids

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha 

Just Life | Heaven's Public Library

The other day, my boss was complaining to a co-worker that there were too many good books and not enough time to read them all in a life time.

I protested.

How about reading books after life?

Eternity is the perfect time to read at least a few thousand books or so.

Don't you think so?

I told her not to worry and I assured her that Heaven should definitely have a pretty good size library with an impressive collection.

Personally,  I'm counting on reading peacefully in the afterlife.

FYI to my husband: when the time comes, please bury me with my book bucket list.

In Heaven, do they use the Dewey decimal system? I wonder!

But wait a minute, what if I end up in hell. 

Mmmmmmm, I guess I'll have to go to Hell's Public Library, with the broken down shelves and a pretty hot collection of books such as: Fifty shades of Grey 

Picture from www.digital-art-gallery.com

Since it is pretty hot in Hell, I think reading would take my mind off of melting in a  fiery cauldron.

Who knows, maybe, they even have a Nolo press book called " How to win your way back to Heaven."

Hey, even if they deny my petition, I bet I can still receive some heavenly books via ILL (Inter- Library- Loan). 

So what do you think? 

Are there any libraries up there or in the underworld?  And what do the late fees consist of?  I shutter to think!

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha

Learning | Pretending: Zombies in the Library

It was the middle of the summer. The librarian was walking through the children's section of the Troke Branch. She noticed a very young lady with wet paper towels plastered to her arm. Thinking the child had an injury, she asked if she was alright.  The girl looked puzzled at the question, as if to say, why wouldn't I be alright? She said she was fine.

The librarian went away, to help another customer.  When she returned, the paper-towel girl was walking stiffly, wearing only one shoe, following another little girl.  Then she stopped and told her companion,"Okay, you be the zombie now." 

The librarian was shaking her head when she told this to me.  "When I was that age, I played house with my friends." Neither one of us could recall playing  zombies as children. But I think pretend play changes with the times.  I grew up in the Beaver Cleaver and Brady Bunch era. I remember it was frustrating playing house with friends, because nobody wanted to be the daddy. The girl playing daddy had boring lines like,"Hi, honey, I'm home!" or "Where's my newspaper?" Considering how popular zombies are in current pop culture, it's not surprising that these girls were choosing to be undead with instead of Stepford Wives. Come to think of it, I usually enjoyed playing cowboys or cops and robbers with my big brothers, better than playing house.

There's an article on Scholastic.com about the importance of pretend play.  It explains how pretending allows children to build learning skills--for instance, using wet paper towels to represent zombie bandages is an example of using an object as a symbol: the paper towels stand for something else, and both kids playing treated it as though it was the real thing. Guess what? Using symbols is a step toward understanding that the letters of the alphabet stand for the sounds that make up the words we say--thus, pretend play prepares a child for reading! 

Jan Thomas' picture book, Can You Make a Scary Face? is designed to engage the reader in pretend play.  For example, at one point, the reader is encouraged to do the chicken dance to get a bug out of his shirt. As with Thomas' Dust Bunny books, silliness abounds. 

This time of year, people of all ages are preoccupied with pretending; I see people checking out books and magazines that tell them how to make costumes, or how to decorate a house to look scary.  

Reading a book is one of my favorite methods of pretending. I love losing myself in a different place and time. Too often, I don't want to put a good book down and come back to the real world around me.

When I was preparing to write this blog post, my search for books about zombies led me to a fun discovery. There's a children's graphic novel series by Erik Craddock, called Stone Rabbit.  Book number 6 in the series is called Night of the Living Dust Bunnies. The main character has neglected his household chores for months. People are dressed up in scary costumes to go trick-or-treating...but some of those monsters are living dust bunnies!  I would recommend this as a entertaining read for grades 4-8.

Teens Only | Looking for Alaska

No, I'm not traveling to Alaska anytime soon. The title of this blog is, alas, the title of a really great book which I highly recommend. Looking for Alaska by John Green will make you think. The publisher's blurb begins like this: 

Miles "Pudge" Halter is abandoning his safe-okay, boring-life. Fascinated by the last words of famous people, Pudge leaves for boarding school to seek what a dying Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps."

I want you all to read this book and talk about what the "Great Perhaps" means. Is it, as some readers have suggested, that one turning point in your life when everything (past, present and future) makes sense? When you find your life's meaning? Is it, as others have suggested, something that is never meant to be known? 

