Staff Review: "Thanksgiving for Emily Ann" by Teresa Johnston

"Thanksgiving for Emily Ann" may remind you of your house around the holidays.  It's loud and messy and she's been kicked out of her own bed to make room for the guests.  It's hard to be thankful for things like that, and she get's mad.  But once Emily Ann takes a step back and watches her family laugh and play together, she knows that's what Thanksgiving is all about.
I feel like Emily Ann sometimes.  I like things to be kind of quiet and scheduled.  Holidays are not like that at all.  But it doesn't matter because being together means it's noisy and hectic and you try your best to squeeze in as many stops as possible.  The giggling and squealing and being displaced is all part of the fun!

Emily Ann makes her family special turkey place mats that look very much like this example.  That's a great activity to remind you of all the people you are thankful for.
--Angie RH, Headquarters

Dewey Discoveries: "Try This! 50 Fun Experiments for the Mad Scientist in You" by Karen Young

Do you know a kid who would delight in training crickets, building a simple robot, or making a giant air cannon? National Geographic Kids has put out a fantastic and fun science project and experiment book, "Try This! 50 Fun Experiments for the Mad Scientist in You" by Karen Romano Young that will show them how. With easy-to-follow directions, beautiful photos of each project, and loads of ideas, it's sure to please your young scientist. It's also a great place to get ideas for science fair projects. Best for scientists in third grade and up.

Dewey Number: 507.8

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Staff Review: "Druthers" by Matt Phelan

What can you do with a rainy day? This is the question posed by Matt Phelan's hug-worthy new picture book, "Druthers." 

"'If you had your druthers, what would you do?' asked her daddy.
'What are druthers?'
'Druthers are what you would rather do if you could do anything at all.'"

In this lovingly illustrated story, Penelope and her daddy play their way through the rainy day using only their imaginations. From pirates to cowboys, this duo knows how to make the best of bad weather. In the end, Penelope decides that, "if I really had my druthers . . . it would rain tomorrow, too." Click on the link above to request a copy, then spend some time playing imaginatively with your little one. Perfect for the pre-K and kindergarten set.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Kids Music Friday: "Pretty Crabby" by Caspar Babypants

Good news, Caspar Babypants fans! The highly creative and always entertaining maven of family music has a fantastic new album out, called "Rise and Shine." To kick off the fun, he's released a gorgeous video for the silly song, "Pretty Crabby." Created by artist Charlotte Blacker, it features a cast of quirky crocheted animals playing instruments. Watch the video below, dance along to the song, and request a copy of his albums today!

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Dewey Discoveries: "If . . ." by David J. Smith

Large numbers and statistics are often difficult to explain to kiddos. Here's where David J. Smith's book, "If . . .A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers" comes in. Each page has a different set of statistics with a unique way of looking at it. "If all the food produced around the world in one year were represented by a loaf of bread with 25 slices . . . 11 slices of bread would come from Asia." It's simple, with illustrations to highlight each easy-to-understand metaphor, and covers topics like the size of the universe, the amount of water on Earth, and energy. What a great way to start some scientific discussions with your children! Great for grades two and up.

Dewey Number: 500

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Teddy, Eleanor and Franklin

 

 

If you enjoyed watching Ken Burn’s PBS series, “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History”, which is now available on dvd, you may also enjoy sharing these picture book biographies:

 

“My Tour of Europe by Teddy Roosevelt, Age 10”  is a collection of excerpts from Theodore Roosevelt’s childhood diary. Catherine Brighton’s illustrations bring to life the year Teddy spent with his family in Europe from May 1869 - May 1870. The diary presents Teddy’s initial homesickness, his illnesses, fun with siblings, and the sense of adventure that would always remain part of his character. This book is a great way to introduce primary resources to children.

Barbara Cooney’s “Eleanor” is illustrated in the artist’s signature style. The first illustration includes Uncle Ted as Eleanor’s Godfather and uncle. The story follows Eleanor from shy child, who lost her parents at a young age, to confident young woman. We learn that one of Eleanor’s most cherished possessions was a collection of letters written to her by her father. She carried these letters with her throughout her life, from home, to Allenswood boarding school, and to the White House. 

“A Boy Named  FDR: How Franklin D. Roosevelt Grew  Up To Change America”, written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Francher,

carefully describes how a boy born to wealth became president for the “ordinary people”. The book begins with Franklin’s youthful pastimes and interests and continues with the boarding school and college years. Later, we learn how Franklin’s relationships with his cousins, Theodore Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, inspired him to become involved with politics and public service. The last pages of the biography present FDR’s challenges to re-enter politics after being afflicted with polio. 

--Teresa R., Sachs

 

Book Trailer: "Shh! We Have a Plan" by Chris Haughton

Shhh! There's a new book out by Chris Haughton called "Shh! We Have a Plan." Be quiet--you don't want to scare the wildlife as the intrepid explorers in this story attempt to catch some critters. With short, conversational text and a funny surprise ending, this delightful book will please any young reader in your house. Check out the adorable trailer below and reserve a copy today by clicking on the link above.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

2014 Missouri Building Block Nominees

It's time to vote for your favorite books of 2014!  This award is presented annually by the Missouri Library Association.  These titles were nominated by Missouri librarians with special consideration for children birth through Kindergarten.  Be sure to check out the Building Block Award's site for lots of fun activities.

To participate, parents and caregivers are highly encouraged to read aloud at least five of the titles on the list. Any child who enjoys picture books can vote for their favorite! You just need to pick up a ballot slip from your library branch from now until December 1. One voter at each branch will win a brand new copy of "Moo!" by David LaRochelle.

Voting will take place throughout the state of Missouri and the winning book will be announced in February. A state committee will present a special recognition to the author and illustrator of the winning book.
Here are the nominations:

--Angie RH, Headquarters