Oh, David, it's Flannel Friday!

Oh! David!
     No, David!

David Shannon's wonderful No, David has been the highlight of my week.  We had more fun with this book than I ever could have planned.  And it was a learning experience for me.  So it's back to the drawing board today.  I need a David with movable eyebrows and a movable mouth.  David needs to show his emotions!!

So I can do things like this:

and this:

or this:

So now, all of David's features are movable.  His eyes, eyebrows, and mouth are made of stiffened black felt and his nose is made of the same felt as his skin.   I hope to make a few more of these to keep on the flannel board during social time because David's many faces were ultimately the most fascinating part of the program.  A small tilt of the brow, or tip the mouth and WOW!

Some time ago I made a set of bandaids for Piper.  I pulled them out this week to use with the No, David book to include the CCSStandard of consequences.  I mean really people,  why does David's mom always say "No"?   Oh yes...this was fun, and comical, and I want to do it again. 

...David fell while trying to sneak a cookie and hurt is elbow

....David accidently stabbed his hand with his fork while playing with his food

....David fell on his bottom, "his bum" in his slippery bathroom

....David's head hit the ceiling while jumping on his bed

There was no end to the number of bandaids David needed.  And now...there will be no end to his expressive face.  Next time around...the children can provide the consequence, the bandaid AND change David's expression.  Oh, and we can all imitate David's face.  I'm thinking we need a mirror in our story time room!

I am presenting a program titled : Every Child A Reader this summer.  It's for children ages 4-6 with a parent.  It brings together the skill sets from ECRR along with many of the CCSS to encourage early literacy success.  Everyone went home with their own David-on-a-paint-stirrer-stick-puppet to practice narrative skills.  They decided while coloring if their puppet was a Naughty David or a Good David.  Needless to say most everyone selected Naughty David!  I say "Bravo"!  Play out the naughty with the puppet.  Let the puppet get in trouble!

This is mine, made of felt today...but we made paper ones in the library with an assortment of wild and crazy expressions.  

Piper and I outreached to a summer camp this week where we did two programs.  Not to be outdone by David...Piper needed her story told ...the story of why she needed all the bandaids.  She loved the attention!  Indeed Piper girl, you are my very real puppet!  xo

P.S. (Piper Script) There's more to David.  Yep, yep, yep!  The library's first Library as Incubator program featured David.    

If you would like to learn how to make David - click here for a tutorial (it's at the end of the post) 

Flannel Friday Round-Up for 6/21/13 Thank you for your contributions. Next week's host is Bridget, you'll find her @ What is Bridget Reading. Oh, if you visit the FF Tech How-to page you can learn to do the LINKY - it's pretty fun!

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1. Sweet Dreams	2. Filmore Fish and Friends	3. One Person Puppet Shows (Thrive After Three)
4. Dig Into Reading: Construction Vehicles	5. Pete's Five Bright Balloons (Story Time Secrets)	6. I Know a Wee Piggy (What Is Bridget Reading?)
7. Hedgehog Digs into Reading!

This linky list is now closed.

Linky Tools  |  Linky Blog 2013

Hedgehog Digs into Reading!

The Cutest Hedgehog You Ever Did See 
is reading books in the Library!

This image is from Etsy, I am not selling it, just adoring it

Hedgehogs?  Really?  Hedgehogs?  My colleague, Michelle, would say "whaaaaat?" Who needs a hedgehog?!

"Dig into Reading" has me busy discovering new flannel frontiers.  I would never imagine" me" with a hedgehog.  But yesterday I did a search on Google Images for a hedgehog template and found this absolutely adorable hedgehog on Etsy.  Honestly, this hedgehog is too darn cute.  I could be best friends with this hedgehog!  I would read lots of hedgehog stories if this little sweetie was in my library.  Piper would not be pleased if this hedgehog joined our team. Nuh-unh.  And yet...I just may have to make this hedgehog.

Here's what happened next:  I made a sketch

And then:

With my flannel hedgehog I'll recite the ever familiar Brown Bear lines with a bit of British finesse!

Hedgehog Hedgehog whatever do you see?

I see a Squirrel looking at me

a Snake

a Spider

Hedgehog, hedgehog whatever do you see?

I see a little boy looking at me!