Looking for Alaska is gripping. It's Miles' story as he spends his first year at a prep school (away from home) and is introduced to good friends and some rather outlandish pranks. And then the big plot twist: a devastating event that I won't tell you about because I'm not a book plot spoiler. If you notice the chapters are titled "one hundred twenty seven days before" to "three days before," etc., you'll most likely figure it out. But it's the impact of that event, and the coming to terms it inspires that is just momentous. Huge kudos to author John Green for this really compelling read. And by the way, it's a New York Times Bestseller. 

And lest I forget, Looking for Alaska is part of the Library's One Book, One San Joaquin program which kicks off Saturday, September 7th with a really cool event featuring Nancy Pearl at the Janet Leigh Theatre (located on the University of Pacific campus in Stockton). Every year the Library presents a community reading event centered on one book. This year, that book is Nina Sankovitch's Tolstoy and the Purple Chair. You already know this because you saw my colleague Lisa's blog about this program, right? Nina's book is a beautiful tribute to the magical power of reading; John's book definitely shares some themes with that book. It all comes together as we celebrate the beauty and lasting impact of books and reading.

So read Looking for Alaska. Check out the great programs we have slated for One Book, One San Joaquin. And check out the teen program -- Teen Talk and T-Shirt Fun -- for a discussion of Looking for Alaska and a really cool bleach pen art project. And I'll make it easy for you: we've got 2 of those programs scheduled. The first is Tuesday, September 10th at 4 pm at the Tracy Library. The second is Tuesday, September 17th at 4 pm at the Ripon Library. They're free. Join us.

Happy Reading!

  

4 Kids | Stand Up! Be a Leader!

This has seriously happened to me more times than I can count. I tell people I'm a librarian, and their response is something like: "I just don't like to read."

How do we learn about history and about what's going on in the world? How do we learn about new things? Let's ask President Abraham Lincoln.

"A capacity and taste for reading gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others." -- Abraham Lincoln

And by the way, pick up Lane Smith's Abe Lincoln's Dream to enjoy a quick and beautiful story of a little girl's conversation with the ghost of our 16th president.

How can we expect to make it in the world without being able to read? Let's ask the famous cartoonist and creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening.

"I can't believe it! Reading and writing actually paid off!" -- Matt Groening

How do we spend our free time? Do we spend hours in front of the TV instead of doing something that expands our mind and opens us up to new worlds? For a little on this, let's ask one of the most famous comedians of the modern era, Groucho Marx.

"I find television very educating. Everytime somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." -- Groucho Marx

There are no guarantees in life, but I really, truly believe a successful life is more achievable when one is a reader. Do you want to be a leader or a follower? Do you want to make an impact on the world, or sit back and let the world happen to you? For some insight on this, let's ask our country's 33rd president, Harry S. Truman.

"Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers." -- Harry S. Truman

 

For a little reading inspiration, join us at the Cesar Chavez Central Library for a special Families Reading Together program on Monday, April 29th at 6:30 pm. It's for children of all ages, and parents must come with their kids! And to get even more excited, here's some great news: Each child that comes to the program gets a free book! No kidding!!

 

One last thing: there is still time to enter the Children's Book Week Writing Contest. Contest information can be found here.

 

Be a reader. You won't be disappointed.

 

Until next week, happy reading!

 

--Suzy

Life & Style | Short Cuts For Reluctant Readers

I confess.

I haven't read " A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens. I just listened to it. I couldn't see myself reading such a long book. It was too tedious to read.

Here are my alternatives to reading:

Audio books:

I love books but some books are too boring to read. Books on CD are great alternatives. Just call us or check our Catalog to see if we carry that book on Audio.

My favorite audio books are: Paris Wife, Reading Lolita in Tehran, The road and the Harry potter series (Jim Dale the person who reads the Harry Potter series is a genius.)

We also have Playaways. Playaways are basically these stand alone players that you attach a headphone to and listen to it. Each Playaway contains one book.

These are our titles on Playaway.

You can check out books on CD or books on Playaway for three weeks.

You can also download audio books via our Overdrive site. Just make sure to have your library card number and your library pin number handy.

Get a family member to read you the book

I miss my childhood days when my parents read to me. Nowadays, story time in my household mostly consists of me reading one page to my daughter and my daughter reading the next page to me. Sometimes I trick my daughter and mis-pronounce so many words while reading that my daughter feels sorry for me and just grabs the book and continues reading it outloud for both of us. (That is how I got around not doing the laundry in my house. I wrinkled too many of my husbands' shirts that he decided to take on the task.)

