Super Saturdays at the Library

After a long week at school (and work), come relax at the Urbana Free Library's Children's Department on Saturday. Read a book, play a board game, have fun on the computer, or enjoy one of our special Saturday programs. Saturday is when we offer our multicultural storytimes (in conjuction with the University of Illinois). This month, we have Spanish Storytime and Slavic Storytime. In the last year, we have also had Russian Storytime, Korean Storytime, and Middle East Storytime. Next month, we will have an India Storytime. If you like to draw, come to our free Art Lessons for Children that is offered once a month/every month on Saturday. And, every Saturday afternoon, we have Chess Club for Kids. In addition to our multicultural storytimes, art lessons, and chess club, we offer "extra" Saturday programs. For example, recently we had Create with Maisy and Zany Zoo Storytime. And, on Oct. 13, we will have Tom's Treasure Hunt . So, come learn about a new culture, create and  draw, play chess, and enjoy our beautiful Children's Department.     Janet R.

The Rest of Our Favorites This Year (So Far)

So far we have looked at our favorite Picture, Nonfiction, and Fiction books.  But that's not the only things in the library.  Oh no!  For our fourth and final look at the items the children's department loved this year, we are focusing on the books and other things that don't quite fit into the other three categories.  Poems, beginning readers, and movies all make the cut of the best.


Miss Rachel

 My Friend is Sad
by Mo Willems
Kids LOVE this book about Piggie trying to cheer up his best friend, an elephant named Gerald.
E easy to read WILLEMS










Miss Elaine

Bake, Mice, Bake!
by Eric Seltzer
An interesting plot, easy, repeated words, and darling illustrations that have a lot of kid appeal.  It doesn't get much better than that in early easy readers!
E pb easy to read SELTZER









Miss Shih-Mei

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse
by Marilyn Singer
Each poem, when read from top to bottom, tells a fairy tale - and then, from top to bottom, the same tale from a different perspective.  Accompanied by beautiful illustrations, these ingenious poems put a new twist on the old favorites.
J / 811.54 SIN







Miss Lora

Tangled
This movie is a neat re-telling of the Rapunzel story.  The animation is great and just wait 'til you meet the horse, Maximus.
J / DVD TAN










Miss Lauren

The Muppets
Both adults and kids will love the Muppets' adventure to reclaim their old theater.  Adults will enjoy all the 80s references and there is plenty of the kiddy humor and re-purposed modern music that the Muppets are famous for.
J / DVD MUP

Looking for a Great Children's Book?

When you are looking for a great children's book, go to the Urbana Free Library's website and click on "For Children", then "Books". We have a plethora of bibliographies to help you find the books you are looking for. We have the "Caldecott Medal" list which is the award for the best illustrated children's book of the year. And for older children, we have the "Newbery Medal" list of the best written children's books. Also, we have the current year's list of Bluestem, Monarch, and Rebecca Caudill nominees (which many local schools require their students to read). We also have a host of bibliographies on many different topics. For younger children, we have "Toddler Books", "Picture Books - Librarians' Favorites", "Potty Time", and "New Baby in the Family" lists. For older children, we have "First Chapter Books", "Fantastic Fantasies", "Superheroes", and "Getting Ready for Middle School". Plus, we have several lists of books recommended by children just like you, and you can submit a review of book you would recommend, too. There are many more bibliographies on a wide variety of topics on our website under "For Children", then "Books". So, check it out!              Janet R.

Our Favorite Fiction Books this Year (So Far)

Part Three of the favorite books the children's department has read in 2012 is all about fiction.  Anything can happen in the land of fiction; girls can fly, robots save the world, or things can seem almost completely normal.  So kick your imaginations into over-drive and lets dive into the wacky world of made up stories.



