Hampton Bays Public Library Children's Room

Looking Forward to Spring?

2012-01-30T09:15:00.000-08:00

No Child Left Inside @ The Elizabeth A. Morton Bird Sanctuary and @ Amy's Ark Farm & Yoga/Art Studio , Bunnies! Bunnies! Bunnies!, Cupcake Critters, Earth Day Celebration, Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Time. These are just a few of our upcoming Spring programs...stay tuned for details!

In the meantime join us for our Winter Specials: No Child Left Inside @ The Parrish Museum, Parent/Child Yoga, Blue Horse Easel Hours, Baby Sign Time, Montessori Games, Not a Box!, Play & Build with Cups and The Caldecott Goes to...and many more!

Come visit our new addition!

2012-01-19T12:35:00.000-08:00

Please welcome our new lovebird, Holly Goflightly. She is very sweet and can't wait to meet you. A couple of our littlest patrons were playing with her today and discovered that she loves music. They played songs for her on their iPhone and Holly sang and danced for them! In the morning Holly sits on Kelly's shoulder while she gets settled in to work and sometimes walks along Kelly's keyboard and helps her get organized for the day.

While you are here check out some great bird books:

Bee & Bird by Craig Frazier

A Bird in Winter by Helene Kirillis

Elsie's Bird by Jane Yolen

Forever Friends by Carin Berger

Sylvia and Bird by Catherine Raynor

December's No Child Left Inside

2011-12-06T12:27:00.000-08:00

Last Friday we cut down our Mitten Tree at Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm in Mattituck. It was a beautiful, sunny and mild day - perfect to sit by the outdoor fire for a storytime reading of The Little Fir Tree. Then we got to run through the field (be careful not to trip over tree stumps!) and find the perfect tree. We helped a farmhand chop it down and then helped trim and wrap it. There were plenty of old sleighs to play in and a special mailbox for letters to Santa!

Please bring in new scarves, hats, mittens, socks, gloves and blankets to hang on our Mitten Tree. It is now up in our Children's Room. We will donate all items to the church of St. Rosalie for our community members in need of warmth this Winter season.

And the Mock Caldecott Goes to.....

2011-12-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

.....GRANDPA GREEN by Lane Smith!!

Kelly & I have had such a wonderful time learning all about the Caldecott award & its process these last few weeks. It all came to a climax yesterday when we co-hosted the Suffolk Cooperative Library System's Mock Caldecott with Alison (SCLS Youth Services Consultant), Christine & Julie (fellow kid's librarians).

After careful deliberation Lane Smith's charming story Grandpa Green won the Mock Caldecott. Told from a grandson's point of view, Grandpa Green is a picture book about a Grandfather & his topiary memories. His grandson meanders through in his garden finding things his Grandpa has lost & acts out stories his Grandpa has told him. It is illustrated whimsically with lush greens & wispy lines in ink, watercolor, oil paint and digital paint. The nostalgic and sweet story will spark conversations about family history and may provide a wonderful bonding experience for kids & grandparents. The subject can also provide an opportunity to discuss aging & memory loss. The quirky, fun topiaries come alive with Lane Smith's artistic technique, their texture and colors are amazing. Read this book with your kids & then draw up an illustrated life-line of your own to keep in a family scrapbook or bring home a baby bonsai tree to trim together during the Winter until you can plant boxwoods to make topiaries out of in your own garden in the Spring!

Honor awards went to Where's Walrus by Stephen Savage & A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka. Both are wordless picture books but they certainly have a lot to say! No text, but lots to talk about - the illustrations in both of these books provide a great meeting place for kids & reader. Ask, "What's going on in this picture?" & "Why do you say that?" for full engagement with the book as a visual art form & for some incredible insights from your kids. Using Megan Lambert's Whole Book Approach theory and employment of Visual Thinking Strategies will make for an excellent storytime!

Where's Walrus was illustrated digitally with Adobe Illustrator in a retro style. It has a very 1950's advertising look & Walrus' image is so pop art-ish & iconographic that we fully expect to see an entire branded line of Walrus products in the future! The pictures are bold & simple, make use of a limited but bright color palette & the diagonal compositions are exciting. The white against red title on the cover is shouting at you like a bullhorn to pick up this book! Walrus is playful & humorous, kids will be rooting for him throughout the story while they laugh at the zookeeper's wild goose chase . Side note: If I were a zookeeper I would be in collaboration with Mr. Savage about planning Walrus programming & events! (You could even throw in a couple of polar bear programs with his Polar Bear Night illustrations....)

A Ball for Daisy was illustrated in ink, watercolor & gouache. He chose the perfect media for this very expressive little pup. The color and swirling lines of Raschka's impressionistic style indicate the pup's mood at any given moment. Any child who has lost a favorite toy will identify & fall in love with him. This story shows examples of compassion & consideration. Maybe it will spark a little charity in you & your children...and what better time of year?? Donate a toy that is sure to become a favorite of a less fortunate child to your local Toys for Tots location. There's a box right here in our Children's Room!

There are so many picture books to consider for the Caldecott this year, we may have not even looked at the one that will actually win in January! The following is a list of the 8 books we considered, although two of my personal favorites (Stop Snoring Bernard & I Want My Hat Back) did not make the final list... :(

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Katherine Paterson, ill. by Pamela Dalton

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson

The House Baba Built by Ed Young

Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat by Philip Stead

The Man in the Moon by William Joyce

Where's Walrus by Stephen Savage

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse Auction!

2011-11-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

This morning I was browsing Pandas and Such, Renata Liwska's amazing blog, and was excited to see a post about The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse Auction. This is a charity auction to support arts education in elementary schools across the country. Artists and celebrities have created artwork inspired by Eric Carle's new book to be auctioned off on eBay and all the proceeds will go to the NEA Foundation. Click here for details on the auction.

If Kelly and I were able to bid on behalf of our Children's Room we would most certainly pick Renata's The Blue Horse Who Sewed a Red Thread shown above. How sweet it would be to have that hanging on our wall for us to admire......sigh. Her artwork is drawn with pencil and then colored digitally, resulting in very soft yet tactile images. Not to mention, all her animal characters are very endearing (they are now available in plush!)....check out the books she has illustrated:

Little Panda

The Loud Book

A Puppy is for Loving

The Quiet Book

Red Wagon

Skylar

The Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration

2011-11-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

On Monday Kelly and I were fortunate to visit the Society of Illustrators for The Original Art exhibition. Seeing the original artwork from some of our favorite illustrators was a wonderful experience. Check out the slideshow above to see Kelly practically hugging a piece from Lane Smith's Grandpa Green, our friend Alison O'Reilly (Youth Consultant from the Suffolk Cooperative Library System) cozying up to Jon Klassen's bear from I Want My Hat Back and me - pondering Eric Carle's horse from The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. This book was inspired by Franz Marc, the German Expressionist Painter who painted not only blue horses but a variety of other colorful animals in the early 1900's. The message to kids here? Be confident in your own creativity! Certain things do not have to be certain colors, create your own world!

I have loved Franz Marc since my art school days - when I did an independent study on his Yellow Cow, 1911 and ate, slept and breathed everything Franz Marc for an entire semester to write a twenty page paper for a professor that I worshiped who promptly handed it back to me with a F for plagiarism. I was devastated but after meeting with the professor and going over my notes one by one for hours...she handed the paper back to me with an A. Needless to say, Eric Carle's new book is a favorite of mine because it is by one of my favorite illustrators and introduces children to one of my favorite artists.

At the exhibition we listened to Marla Frazee (Stars), Stephen Savage (Where's Walrus) and Paul Zelinsky (Dust Devil) discuss their artwork and creative process. A special "thank you" to Laurent Linn for an incredible and insightful tour of the gallery! This day was so inspirational that we have ordered four large, double-sided wooden art easels that we will set up in the Children's Room for your kids to use anytime. Bring their artwork home for your refrigerator gallery or leave it with us and we will display it!

We were also happy to meet a friend of Alison's, Thom Barthelmess, Curator of the Butler Children's Literature Center at Dominican University. Thom gave two wonderful workshops on Non-Fiction and Collection Development the next day at SCLS. Thom, we look forward to visiting River Forest!! :)

LIRR to 128 East 63rd Street, Society of Illustrators

2011-11-17T13:14:00.000-08:00

The fine art of children's book illustration is celebrated with the 31st annual exhibition The Original Art at the Society of Illustrators. Take a trip to the city with your kids to see pictures from your favorite books this year magically released from their pages and hung on gallery walls. Seeing the illustrations on their own instead of part of a whole will certainly enrich your child's experience of a treasured book.

Before you hop on the train, visit a local craft store to pick up a sketchbook and colored pencils. Don't forget to also visit us and check out a few of the books from featured illustrators (like Grandpa Green, Stop Snoring Bernard, Harry & Hopper and more) to be read on the ride in. While at the gallery encourage your kids to make their own sketches of the artwork they see - or even make up your own story and illustrations on the train ride home. Then frame a couple to hang on your walls at home or bring them to us at the library and we will display them on the walls of the Children's Room!

Register Now for Winter Programs...

2011-11-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

Photo from last year's NCLI, December.

Wait 'til you see the programs we have planned for you and your kids this Winter! Here's just a few of the things you may sign up for:

~December’s No Child Left Inside:

Our Mitten Tree, Come Cut It With Us @ Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm!

Friday, December 2, 12:00 noon

There’ll be warm hands on Long Island this winter as a result of the generosity of the Hampton Bays Children’s Room kids and families. We are proud to have received such generous donations in the past years! This year we will have a No Child Left Inside Program at Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm in Mattituck to cut our special tree. We will read The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown, pick our tree and cut it, have cookies and hot chocolate with Santa and possibly have a train ride. Please bring in new and handmade items such as mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, socks, etc. to hang on our Mitten Tree. We will be donating them to the Church of St. Rosalie and then they will be distributed to less fortunate children and adults.

Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm is located at:

20685 Main Road, Mattituck

http://shamrockchristmastreefarm.com/directions.htm for directions.

~Eyes See It, I Click It - Digital Photography for Kids & Parents

Wednesdays, November 16 & 30, December 7 & 14, 4 pm

For children ages 3 and up with parent or caregiver.

Let’s take pictures - together! We will meet for four sessions, at the first you will bring your digital camera and we will talk about how to use it and you will go home from each session with an assignment of what to take pictures of. We will have an alphabet theme where each child will take pictures of things beginning with a different letter, a pet theme, a favorite place theme and a color theme. We will upload the pictures to PhotoBucket, discuss subject matter and editing and then pick our favorites which will be put up on the Blog and be made into a final book that we will order from PhotoBucket as well. When we receive the book we will catalog it and put it in our Collection!

(Children will need to bring their own camera.)

~The Velveteen Rabbit: How Toys Become Real

Tuesday, December 6, 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm
For children in grades K and up.
Kick off the holiday season with a story about how toys become real. Bring your own very special stuffed toy with you to share in the story of The Velveteen Rabbit. Enjoy a candy cane or some gingerbread cookies while you listen to the story. Bring in a new, unwrapped toy as well for our Toys For Tots donation box and participate in the spirit of giving.

~All Aboard the Polar Express Story Hour

Tuesday, December 13, 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm

For children ages 3 and up.

Come and listen to the story of the Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Come in your pajamas just like the kids in the book! After the story we’ll enjoy some chocolate Hershey’s kisses and each child will leave with their very own silver bell and reindeer handprint craft.

~Gingerbread House Making

Saturday, December 17, Session #1: 11:30 - 12:30 noon, Session #2: 1:30 - 2:30 pm
For families.
Make this holiday season memorable and fun by creating your own Gingerbread House. Bring the whole family for an afternoon of fun and festivity. What child will ever forget the time spent with Mom or Grandpa creating a masterpiece of gingerbread, candy and frosting?!
Participants must bring a half gallon cardboard milk container, we will supply the rest of the materials.
Each session is limited to 15 families.

It's Caldecott Time!!

2011-11-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

Miss Kelly & I are very excited to be co-chairing a discussion group for this year's Mock Caldecott at SCLS, the Suffolk Cooperative Library System. We met briefly last week with our friend Alison O'Reilly, the SCLS Youth Services Consultant, and fellow children's librarians Christine Dengel and Julie DeLaney. Boy did we have a hard time narrowing our wonderful piles of books down.

We are only considering 8 books this year and there are so many that have Caldecott potential. After careful deliberation we came up with a list of books that we will spend the next few weeks obsessing over with the Caldecott Criteria and art terms and philosophy. We will also look at these books using Megan Lambert's storytime model called The Whole Book Approach. Megan is an outreach associate for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (she helped us last year with our Carle outreach program, thanks again Megan!) who developed this method of examining books by looking at all of its elements such as the jacket, spine, cover, format, endpapers, front matter, gutter, type and art medium/style. We will ask ourselves what we see and then ask again why do we see it, or what, specifically, makes us say that? This approach emphasizes the visual and encourages active seeing instead of just simply listening to the story.