I found these free coloring pages  while searching for a template. The one with the worm, well that's just Dig into Reading Hedge-HOG- Heaven!!

Just want to say, this has been smashing but need to run off.  Piper's offered me a quiet spot for a kip.  She's my new pal!  Bye now. ~ The Hedgehog

P.S. (Piper Script) The perfect book for our Hedgehog night: Christina Butler's The Special Blankie

Flannel Friday Place Holder for 6/21/2013

This Flannel Friday Place Holder has now been permanently saved in the Flannel Friday Round-Up for June 21, 2013.  This click will take you there.  Enjoy!

Twinkle Stars on Flannel Friday

Twinkle! Twinkle!
Oh!  How we love those stars!

Today is about stars.  The moms and dads who carve out time in their busy schedules to bring their little ones to story time - you are truly stars.  We love that you come.  And you know you are doing the right thing.  You are awesome.  

On Monday evening we have, what I now call "Prime Time" at our library.   It's Pajama Story Time - 6:30 to 7:15 for all ages.  Kids must bring a grown-up.   We sing many cool songs in this program...yet the classic Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is always, always, always a "hit"!  Need I say more?

I found these foam stars while cleaning out the supplies cabinet.  Remembered that I had fat popsicle sticks at home and with some book tape and a black sharpie I was done ...in a flash, or a twinkle?   Look!  A sample of smiling stars on sticks!  Not original...but very handy. 

And one of my favorite books for PJ Prime Time: STARS by Mary Lynn Ray. It's beautiful!  Your little star will love to cuddle on your lap and listen and look.  And sing!

Oh!  almost forgot we have a new Good Night song for our PJ Prime Time. It comes from Laurie Berkner, I think you'll like it!  Click here.

P.S. (Piper Script), We're going out to look for stars tonight, maybe you can too. 

The Ants Go Marching on Flannel Friday!

Marching One by One
Hurrah!  Hurrah!

Dig into Reading!  Grab yourself a book and ...MARCH... right into "the ground to get out of the rain... Boom Boom Boom"  Oh, and please take some ants with you.  I am pushing the flannel envelope people!  Just want you to know that.  I do not like ants.  Irrational fear of ants over here - been this way since adulthood.  And now, I'm making flannel ants.  Last week I came face to face with my fear of sharks when I flannelized that bad boy and this week... creepy crawly ant parts.  And this is my choice!  What the heck am I doing to myself?  Could this possibly become: Flannel-what-you-fear-Friday?

Click here for an adorable version of the song.  I wrote that sentence to be nice, to try a positive spin - but truly...there is no such thing as an adorable ant.  The song is catchy - I agree.  Kids like it, yep!  Kids like ants - what can I say?  I used to like them too, when I was a kid!

I sketched the pattern and started taping and cutting this afternoon.  I have more ants to make...but here's a few to get us going.  Oh...ants, fun!

Marching one by one

There's never just one ant...

I think they look sort of goofy.  Alien ants?  Anyway - these are my ants!  It's pouring buckets here in Connecticut - so all of our ants are marching into the ground for a night of reading.  How perfect!! 

P.S. (Piper Script): I love digging for ants.  Oh, and we found a really cool science experiment for ants. Check out this National Geographic site!

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.  

CLA Today!

Flannel - check!  Books - check   Easels - check!

Flannel display boards - check! check!

Car packed?  check!

Jane dressed?   Jane dressed?    JANE!!!!

I can not resist this adorable picture book to illustrate my final steps in "preparedness."  Maybe it's the life of a children's librarian - often times the "Jill of-all-trades" but I seem to take everything with me.  One never really know what adventure awaits!  Does one?  Author Bethanie Deeney Murguia gets me to a "T" or maybe a "Z" in this case!  I realize I'm not alone in this creative process.  Maybe you'll see yourself, your sister, your co-worker or your child in this book.  It's just precious. 

Zoe Gets Ready by Bethanie Deeney Murguia

Ready for everything! 

 Cowgirl boots, mittens, fairy wings, fancy skirt, pocket vest

and a flower crown!

Oh, don't forget the trusty side-kick, a butterfly (or a beautiful Piper dog)

It's time to roll to the Flannel Panel.  Many thanks to:

 you have provided inspiration, organization and so much joy to my flannel life.  