Miss Rachel

Rust Vol 1: Visitor in the Field
by Roydenn Lepp
Amazing graphic novel with historic 1950's feel.
J / 741.5 / LEP










Miss Elaine

The Hidden Gallery (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place)
by Maryrose Wood
Told from the perspective of the fifteen-year-old governess, Wood continues the story of the Incorrigible Children, who have an unfortunate proclivity towards chasing squirrels.  Unsolved mysteries continue to grow, so the reader is beginning to think something sinister is going on.  I can't wait to read the third one that just came out.
J / WOOD




Miss Shih-Mei

Eep!
by Joke van Leeuwen
An interesting and heart-warming story explores the conflict between individual freedom and the togetherness of family and friends.
J / LEEUWEN









Miss Lora

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
by W. R. Philbrick
Homer tells more than a few "tall tales" when he sets off on adventure to find his brother who has been sold into service during the Civil War.  This story reminds me of Mark Twain's tales of mischievous boys, Huck and Tom.
J / PHILBRICK







Miss Lauren

Anything but Typical
by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Autistic twelve-year-old, Jason's biggest worry is if his online friend will turn into his online girlfriend after they meet in real life at a young writer's convention.  Jason is easy to relate to and his words provide a clear picture of what it is like for him to grow up different from those around him.
J / BASKIN

Announcing Fall Performances!

Percussionist Rocky Maffit

 

 

September begins a new season for Prairie Breezes Mini Concerts for Kids.  This is a children's music series designed to introduce children to live, quality musical performances, most often occuring on the second Friday of the month from 4:15-5:00 p.m. in the Lewis Auditorium.  Percussionist Rocky Maffit will kick-off the season on Friday, September 14 with "The Rhythm is YOU!" featuring percussion instruments from around with world that can be shaken, struck, slapped or scraped.  Rocky interweaves playing and demonstration with song and audience participation.  In October, The Derek Cordoba Jazz Trio - Derick Cordoba (guitar), Olivia Flanigan (vocals) and Michael Meadows (acoustic bass) - brings swinging rhythms and irresistible melodies together for jazz favorites from the great American songbook.  As the weather turns colder, come inside to enjoy the warming tunes of the Big Bluestem String Band on Friday, November 9.  Bringing toe-tapping traditional American music to this concert will be Kathleen Everingham (fiddle), Rebecca Grosser (guitar), Jose Agusti (guitar), Drew Phillips (mandolin), Randy Cordle (banjo), and Todd Kinney (bass).  Then just in time for the winter holidays, join us on Friday, December 14 for a performance of harp music and Irish dance by the Caengal Harp Ensemble, an energetic group of youth harpists from the Next Generation School, and founded by Leila Ramagopal.  We hope you are excited as we are to hear these great performers.  We look forward to seeing you!  -Elaine B.

Round Two!

Round Two!

A year ago we held our first chess tournament, a fun and exciting event which encouraged many kids to continue playing chess. Now we are ready for round two, this Labor Day weekend, on Saturday, September 1, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Just like last year, we will have 30 beginner players, divided into 3 groups according to grade: K-1st, 2nd-3rd and 4th-5th, and 12 advanced players. Each player will have chance to play 5 games, and the results will determine three prize winners from each group. The winners will each receive a free book!


Tournament seats are limited and will be assigned on a first come first serve basis - so register now! Stop by the children’s reference desk to pick up a form, or download this form  and turn it in before August 28th.

Whatever your skill level, this is a chance for you to have fun with other kids who are also enthusiastic about chess. If you are curious about chess but have never played before, we have plenty of books, CDs, and DVDs for you to delve into: check out our chess material bibliography here. Once you understand the basic rules, you are welcome to come by the Children’s Department to join the Chess for Kids program every Saturday afternoon from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. At Chess for Kids, you can always find another kid to play with, or you can learn more advanced concepts from our high school volunteers.

Win or lose, the game of chess is about sportsmanship and having fun. So join us, whether it's for the tournament or weekly games or both - come play chess!