But mainly we are going to have to train ourselves not to say "I Love It!" or "It's Soooo Cute!". You won't hear anyone on the actual Caldecott Committee saying those things - although I'm sure they do when there's no one "official" around. :) So, note to self: I have to remember not to say how incredibly awesome it would be for Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat to win because I love it and want to be adopted by Philip and Erin because they are an incredibly awesome, talented, charming and sooo cute couple and lounging on the couch with their scruffy pup in their incredibly awesome Michigan house filled with incredibly awesome kitschy things while smelling some incredibly awesome baking and watching them create beautiful artwork at their respective tables would be an incredibly awesome way to spend a day. So, yeah, cannot say that....

So far, the online class that Kelly & I are taking - The Caldecott Medal: Understanding Distinguished Art in Picture Books, instructed by Kathleen T. Horning - has been very informative and inspirational. I'm sure it will be greatly helpful in our 2012 Mock Caldecott endeavor. Interested in art & picture books? Pick up Kathleen's book From Cover to Cover; Evaluating and Reviewing Children's Books & come up with a list of your very own of Caldecott considerations!

Here are the books we will be looking at:

A Ball for Daisy by Christopher Raschka

Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Katherine Paterson, ill. by Pamela Dalton

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson

The House Baba Built by Ed Young

Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat by Philip C. Stead

The Man in the Moon by William Joyce

Where's Walrus by Stephen Savage

Apple Picking!!!

2011-09-20T12:07:00.001-07:00

Last Friday we visited Davis Peach Farm in Wading River for our No Child Left Inside Program. What a wonderful turnout we had with all of our favorite patrons and friends! We spent the beautiful crisp, sunny day wandering the fields picking juicy apples and filling bags of them. Even our newest littlest patrons enjoyed the weather all swaddled up on their mamas. Most of us couldn't wait to bite into an apple and ate them right after being plucked from the tree.

Be sure to check out our collection for some apple books to round out this fun filled day of learning. I know many of you were wondering what to do with all the apples you took home so check out some of our kid's recipe books and make delicious appley snacks! We also have plenty of picture books about apples - our new favorite is Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray. Georgie really wants to get his paws on the apple pie cooling off on the kitchen table. Do he and his friend Gracie get a taste? Read the book and find out! You can also visit them at the author's website here. There are lots of fun things to do - George and Gracie coloring pages, other crafts, a book preview and you can learn all about author/illustrator Alison. We think the retro-yet-modern illustrations are Caldecott worthy (yes, unfortunately this book was published in 2010 and can't win a Caldecott because another of our favorites - A Sick Day for Amos McGee won, but we really wanted to emphasize how much we love Alison's Apple Pie artwork).

Celebrating Pooh's Birthday!

2011-09-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

"Oh bear!" said Christopher Robin. "How I do love you!"

"So do I," said Pooh.

And so do we here in the Children's Room! We were joined by our littlest patrons recently to celebrate Winnie the Pooh's 90th birthday. The little stuffed mohair bear who was purchased at Harrod's in London in 1921 by Christopher Robin's mum and subsequently became his very best friend is loved by everyone! (that's him with Pooh above) Christopher Robin's dad, A.A. Milne, enjoyed watching his son play with Pooh and his friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo so much that he began to write stories and the first book appeared in 1926.

Pooh and his friends now live in the Children's Room of the New York Public Library. Why not stop in to say "hullo" to the tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff on your next visit to the city?

During our birthday party we read classic Pooh stories, danced and played instruments to Pooh songs and made snacks. (Check out the slideshow above.) What kind of snacks? Well we love honey just as much as the little old bear so we made some delicious honey drizzled bananas covered in berry granola. They are easy to make - just cut a banana in half, stick a popsicle stick in the ends, drizzle with honey and then roll through dried berries and granola. There were many sticky fingers to clean up before making birthday cards for Pooh!!

Click here for 50 facts every Pooh fan should know!

Uuuhhhh, you have new links to WHERE in your sidebar??!!

2011-09-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Yup, check it out. The new section in our sidebar menu with links to humorous, off color parenting blogs. Kids driving you batsh*t crazy? Having one of those days where you have exclaimed "REALLY??!!" numerous times? Is it too early to crack open that bottle of wine? If you're not quite ready to justify yourself with "well, it's 5 o'clock somewhere..." then just click on these links that are guaranteed to have you LOL-ing. Keep in mind they are for GROWN UPS ONLY. Oh, and on your next visit to the library make sure to browse the Parenting Collection & Adult Reference Collection for the books listed below that are also guaranteed to put a smile/smirk on your face. Then come and tell myself & Kelly all about it...any of you that know us know that we are not traditional, proper librarians. :)

Here's a short description of Moms Who Drink and Swear - just one of the links listed in the sidebar - by the author herself:

Moms with off color humor who are seeking other like minded moms to giggle with and sometimes blow off a bit of steam about the frustrations that we all share as proud but exhausted parents. Yes, I am a real person. I am a licensed clinical professional counselor and a freelance writer. I write for different websites and contribute to different organizations when asked. Will work for booze and coffee and a nominal fee. All inquiries related to MWDAS should go to queenofcussinmwdas@gmail.com This page is for fun, fellowship, totally inappropriate humor and to raise awareness to not for profit organizations and conditions that affect our children. IT IS FOR GIGGLES NOT FOR SERIOUS. Have fun. Be kind. Read my blog. http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/moms-who-drink-swear/

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown (children's picture book)

Daddy Needs a Drink by Robert Wilder

FU, Penguin: Telling Cute Animals What's What by Matthew Gasteier

Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach (adult picture book)

It's a Book by Lane Smith (children's picture book)

3 Martini Playdate by Christie Mellor

Monsters Eat Whiny Children by Bruce Eric Kaplan (children's picture book)

Pat the Zombie: A Cruel Adult Spoof by Aaron Ximm (adult picture book)

Raising the Perfect Child Trough Guilt and Manipulation by Elizabeth Beckwith

Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay by Stephanie Wilder-Taylor

Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank and Other Words of Delicate Wisdom by Celia Rivenbark

Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On!: What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters That the Rest of Y'All Should Know Too by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Toddlers Gone Wild by Rebecca Eckler

The White Trash Mom Handbook by Michelle Lamar

Wiped: Life with a Pint Sized Dictator by Rebecca Eckler

Also be sure to read all of the following by Jenny McCarthy:

Belly Laughs

Baby Laughs

Life Laughs

Love, Lust and Faking It

Summer Fairy & Gnome Party

2011-09-06T09:57:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful afternoon for gnomes, fairies and real miniature horses! Children and horses alike came dressed in their best for fun, snacks and crafts on the lawn of our Hampton Bays Library. Miss Lonna's mini horses Missy and Sugar were fed, petted and groomed by our littlest patrons while parents enjoyed a wonderful photo opportunity! Thanks to all who attended for spending an enchanted afternoon at the Library!

Why not make this evening an enchanted one at your house? An end of Summer night is the perfect setting to dress up, string some pretty lights, put on some folk music and dance around the yard. Then you can sit around a fire with some snacks (flower shaped cookies sprinkled with fairy dust - sugar crystals) and read aloud...

The Book of Wizard Craft by Janice Eaton Kilby

Fairies and Magical Creatures by Matthew Reinhart

Flyte by Angie Sage

Hansel and Gretel by Michael Morpurgo

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz

Thumbelina by Sylvia Long

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream Graphic Novel by Daniel Conner

Little Baby.....

2011-08-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

One of our librarian friends had a baby recently, for our patrons that have been with us for a while you will recognize her in the slideshow above with her new bundle of joy. If you have a baby on the way or need a gift to welcome a little one here's a list of a few of our favorite baby picture books. Always remember to inscribe the inside of a gift book. Years later that special child will treasure taking it off their shelf and they will know who picked it especially for them.

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin ; illustrated by Eric Carle

A Baby Sister for Frances by Russell Hoban ; illustrated by Lillian Hoban

Benny and Beautiful Baby Delilah by Jean Van Leeuwen ; illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Cinnamon Baby by Nicola Winstanley ; illustrated by Janice Nadeau

Hush Little Baby by Sylvia Long

Hush, Little Ones by John Butler

I'll Be There by Ann Stott ; illustrated by Matt Phelan

Little Rabbit's New Baby by Harry Horse.

Mama, Why? by Karma Wilson ; illustrated by Simon Mendez

One Beautiful Baby by Martine Oborne ; illustrated by Ingrid Godon

Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee ; illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Ten Sleepy Sheep by Phyllis Root ; illustrated by Susan Gaber

Welcome to Your World, Baby by Brooke Shields ; illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld

What Do We Do with the Baby? by Rick Walton ; illustrated by Paige Miglio

Whose Baby Am I? by John Butler

August's No Child Left Inside @ The Vanderbilt Museum...

2011-08-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

For all of you that have signed up for this month's NCLI at The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, click here for directions. We are looking forward to taking an imaginary trip abroad Mr. Vanderbilt's ship "Alva" to learn about marine life from all over the world.

The museum's address is:

180 Little Neck Rd, Centerport, 11721

Say Cheese! Portraits @ the Library

2011-08-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who signed up for the "Say Cheeeeeeeese Photo Shoot" - aka - Let Miss Danielle Play with Her Camera During a Free Picture Taking Session of Your Kids. We couldn't believe how big a turnout there was and how cooperative and SMILEY all the kids were! All of the photos have been edited and sent to their respective email addresses with directions on how to copy and save to your own computer or how to order from the photo website if you would like. We usually sneak up on our kids during programs to get such wonderful candid shots of them and now have a new appreciation of how hard it is to get great formal shots...check out the slideshow above.

If you need some pointers on taking incredible pictures of your family, keep your eyes on our New Book displays - we just ordered several photography books to add to our Parenting Collection which should be available in a couple of weeks:

The Art of Children's Portrait Photography by Tamara Lackey

The BetterPhoto Guide to Photographing Children by Jim Miotke

Children's Portrait Photography Handbook by Bill Hurter

Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sister's Guide to Shooting from the Heart by the Shutter Sisters

How to Photograph Your Baby by Nick Kelsh

Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to Photographing Kids by Stacy Wasmuth

Photographing Children and Babies by Michal Heron

Photographing Children Photo Workshop by Ginny Felch

Your Baby in Pictures by Me Ra Koh

Annual Trip to Ponquogue Bridge Beach!

2011-07-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

This is the second Summer in a row that we were lucky enough to visit one of our local beaches with Cornell Marine Education instructors to collect sea creatures to be housed in a Discovery Tank in our Children's Room.

It was a beautiful, very hot day a couple of weeks ago that we all met at Ponquogue Bridge Beach to collect sea stars, sea urchins, shrimp, hermit crabs, spider crabs, mussels, snails, fish and plant life with different sized nets and our bare hands! Stacy from Cornell Marine Education taught us all about the animals and then she came to the library the next day to help us set them all up in a tank. Take a look at the slide show above!

Did you miss the program? Or maybe you had so much fun that you want to do it again? You can easily do this on your own with your family - the area around the bridge is very rich with sea life (you might even spot a seal or two if you're lucky!). Visit the beach at high tide and take along a couple of nets, buckets and a cooler. Fill the cooler about three quarters of the way with beach water, collect the specimens with the nets (or catch them in your hands) and temporarily keep them in the buckets. Do not keep them in the buckets for too long before transferring them to the cooler as the water in the buckets gets too warm very quickly. Don't forget to gather plenty of seaweed as well and also some rocks, sand and pebbles. Purchase a small tank and filter from a local pet supply. When you get home cover the bottom of the tank with the rocks, sand and pebbles, fill it with some of the beach water from the cooler and then gently place your collected sea life in the tank. Every few days you may have to ride down to the beach to gather more seaweed to replenish what's been eaten in the tank. Enjoy your aquarium for a few weeks and then bring it back to the beach so all your animals can be set back in to the water they called home.

Want to read a good beach book to get inspired to set up your own Discovery Tank? Our new favorite beach book is called One White Wishing Stone, written by Doris K. Gayzagian and illustrated by Kristina Swarner. In this story a mother and child explore the beach to discover magical and wonderful treasures of the seashore. You can count the beach glass, pebbles and such and talk about which ones you would have brought home to display on your own shelves. You will delight in the illustrations which sparkle like the sun on a rippling tide.

The Ryu Shu Kan @ Our Library!

2011-07-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

The Drums of Noto Hanto by J. Alison James, illustrated by Tsukushi

This is a true story retold and illustrated with a beautiful message of creativity and courage. In a small fishing village off the coast of Japan, Noto Hanto is alarmed when they are warned of an approaching samurai ship. Both the adults and the children use the meager resources from the village in creative ways to ward off the ships and prevent a battle. Wearing wild masks, they played their drums whose tapping, pounding and booming voices "set trembling the very water of the sea."

