This week marks the start of the “testing window” as Wisconsin students will take the Wisconsin Knowledge Concepts Examination (WKCE).  The WKCE was implemented as part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act which requires all states to test all students in reading and math in grades 3-8 and once in high school—grade 10.  Student performance on the WKCE is used to determine the adequate yearly progress (AYP) of students at the school, district, and state levels.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website the WKCE tests are intended to measure state academic standards.  The WKCE measures achievement in reading, language applications, mathematics, science, and social studies using multiple-choice and short-answer questions.  Students also provide a rough draft writing sample.  WKCE test time varies by content area and grade.

How the results are used varies from district to district.  As a parent I look at the results as a “snapshot” of my child—it gives me a glimpse of their academic ability, but certainly not the entire picture of who they are as students and learners.  What can parents do to make sure their children do well on the tests?  My advice is that at this point children know what they know—there is no point in cramming for the WKCE. There are several things you can do, however, to help your children prepare to do well on the tests.
 

The DPI website offers this advice to parents:
 

General Preparation:

• When possible it is beneficial to establish a daily routine for meals, homework, chores, bedtime, and family time
• Encourage students to participate in practice sessions
• Ensure students get a good night's sleep and a nutritious breakfast before taking a test
• Remind students to listen to and read all directions and to tackle the test one question at a time instead of thinking about the entire test
• Encourage students to answer all test questions
• Offer praise and encouragement for achievement and improvement

Writing is a HUGE part of literacy—we know that, right?  Some believe writing has become a lost art. When is the last time you wrote a letter? It’s true, we write differently today than we did in the past.  Yet, it’s no less important.  We write to communicate our thoughts and ideas.  This blog, for example, is a form of writing that didn’t even exist five years ago.

So how do we get our kids to write?  I think first we need to examine the writing that most of us do in our daily lives.  We send emails.  We write grant proposals.  We write reports.  We write minutes from meetings we attend.  Creative writing is one aspect of writing, but there is also a technical side to much of the writing we do for our jobs or at home.  Ultimately, we want children to be able to write creatively as well as to communicate effectively.

Technical writing can be encouraged by asking children to help write your grocery list.  What about having your child send an email to a family member?  Want to combine technical and creative writing? Ask your child to create an “ad” spelling out the pros of something they might be petitioning for, such as a new game system.  I had a colleague who told me that her daughter put together a Power Point presentation outlining why she should be allowed to attend her high school homecoming dance—complete with background information and research!

If you want to encourage creative writing there are several interactive websites where kids can create comic strips online.   These sites encourage writing, reading and storytelling.  One of my sons has used www.toondoo.com for class assignments. It’s pretty cool, but a bit edgier than www.makebeliefscomix.com  Check  them out to decide if they are appropriate for your children.

What are some ways you encourage your children to write?  Texting is the easy answer – what other ways do your children exercise their writing skills, other than using their thumbs?

Shorter days, cooler nights, a settling into school schedules—this is fall and I love it!  There are many activities around the metro area for families who are looking for ways to celebrate fall.

Milwaukee Public Library’s Harvest Fest  celebrations begin at the Central Library on Saturday, October 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Join us as we celebrate fall with music, crafts, and entertainment.  This popular annual event offers fun for the entire family!

Children are invited to decorate a pumpkin cookie, enjoy yummy apple cider, stop at the Havenswood National Forest learning station, and pick a pumpkin to decorate and take home.  Enjoy the music of Fox and Branch, get funky to the beat of Pint Sized Polkas, and take in Kidsplay’s The Bug Show.  The best part?  It’s all offered for FREE!

Harvest Fest Fun continues at these neighborhood libraries with activities for the whole family:
 

Atkinson - Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6-7 p.m. (Music with Ken Baron)
Capitol - Tuesday, Oct. 20, 6-7 p.m. (Music with Ken Baron)
Center Street - Saturday, Nov. 21, 2-3 p.m.
Mill Road - Saturday, Oct. 31, 2-4 p.m. (Music with Ken Baron)
Tippecanoe - Saturday, Oct. 24, 23 p.m. (Music with Fox and Branch)
Villard Avenue - Tuesday, Oct. 6, 5:30-7 p.m. (Music with Fox and Branch)
Washington Park - Tuesday, Nov. 24, 5-6 p.m. (Music with Ken Baron)

I asked you to observe the reading habits of the boy(s) in your life to see if, maybe, they read more than we think they do.  So, what did you observe?  Were you surprised to discover how much, how little or how “just right” your boy reads?

As I’ve said before, reading—especially reading for pleasure can be a tricky thing.  What one person finds engaging may not be interesting to the next person. The trick is to match the right book to the right reader.

Below are some examples of books that might have high interest to boys and reluctant readers. The Milwaukee Public Library also has a list of Books for Boys on our website where you will find a list of engaging books for boys ages 3 through teen. Check them out.  You won’t know which books will grab a child’s interest until you expose them to it and “sell” the book a bit.

I also recommend you check one of our links.  Boys Read’s mission is to transform boys into lifelong readers. This site does a great job of identifying the challenge of boys and reading and offers terrific reading suggestions.