Shih-Mei

Children's Magazines

The Urbana Free Library Children's Department has over  40 magazines on a wide variety of topics. We have several nature/animal magazines including : "National Geographic for Little Kids", "Ranger Rick", "Big Backyard", "Zoobooks", and "Dig". If you're interested in science, check out "Ask" or "Kids Discover". Also, get your creative juices flowing with "Creative Kids" and "Stone Soup" - both of which include writings submitted by kids. Several "boy" oriented magazines that we have include : "Amazing Spiderman", Sports Illustrated for Kids", "Scooby Doo", and "Junior Baseball". For girls, we offer "American Girl", "Disney Princess", "Kiki", and "Sparkle World". And, for our youngest patrons, we have "Baby Bug" and "Wild Animal Baby".  So, whatever your interests are, we have a magazine for you. Check one out the next time you're at the Urbana Free Library Children's Department.               Janet R.

Read to the Horses!

We've tried Read to the Dogs, so why not Read to the Horses?  Thursday afternoon, a quartet of Deb Murphy's miniature horses - Star, Rascal, Lindsay and Faith - stepped off a horse trailer into the auditorium.  They were so gentle and sweet.  After getting a nametag and choosing a book, we learned a little about horses, and then dispersed to four stations for one-on-one reading sessions.  We also enjoyed making horse masks with Clay Foley from the Champaign County Humane Society.  Check out pictures from the event below! 

 

Rascal considers a book.

Lindsay inspects the pictures.

A surprise kiss!

Star enjoys a rub at a page break.

Leanin' on a friend.

Listening to Henry and Mudge... and nibbling some shorts?!

Piggie and Elephant is o.k.  But what about books about horses?!

 

A reading break - and time for a special nuzzle!

For some more horsin' around, try these books!...

A Friend for Einstein: The Smallest Stallion by Charlie Cantrell and Dr. Rachel Wagner

Oh, Harry! by Maxine Kumin

Stable by Ted Lewin

 

 

 

 

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman

 

 

Happy Reading!  -Elaine B.

Going Buggy!

The library was invaded Wednesday afternoon by cookies, grapes, chow mein noodles, oreo cookies and bananas -  that quickly formed themselves into delicious tasting bugs.  Kathy Mullins from U of I Extension shared techniques for having fun with food during this program, leading participants through making a spider, a beetle, and a caterpillar.  Everyone had a great time, but the best part was definitely getting to eat our creations. 

Check out the chow mein antennae on this beetle!

Spiders and beetles gathered to read the Little Monsters Cookbook.

Along with singing "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" and "Insect on Her Head," we also devoured The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord, which tells the story of how a town ridded themselves of an invasion of wasps.  A tasty desert was served up by J. Patrick Lewis' poem "Most Live Scorpions Eaten by a Human" from World's Greatest: Poems. -Elaine B.

Our Favorite Nonfiction Books this Year (So Far)

Part Two of the favorite books we (the children's department) have read in 2012 is all about... Nonfiction Books!  Yes, those books about real people, places, and things.  Also the how-to craft books, sport books, cookbooks, and drawing books.  So all you historians and do-it-yourselfers out there, this one is for you.


Miss Rachel

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
by Brian Floca
Graphic novel that somehow manages to make you feel you are in a rocketing awaiting blast off.
J / 629.454 / FLO








Miss Elaine

Amelia Lost
by Candace Fleming
I haven't enjoyed narrative non-fiction like this since I read James Cross Giblin's When Plague Strikes.  Flemming artfully interweaves the story of the last moments of Earhart's last flight with the story of her growing up, so that you cannot put it down because you want to know what happens next.
J / 629.13 / BIO EARHART






Miss Shih-Mei

How Many Jelly Beans?: A Giant Book of Giant Numbers!
by Andrea Menotti
This book connects math concepts with delicious jelly beans.  Imagine the fun of opening up a giant fold-out "millions" of jelly beans.
J / 513.211 / MEN







Miss Lauren

Felties: How to Make 18 Cute and Fuzzy Friends
by Nelly Pailloux
From mummy cats to a sleepy foxes, this books will show you how to make small adorable dolls using basic sewing skills.  Full color photos and simple step-by-instructions make creating your own feltie a breeze.
J / 746.0463 / PAI

Our Favorite Picture Books this Year (So Far)

June is just ending and that means the year is half-way over. (Yipes! That went fast.)  Here in the Urbana Free Library Children's Department, it is time to reflect on our favorite books that the department has read this year.  To start with we are going to look at that family favorite... The Picture Book!