The Ryu Shu Kan, in partnership with the Japan Center at Stony Brook present: "Introduction to Japanese Culture" through the excitement of the Taiko Drums & elegance of Japanese Folk Dance. Their performance included an inter-active storytime of The Drums of Noto Hanto in which our kids participated as masked dancers or sword wielding samurai warriors. Even our littlest kids were inspired by the drumming and all of the parents were extremely impressed and entertained!

Please check out the Ryu Shu Kan Japanese Arts Center website for more details on Taiko, Karate, Tai Chi and more here. Thank you Gerard and Hiroko for such a wonderful experience!

Summer Reading Logs

2011-07-21T08:00:00.001-07:00

Did you lose your Summer Reading Log? Reading so many books that you ran out of space?? Here are Logs you can print out...don't forget to bring them in on August 30th - you will exchange them for a raffle ticket & after our awesome Brady Rymer Concert you'll receive a special treat!!

Summer Registration is Here!!!!

2011-06-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Come on in tomorrow, June 29th, for Summer Program Registration! Make sure you get here soon because programs will fill up quickly - many have limits but there are a few that are not limited. Check your newsletter for details.

One Out of This World program you can sign your kids up for is our Harry and Horsie Cookiebot! Party. It's a celebration for Harry and Horsie's new adventures in the recently released book Cookiebot! by Katie Van Camp and illustrated by Lincoln Agnew. You can watch the stellar book trailer above! In the program we will read both books while snacking on cookies, play "pin the tail on the horsie" and have a plush blue horsie grab bag (every child will win one!) We will also have a limited number of books for sale & hopefully a surprise from the author herself!

If you haven't read the book yet be sure to check out the illustrations very carefully...especially the note on the refrigerator that the cookie jar sits on top of! It's a reminder to come to OUR LIBRARY!!!! Yay! We love Katie, Lincoln and especially Harry & Horsie!

Let's Welcome Amy's New Kid @ The Ark!

2011-06-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

Now is a great time to visit Amy's Ark Studio & Farm - you can meet her new baby goat, Morning Glory! Check out her video above. Check out the book The Summer of Stanley by Natalie Kinsey Warnock, a charming story about a little girl who gets a goat as a birthday present with equally as charming illustrations.

You can also inquire about Summer classes for both kids & adults while you are there. At Amy's Studio & Farm - farm animals, gardens, woodland and meadow provide for explorations, gardening, writing, cooking, storytelling, painting, construction, collage and more. Yoga too! Art projects with Amy Hess will provide your heart with endless resources for living a creative life.

Art is not only at the end of the paintbrush, it is a creative process that begins in the heart.

Art for Children

Sundays: 11:30 - 12:45

Mondays & Wednesdays: 10:00 - 12:00

Thursday Stretch & Sketch: 10:00 - 11:00

Birthday Parties!

Call for programs & rates

The Ark is located at:

10 Hollow Lane

Westhampton, NY, 11977

631.902.3655

Summer Reading is Coming Up Fast!

2011-06-03T12:14:00.000-07:00

Registration for the Summer Reading Club 2011 begins on Wednesday, June 29th...stay tuned for details! All info will be posted on the Blog in the next couple of weeks!

June is "Wish Flags for Japan" Month!

2011-05-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

It’s never too early to teach our children about compassion. Join us this month as we learn about the rich culture of Japan and what we can do to help others in need. Wish Flags are traditionally decorated with good wishes and hung outside for the wind to carry them throughout the world. This month we will decorate our own to hang, make origami art, plant hydrangea seeds, have storytimes based on Japanese themed picture books, learn about the famous dog Hachiko and enjoy an awesome performance by The Ryu Shu Kan - Taiko Drums, with music and inter-active story. Looking for a wonderful series to open up discussion about compassion with your kids? Check out Zen Tails by Peter Whitfield - classic philosophical stories adapted and beautifully illustrated, each book includes a moral as well as the original Zen tale.

As we celebrate Japanese culture at the beginning of this Summer, we remember the victims of the earthquake and its aftermath in Japan - including one of our favorite authors, Katie Van Camp (Harry and Horsie and Cookiebot!) who has made Tokyo her home since last year.

At the end of the month The Hampton Bays Children's Room will make a donation to Ashinaga - a non-profit organization that Katie has worked closely with which provides both financial and emotional support to children who have lost either one or both of their parents. We invite you to follow this link if you would also like to participate and to learn more about the organization. A few weeks a go Katie sent us the following message about our month long celebration...

Hi kids,

It's the writer of "Harry and Horsie," here, and I’m writing this note

to you from all the way across the world. I live in a city called

Tokyo, the capital of a country called Japan. A little bird told me

you will be spending a month learning all about this beautiful place,

so I wanted to tell you about my favorite time of year here – Spring!

Do you know why it’s my favorite? Because it’s the time when the

cherry blossoms bloom and the whole country turns into a magical

place. In Tokyo, the streets, riversides, and parks come alive with

exquisite white and pink blossoms that look like cotton candy. The

Japanese people believe the arrival of these flowers represents the

start of something new and fresh. Children and adults alike celebrate

by bringing big blue tarps to parks, sitting down with yummy food and

drink, and having day-long picnics under clouds of cherry blossoms.

This is called "hanami," which in Japanese means "flower viewing."

In my opinion, the best place to see the cherry blossoms in Tokyo is

along the Meguro River. When I’m there, I feel like a princess

floating on a bed of soft pink petals.

Cherry blossom trees can be found in the United States too! Do you

know where? In Washington D.C. In 1912, Japan gave some of these

beautiful trees to the U.S. as a gift symbolizing friendship. If you

ever visit Washington in Spring, you can walk around the National Park

and, for a few minutes, you might just feel like you're in Japan.

Here are some pictures I took of the cherry trees lining the Meguro

River. Enjoy! And thank you for letting me be a part of your special

month-long tribute to Japan.

The Suffolk County Farm Has Everything - Including the Horse!

2011-05-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

This May we are visiting The Suffolk County Farm and Education Center in Yaphank, run by Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, for our No Child left Inside Program. This past Friday we were lucky enough to stumble into a Horse Show hosted by the farm. Check out the slideshow above.

After a quick look at riders spiffying up their horses we took a wagon ride around the farm to see all the animals and their new additions. We rode past horses, ponies, pigs, llamas and cattle. This is the time of year at the farm to see all the brand new babies, and how cute they are! The kids fed handfuls of snacks to already full sheep, goats, ducks and the donkey too. There was even enough time to play in the outdoor nature center where you can climb on what looks like Max's sailboat, bang on drums, paint on slates or dig in the dirt. We will be planting seeds in this area on one of our visits soon.

We all have our favorite animals...I absolutely loved seeing all the horses. When I was little I really wanted to take riding lessons one Summer but I got a camera instead..and I'm glad that I did! I know one of our littlest patrons loves horsies, if your child likes them too here's a couple of good books to read:

Everything but the Horse by Hollie Hobbie

Our favorite author of the Toot & Puddle series writes and illustrates this quaint picture book recounting her childhood growing up on a farm in the country. This farm had every animal...every animal that is BUT a horse! A horse was what Hollie really, really wanted. She dreamed about horses, drew pictures of horses and pleaded for one for her birthday. Read the book to find out what her present was! Holly Hobbie's beautifully detailed watercolor illustrations will leave you wanting a horse of your own! If a real horse isn't in your future, check out NetEquestrian here and you can pick out your very own stuffed horsie friend. They have lots to choose from along with horsie crafts, decor, toys and games.

Classic Horse Stories compiled by Christina Rossetti Darling & Blue Lantern Studio

Saddle up with your kids for classic short stories and poems about horses. Brightly colored illustrations reminiscent of the pictures in Marguerite Henry's famous horse stories (a short story by this author is included in this compilation) accompany excerpts from Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, The Red Pony and many more.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee and A Fun Day for Miss Danielle & Miss Kelly

2011-05-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

cal·de·cott med·al

The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. It was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. Together with the Newbery Medal, it is the most prestigious American children's book award.

Congratulations to Erin E. Stead, illustrator of A Sick Day for Amos McGee - the Caldecott Award Winner for 2011. Hooray! Miss Kelly and I recently visited The Brooklyn Public Library to meet Erin and her husband, Philip C. Stead, the author of Amos. If you haven't read the book yet borrow a copy from our Children's Room (it is now autographed!). It's the charming story of Amos, a sweet man who sleeps with his teddy bear, has awesome striped pajamas (Erin explained to us how she made those pajamas!) and works at the City Zoo. He takes wonderful care of all his animal friends and when he catches a cold they return his kindness by visiting him at home. Amos and his friends are a true example of compassion and lovingkindness for kids. And also for adults. :) Philip's outstanding writing of Amos earned him a place on the Charlotte Zolotow 2011 Honor Books list.

Check out the slideshow above to see Erin and Philip...here are some cool things they had to say:

Erin on winning the Caldecott - "I get about five seconds of an overwhelming feeling everyday." Erin is very modest about her artistic talent. She created the pictures in Amos with pencil and by using hand carved woodblocks to make prints. The process is very time consuming and hard work. Artists often second guess themselves - I do it with my drawings that you see hanging on the Children's Room walls and my photography that you see here on the blog - but Erin's work is amazingly serene and makes the reader - and listener - instantly fall in love with the characters. Watch a video of her woodblock process here and you may visit her blog here.

Philip on libraries and kids - "You can't give yourself an education without a library card." He also said "Children have amazing visual literacy skills until we tell them not to." We agree! I think Philip would like our Early Literacy Collection and programs which focus on creativity, art and play, play, play! Where else does Philip like to look for books besides the library? Kaleidoscope Books in Ann Arbor, Michigan (where he lives with Erin, in a barn, with lots of neat antique things, and a cute wirey dog named Wednesday McGee). This quaint book store specializes in vintage children's books.

Erin and Philip are still hard at work. Look for some new books (from Erin - And Then There's Spring and Philip - Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat) soon! Also look for Creamed Tuna Fish & Peas On Toast by Philip. You will love Philip's collage illustrations, he rips the paper by hand! Watch the book trailer for Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat here and countdown to when it sets sail on Philip's blog here.

What do they like to do when they aren't working? Erin bakes and Philip makes music (he made the music in the Jonathan book trailer) and they both spend some quality time with Wednesday. Miss Kelly and I think they'd be cool to hang out with. Maybe they'll come visit our Children's Room one day...

Thanks to The Brooklyn Public Library for hosting this event. Take a trip there to see for yourselves what an incredible library it is. The Children's Library even has it's own beautiful entrance! While you are there make sure you walk through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to smell the flowers and investigate the works of art in the Brooklyn Museum. Wait a minute...this sounds like an awesome plan for a future No Child Left Inside Program! We'll see!

A Special Note from Harry and Horsie Author Katie Van Camp

2011-04-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to recently email with one of our favorite authors, Katie Van Camp, author of one of our favorite picture books Harry and Horsie. Her new book, another collaboration with H & H illustrator Lincoln Agnew, is called Cookiebot! A Harry and Horsie Adventure and will be in stores on May 31st. Of course we have already ordered a copy for you to borrow from the Library! I heard there may be a special surprise in the book just for us! Katie was kind enough to send a note to our little patrons just the other day:

On a beautiful, sunny morning many months ago, I arrived at Hampton Bays Library to read you my first children’s book, "Harry and Horsie."
To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous. What if they don't like
my story, I thought. Then my stomach started to do flips. But when you
arrived at the library, some in big yellow school buses, you had
bright smiles on your faces and, just like that, all of my worries
melted away. I had a feeling it was going to be a very good day.
We had such fun "blooping" and "cheering" that we even decided to read
"Harry and Horsie" twice together. Then you asked me some wonderful
questions, and I just didn't want to leave! I thought it might be fun
to stay and play all day. Maybe I could sleep in the library, I
thought. Then when the sun came up, we could start the day all over
again. But sleeping in the library is not allowed, of course, and like
all great play dates, it was time to go home.
Since that beautiful, sunny morning many months ago, I have been busy

working with Lincoln, the man who draws the pictures for "Harry and Horsie," to bring you another super duper H&H adventure. While we
worked, we ate lots and lots of cookies. One day I said to Lincoln,
"Wouldn't it be terrible if someone or something came to take away our
cookies?!” And he said, "Yes, like a big robot…" "Yes, exactly!
Imagine that!" I said. "What if he stole the whole cookie jar and then
took off to the city to eat cookies everywhere?!?"

GULP, we both thought. What would we do without cookies???

Well, in the next Harry and Horsie adventure, these two friends have quite a problem on their hands when their cookie-grabbing robot
decides he’d rather keep the cookies for himself.

