Reading Beatrice's Goat Together

How it all started 

...with a little help from my friends

 Andrew Eder & Diane W. Frankenstein

A number of months ago I attended a Conversational Reading Workshop lead by Diane W. Frankenstein, author of Reading Together  Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read.  The seminar provided a day of stimulating conversation about every librarian's favorite subject - READING GREAT BOOKS.  The attendees of this workshop received a $500. grant made possible by the generosity of Andrew Eder as well as a copy of Diane W. Frankenstein's book.  Our task: to implement conversational reading.

So, that's how it started.  

Now you must consider the fact that everyone...in the world of books, was talking about diversity at this time.  Shouting "cultural diversity" from the hill tops to the publishing houses.  Our books, our library collections and our programs must reflect our community.  That, my friends, is the honest to goodness truth.  Ask Piper, she knows.  

Okay...  I bet you know what we did.  Yes we did!  

We took conversational reading added cultural diversity and discovered that the sum of these two was far greater than we could have imagined.  A wonderful story was about to unfold in our little library in Connecticut. 

On page #29 in Diane Frankenstein's Reading Together you'll find the title Beatrice's Goat written by Page McBrier.  This book, based on the true story of an African girl with dreams of an education AND an income-producing goat, provided by Heifer Project International was selected for our program.  We have African families in our library's diverse community.   This book appeared to be a good match, we owned it and we liked the additional message of empowerment, the "contribute to create a better world feeling."  

In April while the Association for Library Services to Children adopted  The Importance of Diversity in Library Programs and Material Collections for Children we were submitting book orders to enhance our collection and purchasing new baby dolls.  We planned the program, "Diversity in Action, Conversational Reading" advertised on the library's FB page and Piper tweeted out on #colormyshelf.

And then...after all this...we discovered that Beatrice Biira, the real girl from Uganda, the girl in the book, came to the United States to continue her education.  She came to Connecticut -she graduated from Connecticut College.  We're one of those tiny states, so this was pretty cool.  Oh, there's more...the Heifer Project International funds that brought the goats to Kisinga, Uganda, Beatrice's village, came from a little village in Connecticut - Niantic.  This just happens to be my village - where Piper and I spend our family holidays each year.  We didn't know this - incredible!

Needless to say, we did a fair amount (read: tons) of research on Beatrice and her family.  We posted photos of Beatrice as a child and as a young adult in our program room.  Fascinating!   We discovered that Beatrice learned to weave when she attended school in Kisinga - so we weaved!

Our program was alive and colorful.  It felt like "ours" The program had a grander meaning because Beatrice was connected to our home of Connecticut.  We connected with Beatrice, the 9 year old little girl in Uganda.  Beatrice was one of our kids on June 25th, 2014.  It felt that way, it surely did!  The conversation flowed.  The families shared.  We learned about each other.  We talked about school and houses and family and food.  We discovered how someone's life could change with the gift of a goat.  Who knew?   Oh!  We had goat's milk...we had to...Beatrice drank it!

Although some of us had popsicles... because... it's all good!

We are very thankful to Andrew Eder for the generous gift he provided many Connecticut Libraries this year.  At the Faxon Library we have 40 new, culturally diverse children's books.  We have beautiful new baby dolls that are being loved and loved and some crazy colorful paper for an assortment of Diversity in Action crafts.  Many thanks to Mr Andrew Eder and to Diane W Frankenstein for her inspiration, enthusiasm and endless energy.  

P.S. (Piper Script): loved the goat's milk!  

UPDATE 7.20.14  After publishing this post Piper and I heard from Diane Frankenstein.  She asked to include us in her blog, Diane's Musings, we're so very flattered!  And here's the link to Diane Frankenstein's Musings.   Click it, you'll like it!  

Puppet That!

The Connecticut Library Association annual conference begins on Monday, May 7th. Presenting Flannel This, Puppet That! with my colleague Kari Ann St Jean and a host of puppets, (each clamoring to be a "star"),  is the highlight on my spring calendar!  

I am creating this post to allow those attending the Conference a place to re-visit the puppets in the "Puppet That" part of Flannel This, Puppet That!

Piper comes to this event with "depth of experience"! Heck, she's been to Broadway, Lincoln Center...New Jersey, Baltimore, Rocky Hill...she has FANS, a following!  It is her job today to keep Tanika, Isabella, and Mouse calm.  Besides, she is a very real puppet...a category of her own.  You haven't heard of VERY REAL PUPPETS? - someday you will...and then you will know!

Facts about Piper:  Story Time Mascot!

Age:  stage age..3.  (Real age, a secret!)