Miss Susan

Happy
by Mies van Hout

Fabulous art work and expression.

E HOUT






Miss Rachel

The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas
by Tony Wilson

Hilarious take on Princess and the Pea about a prince who wants a princess who likes camping and hockey.

E WILSON





Miss Elaine

365 Penguins
by Jean-Luc Fromental

Penguins begin arriving at the narrator's doorstep, and one by one, his family must figure out what to do with all them - all three hundred and sixty-five!

E FROMENTAL





Miss Lora

And then it's Spring
by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin Stead

Erin Stead won a Caldecott Award for her book, A Sick Day for Amos McGee (which is a wonderful book in itself) and she is the illustrator of this lovely book about the coming of Spring.  I am quite enamored by Erin's work which has a gentle, surreal feel to it.

E FOGLIANO



Miss Shih-Mei

You are a Lion: And Other Fun Yoga Poses
by Taeeun Yoo

A great family book!  Vivid illustrations and clear text demonstrate simple yoga poses to youngsters.

E YOO






Miss Lauren

The Book that Eats People
by John Perry

Beware!  This funny, yet darkly sinister book, is to be read at your own risk.

E PERRY

Great Programs in July

The Urbana Free Library Children's Department is packed with fun programs in July. Get ready for the upcoming olympics by coming to our "Picnic Olympics" where you can participate in a three legged race, a wheelbarrow race, and try ant collecting (with chopsticks). Interested in birds? Come see the fascinating birds from the U of I Wildlife Clinic when they come to the Urbana Free Library for our "Wild About Birds" program. And, bring your favorite teddy bear to enjoy our "Teddy Bear's Picnic" program. Do you like picnics? How about insects? Then, come to our "Delicious Insects" program where you'll make delicious treats that are shaped like insects. Join us for our summer "Classical Music Series" in July when Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" will be featured. Our regular programs continue, too, such as : Babies Lap Time, Toddler Time, Preschool Story Time, and Chess Club. See our July Calendar for all of these programs and more! So, come inside from the heat and enjoy a cool program this July at the Urbana Free Library Children's Department.                Janet R.

Chez Urbana

Budding pastry chefs enjoyed working with Buffy Vance yesterday afternoon, as Buffy shared sugar art techniques with buttercream frosting and fondant.  Buffy has studied in France and teaches classes through her business Madeline's Cake Decorating Classes  in downtown Urbana.  Here are some highlights of the afternoon:

Practicing icing technique.

Coloring fondant.

Cutting "sushi" wrapping.

Transporting fondant to the cupcake.

Adding the last sprinkles before exhibition.

A big thank you to the volunteers and parents who made this program possible, and especially to Buffy, who graciously donated her time for the program.  Be sure to check out the cake decorating books at the library, like  Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh My! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. (You won't want to miss the high-heeled cupcakes and pigs-in-a-blanket.)  And if your stuffed friends would like a treat, too, try Mud Pies and Other Recipes: A Cookbook for Dolls by Marjorie Winslow.  -Elaine

Meeting Children's Book Authors

Every year, the Children's Department hosts a five-week Children's Literature class from Millikin University's PACE program.  The PACE program utilizes a rigorous two-year night class format to prepare pre-service teachers for the classroom in local area schools.  One of the most exciting nights of class is when everyone shares a learning center, created to introduce K-8 students to a children's book author.  Here are just a few of the fun projects from the most recent class that ended in May: 

You might be interested to know that Nic Bishop, April Pulley Sayre, and Candace Fleming will be coming to town for the Youth Literature Festival next fall.  Everyone is invited to the free community day on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at the I-Hotel.  As a part of the festival, The Urbana Free Library will be hosting bilingual author Pat Mora on Thursday, October 4 - more details to follow.  -Elaine B.