P.S. (Piper Script): If you would like more info on Bethanie Deeney Murguia please visit her website -Aqua Pup!!

Flannel Friday Popsicle Kid!

Popsicle Kid!  

He's just so darn happy!  Spring, popsicles & CLA 2013!

We're smiling here!

It's time for the Connecticut Library Association 's annual conference and this kid's coming with me.  Yep!  And check this out:  He eats the popsicles!  Yum, lemon!!  Hey, did my tongue turn yellow?  

hmmm, let's try blue, what flavor is that?

oh wait!  I like lime...which color is lime?

I made a bag of extra tongues, (sounds bizarre but it isn't) so all the kiddos can place 

the color they like best onto the flannel board.

This little guy has been waiting to be flannelized for some time now.  I found him here with Storytime Katie although it appears his home is here with Cate at Storytiming and she has a pattern.  Now he's a friend of Piper's and she "called" the pink popsicle.  So, this kid's saving that one for her.  Sharing is good.  There is a lot of sharing on Flannel Friday. If you work with children - getting to know Flannel Friday will place a great big grin on your face!

Flannel Friday is the best source for flannel story inspiration.  The members are supportive, creative, helpful, and caring.  You should follow, or better yet,  join - Start here!

P.S. (Piper Script)  Here are a few libraries I would like to see.  Road trip?  I call a window seat!

I do all my own Library stunts!

Organizing for the Flannel Panel   

Next week I'm headed to the Connecticut Library Association Conference to rock and roll with two of my favorite librarians, Kari Ann St Jean and Heather Baker.
We're presenting The Flannel Panel!


A little history on these two:  Kari Ann has moved on from my library system to be a department head in a neighboring town library, (so happy for her...so sad for me), and the inimitable Heather Baker is just a few towns away.  Heather is a super-brain Head of Children's Dept. librarian.  She is one of the smartest people I know.  Both of these women give generously to their communities, their staff and the collaborative development of librarians in Connecticut and everywhere.  If you come - they will teach, share, assist, provide and make you laugh.  There is a kindness in these women that you don't find just anywhere. And thank heavens they have my back next week!!

)

(kari ann & jane) 





We've planned to display some of our flannel pieces and this year I made a little heading for our foam core display boards.  Oh how we love Amelia Bedelia (check out last years display boards)                                                                
                                                                                                                              (heather & jane)                                                                                                             

A thirty minute magical, fantastical, all-out-flannel story time will precede the 25 minute Q & A.  We are presenting at the end of the day which will allow us to stay longer if anyone wishes to stay. The panel will provide great tips and how-to's, behind-the-scenes flannel secrets, why magnets help, when to use cardboard, felt-in-a-box, felt-on-a-paint-stirrer, sunshines-on-sticks, the best easel and so much more.  We'll tie-in to the summer reading theme, (Dig into Reading), and present stories in-line with the Common Core SS and Every Child Ready to Read. Our hope is that you will go home with all the words and wisdom to confidently tell your own fantastical flannel stories, songs and rhymes.

There'll be guerrilla flannel tales for your entertainment if: A) you stay long enough and  B) we get Heather going.  This alone is worth the price of admission!
   

Some of my friends needed to get spiffed up before heading out to CLA.  

Little Mouse 

needed a stiff felt backing

Little Cat's Hats

needed stiff felt backs and some pizzaz

And Pete, 

well...he got new buttons

Pretty Groovy, eh?

Join us at CLA on April 30th -you know you want to!  

And then you can say....I went to the Flannel Panel because I FELT like it!

p.s. I've discovered that in the process of determining what to do, bring, share and present for the conference I overload myself with creative, inspiring new and sometimes old ideas.  Research is wonderful!  I love learning.  This prep work motivates many new ideas.  It's falling in love with my career all over again - you know...that seductive tug - just one more click, and I link to one more idea or pinterest page, or a Flannel Friday friend's blog post and NOW ...I want to include that in the presentation.   Heather is so in love with this process...she thinks it a good idea to be in "presenter-prep-mode permenantly".  In case I didn't tell you, she's younger and very high energy!  Today I am loading two easels into my car and picking up printed hand-outs, pinning my flannel pieces to my display boards...you know how it goes.  Just remember...I do all my own library stunts!!!  Oh, and what should I wear to the conference?