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

The First Day of School

It's that time of year: school supplies are in the stores, class lists will be up soon, new clothes and shoes are being bought and not worn yet.  The first day of school is exciting, but it can also be scary for Kindergartners going to school for the first time.  Here are a few recommendations to read before the big day.

"First Day Jitters" by Julie Danneberg
This is my favorite book for the first day of school.  It's great for students starting Kindergarten all the way up to high school.  Sarah is scared and doesn't want to start her new school.  What if the kids don't like her?  But everyone is in for a surprise ending!

"Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes" by Eric Litwin and James Dean
You probably already know Pete and his white shoes.  This time, he's wearing them all over the school.  He visits the library, the cafeteria and the playground.  As always, Pete keeps on singing all school day long.






"The Night Before Kindergarten" by Natasha Wing
The night before the first day of school can make you as anxious and jittery as any holiday!  This book will calm fears and explain what to expect in Kindergarten.  On the first day everything goes well and of course it's the parents who have the hardest time.







"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Going to School"
Not a book, but this DVD is a great resource for parents and caregivers of preschoolers.  Mister Rogers loves to show his television neighbors around and introduce them to new experiences.  In this episode, you can meet a bus driver and see what it's like on the school bus.  This is an oldie but a goodie!






--Angie RH, Headquarters

The Secret Life of Birds: Science for the Little Guys

It's never to early to start learning about the natural world. However, sometimes it can be difficult to find science-oriented books for young ones that adequately communicate on their level. Today I am pleased to introduce three new arrivals at the library that are perfect for two- to five-year-olds about the lives of birds, with the added bonus of featuring the seasons as well.

With lovely illustrations and simple rhyming text, Mary Newell DePalma teaches the life cycle of a bird in "Two Little Birds." In the story we follow the spring hatching, development, and fall migration of two little birds.  As babies, "The little birds did what little birds do. They fed, they frolicked, they grew." And as they grow, they discover they can fly and even migrate! 

Even more sparingly, Jorey Hurley shows the lives of robins with her bold, simple, and pleasing illustrations in "Nest." Each page sports one word only, and one scene in the lives of a robin family. It starts with a nest in the spring, and we follow not only the growth of their baby, but of the tree that they live in. This book would be a great way to encourage your child to tell their own story with each page. And how much fun would it be to read the book, then go on a walk to spot robins in your neighborhood!

If you prefer to watch the ground instead of the sky, you can go on a killdeer hunt. This long-legged bird is the star of Jill Esbaum and Jen Corace's fun story, "I Hatched!" With a playful personality, a baby killdeer hatches and spends his/her first day discovering him/herself and his/her world. "Ta-da!/ My head pokes through./ At last, I'm hatched!/ Hello, what's new?" With some laughs along the way, you and your young reader will learn basic information about where killdeers live, what they eat, and their coloring.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Staff Review: "Joone" by Emily Kate Moon

Let me introduce you to Joone. She spells her name with a smiley face, not a u, and she's my new picture book bestie. Written and illustrated by first time author Emily Kate Moon, there is everything in the world to love about "Joone." Let me just name a few delightful reasons I love this little girl:

1. She only wears her orange dress
2. She has a pet turtle named Dr. Chin
3. She lives in a yurt (!) with her grandpa
4. She leaves ice cream sandwiches in the mail box for the letter carrier.

With friendly and colorful gouache and pencil pictures, Moon allows us to follow Joone through the perfect day--playing checkers with grandpa, organizing the bookshelf in rainbow order, playing in a treehouse with Dr. Chin, swimming in the creek, and reading stories before bedtime. And all with a delightful yet simple child-voice narrative that everyone can identify with. "Joone" is perfect for any free-spirited preschooler.

--Andrea W., H.Q.

Oh So Cute!

You will remember David Kirk as the creator of MissSpider and now “Oh So Tiny Bunny”. Oh So is a very small bunny with a white fur, pink nose and very blue star glinting eyes. While Oh So is very tiny he has great big dreams.”When Oh So sleeps, he dreams that he is as big as a dragon, as big as a forest, as big as a mountain.” Oh So is just like many toddlers and preschoolers who cannot wait to grow up. Oh So, however, has a problem when he so big, there are no friends to play with. Luckily for Oh So he is only dreaming. 

Once again Kirk has created adorable illustrations that capture all the emotions of Oh So. Kirk illustrates Oh So's enthusiasm when bounding bridges in one hop and his misery when he realizes he is lonely. Check out David Kirk’s website www.davidkirktreehouse.com for downloadable coloring sheets and teacher materials to accompany the story. 

--Robbin O., Headquarters