These days we are reading biographies by Mike Venezia. He is a great writer and his books are full of funny illustrations.

Popular magazines

I love reading magazines. I love articles that are short and informative. I usually checkout a few and read them at home or during my lunch breaks. To be honest, sometimes, the only reading that I do is during my lunch breaks.

So if you don't like reading that much, magazines are a great alternative for staying informed about the world around you.

We have countless magazines in our libraries. You can check out up to 25 magazines and keep them for three weeks.

Watching the Movie instead of reading the book 

It works sometimes. For example, I couldn't read more than few pages of " The Host" by Stephenie Meyer but I am definitely going to watch the movie. 

I should tell you that I believe that books are always better than the movies.  

I might go and watch "World War Z" and skip reading the book as well. 

Since I am the bravest girl in our entire library system, I might take a pillow to the movie theater in order to cover my eyes whenever things get really scary on the screen.

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha

 

Teens Only | Divergent

So I just looked up the definition of divergent: (1) Drawing apart from a common point; diverging.(2) Departing from convention. (3) Differing from another; a divergent opinion. (Source: www.thefreedictionary.com)

Aha. Now I get it.

Oh, you might be wondering why I would look up the definition of this word. Last week I ran into three of my favorite young readers -- Q, Z, and J. Each of them were terribly excited to get their hands on the next book in the new series by Veronica Roth.

The first book, as you have probably guessed by now, is Divergent. It's the story of a dystopian society divided into 5 factions, each devoted to the cultivation of a particular virtue: honesty, selflessness, bravery, peacefulness, and intelligence. There comes a day each year when every 16-year-old must choose which faction to dedicate the rest of his/her life. There is a simulation which helps these teens select the faction which best suits them, but sometimes the simulation results in multiple choices. These "multiple choice-ers" are called divergents. And you can bet the leaders of each faction are not too happy with the divergents, since the leaders want people to act and think their way.

Ok, ok. I'm convinced. I'm going to read this first book and then put a hold on the next in the series: Insurgent. I do love books about dystopian societies. (There it is for the second time in this blog -- dystopian. I went back to that ever useful website freedictionary.com and looked up dystopia: An imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror.) Oh I'm definitely going to read these books! I'm hoping you will too!

Just the other day my colleague Lori blogged about book recommendations, and how we library people really do pay attention to what our customers are reading -- and recommending! Read Lori's blog here. 

If you're reading this, I know you're not just a reader of blogs, but a reader of books! Do you recommend your favorite books to your friends? Do you read books your friends recommend to you? I do! I do both! And I want to hear your recommendations as well. And I will read them. I promise, promise, promise.

After all....to quote Thomas Jefferson: "I cannot live without books."

So true.

Happy reading. And happy sharing your favorite books with others!

 

Learning | Learning by Example

Recently, a very young man came to my desk with some books to check out.  "It's for my homework," he explained.  The thing is, he didn't even look old enough to be in kindergarten.  His grandmother noticed my surprise, and said he watches his 8 year old cousin doing homework every afternoon. She always gives him some paper and a pencil to "do his homework" beside the bigger boy.  

Sometimes, the best way to get ready to learn something is to observe it being done. I recall watching my older siblings reading, or learning to read.  I wanted to be just like them. Of course, my mother and father were good role models, as well. They sat in their matching armchairs in the evenings, reading.  They would trade books before taking them back to the library. 

I have compiled a short list of books about reading.  They are all entertaining, first of all, but I hope they might inspire somebody you know to catch the reading bug.

How to Teach a Slug to Read

Just as the title suggests, if you ever wanted to teach a slug to read, this is the book for you.  It consists of a list of strategies, with cartoon-caption quips from some little slugs. Clever parents will be able to glean some wise advice, if they read between the lines--and so will their children.

We Are in a Book!

 This adorable Elephant and Piggie book by Mo Willems is designed for beginning readers. If your child likes silliness, you need look no further.

The Bear in the Book
This beautifully illustrated story is about a boy's bedtime reading.  He has a book about a bear preparing to hibernate for the winter.  The bear steps out into the sunshine when spring arrives, but by that time, the little boy has fallen asleep. 

Another lovely picture book is The Lonely Book by Kate Bernheimer and Chris Sheban.  A library book is portrayed as an object with feelings. At first, it's very popular.  Later, it becomes sad when it sits neglected on the shelf.  Happily, it ends up in the possession of a child who repairs it and cherishes it.