Find out what happens in "Cookiebot! A Harry and Horsie Adventure." In bookstores May 31st.

I hope to see you all soon, and in the meantime...keep a close eye on your cookies!!!!

(For more Harry and Horsie updates please visit our website:

www.harryandhorsie.com, and join our Harry and Horsie facebook page!)

Keep watching the Children's Room Blog - there are more surprises from Katie to come!

She may just stop by over the Summer to visit and sign your very own book! You can pre-order one here.

Birds, Birds, Birds!

2011-04-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

We spent last Friday at the Elizabeth A. Morton Wildlife Refuge in Sag Harbor for this month's No Child Left Inside Program. It was a little chilly and overcast but that didn't stop us from having a great time. Ann Bell was kind enough to give us some awesome backpacks for the kids. They say "Let's Go Outside!" and encourage us to take advantage of all the beautiful nature spots we are lucky enough to explore here on the eastern end of Long Island. The goodies inside were a big hit with the kids, especially the compasses and notebooks. Most of the kids were sketching animals they saw along the trail and recording them in their notebooks! Check out the slideshow above to see for yourself...

The Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex is comprised of nine units across the Island which protect our native habitat. You may read more about them at their website here. At Morton we walked through sandy and rocky trails which brought us out onto the beach of Noyack and Little Peconic Bays. On a quiet day you may see deer, songbirds, osprey, piping plover, chickadee and small mammals. If you are very still a little winged friend may just land on your shoulder.

A few good books to read before, after or even during -settle down on a picnic blanket on the beach or cozy up on a tree canopied bench -your visit to the refuge:

An Egg Is Quiet written by Dianna Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long

(Check out this home learning blog out for some ideas on painting watercolor pictures of eggs with your kids)

Elsie's Bird written by Jane Yolen, illustrated by David Small

(for a review of this book check out this cool youth librarian's blog)

Sylvia and Bird written and illustrated by Catherine Rayner

(Check out her incredible website here)

The Robot and the Bluebird written and illustrated by David Lucas

(Check out this mom's blog that has great book reviews, crafting ideas and fun camping stuff)

Celebrate Our American Farms in May

2011-04-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

Experience Long Island’s rich farming history with us the month of May. Once a farming community, you can still find a lot of family farms on the Island that provide fun and learning opportunities for you and your children. Many have pick-your-own fields, petting zoos, organic markets, garden centers and kid’s activities. The Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank is an educational facility and real working farm. Meet us there three Fridays in May for our No Child Left Inside Program - we will take a wagon ride across the farm, meet the new babies and feed them, and garden in their new outdoor Nature Center. Outreach educators from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County will also be here in the library throughout the month for some special programs - check the the newsletter for details!

Outside the Library:

Fridays May 13, 20 & 27 meet us at the Suffolk County Farm at 12:30 pm.

Take Sunrise Highway to exit 57N, Horseblock Rd. Bear right onto County Road 21, Yaphank Avenue. Travel approximately one mile to the Cornell Cooperative Extension sign on left. Turn left onto the entrance road. Take your first right and follow down to the Visitors parking area on your left.

Inside the Library:

Goin' Quackers - learn about & meet real ducks Tuesday, May 10 at 1:00 pm.

Shearly Delightful Sheep - learn about & meet real sheep Thursday, May 19 at 1:00 pm.

Gregarious Goats - learn about & meet real baby goats Tuesday, May 31 at 1:00 pm.

Other Animal Themed Programs:

Three Billy Goats Gruff at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center - May 14

Goat On a Boat Puppet Theatre presents The Three Little Pigs - May 21

No Child Left Inside for April - Elizabeth A. Morton

2011-04-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

Please join us for this month's No Child Left Inside Program at the Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Sag Harbor. Although the refuge is known for their birds (see one of our littlest patrons above), we will hike along the beach and hopefully see lots of other extraordinary Long Island wildlife. For more details on the refuge click here to go to their website.

We will meet at the refuge at 12:30 pm on Friday the 22nd. (Earth Day!)

784 Noyack Rd, Sag Harbor, 11963

Directions: From Sunrise Hwy. (27E), Left/North onto North Sea Rd. (CR 38) for North Sea. Right onto Noyack Rd. for 5 miles. Entrance is on the Left. Refuge hours are ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset.

Cake Pops! Thank You Kim!

2011-04-06T10:01:00.001-07:00

We love our Children's Room patrons, they are some of the nicest, and most creative, people we know! A big thanks to Kim, the mom of one of our littlest patrons, who has been kind enough to bake us some special treats. Last month we received amazing green cake pops in honor of St. Patrick's Day and just yesterday Kim gave us the sweetest pink bunny cake pops. I was inspired to take out some of my daughter's baby things to shoot pictures of Kim's creation. So instead of scoffing up the pop immediately (like I did with the last one) I was patient enough to take pictures first. :)

Miss Kelly and I have now been inspired to have a Cake Pops program with the kids and will hopefully be able to convince Kim of discovering a pre-school friendly way of making them!

We just ordered Bakerella's book Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks and Recipes for More Than 40 Irresistable Mini Treats. Look for it soon in our new books display! In the meantime, go to Bakerella's Cool blog here. Check out the book This Little Bunny Can Bake by Janet Stein and read it with your kids before you make your own desserts. It's a cute story with beautiful illustrations and delicious recipes. Bake up some Milk Chocolate Truffles and Berry Petit Cream Cheese Tarts after making some Cake Pops!

Love cooking with your kids? Check out our current featured Favorite Link on the menu at the right. Dash and Bella, Cooking with 2 Kids is a blog all about cooking with kids, it's got great recipes and awesome photos!

Our First Visit to Amy's Ark this Spring!

2011-04-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Last year we hatched our very own chicks here in the Children's Room and boy was that a lot of work! This year we let Miss Amy do all that hard work and visited her at her art/yoga studios and farm in Westhampton for this month's No Child Left Inside program. First we made chick artwork - paint a chick in glue (it's just two circles, a triangle and a couple lines), then sprinkle colored sand over the top, shake the excess off and voila! You now have a new piece of artwork to display on your frige...

Next Miss Amy read us a story about chickens and then she surprised us with her own baby chicks. The day was topped off with a walk on the farm to gather eggs in the chicken coop (peek inside and pull out an egg and hand it to Miss Amy veeeery gently). We also fed the horse and pony handfuls of hay.

Amy's Ark Studio & Farm is a wonderful place to visit with your children and by yourself for some grown-up time. There are yoga and art classes for children and yoga, art, photography, meditation and chant classes for adults. You can also find Amy at The Westhampton Beach Farmer's Market on the weekends with some of her organic produce from her farm. Call the Ark for more details: 631.288.3587

The Studio & Farm is located at:

10 Hollow Lane, Westhampton, 11977

(just take Montauk Highway west through Quogue to Westhampton and make a right onto Hollow Lane right before the tennis school, the Ark is on the right)

Spring Is Here?

2011-04-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

You know it's Springtime when Judy Wilson brings her new baby bunnies to visit us here in the Children's Room....even if the weather isn't really cooperating much! We were very lucky to meet the basketful of babies and even got to hold one of our very own. Not only did we have a pre-school biology lesson from Miss Judy, we also learned about kindness (you have to be very careful with them), cooperation (we each had to share and listen to directions), compassion (babies need quiet so shhhh, please) and patience (we each waited for our turn). Can't get enough of bunnies? Check out some of these books:

Big Rabbit's Bad Mood by Ramona Badescu

Bunny Days by Tao Nyeu

Little Bunny On the Move by Peter McCarty

Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown

Suki the Very Loud Bunny by Carmela D'Amico

What's the Matter Bunny Blue? by Nicola Smee

.......and don't forget all three Knuffle Bunny books by Mo Willems!!

Out and about in Winter at CMEE!

2011-03-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

For our last No Child Left Inside Program of Winter we visited The Children's Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton. Check out the slideshow above to see all the fun we had! The museum promotes learning through play which is what our Children's Room is all about...there is so much to do: visit the art section to paint, play with clay, dig in the sandbox or participate in interactive videos, there's a music section where you can drum or play a huge xylophone, climb and jump in the gymnastic area, walk through the mazes and explore the play town where you can make a pretend ice cream sundae in the soda shoppe, or climb aboard a huge ship next to the lighthouse where you can pretend to fish, you can even relax in a kid sized library.

CMEE is open everyday except Tuesday and we are happy to offer a pass to this museum. Just visit the Children's Reference Desk, tell us what day you would like to visit CMEE and we will reserve the pass for you and your family. This pass provides free admission for four and a discount in the gift shop. Please click here to learn more about the museum.

Snowy Days...

2011-02-07T10:02:00.000-08:00

What do you do on a very snowy day? We sure have had a lot of them here on the eastern end of Long Island so far this Winter! One of our cool youngest patrons spends his snowy days practicing extreme sports for beginners. Check him out in the pictures above - he caught air! Thanks so much to his Mom for sending me the pictures - I can't wait to see more...maybe he'll be quad-ing or moto-ing soon too!

If you would like to learn about snowboarding, skiing or tubing check out our Non-Fiction collection. Here's a list of some fun snow themed materials you might like as well. They might give you some creative ideas to hold you through until Spring.

Snow Buddies DVD, Walt Disney Studios

Snow Dude by Daniel Kirk

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert

Snowboarding by Larry Dane Brimner

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Speaking of Milestones...

2011-01-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

Speaking of milestones and accomplishments...our Library Director, Mike Firestone, has reached a turning point in his career and has accepted a position elsewhere. All of us in the Children's Room will miss him - grown ups and kids alike! If we could read him a farewell story it would be Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth - where Stillwater the bear tells his young friends some Zen stories. All of these stories offer some practical life advice. In fact, one of Stillwater's friends is named Michael...so Mike, we won't tell you Good Luck, because according to Stillwater, luck can't be judged or predicted, but we will leave you with this Zen quote:

The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. ~Lao Tzu

We wish you well on your journey and will definitely keep in touch!

New Year, New Milestones...

2011-01-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and enjoyed the few days that we were snowed in. Of course, Miss Kelly and I love being snowed in - it's the perfect kind of day to curl up with your kids and a good book! We are looking forward to starting this new year off with you and have some amazing programs planned for January and February.

Please join us for:

No Child Left Inside at The Children's Museum of the East End

Beatles Bounce! Parachute Playtime to Beatles Music

Early Literacy Through Music: Puff the Magic Dragon

Yoga with Amy Hess from Amy's Ark Studio & Farms

Plexiglass Painting

Mama's Losin' It - A Group for Mothers

Progressive Dads Rock! - A Group for Fathers

And many more - please see our Newsletter for details!

With the new year comes new intentions, resolutions and milestones. What better way to try to stick to your new intentions than keeping a diary or journal for yourself? And what better way to keep hold of milestone memories than scrapbooking? You can make a hard copy scrapbook or a blog scrapbook. Keeping a journal can keep you grounded in your goals, help you sort out your thoughts and can be a calming addition to your end of day routine or a great way to start your mornings. This little bit of time spent on yourself will help you in being the best parent you can be. Scrapbooks will be treasured family heirlooms and are fun to create - below are some links to a few neat Scrapbooking Blogs and we also have some great scrapbooking books in our Parenting Collection. You can even help your child begin a diary of their own - surprise them with a gift of a journal or make one together. You can start with reading some diary-formatted books, check these out:

Diary of a Baby Wombat by Jackie French

Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin

Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French

Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin

Dork Diaries Series by Rachel Renee Russell

Some Scrapbooking Blogs to check out:

http://stephaniehowell.typepad.com/
http://scrapmatters.com/wordpress/
http://tammytutterow.typepad.com/vintage_papergoods/
http://www.kellygoree.blogspot.com/

Enjoying the Season...

2010-12-16T12:46:00.000-08:00

We are having so much fun with all of our Special Holiday Season Programs here in the Children's Room - and outside of the Library too! We just saw Santa and his reindeer (after listening to The Night Before Christmas) at Farmhouse Farms Nursery in Moriches. We made sparkly artwork and crafts in Holiday Art Starts, crafted beautiful and edible gingerbread houses, brought in donations for Toys for Tots during our Velveteen Rabbit Storytime and will hop on The Polar Express tomorrow with Miss Jenn!

From all of us in the Children's Room - we wish you a Very Happy Holiday and Wonderful New Year, thanks for spending the last year with us, you and your children made it bright!

Don't forget to check your mailbox for the New Year's Newsletter, there are lots of great things to come!

Carlos Gets to Saks

2010-11-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

Author/Illustrator Visit: Thank You Maureen & Alison!