Breed:  Black Labrador Retriever

Source:  Folkmanis (shhh...don't let Piper hear you), Puppets

Parents: Dad is Murphy, Mom is "Mom"  

Favorite things: books, balls, biscuits, bed, chewy sock, Mimi, Twinkle, pacifier, singing, magic fairy dust, Speedo

Piper's Biography: found on the home page of this blog!

Piper with bandaids! She is a tad dramatic!

Now this is Tanika!

 She is forever taking her shoes off, she loves her hair and her favorite color is purple.  Tanika is a full body puppet yet her legs are removable.  I adopted Tanika and Isabella about 5 years ago although they remain preschoolers...for life!  Tanika is known for the very best hugs at the end of Story Time.  She is gentle and kind and a very good listener.

Hola from Isabella and Bo!

My library is located in a culturally diverse neighborhood. Isabella speaks Spanish and English. She assists me with the many languages in our community.  She has a sweet way about helping me understand.  She is polite with everyone.  She will sing some of our opening songs in Spanish...and sometimes she will be at Story Time for hugs if Tanika has gone to 

Miss Kari Ann's house for a sleepover!

Now, Bo is new to us...and as much as I love, love, love this new Dog....he is not fully accepted by the children yet.  I need to work on Bo's personality some more.  My Bo is the Presidential dog..lives at the White House, hangs with the President and family and comes to the library for Special Events.  

We are sooo lucky in West Hartford!

I love these two little puppets!

Introducing Twinkle and Mimi!!!

Twinkle and Mimi are finger puppets.  Twinkle flies through the night sky twinkling her favorite song, (Twinkle twinkle little star..) ...and Mimi's claim to fame is singing

"mi-mi-mi-mi-mi" in a deep, or low voice, then again in a middle range voice, and then in a high voice  (She is a great intro to the 3 Billy Goats Gruff)  These two finger puppets live in Piper's bed, therefore...I never leave home without them.

Chicken and Mouse will be with us at CLA. I am a big believer in back stories, (biographies) for puppets...the children want to know...and they remember!  Yet in all the years that Mouse has been with me...he has never been given a name.  And this works for us because...that's the way I tell it...Mouse has no name!  Sometimes we will ponder names...kids always have suggestions!  Mouse will even bring the books with baby names to Story Time...so we can look up names. But seven years later...

Mouse still has no name!

Chicken makes occasional appearances, usually with the shaker eggs or in Spring stories and sometimes in Our Mother Goose on the Loose Program with Betsey Diamont Cohen's chant: "Hickory Dickory Dare...the chicken jumped up in the air!" And every child has a chance to toss the chicken!  (of course our Chicken has some words about this!!)

FYI: Piper is always introduced by her little girl and the spelling of her name.  To the tune of BINGO we sing: "There was a girl who had a dog and Piper was her name-oh

P-I-P-E-R...."

I have a clearly defined goal in my Story Times..Learn to LOVE your Early Reading Skills! I am dedicated to Every Child Ready to Read.  check it out!  This flannel board song-introduction to Piper purposefully brings together skills to practice with parents and children.

Talking builds vocabulary...I begin with talking about the little girl and her clothing, the color of her hair, her busy day.. 

Print awareness is demonstrated with words and symbols... we even discuss that the heart on the shirt is a symbol for love

Letter Knowledge... the letter P begins Piper's name...where is that letter?  what does it sound like? who can make that sound?  does anyone else have a P, yes, Peter has a P!

Print Motivation ...we are reading the T-shirt, reading PIPER's name!  We are such good readers.  (If you are doing this with me...you are awesome!)..Those letters mean something!

Narrative skills...we tell this story in a sequence that slowly brings all the letters into their space holders..we narrate this story every single week and it is the best!

Phonological awareness...we put it all together and whoa...it's a song for us to sing...giving value to each sound...making words and then sentences.  WOW!

Thoughts inspired by organizing my puppets:

Learning to read does not come easy for every child.  Loving to learn is not automatic.  Something I hope I can do in story time and with Piper's blog...is to inspire parents and professionals to make every time we pick up a book to read with a child...a happy time.  Send a positive connection into that amazing, developing, gorgeous brain!  

If we are successful in making happy connections to reading...the child will ask for a book again and again.  And then...the golden opportunity arrives to pass all the early reading skills along - show your child that reading is a blast! They will learn, they will remember. Understanding the value of letter knowledge, print motivation, narrative skills and singing will empower you to want to read more, sing more, play more with your child!!  ...or your story time kids!! 

So, go pick up a book and read to someone little.  xo

P.S. (Piper Script) :  I'm little!