How Rocket Learned to Read This is about a little dog named Rocket, who is taught to read by a little yellow bird.

Rocket Writes a Story 

What goes hand-in-hand with learning to read? Learning to write!

Rocket and his teacher, the little yellow bird, are back in this book.

I'm a dog lover anyway, so you can imagine how much I love Rocket, who goes around telling people, "I'm looking for words!" He collects words, writes them down, and hangs them on a tree. He decides to write a story. At first, it's hard to decide what to write. He finds inspiration in the pine tree.  He writes every day, and reads to the owl in the tree. The owl helps him to write the perfect ending.

Five Little Monkeys Reading in Bed You've probably seen other books about these busy little monkeys. They bounce on the bed, sit in the tree and wash the car, to name just a few.  Here, their mother has kissed them all goodnight and turned off the lights, but they decide to turn a light on and read some more.

But Excuse Me That Is My Book 

Lola has a favorite book, called "Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies (BBB.)"  She insists on checking it out every time she goes to the library, even though Charlie thinks she needs to broaden her interests. He shows her other books, and she can't find BBB! Which is her book--why would somebody else dare to check it out?

Arthur's Reading Trick D.W. bets her big brother that she can teach their baby sister to read. At first, Arthur thinks D.W. has bested him--until he realizes he's being tricked. It's not long before he turns the tables, and wins the bet.

4 Kids | Turkey, Stuffing, Pie..& BOOKS!

So after the turkey has been carved and eaten, the pies have been sliced and smothered in whipped cream, and of course, after all the dishes have been washed, what in the world is there to do?

Well, let's see....

Hmmm....

I know! READ A BOOK! Pull everyone together (young and old) and share one of these great picture books. I promise it will be a wonderful end to your Thanksgiving Day!

This first book made me laugh out loud: The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman. After the narrator swaps his Dad for two goldfish, he and his little sister embark on quite an adventure to try and straighten things out. Please note, however: do not try this at home. Do not try to swap your Dad for goldfish. It's just not a good idea. 

This next book is a bunch of very funny, twisted fairy tales: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka. In this book you'll find such titles as "Really Ugly Duckling," "Little Red Running Shorts," and one of my personal favorites, "The Princess and the Bowling Ball." This is another laugh-out-loud book. And if you like it as much as I think you will, look for other funny books by this author, such as The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.

Last but not least: E-Mergency! by Tom Lichtenheld and Ezra Fields-Meyer. This is the story of what happens when the most important letter in the alphabet gets a big owie. What's the most important letter in the alphabet, you ask? Let me give you a hint with this sentence from the book: "How aro you guys doing without your friond?" Do you know what letter is missing? And don't forget to check out the great illustrations. I think we'll all learn to appreciate this letter a whole lot more!

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody....and Happy Reading!

Learning | You Can Lead a Horse to Water....

I really don't remember a time when I did not like reading.  Even today, I still keep a book near my bed, a book in the car, and one in my tote bag -- just in case I have some time to read.  That is not necessarily the case with all of us.  

Teachers require young students to read for a certain amount of time every day.  I recall occasions when it was difficult to get my own children to focus on the task -- they would say the available books were boring, or they just didn't feel like reading.  Gradually, I learned that my sons preferred nonfiction books over stories.  They didn't mind reading facts about trains or animals. They didn't even need to be encouraged to read about video games; I learned that having the strategy guide of the latest role playing game lying around would catch their attention.

 

The library has numerous books to help you encourage young readers.  Give the Gift! 10 fulfilling Ways to Raise a Lifetime Reader is told in a comic book style.  It's full of helpful suggestions, like showing a teenager an article about his favorite band.

 

 

The Ultimate Teen Book Guide has suggestions for more than 700 books for teens to read, everything from classics to science fiction.  The reading requirements for middle school and high school classes are more demanding; if a teacher has given your child a list of approved books, you can check this book for a summary and description, to see which ones you might like better.  (Note: it's always good to come to the library as soon as you know what's on the list, because everyone else in your child's class is going to want those titles, too.)

How to Get Your Child to Love Reading is simply full of ideas (birthday clubs, magic shows and book plates!), observations (Potato Power: the art of using what you've got), activities (including music and poetry!) and, last, but not least, lists of books for young readers. 

Give these books a try, and let me know what you think -- and what your budding readers think.