2010-11-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

We had a blast earlier this week when author Maureen Sullivan and illustrator Alison Josephs visited to celebrate Thanksgiving with us by reading their book Ankle Soup. Check out the slideshow above. We were lucky enough to have them read their new book too, Christmas Feet! Everybody was excited to hear all about Carlos' new adventures and it was a wonderful way to start the holiday season. Speaking of a great way to start the holiday season...Maureen and Alison have specially invited you to their Christmas Feet Book Launch Party in Bryant Park. We all know the city is a magical place during the winter and there will be music, doggie fashion shows, Broadway stars, skating, art shows and much more. Click here for details. Click here to visit Maureen and Alison's website, you can see more Carlos videos here too. Bryant Park is right behind the New York Public Library, stop in and take a look or take a picture with the famous Library Lions - Patience & Fortitude.

It's the Halloween Parade!!

2010-11-08T08:05:00.000-08:00

Check out the slideshow above to see all the fun we had parading around the Library in costume for the Monster Mash Parade. Miss Kelly read a spooooooky story and then we marched through all the departments for tricks or treats. Thanks to everyone who participated, we had some wonderful costumes again this year!!

The Eric Carle Museum is Going to Be Here!

2010-09-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

Join us on Saturday October 2nd for a wonderful program that is part of our 50th Anniversary Celebration - It's a Picture Book Jubilee! The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art's Outreach Educators will be here to teach the kids about the art that goes into Picture Books and what it means to be an artist. They will , of course, make their own masterpieces to bring home. Please see the Newsletter or call the Children's Reference Desk for details as there are three separate groups to register for according to age.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The works of Eric Carle are on display as well as many other illustrators who are featured in special exhibitions. Click here to learn more aout the Museum and their mission.

We Need Your Reviews!

2010-09-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Click on the forms below to print and fill out your very own Book Review. We love to add new materials to our collection and we want to hear what you think about our choices. Here's an opportunity for kids to tell us in their own words what they think about a book they just read. Help your child fill out the form, return it to us and we will post it here on our Blog. Parents, we want to hear your opinions too - read one of our Parenting books or check out one of our grown up cds and fill out a review of your own!

Vicki's Parenting Post: Check Out Live-brary! Use it for Homework Help!

2010-09-21T07:53:00.001-07:00

Live-brary.com is a new website brought to you by the public libraries of Suffolk County. It's goal is to redefine your world by giving you one stop access to free downloads (download a book and transfer it to your ipod), live study help with real tutors for grades K through college, ask-a-librarian, historic newspapers, topic guides and much more. Click here or the icon above to visit the site.

School Days, School Days...Dear Old Golden Rule Days…
Every parent's dream is that their child will do well academically and socially and have a successful school year. Since children spend more time in school and learning settings than in any other structured activity, it’s important to provide them with as many necessary tools they need to succeed.

Let us at the library assist you and your child’s with achieving academic and social success this year. Our Parenting Collection has a broad collection of books to help with the many queries you may have on raising a healthy and well-adjusted child plus the how-to’s to navigate the educational maze of childhood and beyond.

Our electronic resources have been updated and are available to help you further. This virtual library is called, Live-brary.com. It’s FREE with an assortment of online services for your convenience. Some highlights are the Research databases, Ask a Librarian, a 24 x 7 email hotline, Live Study Help for all ages, including Homework Help for K-12, Test Prep, Free Downloads and much, much more. It can all be accessed at www.live-brary.com from home or at the library. These tools are excellent in providing you and your child with authoritative information to help with research queries and class assignments. Please feel free to ask us to show you how to access these valuable resources. All you need is your library card barcode and password. If you don’t have a password or forgot it, we will show you how to retrieve it or create a new one. We’re here to help you anytime…just ask!

Come & Check Out Our Cool Fishtank!

2010-09-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

Big Thanks to the Friends of Hampton Bays Public Library who were kind enough to provide the funds for our cool new fishtank! The Koi are a huge hit with the kids and the grown ups alike! Speaking of The Friends...love the Library? Want to contribute and volunteer? The Friends of the Hampton Bays Public Library is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the Library make information and knowledge accessible to the community it serves. The Friends purchases special library materials and equipment, and sponsors numerous programs throughout the year. Funds are generated by memberships, book and shop sales, and gifts and grants. Besides the fishtank, Friend's Funds supported the Summer Reading Party and prizes and helped to purchase our Early Literacy Computers. Stop by the Circulation Desk or Children's Reference Desk for more information. While you're here check out some of our favorite fishy books:

Fred Matisse's Fish by Julie Appel

Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle

Fish Is Fish by Leo Lionni

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

Fish Kisses by Marianna Richmond

Clara and Asha by Eric Rohmann

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

The Birthday Fish by Dan Yaccarino

Check Out Macaroni Kid!

2010-09-10T13:14:00.000-07:00

Macaroni Kid posts information on family friendly events and activities around the East End. Right now they are hosting a Todd Parr Contest and Giveaway - take a picture of your child reading their favorite Todd Parr book and send it to Susan at Macaroni Kid. The winner will receive three autographed gifts from the author himself! Here's a few we took of our kids. You can find a link to the website listed in Our Favorites below or click here. Check out Todd Parr's website here.

Summer's Over - It's Back to School!

2010-09-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

A big Thank You to all of our kids who participated in Summer Reading, you all did a wonderful job! We had an incredible turn out for all of our special programs as well....especially the End of the Summer Party with Eric and his Reptile Adventures. Check out the photos above, some of our kids were not so thrilled with the snakes and alligators!

Check out our new Fall Newsletter to see what's in store for the next couple of months. We look forward to seeing you and good luck in school!

Room for Classics...

2010-07-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

We all know how many wonderful new kid's books are published every year. One of our favorite things to do as Children's Librarians is to purchase new books for the collection. The feel of a new book, the smell of a new book, the sound of the crackling new binding all make us librarians a little giddy. So...borrow as many of our new books as you can carry home. Visit a local book store and get your own copies of new favorites for your shelves at home...but leave room for classics. Sometimes you will actually find classic older books in our New Books Display - either because we had to order a new copy to replace a well loved one or because Kelly and I stumbled across an older title that we weren't familiar with. One of my "new old" picks is Pitschi: The Kitten Who Always Wanted to Be Something Else: A Sad Story that Ends Well by Hans Fischer. Pitschi is a lively kitten who dreams of being anything but a kitten. First published in 1947 in Switzerland and named a Horn Book Fanfare Best Book in 1954, this book continues to delight kids and cat lovers. Hans Fischer was one of the most popular children's book illustrators in the years after WWII. He studied under Paul Klee - a famous Swiss/German modern artist who was influenced by expressionism, cubism and surrealism. You will be mesmerized by his detailed and flowing drawings. And you'll be routing for Pitschi all the way! Look for it in New Books!

Field Trip...

2010-07-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Recently we took a trip to Southampton Animal Shelter to visit with the animals. Our kids treated the dogs to biscuits and the cats to relaxing ear rubs. The mission of the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation is to provide for the welfare of animals and reduce the number of homeless pets. Their goal is to promote and nourish the bonds between people and animals through adoption, education and community outreach. Please visit their website to see who is awaiting a home.

Check out a few of our favorite lost pet stories:

Lost and Found by Jim LaMarche

A picture book for young ones. In three heartwarming stories, celebrated illustrator Jim LaMarche lovingly depicts tales of being lost, being found, finding home, and, most important, the dogs who help us find our way. One lost dog is rescued, another pup leads a frightened child home, and a fractured family finds a fresh start through the love of a dog. Featuring exquisite artwork, this joyful, touching collection will be cherished by anyone who has ever loved a dog.

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

A fiction book for elementary kids. When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight -- and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun -- and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his? Check out the other titles in the series as well: Shiloh Season and Saving Shiloh.

For the Love of Autumn by Patricia Polacco

A picture book for older readers. When her little kitten goes missing one night during a terrible storm, Miss Parks fears that Autumn may be gone forever, but when she reappears on her doorstep with a new collar and a small bandage on her tale, Miss Parks is thrilled and forever grateful to Autumn's anonymous and kindhearted caretaker.

Slideshows

2010-07-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

We can't believe how many pictures we have from all our programs! We had to remove a few of the slide shows because they were overloading our Blog...but please check them out on our photobucket: just click here.

Summer Reading Club 2010 - Make a Splash...Read!!

2010-07-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

Come on down to the Library to register!! You can even print out a reading log from here - just click on one above!

Beach Life @ Ponquogue Bridge Beach with Cornell Cooperative Extension

2010-07-05T12:27:00.001-07:00

What a way to kick off our Summer Programs here in the Children's Room!! On Thursday, July 1st, we all met at Ponquogue Bridge Beach for a Marine Life Program taught by Stacy from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. We learned all about local marine life, then collected many examples that Stacy then brought back to the library for us and set up our very own Discovery Tank. Some of the animals we examined and collected were Sea Stars, Mussels, Hermit Crabs, Shrimp, Small Fish, Snails, Crabs and Horseshoe Crabs. Thanks to all who attended and a special "thank you" to Miss Stacy who was so great with such a large group of kids!

As luck would have it, our program coordinated with a seal release from the Riverhead Foundation. The New York State Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program were bringing a recently rehabilitated seal back home. Check out the slideshow above to see him hop back into the water. Click here to learn more about The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation. You can also learn how to adopt a marine mammal or sea turtle.

Parenting...brought to you by Vicki

2010-06-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

Summer Fun Savings@ Your Library

In light of these tough economic times, we often have to think of ways to amuse ourselves and our families with fun and exciting, yet cost- conscious, activities. Summer is zooming around the corner and the carnival circuit has officially begun… the ice- cream requests have started…and heaven forbid your kids see OTHER people eating ice cream. You know it’s time to start stocking up on the 2- for -1 gallon ice-cream specials and figure out how to enjoy the season without going broke. You will either succumb to every enticement or you will hold tight and help enlighten your loved ones to see there are many ways to create “old-fashioned” fun without having to dig deep.

Let us help you with this creative endeavor. Discover the wonders of nature to make earth-friendly crafts using things you can find in your own yard, the beach or on a family hike. Try using house-hold items such as plastic cups, plastic bottles and cardboard boxes. You’ll see that you can create anything from a flower pot, space shuttle to a puppet theatre or doll’s house by recycling a cardboard box with a little paint and a few added embellishments. Why not try your hand at juggling, or learn easy hand tricks to entertain friends and family. Discover Origami paper folding or ways to make a kite. Have fun with face painting and gather new ideas for your child’s next party. Design a family scrapbook to hold your favorite memories, whether it be a drawing, photograph or your child’s first lock of hair…the ideas are endless…

Be sure to check out all the latest programs we have in our Children’s Room for ages birth to 10. Encourage your kids to participate in our Summer Reading program. We will help them select appropriate books to suit their reading level and interest. Our collections are continually updated for your child’s reading, listening and viewing pleasure. Our non-fiction collections are full of books on various subjects, such as the sciences, crafts, cooking, animals, fairytales, sports, biographies and more. Don’t bypass our assortment of music, movies, Books on Tape, and Audio Books. Our Parenting Collection is continually growing and there’s a book to help with every parent’s query. If there is something not on the shelves you would like, we can try to Inter-library loan it for you.

And…please make sure you get your child his or her own library card by July 1st, so they have first dibs when signing up for our Summer programs. Come and explore…and let us help you and your family make summer memories for years to come.

Check out a few of these books to help your creative juices flow.….

Crafts for Kids: Backyard Book by Greta Speechley
Crafts for Kids: Vacation Book by Hellen Skillicorn
Crafts to Make in the Summer by Kathy Ross
Creative Crafts Series: From Cardboard Boxes, Plastic Cups, Plastic Bottles by Nikki Connor
Earth-Friendly Crafts for Kids: 50 Awesome Things to Make with Recycled Stuff by Heather Smith with Joe Rhatigan
Easy Hand Tricks by Bob Longe
Five-Minute Faces: Fantastic Face-Painting Ideas by Snazaroo
I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to help You & Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature by Jennifer Ward
Juggling Step-by-Step by Bobby Besmehn
Teach Yourself: Developing Your Child’s Creativity by Victoria Wilson
The Scrapbooker’s Idea Book by Kathy Ross
Sow and Grow: A Gardening Book for Children by Tina Davis

Krieg's Bakery & Harry and Horsie Contest

2010-05-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

A big "Thank You!" to Krieg's Bakery for hosting our visit this past Monday. We baked & decorated yummy cupcakes in anticipation of the next Harry and Horsie book. Of course, the best part was eating them! Take a look at our slideshow at the top of the Blog. Snap your own photo of your child eating or baking cookies and email it to author Katie and illustrator Lincoln. Your little one might just show up in their next book!! Click on the contest poster above for details.

Krieg's Bakery is located at 39 West Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays. Stop in and say "Hi" to owners Walter and Sonja. While you're there pick up some tasty treats to eat while reading some tasty stories!

