Shark Attack on Flannel Friday!

SHARK! 
Lovin' this SHARK!

I absolutely never expected to love "the shark".  And now I think I need another shark! A bigger shark to scare this shark!  To eat this shark?  Or maybe I need the shark puppet!  Oh yea!

28 years in children's services, 600 ga-zillion books, 40 tra-million story times ...but maybe only two... or three shark books.  I know, honestly, I know, the shark books are popular.  But they always creep me out.  I found myself on the island of St Croix the summer after Jaws was released.  The romantic island honeymoon - great idea - but I was on Shark Alert the entire time!  Life changing movie!  

Here's the home of the shark idea and all the best shark books.  Click the link, really!   Making the shark in felt changed things up for me.  He's not so threatening.  He actually makes me smile. He encourages some inner menace...yes,  I want to be menacing!  Oh, these poor little fish have no idea...stay away from the SHARK!!

Rebecca from Sturdy for Common Things (see above shark idea link) has a great song to go along with this flannel set.  Looks like she linked it from here at the Canton Public Library in Michigan.  

Five Little Fishes

(Tune: 5 Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree)

Five little fishes, Swimming in the sea.
Teasing Mr. Shark, You can`t catch me.
Along comes Mr. Shark, as quiet as can be...and... sssnap!
(Repeat with:)
Four little fishes, etc..

Oh my goodness I love these guys!!

I can't sign off on the shark theme without linking to a snappy, funny YouTube video of Johnny Only singing Baby Shark!  And now it's confirmed - I need three sharks.  Uh-huh, baby shark, momma shark and daddy shark. Hmmm, I think we may be digging for shark teeth in some sand at the library this summer.  Just look at those teeth!  

Dig into reading at your library this summer!

P.S. (Piper Script) I love to dig!! 

Picture Books on the L

The L?  Yes the L! 


The L was overflowing with books.  You know... that far way other end of the... L-shaped sofa where I keep my library books.   Yes.  Overflowing to epic proportions.  Half of the sofa was full of books.  No room for company but oh so many fabulous fictional friends to visit!

Piper and I love picture books.  We've read close to one hundred over the past four weeks...some were great, some hilarious and some just dreadful.

Take a look at these:

They're all on our GREAT list.  They're all about behaviors.  Hmmm.  So, here's the thing..Piper is having behavior issues and she refuses to say she's sorry therefore we are experimenting with "time out".  So, we have this little group of books to read and re-read and then read again!

Let's start with MINE! written by Shutta Crum illustrated by Patrice Barton.  Mine! Mine! Mine!  I hear this often in the library and we all understand it.  This book brings it home with limited text and the most amazingly adorable illustrations.  Ownership bounces from child to child and to the playful puppy with no tears.  The book invites you to cuddle with your child and talk about what you see.  A major triumph in the tale - there's no blame here, making the book more adventure than lesson.  Subliminal messaging for our toddlers - wow, brilliant author!

Let's move on to Martha!   Martha Doesn't Share! and Martha Doesn't Say Sorry! written by Samantha Berger and illustrated by Bruce Whatley are the best books to read when there is an issue or even a hint of an issue.  Martha will steal your heart but not at the beginning of the book. She's really not nice but with humor and heart and a great deal of thinking she discovers that she can share and she will say sorry.  And life is even better...but we don't point that out.  Martha is quite irresistible, once you get to know her!

Olive And The Big Secret by Tor Freeman hits the nail on the head of the whole secret thing.  Why do they do it?  I don't even remember what age kids are when the misery of keeping and telling secrets begins.  Ugh. The book is very linear, clear and predictable until the end which as I already said...nails it!  Quite witty!

From the ever-popular Rosemary Wells we have Time-out For Sophie.  Here, Ms Wells captures the terrible twos to a T!  Oh, Sophie, intentional misbehavior?  You threw your supper on the floor, again?  Oh no!  This is short and simple, pure entertainment.  Best way to teach a lesson to a two-year-old?  Don't make it about them!  Let it be all about Sophie!   That naughty Sophie!

Why are all the naughty children girls?  Ha!  Am I sensing a gender reversal in children's picture books?  No, that can't be...I just need to read another hundred books to find some misbehavin' boys!  In the meantime, here's an outstanding book for everyone written by the talented father/daughter Emberley team.  If anyone is acting up in your house...go to the library and borrow If You're A Monster And You Know It 

Yay! Monsters in the house! 

  We get to stomp, snort and growl around.

Be sure to check out the "catchy downloadable tune" for this book!  Click here  

And if you need more monsters click here, we've got some darling ones.    Piper and I are going to keep these books for a couple more days.  I do think they are helping her with her "issues".  Thank goodness! 

Visit your library this week!   You'll find picture books on behaviors and emotions.  Parenting books to measure your successes and failures advise you on all sorts of topics.  Poetry books for your inner artist, art books for your creative soul and they're all waiting for you and your kids and your dog!  Please remember to read to your dog!

Thanks for visiting Piper loves the Library. 

May we run to the beat of Daniel's Drum

26 Acts of Kindness
Act #25 and # 26

I have been reluctant to post my final acts in this series honoring the victims of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School  because I am selfishly holding onto two little boys.  If I don't write this - I won't loose them.  I know that's not true but somewhere in this heart and head I just want to hold them a bit longer.

Daniel Barden loved drums.  The drum, the beat - so basic, clear, the rhythm of our hearts.  It hurts.  My heart hurts.  I think of this young boy when I hear the drums.  And in my world of children's librarianship - the drums play twice a week during story time.  Kids love drums.  We will remember Daniel Barden.

And Chase Kowalski, seven years old, a runner who loved baseball... steals home today.  My final "shout out" goes to this young man as I imagine him running the bases.  Running has been "my thing" most of my life.  Maybe this is why Chase is my last person to honor. It's funny how after a decade of no longer being a runner - it is still the picture in my brain of just who I am.  This will be the same for Chase - I will imagine him in full stride.

If you've followed the blog through my 26 Acts of Kindness you may remember that I joined this movement established by Anne Curry because I was feeling quite solo at home on medical leave.  I missed the world.  I decided that doing kind acts honoring the victims and blogging about it would help me re-connect with this great big gigantic world.  It has.  It's worked in more ways than I could even try to explain. Trust me on this.

During a recent medical appointment I noticed that there were plenty of magazines but no children's books. This needed a remedy!  

In honor of Daniel Barden and Chase Kowalski: a basket of 20 books available for kids to read.  I did check with the staff before bringing in books.  Providing the basket was key...it gave the books a home and makes them easy to move from examining room to waiting room to wherever needed.  

From my view - Daniel's beat is the steady thrum of heart and life and learning and loving.  And Chase, you have brought" home" to the doctor's office where those little ones with injuries will hopefully cuddle and read with mom or dad and heal to run another day.  Thanks guys.  Up high!!  

If you are interested in 26 Acts of Kindness, please click here. 

On a closing note - the memory of Chase Kowalski running has brought me right to Boston and more Acts of  Kindness.  The world always needs more Acts of Kindness.  Amen.