Saturday, March 27, 2010

Celebrate Women's History Month


March is Women's History Month. Long Beach Public Library offers many online databases where you can do research to find out more about famous women in history. Try searching in World Book Online for Kids or Biography Resource Center (LBPL library card may be required for access outside of the library).


Want to learn more about famous women?
Try searching for book in the LBPL catalog!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

SPRING into Books!


The first day of Spring 2010 is today!

Welcome Spring by enjoying the weather, starting a new project, or by checking out Spring themed books from your local library.

You can find Spring Coloring Pages online (picture @ right), along with many other types of coloring sheets by searching Google Images. Just type in what you are looking for, plus the term "coloring pages" [e.g. "spring coloring pages" or "bunny coloring pages"]~ enjoy!



Mouse's First Spring
by Lauren Thompson


Bear Wants More
by Karma Wilson


Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Bay Shore Neighborhood Library celebrated Saint Patrick's Day
by making these festive hats out of construction paper and green hearts,
along with this fun rhyme (below).


Five Green Shamrocks
One green shamrock, in the morning dew
Another one sprouted, and then there were two

Two green shamrocks, growing beneath a tree
Another one sprouted,and then there were three

Three green shamrocks, by the cottage door
Another one sprouted, and then there were four

Four green shamrocks, near a beehive
Another one sprouted, and then there were five

Five little shamrocks, bright and emerald green
Think of all the luck these shamrocks will bring



Want to check out some books on
Saint Patrick's Day and Leprechauns?
Try searching the LBPL catalog!



Saturday, March 13, 2010

Celebrate Long Beach Reads One Book with Books for Children


Sunday concludes Long Beach Reads One Book, where all over Long Beach, people have been reading and discussing The Soloist by Steve Lopez. While this book is aimed at an adult audience, The Soloist has many themes that can be shared with children.

Themes:
Friendship, Music, Art, Homelessness, Mental Health, Journalism



Charlie Parker Played Bebop
by Chris Raschka


Jazzmatazz!
by Stephanie Calmenson


Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin
by Lloyd Moss



My Family Plays Music
by Judy Cox


Mole Music
by David McPhail


Music Is
by Lloyd Moss


My Friend the Piano
by Catherine Cowan


Mama Don't Allow: starring Miles and the Swamp Band
by Thacher Hurd


Barn Dance!
by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault


Berlioz the Bear
by Jan Brett


Reading Rainbow: Music, music, everywhere (DVD)


More Picture Books to Share:
Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting; illustrated by Ronald Himler.
A homeless boy who lives in an airport with his father, moving from terminal to terminal and trying not to be noticed, is given hope when he sees a trapped bird find its freedom.

The Lady in the Box by Ann McGovern; illustrated by Marni Backer.
When Lizzie and Ben discover a homeless lady living in their neighborhood, they must reconcile their desire to help her with their mother's admonition not to talk to strangers.
(Also available in Spanish:)
La Señora de la Caja de Carton por Ann McGovern; illustraciones de Marni Backer; traduccion de Ana Peluffo

Mutt Dog! words and pictures by Stephen Michael King.
A lonely dog finally finds a home after he makes friends with a woman who works at a homeless shelter.

Sometimes my Mommy Gets Angry by Bebe Moore Campbell; illustrated by E.B. Lewis.
A little girl copes with her mother's mental illness, with the help of her grandmother and friends.

The Teddy Bear written and illustrated by David McPhail.
A teddy bear, lost by the little boy who loves him, still feels loved after being rescued by a homeless man.

You and Me and home Sweet Home by George Ella Lyon & Stephanie Anderson.
Third-grader Sharonda and her mother help volunteers from their church to build the house that will be their very own.


Books for Older Kids:
Darnell Rock Reporting by Walter Dean Myers.
Thirteen-year-old Darnell's twin sister and the other members of the Corner Crew have doubts about his work on the school newspaper, but the article he writes about a homeless man changes his attitude about school.

The Dream Bearer by Walter Dean Myers.
During a summer in Harlem, David relies on his mother and a close friend and on an old man he meets in the park to help him come to terms with his father's outbursts and unstable behavior.

How to Steal a Dog: a novel by Barbara O'Connor.
Living in the family car in their small North Carolina town after their father leaves them homeless and virtually penniless, a young girl persuades her younger brother to help her in an elaborate scheme to get money by stealing a dog and then claiming the reward that the owners are bound to offer.

Monkey Island by Paula Fox.
A classic by Newbery author Paula Fox. Forced to live on the streets of New York after his mother disappears from their hotel room, eleven-year-old Clay is befriended by two people who help him survive.