Cookie Paws by Edwin W. Jorden

Cupcake : A Journey to Special by Charise Mericle Harper

First Baking Activity Book by Helen Drew

Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

Ginger Bear by Mini Grey

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff

This Little Bunny Can Bake by Janet Stein

Who Made This Cake? by Chihiro Nakagawa

Mama's Losin' It!

2010-05-11T12:17:00.000-07:00

Mama's Losin' It, our group for mothers will meet tomorrow in the Children's Room at 12 noon!

Stressed out?

Need some grown up conversation?

Aggravated because you went to take your laundry out of the dryer

and found melted crayons stuck to your favorite jeans?

Did you have to pull toys out of your shoe, the refrigerator or the toilet?

Are you laughing not because you are happy but because your kids, husband, ex-husband,

soon-to-be-ex-husband, boyfriend, sister, mother, brother, friend, dog, school,

work... or just life in general is driving you crazy?

Come hang with us then!

Bring your kids, we will close the doors to the Children’s Room

and they can run amuck while we have coffee and snacks

and some well needed grown up girl time.

Wednesdays, May 12 and June 9 at 12 noon.

Dancing Bears - Music...brought to you by Danielle

2010-05-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here's some more great music to share with your family! Want to tap your feet to some fun folk tunes you'll enjoy as much as your kids? Pop in Jerry Garcia and David Grisman's cd Not For Kids Only. Track 8, Teddy Bears' Picnic is on our playlist above. Bounce along with guitar, mandolin, tambourine, fiddles and penny whistles. End your night with violins, cello and soothing oboe sounds on the last track, A Shenandoah Lullaby.

While you're at it, pick up The Grateful Dead's version of Iko Iko. This classic New Orleans song can be found on Dick's Picks Volume 21 and Reckoning. Sing it out loud, who cares if you don't know the words?! Most people don't considering its language origins are Louisiana French Creole patois and Native American (Choctaw and Chickasaw). The 1981 live double album Reckoning has many other acoustic country, folk and bluegrass songs you can jam to...turn it on and tune in.

No Child Left Inside for May - Suffolk County Farm

2010-05-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

This month's No Child Left Inside series begins this Friday, May 7 at 11:30 am, at Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank. The Farm is a model farm education facility and also a real working farm run by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. The first Friday we will have a tour of the farm and see alarge variety of livestock. You can even feed the animals! Hopefully there will be lots of babies to see! We will also get to explore the Farm's new Nature Area. Please go to http://ccesuffolk.org/about-the-farm/ for more information about the Farm. We hope to see you there!

Directions:

- LIE East to exit 67, go south on CR 21 (Yaphank Ave), Farm entrance is on the right

- Sunrise Highway East to exit 57N, bear right and go north on CR 21 (Yaphank Ave), Farm entrance is approximately two miles down on the left

Baby Bonding...brought to you by Jenn

2010-04-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

It is likely that when you consider the tasks of parenting, you consider fostering self-esteem one of the most important. A child's self-esteem, how your child feels about himself/herself, is a key to success. To develop a positive self-concept your child should feel loved-unconditionally. Find ways to show your child that he/she is loved. Help your baby discover emotions by making different “feeling faces” and sounds. Making your baby laugh is good for their cognitive and physical development. Action games-tickle different parts of body-feet, toes, ears, neck, tummy Hide-and-Seek games- bib over your face and baby's face- Peek-a-Boo-games, etc.

Your child should know that he/she is special. Remind your child that he or she is loved. Say what you love about baby – I love your chubby cheeks- gently touch baby’s cheek, give a gentle hug or butterfly kiss. Praise each effort. Applaud your child's successes. Celebrate how much you love your babies by giving your child hugs and kisses. Whisper softly to your baby and listen to soft music, I recommend Can You Hear a Lullaby by Dee Carstensen and Julie Dansky. Sing favorite songs together or sing along with your favorite cds. Check our new cd collection for some great tunes or use sing along books that involve action games such as clapping and rhyming songs like Pat-a-Cake or Ring around the Rosie… wiggling her fingers and toes sing This Little Piggy…or make up songs together.

Read together. Even if baby isn’t responding to the story, keep reading. The greatest way to nurture and bond with your child is by baby hearing your voice. Take pictures of your children and set aside a few hours each month to write a letter to them. Keep it all in a creative scrapbook. You can hand make one or design one online. It’s never too early to start communicating with your baby. Writing letters to your children is a wonderful way to nurture the bond between you and is a sweet way to journal daily happenings or major milestones.

Celebrate the bond of love between parent and child by reading the following Board Books:

All Asleep by Joanna Walsh
Baby Giggles by Rachael Hale
Baby! Talk! by Penny Gentieu
Cookie Kisses by Abigail Tabby
Counting Kisses by Karen Katz
Farm Kisses by Marianne Richmond
Fish Kisses by Marianne Richmond

Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Mommy Loves by Anne Gutman
Skidamarink! I Love You by Michael Scott

For ideas on encouraging bonding experiences check out the book I Love You Rituals by Becky A. Bailey, Ph.D. It has “fun activities for parents and children that boost brain potential, encourage cooperation and caring, promote learning and literacy, increase attention and decrease power struggles and builds bonds of unconditional love” (excerpt taken from the front cover).

written by Jenn, edited by Danielle

Kids Cook...brought to you by Sari

2010-04-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

Cute cooking and cute books - Carmen Yuen, the author of Cute Yummy Time, says "If you are what you eat, you'd better be cooking cute." This kid's cookbook has 70 recipes for the cutest food you'll ever eat. The recipes are balanced and nutritious and are designed from simple shapes that anyone can make. There is no junk food in this book - only whole grains, protein and healthy fats. It doesn't have to be sugery to be cute. This is a great way to have fun in the kitchen and also a great way to get your kids to eat healthy meals. Check out the recipe for Little Critters Oatmeal (pictured in the above collage). Cover a bowl of steel cut oatmeal with a cute animal face template and then sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg and cocoa on top. Now you have sweet critters peering out of your bowl!

For some cute reading to go along with your cute food, check out books by Tao Nyeu: Wonder Bear, which is wordless and whimsically illustrated and Bunny Days, a story in three tales of six bunnies that get themselves into the most silly situations. Check out the collage above for some pictures from these books.

Parenting...brought to you by Vicki

2010-04-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I envision that homeschooling is the way to go in this fast-paced life. As I embark on my career path, while raising a young daughter, I secretly admire an old friend who seems to effortlessly do things her own way. I “friended” her on Facebook and voyeuristically enjoy glimpses of her non-traditional life. I see the photos and videos she posts of her two young boys she home schools. They look happy, healthy, sun-kissed and perfectly well-adjusted. The other day, she quipped in her status bar that the boys were singing Mama Mia, while helping her make chocolate chip pancakes. Keep in mind it was 11 am on a Wednesday morning. Do I sound envious?

I often wonder if I’ve made the right choices or made any choices. Is my daughter learning more because I send her to a school? I daydream that it must be nice to home school. The kids can go to sleep later and we can get up later. We can take our time and not feel so rushed with schedules. But, I ask myself, could I actually do this? Could my family afford it? And…how do these angelic parents actually get their kids to listen to them on a regular basis and still remain calm? I can barely get mine to do her homework as it is, and brush her teeth and pick up her clothes without someone losing their patience…can you guess who that might be? Hmm…but, then I realize we are already doing so many things that “count” as learning.

We bake cookies, cakes and bread (math skills). We count, measure, add, subtract and multiply. We clean (sometimes) and do laundry( self-sufficiency skills), take photographs and draw holiday and birthday cards (art), write thank- you notes (character education)…listen to music, fiddle on grandma’s depression-era piano, bang pots and pans, choreograph dances and make up songs (music & theatre), walk and care for the dog and cats (science& physical education), water the plants (more science), grow tomatoes and strawberries in our make-shift garden (more science and math). For exercise we bicycle, rollerblade, sled, and hike. She jumps rope, not me. We take field trips to the library (literacy), the animal shelter, aquarium, wildlife refuge and beach. We use the internet and plan trips using various resources, such as maps, the internet, directories and the phone book (information literacy)…Get my drift? So, as I write, I realize I’m actually teaching her skills by just parenting and ”living ‘ life!.” Phew…and to think I was actually starting to question myself. I figure since there are 365 days in a year, we can let the kids go to school for ½ the year and let them stay home for ½ the year. That would make it about 182 days of school and 182 days at home. Sound fair? But, wait…that’s about what it already is now!

So folks, whether you “home school” or send your kids to “school,” the time you spend with them is very valuable. Make the most of it and prioritize so you can have fun, (teach good values) and enjoy the ride.

If you are interested in checking out what it’s like to home school as in “homeschool”, we have many resources to guide you. It’s a big commitment and I’m sure a very rewarding one if you can do it!

Online:
Is Homeschooling for you?http://homeschooling.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/homeschool4you.htm
Check out East End Homeschoolers on Facebook
Books:
A Survivor’s Guide to Home Schooling by Luanne Shackelford and Susan White

The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule

Homeschooling for Success: How Parents Can Create a Superior Education for Their Child by Rebecca Kochenderfer

The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook: A Creative and Stress-free ApproachtoHomeschooling by Raymond Moore

Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling by John Caldwell

Trust the Children : A Manual and Activity Guide for Homeschooling and Alternative Learning by Anna Kealoha

Even if it is raining, we will be at...

2010-04-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

...Quogue Wildlife Refuge tomorrow, Friday 4/9, at 10:30 am. Put on your slickers, rain boots and bring an umbrella! We will play in the Discovery Room, take a wet walk around the trails and read The Searcher and Old Tree by David McPhail, by the fireplace. In this picture book a raccoon forages for food at night and at dawn returns to his home in a strong, old tree. This tree safely shelters him through wild winds and ferocious rain so that it can go out searching for food again the next night. It is a sweet story about the special places and poeple who make us feel safe and loved.

Some nature books to go along with your trip to Quogue

2010-04-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few picture books to get you started...

A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianne Aston

The Hidden Bestiary of Marvelous, Mysterious and (maybe even) Magical Creatures by Judy Young

An Egg Is Quiet by Dianne Aston

Each Living Thing by Joanne Ryder

The Raft by Jim Lamarche

What a wonderful day of discovery at...

2010-04-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Quogue Wildlife Refuge. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful Spring day to spend on the nature trail. First we found treasures in the Discovery Room - stuffed animals, live turtles, lizards and snakes, drawers filled with hundreds of different bird eggshells and nests, touch tables with skeletons and furs and then we went outside for some time in the fresh air and sun. Thanks to all of you who met us here! We will be back again this Friday mornig (4/9) and the following Friday morning (4/16) as well. Don't forget to bring some water and a picinic lunch if you like. There are a few photos posted here but check the above slideshow for more.

Quogue Wildlife Refuge

2010-04-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

Our No Child Left Inside Series continues with visits to The Quogue Wildlife Refuge tomorrow morning, 4/2 and Fridays 4/9 and 4/16 as well. Meet us at 10:30 AM for beautiful nature walks. The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny, so we will see you there!

From Sunrise Highway: (Rte.27) take exit 64 S, and head south on Route 104. Go 2 miles and turn right onto Old Country Road. Go 0.7 miles, entrance is on the right side.

From the Long Island Expressway (route 495): take exit 70 S to Manorville Road (Rte 111). Take Rte 111 to Rte. 27 East. Follow directions above.

From Riverhead: go to main traffic circle and take 104 south towards Quogue. Follow directions above.

From Montauk Highway (route 27A): go north on Old Main Road (one block west of traffic light in Quogue), cross the Railroad tracks, and the Refuge is straight ahead.

Bunnies!

2010-03-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Judy Wilson who was here this morning with baby bunnies from Benner's Farm. We learned all about them and their mamas. Each child got to hold a bunny and went home with a bunny craft. Check out the Benner's Farm website http://bennersfarm.com/. They are open to the public weekends 12 to 4 PM April 4th through Strawberry Festival weekend June 12th & 13th. You can visit with the animals, walk through nature trails or participate in special events and workshops. Their Baby Barnyard is featured throughout the Spring to introduce all the new animals. Benner's Farm even has Summer Camps!

Ask us where to find some incredible bunny books. Three good ones to start with are:

Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

Spotty by Margret Rey

This Little Bunny Can Bake by Janet Stein

Our Chicks Have Started Hatching!

2010-03-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

After patiently waiting 3 weeks our chicks have decided to make their way into the world! They started to hatch last night and so far we have two. Check the webcam above to see them. They seem to like the far corner of the incubator which is, of course, out of camera range...so keep looking! Miss Lonna and I will be transferring them to a tank with food, water and a heat lamp sometime today. I will add more info to this post as things progress...

We are naming our babies from 50,001 Best Baby Names by Diane Stafford - find this book in our Parenting Collection.

* Harley a.k.a. Han, born Wednesday evening, 3/24 (he shares Miss Kelly's birthday)

*Charli, born early Thursday morning, 3/25 (breed: Light Brahma)

*Daisy, born at 4:15 Thursday 3/25 (breed: Light Brahma)

*Vida, born at 5:35 Thursday 3/25 (breed: White Leghorn)

*Brock, born at 5:41 Thursday 3/25 (breed: White Leghorn)

*Aoife, born at 9:45 Friday 3/26 (breed: Turken - these chickens have no feathers on their neck giving them a turkey resemblance. They aren't related to turkeys at all though. The bare neck and shoulders are a result of a single gene that affects the arrangement of feather-growing tracts over the chicken's body.)

Kids Cook!....brought to you by Sari

2010-03-11T11:51:00.000-08:00

Looking for a new book to read with your kids? How about a cookbook? I know, I know...sometimes kids make a mess in the kitchen and everything takes longer to do. This may be true, but the potential for fun and learning outweigh the risks. Cooking gives kids an opportunity to be actively involved in learning. They love being involved with preparing food. That’s part of the reason they’re so likely to get in your way in the kitchen. I’m not suggesting you let your child help you create a 4 course meal for your husband’s new boss or when you have to have dinner on the table in 10 minutes so you can run to soccer practice and a PTA meeting. Choose a time when you have time to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Cooking activities are appropriate for children aged two and up. Obviously, the kind of involvement and learning is different for a two-year-old ,a five-year-old, and a ten-year-old, but all can be involved in the process, learn while cooking and have fun!!!

Here are just some of the ways that children learn through cooking:

1. Following Directions: Teach your child what a recipe is and that one must “follow directions” in order for the recipe to work. Children learn that you must read directions and follow them in a certain order to get the result you want.
2. Simple Arithmetic: Compare amounts. What is bigger, a half cup or a whole cup? Are we putting in more flour or more baking powder? Develop his sequencing skills. Ask him, “What do we do first...second...last?
3. Sensory Awareness: Use ingredients with a variety of textures, smells, and tastes. Let him feel the difference between rice and beans. Let him taste the difference between sugar, salt and a sour lemon. Have him smell the differences between various spices.
4. Vocabulary Enrichment: Enhance your child’s knowledge of ingredients and basic cooking and preparation skills. Flour, sugar, and eggs; Scramble, mix, stir, slice, dice, bake, fry, etc., may seem like everyday words to you, but they are not basic to your three-year-old.
5. Concept Development: Improve your child ‘s understanding of concepts: Hard vs. Soft, Liquid vs. Solid, Hot vs. Cold, Raw vs. Baked, Fast vs. Slow, etc.
6. Cause and Effect Relationships: Increase your child’s ability to answer questions like: “What happens if…(you add juice instead of water, you use bananas instead of strawberries)?” Children can learn how adding, leaving out or changing one ingredient can change the entire product.
7. Cooperation: Improve your child’s ability to work together with you and with other children. This includes waiting for his turn and having fun in a joint activity.

Now Get Ready to Cook!

1. Set up a convenient workspace for you and your child: If you have limited counter space it may make sense to do the preparation on the kitchen table. If you are working on a counter that is too high for your child, buy or borrow a sturdy stool to bring your child to the level of the activity.
2. Choose a recipe together: In the beginning, stick to simple, child friendly recipes with 3-5 steps. Choose foods that he likes to eat and will be excited to say that he helped make. Eventually, you can choose foods that are new to him in order to expand his experiences. (Children are usually more likely to try foods that they helped cook). If this is your first time cooking with your child, introduce him to the concept of a cookbook. Explain that if you don’t know how to make something, you go to a cookbook for instructions. In this way, he’ll learn one of the many ways that reading helps us in our lives.
3. Assemble all of the ingredients you need before beginning to cook: You don’t want to leave your child unsupervised around a half-finished batter or a hot stove while you look for new ingredients. Preparing ahead will not make the process take longer; it will just mean putting in the time before rather than during the activity.
4. Wash Hands: Make sure your child washes his hands before any cooking activity. Let him see you wash your hands. This way he learns that cleanliness rules apply to everyone, not just children.
5. Name each ingredient as it is being used
6. Let your child measure and put in as many ingredients as possible: Depending on the age of the child, your may need to do the measuring and hand your child the cup with the right amount of each item to put into the bowl. Some ingredients are not appropriate to be handled by young children. Just tell your child that now it is “Mommy/Daddy/Grandma’s turn” and do it yourself. Sometimes you can adapt ingredients. A three-year-old can’t crack an egg, but you can crack it, put it into a cup and have your child pour it into the batter.
7. Clean up: Clean up as soon as possible. Let him see that the rule “clean up after you are finished” also applies to adults. Let him help to the best of his ability.
8. Enjoy the fruits of your labor: If you don’t eat what you make, your child certainly won’t want to. While you’re eating, discuss what you did. What ingredients did you use? Play a game. See how many ingredients he can remember. Try and see if he remembers what you did first, second, last. Talk about how much fun it was and what you might want to cook next time.

The most important goal of cooking with your child is to enjoy each other’s company!
Feel proud of what you and your child can accomplish by working together!

Here's our first Blog Recipe:

Soft Pretzels
This activity is great for ages three and up.
1 package of quick-rise all natural active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 cups of flour
Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute or 2 teaspoons melted butter or margarine
Coarse salt if desired
Preheat oven to 425°F

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the sugar and salt. Blend in the flour and turn the dough onto a lightly floured board. Knead until smooth. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Roll each piece of dough into a rope. See what shapes you can make (a circle is the easiest, just pinch the two ends of the rope together). Try and twist it into a pretzel shape.
Place on a nonstick cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush the tops with the egg substitute or melted butter. Lightly sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
From Someone’s in the Kitchen with Mommy by Elaine Magee, M.P.H., R.D.

Montessori Games...

2010-03-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of you who joined us for Montessori Games yesterday! The kids really enjoyed all our new materials and had fun while learning sets of skills. The Montessori Method "is a unique cycle of learning designed to meet the natural development of the child...children gain an early enthusiasm for learning which is the key to their becoming truly educated persons...they have an "absorbent mind", soaking in facts like a sponge, learn through concrete experience, and they tend to work best by themselves. The curriculum of the Montessori classroom is designed to meet these characteristics." (taken from http://www.casamontessori.com/montessori.htm)

We will be having a Montessori Games series of programs in the Spring. Check the May/June Newsletter for details.

Music...brought to you by Danielle

2010-03-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

Got a hankering for some honky tonk? Try some tunes from American icon Willie Nelson. A Kermit the Frog favorite, Rainbow Connection, is refreshing when sung by Willie. This is the title track of an album released in 2001 and has been added to the playlist above. Another fun song for parents is the classic Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys. Nelson's album Stardust - with covers of such classics as Someone to Watch Over Me and more - is a sweet companion to a quiet, lazy afternoon with your kids.

For really little ones, try some bluegrass baby lullabies featured on Hushabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Willie Nelson. The music is created using traditional country instruments like acoustic guitar, fiddle and pedal steel sprinkled with sweet touches of celeste, glockenspeil and xylophone.

Check out some cowboy books to share with your kids: Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp by Denise Fleming, Cowboy & Octopus by Jon Scieszka, Little Red Cowboy Hat by Susan Lowell, Cowboy Bunnies by Christine Loomis and many more!

Speaking of LibraryThing...

2010-03-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

In my previous post I mentioned that I added The Bog Baby to my LibraryThing. Just in case some of you thought "What is a LibraryThing?", I figured I'd tell you a little about it...

Do you keep a journal of the books you've read with your kids? Are your bookshelves in need of organization? Do you have too many books your kids have outgrown but you can't bear to get rid of them? Then LibraryThing is the perfect site for you.

On LibraryThing you can create your very own catalog of books. You can enter titles, tags, reviews, comments, pictures and even join groups with users that have similar interests. There are numerous children's literature groups, homeschooling groups, juvenile fiction and non-fiction groups, picture book groups, etc. Click here to take a tour of the site and then start your own catalog. Now you will never forget the title of that wonderful book you read to your child when she was just a little thing and you can donate your old books to make room for more...

Added to my list of favorite picture books...

2010-03-08T07:30:00.000-08:00

Although this book is not new, it was published in 2008, it is new to our collection and I have added it to my LibraryThing list of favorites...it is called The Bog Baby, written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Gwen Millward.

When two small sisters go fishing to the magic pond, they find something much better than a frog or a newt. They find a bog baby. Small and blue with wings like a dragon, the girls decide to make him their secret. I won't tell if you won't. They make him a beautiful home in a bucket with gravel, shells and clean water and hide it in the shed. But the bog baby is a wild thing, and when he becomes sick, the girls decide they must tell their mom. And she explains a great lesson, if you really love something, you have to let it go. After all, that's what she did when she was a little girl and found a Bog Baby of her own...

The illustrations are colorful, delicate and magical. The flower fields, meadows and sparkly bog will make you anticipate Spring even more! Now that the weather is getting warmer, why don't you take your child for a nature walk? You never know what you'll find! The last page of the book is for notes about Your Bog Baby with questions you and your child may answer. You can even make a drawing of yours and send it the address provided (Random House, NY) - S.O.B.B. (Save Our Bog Babies).

We are patiently waiting for Spring!!!

2010-03-05T09:58:00.001-08:00

Nothing says "Spring" more than a basketful of fuzzy chicks. In anticipation of Spring we will be hatching chicks here in the Children's Room. Our chick incubator is all set up and we received our shipment of eggs this morning. This afternoon Miss Lonna and I are going to place them into the incubator (carefully) and then we just have to wait....for 21 days. Therefore, we will not be setting up our webcam until the 19th day when we take them off the egg turners in preparation for hatching. The incubator is set up behind the Children's Reference Desk. Feel free to come on in and take a look. Thanks to Miss Lonna (who has a farm of her own with chickens and miniature horses) for all her help!

Tired of listening to the Wiggles? Music...brought to you by Danielle

2010-02-19T11:03:00.000-08:00

I know I was. Which is why I started playing different albums for my daughter. Everything from Cat Stevens to Janis Joplin to Johnny Cash. And she loved it. We'd dance through the kitchen or sing along in the car. Who says kids only have to listen to music specifically geared toward them? I'm not saying all kid's music is bad...hey, look at Brady Rymer and Laurie Berkner. There's some music made for kids that adults can dig as well. But who wants to listen to The Itsy Bitsy Spider or Five Little Ducks on a regular basis? Parenting can drive you batty in alot of different ways, this need not be one of them.

With this in mind we have a whole new audio collection in the Children's Room and it will soon be on the shelves. There will be tons of grown up bands that you can share with your children. Each week I'll introduce you to a new cd and post a few songs from it on our playlist widget from playlist.com.

There will be music you can stand your toddler on your toes and dance to with, songs you can sing with your older kids, albums to get you moving and albums to soothe babies to sleep or calm grown up stresses.

This first album is Lullaby by Jewel and although it has been marketed as a children's album it has been described as " a children-themed, adult directed singer-songwriter album." Most of the soothing, soft songs are original folksy, country sounding lullabies. There are also a few classics on the album too - Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. My favorites are Raven and The Cowboy's Lament. Check the playlist at the top of the Blog to listen. Then check out the cd and cuddle up with your kids and listen together.

Another Jewel album to check out is Perfectly Clear. One of our favorites from this album is Loved by You (Cowboy Waltz). Grab a straw cowboy hat for your little one, put your boots on and waltz together through your living room. Music makes for wonderful memories...

for more parenting books check out Curled Up With a Good Kid's Book...

2010-02-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

Curled Up With a Good Kid's Book is an e-zine committed to bringing good books from presses of all sizes to the attention of readers and newsletter subscribers. They have reviews of board books, picture books, beginner readers, young readers, and young adult books. Check out their main site - Curled Up With a Good Book for information and reviews of general fiction, chick lit/romance, fantasy, graphic novels, non-fiction and even audio books.

Parenting...Brought to you by Vicki: a stay at home mom is not the same as not working!

2010-02-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Vicki's new monthly Parenting Blog Entry. Come on down to the Children's Room to say "Hi!" to her!

How often have you heard the mantra, “take a nap when the baby naps, or stop picking up after everybody and let them do it themselves!” “Oh, sure,” you say to yourself. What you really hear from the frontlines is “blah, blah, blah. If you are a stay-at-home mom, you know exactly what I mean. You think because you’re home EVERYTHING must get done .You know if you’re snoozing, or let the troops pick up after themselves NOTHING will get done and you’ll wind up having more on your plate.