The Song Shoots Out of my Mouth by Jaime Adoff; illustrated by Martin French.
An illustrated collection of twenty-four poems that celebrates the power of music, and its integral role in the lives of teenagers

What a Song Can Do: 12 riffs on the power of music edited by Jennifer Armstrong.
Twelve stories describe the power of music in young people's lives, from forming a community of individuals in a high school band to helping a young man connect to his Indian heritage through ancient songs.

Spring Forward... Don't forget to change your clocks this weekend!


Daylight Saving Time begins for most of the United States at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March. This year, that date is Sunday, March 14th.

Want to learn more about clocks and telling time? Check out the LBPL catalog for some book ideas!



The clock struck one: a time-telling tale by Trudy Harris

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Make Your Own Guitar with Household Items!

As we continue to celebrate Long Beach Reads One Book featuring The Soloist by Steve Lopez, try this musical craft idea at home. While The Soloist is a book for grownups, adults can share many of the book's themes with children, especially the importance of music.


Shoe Box Guitar

Materials:
Shoe Box
Paper Towel Tube
Popsicle Sticks
Tape/Glue
Scissors
Rubber Bands (try with various widths/colors)
Markers
Stickers (optional)


Directions:
Find an old shoe box, tissue box, or other cardboard box. Have an adult cut an oval-shaped hole in the top. Stretch a few rubber bands around the box and over the hole. Glue a popsicle stick or pencil under the rubber bands on one side of the box. Tape on a paper towel tube, add popsicle stick pegs, decorate and enjoy!


Want to make more crafts like this at home?
Try searching the LBPL catalog for some book ideas!

Friday, March 5, 2010

Celebrate National Nutrition Month @ Burnett Library


March is National Nutrition Month! Celebrate with a special Bookworm Buddies program presented by the CSULB Dietetic Internship Program. Enjoy stories, games and crafts as we learn about healthy eating habits and the power of exercising.

When: Wednesday, March 10th at 2 p.m.
Where: Burnett Neighborhood Library Community Room
Ages: 5-12

Burnett Neighborhood Library
560 E. Hill Street
(562) 570-1041

For more on healthy eating, check out the
American Dietetic Association website


Visit the LBPL website for a complete calendar
of upcoming youth events @ a library near you!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Happy Birthday Vivaldi!


Antonio Lucio Vivaldi
March 4, 1678 – July 28, 1741


Antonio Vivaldi was a famous composer and violinist. Vivaldi was born and raised in Venice, Italy. The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best known work, but he also composed over 500 instrumental concertos, choral works, and operas.

Fun Fact: Vivaldi is known as "The Red Priest" because he had flaming red hair and he also was a priest.



Want to learn more about musical instruments?
Try searching the LBPL catalog for some book ideas!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Celebrate the Winter Olympics at Home


Just because the 2010 Winter Olympics are over doesn't mean you can't celebrate at home by playing ice hockey in your very own homemade mini-rink!



Materials Needed:
- drinking straws
- scissors
- tape
- baking pan
- buttons
- small stick

Cut a straw in half and then cut twice partway up the straw to create four splits. Flatten those against the bottom of the pan and tape them down, these are your goalposts. Next, fill the pan almost full with water. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours. Remove from freezer and place on top of a table. Use small buttons for hockey pucks and a craft stick for a hockey stick.

Play until it melts.


Want to read a hockey story at home?
Try Dino-hockey by Lisa Wheeler.

Long Beach Reads One Book


Parents and Teachers: Participate in Long Beach Reads One Book from March 3 - 14. The selection for 2010 is The Soloist: a lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music by Steve Lopez.

Check out scheduled events at Long Beach Public Libraries and around the city.

About the book:
Steve Lopez, a columnist for the L.A. Times spots a homeless man performing beautiful music on a shabby violin. Over the next few days, Lopez discovers that the homeless man, Nathaniel Ayers, was once a promising student at Juilliard, but various pressures - including schizophrenia and being one of the few African-American students - caused him to drop out. Enlisting the help of doctors, mental health professionals and professional musicians, Lopez attempts to help Ayers move off Skid Row, regain his dignity, develop his musical talent and free himself of the demons induced by his schizophrenia. --Adapted from Publishers Weekly review

Themes:
Friendship, Music, Art, Homelessness, Mental Health, Journalism

Monday, March 1, 2010

Celebrate Read Across America Day - March 2nd

www.seussville.com


March 2nd is Dr. Seuss' birthday and is also known as Read Across America Day, where children across the country celebrate by reading books by Dr. Seuss. Visit the Seussville website for some online Seuss fun or check out some books by Dr. Seuss from your local library.



The Cat in the Hat




Green Eggs and Ham




The Lorax




Horton escucha a Quién!




Un pez, dos peces, pez rojo, pez azul




More books by Dr. Seuss are
available @ your local library