So… your typical day begins with multi-tasking. You squeeze in exercising (if you’re lucky), do the bills (and hope they’re not late), straighten up, plan the grocery list, throw in overflowing loads of laundry, while thinking about preparing “healthy meals” while you skip both breakfast and lunch to keep pace. Daily carpooling, homework, making dinner and bedtime routine leaves you weary. By the time your favorite show is on, if you have one anymore, you’re probably too tired to watch. Books read, beyond PARP (parents as reading partners), well they better hold your attention before you slowly drift off to Z-land.

Advertisements geared towards moms at home will soon find you and entice you with a variety of home-based business opportunities (you know the ones…). They have your demographic figured out and know that moms who see them will think what a GREAT idea!. They know everyone can use the $$$. Who doesn’t these days? You figure, if I’m home I might as well get paid, right? Well… from my experience, yes, you will make money and yes, you will still be at home…but that’s where it all ends. You’ll most likely find yourself ignoring your loved ones and spinning from task to task screaming. But, hey, you’ll tell yourself, I CAN DO THIS!!! Why? Because I’m home!

Check out some of our parenting books, which offer helpful ideas, tips and humor. They’ll make you laugh when you realize you are not alone!

Baby Laughs: The Naked Truth About the First Year of Mommyhood by Jenny McCarthy

The Don't Sweat Guide for Moms: Being More Relaxed and Peaceful So Your Kids Are Too by Kristine Carlson

I’d Trade My Husband for a Housekeeper: Loving Your Marriage after the Baby Carriage by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile

If You Give a Mom a Martini: 100 Ways to Find 10 Blissful Moments for Yourself by Julie Klappas

I Was a Really GOOD MOM Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile.

Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood by Karen Maezen Miller

The Mother Trip: Hip Mama's Guide to Staying Sane in the Chaos of Motherhood by Ariel Gore

Today’s Moms: Essential s for Surviving Baby’s First Year by Mary Ann Zoellner and Alicia Ybarbo

What Mothers Do: Especially When It Looks Like Nothing by Naomi Stadlen

Thanks Amy!

2010-02-09T07:34:00.001-08:00

Thanks for meeting us...

2010-02-09T07:02:00.000-08:00

...at Amy's Ark Studio & Farm in Westhampton on Friday! We had a wonderful time creating artwork, doing yoga & seeing the farm with Amy. Meet us again this Friday for more & check out the slide shows above.

Directions: Please note: there is no street sign for Hollow Lane (sorry)! Take Montauk Highway west to Westhampton (if you see a sign for Speonk you went too far) Hollow Lane is on the right before the East Side Tennis Club and directly past a sign that reads Mill Pond. Amy's Ark is the third driveway on the right & is a dirt drive. We will meet in the middle barn again.

No Child Left Inside - Meet us at Amy’s Ark Studio and Farm, 10 Hollow Lane, Westhampton

2010-02-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

Too much time indoors with television, video games and computers can be harmful to our children. In the past you’ve joined us in the spirit of this nationwide movement called “No Child Left Inside” and met us at local parks and farms for storytimes. It may be chilly out now but our kids still need to get outside! Join us for yoga, art and barn animals at Amy’s Ark Studio and Farm in Westhampton. Fridays, February 5, 12, and 19 at 11:30 am. For children ages 2 and up with parent or caregiver.

Amy Hess is a local yoga teacher and artist who has graciously opened her new studio to our kids for some fun. Stop by the Children's Reference Desk to register or call 728.6241. Or just meet us there and we'll sign you up!

Directions: Montauk Highway west to Westhampton. Pass East Side Tennis Club and make a right onto Hollow Lane. Amy's Ark Studio is #10, third driveway on right. We will be meeting in the middle barn.

Caldecott Medal 2010 Winner! The Lion & the Mouse

2010-01-19T13:07:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Caldecott Medal winner is The Lion & the Mouse, illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney (Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers) The screech of an owl, the squeak of a mouse and the roar of a lion transport readers to the Serengeti plains for this virtually wordless retelling of Aesop’s classic fable. In glowing colors, Pinkney’s textured watercolor illustrations masterfully portray the relationship between two very unlikely friends. from ALSC

Caldecott Medal 2010 Honor Book, All the World

2010-01-19T13:04:00.000-08:00

All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon, published by Beach Lane Books.

Frazee's small vignettes and sweeping double-page spreads invite readers to share a joyful day with a diverse, multigenerational community. Flowing lines and harmonius colors give vibrant life to Scanlon's poetic text. from ALSC

Caldecott Medal 2010 Honor Book, Red Sings from Treetops

2010-01-19T13:02:00.000-08:00

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman, published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Zagarenski’s playful illustrations enliven Sidman’s expressive poetry in this exploration of the seasons and their colors. Computer illustration and mixed-media paintings on wood combine rich textures, intriguing graphic elements, stunning colors and stylized figures to reward attentive readers with a visually exciting interplay of poetry and illustration. from ALSC

Harry and Horsie Author Visit

2010-01-14T11:50:00.001-08:00

Harry and Horsie Author Visit

2010-01-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

Harry and Horsie Author Visit

2010-01-14T11:45:00.001-08:00

Harry and Horsie Author Visit

2010-01-14T11:21:00.000-08:00

Another Author Visit for our Picture Book Jubilee to celebrate our Library's 50th Anniversary...What an adventure filled morning we had here in the Children's Room! Katie Van Camp, author of the picture book Harry and Horsie, came all the way from Canada to read her story to our young patrons (and their grown ups) and the Kindergarten classes form Hampton Bays Elementary School. Kids were amazed when a bubble from Harry's Super Duper Bubble Blooper carries away his best friend Horsie into outer space...BLOOP, BLOOP, BLOOP! But no worries, Harry rescues his Horsie from the moon just in time to cuddle up for bedtime.

After the story Katie talked with the kids and signed copies of Harry and Horsie for everyone. We had a wonderful time meeting Katie and hope to meet Lincoln, the illustrator, in the future. Stay tuned for their next book! Check the Blog sidebar for Harry and Horsie links.

A big Thank You to Katie and, as always, to our big and little patrons and The Elementary School kids (and teachers) for participating!

Thank You...

2010-01-14T11:10:00.001-08:00

Harry and Horsie Author Visit Tomorrow!!

2010-01-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

Join Harry and his best friend Horsie on an out-of-this-world adventure! Author Katie Van Camp will be here all the way from Canada to read her friendship filled picture book Harry and Horsie. Program begins at 11 am. Hope to see you in the Children's Room! Don't forget to check out the website: http://www.harryandhorsie.com/index.html

Custard and Mustard, Carlos in Coney Island, Author & Illustrator Visit

2010-01-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

Thanks to author Maureen Sullivan and illustrator Alison Josephs, our first big 50th Anniversary Celebration Program was a big success! The creators of the picture book Custard and Mustard, Carlos in Coney Island (and other Carlos books, check the Blog sidebar for links to the other books, the author and illustrator's website and fun Carlos video clips) were kind enough to visit our library last Friday to participate in our Picture Book Jubilee for the Library's Anniversary. And what a treat our Kindergarten classes from our local Hampton Bays Elementary School and patrons (grown ups & kids alike) were in for!

Maureen and Alison talked about some fun Coney Island facts - do you know what a Chow Mein Sandwich is? We do! Then they read they picture book in which Carlos the French Bulldog spends a summer day exploring Coney Island. Afterwards kids asked wonderful questions (how do you, exactly, make a book?) and were lucky enough to have their very own copies of Custard and Mustard and Ankle Soup signed. Maureen talked about how she gets her ideas for books and Alison talked about making her paintings and how her artwork is put into picture book format. Most importantly we learned alot about Carlos the French Bulldog. We may meet him at their next visit, which we cannot wait for!!

Thank you to Maureen and Alison for making our first Author & Illustrator visit in the Hampton Bays Children's Room such a fun and memorable day! And, of course, a big thanks to our awesome patrons (big & little) who join us for our programs and to the Hampton Bays Elementary School kids & teachers who made a field trip here to participate as well.

Custard and Mustard Author & Illustrator Visit

2010-01-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

Custard and Mustard Visit, More Pictures...

2010-01-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

Picture Book Jubilee Author & Illustrator Visit!!!

2010-01-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

Maureen Sullivan and Alison Josephs, the author and illustrator of the picture book Custard and Mustard, Carlos in Coney Island, will be here tomorrow, Friday, January 8th at 11 am! Come experience Coney Island through the eyes of Carlos the French Bulldog. Climb aboard the Coney Express, walk the boards with Carlos and pass the mustard! Come join us and listen to the story and meet the creators. A limited number of books will be available to patrons. Children may bring their own copies to be signed as well. Please check out http://anklesoup.com/ for more information on this book and others by the same author and illustrator. We are looking forward to meeting them tomorrow! It's not too late to sign up, the Kindergarten classes from Hampton Bays Elementary School will be here along with our young patrons and their families.

This program kicks off our Library's 50th Anniversary Celebration. This year marks fifty years of chartered library service to the Hampton Bays Community. Here in the Children's Room we are having a year-long celebration - A Picture Book Jubilee for the Library's Anniversary! Throughout the year we will be having special programs that are all picture book themed. Look in upcoming newsletters or on our Blog for information about more author and illustrator visits, special concerts, special book collections available for checkout and next Fall we will have a very special visit from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

More Awesome Books from Catherine Rayner

2009-12-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

See the previous post for this author/illustrator's newest book & a related snowy day craft idea for you & your kids...also, check the side of our Blog for a link to the website!

Awesome story, awesome illustrations!!

2009-12-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

We have a suggestion for you if you are stuck in the house with the kids this vacation week. Check out some books by one of our favorite author/illustrators, Catherine Rayner, one for each day of the week even! After you read the stories you will no doubt be inspired by the mesmerizing (and award winning) illustrations to create some artwork of your own. Ms. Rayner's illustrations are all silkscreen prints. Silkscreeening is a complicated creative process but you can try to mimic the effects in your storytime-inspired artwork by using some more kid-friendly materials.

Let's start with Ms. Rayner's newest book (and our current favorite), Sylvia and Bird, in which a dragon and bird realize they are the best of friends . Your kids will want to climb on Sylvia's back and swirl through the air with Bird flying next to them. They will enjoy the bright and shiny illustrations as well. To make your own similar looking pictures you will need:

-watercolor paper

-non-toxic acrylic paint

-non-toxic watercolor paint

-a fine point black magic marker

-a large flat bristle brush

-a small round bristle brush

-a medium square shaped sponge brush

Now, tape the corners of your watercolor paper down onto a flat surface (cover it if need be). With the large, flat brush help your child saturate the paper with a light colored layer of watercolor paint. Next, take the marker (and to the best of your ability) draw outlines of Sylvia and Bird..maybe even some branches or leaves. You can both hold the marker while doing this. Then, using the square sponge brush, color them in with watercolor paint. Finally, dip your small round brush into the acrylic paint and experiment with small drips and splatters. You and your child now have your own multi-media replica of Sylvia and Bird.

The Polar Express

2009-12-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

Grab your ticket! Miss Jenn provided a Polar Express for the kids to climb aboard in this storytime. After the story the kids had fun with a reindeer craft & each left with their own Polar Express Packet complete with coloring pages, Jingle Bells sheet music, stationary to write a letter to Santa and a magical bell.

Holiday Art Starts

2009-12-16T08:14:00.001-08:00

Holiday Art Starts

2009-12-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

We had fun with glitter, glue, pinecones, crayons, construction paper & more for Holiday Art Starts. The goal of our Art Starts programs is to provide an open ended art experience the kids. It's not the product, but the process. Kids choose from many materials & learn through exploration and each leaves with his or her own unique piece of artwork. Here are some guidelines to providing an open ended art experience for your child: don't ask "what is it?", instead say "tell me about it..", talk about the texture, colors and shapes, let your child work as independently as possible & encourage responsibility in cleaning up and when commenting on your child's work be specific. It's more meaningful to say things like "I see you used circles, I like the pinks and blues, or those squiggles make me happy" - comments like these show that you actually have taken a good look at their work instead of a general "that's beautiful". There's no right or wrong way in open ended art!

Farmhouse Farms Reindeer Storytime

2009-12-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of The No Child Left Inside Movement and of the holidays we took the Children's Room on the road! We had a blast at Farmhouse Farms in Moriches with a special reading of The Night Before Christmas and a visit from St. Nick and his reindeer. The kids all sat around the North Pole Mailbox while listening to the story and then got to feed the reindeer apples and take pictures with them and St. Nick. Thank you for the awesome turn out of grown ups and kids, we are so glad that you participate in our library programs and are especially touched that you will meet us at other locations outside of the library. And a special thank you to the nursery staff and Max Compton!

Farmhouse Farms Reindeer Storytime

2009-12-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

Farmhouse Farms Reindeer Storytime

2009-12-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Farmhouse Frams Reindeer Storytime

2009-12-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

Farmhouse Farms Reindeer Storytime

2009-12-03T08:37:00.001-08:00