And here are a few titles you might want to share:

Life-Size Zoo: Actual Size by Teruyuki Komiya 

This book is sitting on my desk right now and is just so cool!  It includes life-size photographs of various animals, with fold-out pages and charts of interesting facts. This book is perfect for both young readers and lower elementary readers as well.  There are plenty of “animal potty” facts that are sure to delight.

If you are a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, you’ll be pleased to know that the fourth book in the series, Dog Days, will be out on October 12.  If you haven’t checked out this series, I encourage you to do so.  Kinney “gets” boys and captures the middle-schooler’s voice to perfection.  Anyone who lives with a middle-schooler or recalls their own middle school years can relate.

Graphic novels are a great way to encourage reading—especially for boys. Children in grades 5-8 might enjoy Hyperactive, created and written by Scott Christian Sava with art by Joseph Bergin III.  Twelve-year-old Joey learns that he can move at super speed and uses his new super power for good—like doing chores lightening fast.  Then, a shady executive from a pharmaceutical company decides to try to use Joey’s DNA for not-so-good! 

Chances are if you clicked on this entry it’s because you have a young man in your life that you are trying to engage in books and reading. I’ve written before about boys and reading. It’s a reoccurring theme for those of us with boys. I’m the mother of two sons—one that I’ve always considered to be a reader—usually has a book on his nightstand, reads the paper every morning, asks me to pick up a book at the library, etc…. and one whom I would typify as, “He can read just fine—scores well above his grade level on standardized tests, reads when he needs to for school assignments, but he doesn’t read much for pleasure.” I rarely catch him with his nose in a book. Of course I want him to be a capable reader who reads to gain important information needed to succeed in school. I think he’s okay there. But, I also want him to understand the pure joy of reading for pleasure. And of course, by reading for pleasure, I know he will improve his comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills.

Matching the right book to the right boy can be a challenge.

Perhaps we also need to take a step back and re-examine the issue of reading and what constitutes reading. Maybe our boys read more than we think they do. Video games (ugh, I know) come with pretty involved instructions. I can’t make any sense out of Pokemon cards—but they do have a lot of words on them! If you have a sports fan in your house you may catch him reading the sports page or a sports magazine. Even if he only reads the captions—he is reading! Okay, this may be stretching it, but have you ever looked at all of the text when you hit “guide” on your television remote? Some shows have lengthy descriptions! The daily comics and graphic novels can be surprisingly complex. I know none of this equals reading “meaningful” text or novels with well-developed characters and stories where there is a clear beginning, middle and end. But, it is, undeniably, reading.

Look around and observe the reading habits of the boys in your life. Observe what your children are doing and take note of this “environmental” reading they may be engaging in. Is it a lot or not much at all? What is the factor that is getting them to read? Is it a game, the activity itself, or popularity? You might be surprised to discover that they read more than you think they do.

Next time I’ll discuss ways to elaborate on this "base" to try to encourage boys to expand their reading habits/choices and I promise to cover some boy books for those who still want to see their noses in a book!

If you have a baseball fan in your life, you know that this is the time of year when the race to the pennant begins to heat up.  Given the Brewers’ record of late, it seems doubtful that they will be in contention, but it’s an exciting time of year nonetheless.

One of the things that makes baseball such an appealing pastime is its rich history.  Baseball has been part of the American landscape dating back more than 150 years.  Kids who dig both history and baseball can find lots of great reading that will teach them about the history of baseball and some of its legends.  One way to motivate a young baseball fan is to explore the remarkable history of baseball’s Negro Leagues and how African-American baseball players played an important part of baseball’s history.

The Washington Park Library is hosting “Pride and Passion: the African-American Baseball Experience” through September 4th. MPL is one of only 25 libraries nationwide to host this traveling exhibit, which is sponsored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the American Library Association Learn the history of baseball’s Negro Leagues, and how African-American baseball players have fared in the major leagues since Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.   The exhibit features photographs, team rosters, scorecards and other baseball memorabilia from the 19th century to the present.

If you have a young baseball aficionado in your life, why not share this informative exhibit with him or her? After you visit, check out some of the books listed below.  Baseball isn’t just a game—it’s part of our history and heritage.

For more information about the Pride and Passion exhibit: www.mpl.org/file/pride_index.html

The Forgotten Players: The Story of Black Baseball in America by Robert Gardner.
Ages 12 and up
Gardner traces the history of the Negro Leagues that evolved due to segregation in professional baseball and the experiences of black players from the late 19th through the early 20th century.

Satchel Paige: Don’t Look Back by David A. Adler
Ages 4-8
Satchel Paige is an inspired subject for baseball lovers, readers who are interested in African-American history, and anyone who has held on to a dream.

The Bat Boy and His Violin by Gavin Curtis
Ages 4-8
There’s nothing Reginald loves more than the music from his violin. But his father, manager of one of the worst baseball teams in the Negro Leagues, needs a bat boy, not a “fiddler.” Needing a place to practice, Reginald fills the dugout with music in his spare moments—and inspires a rally by the team that culminates in a showdown with the best team in the league.

Negro Leagues: All-Black Baseball by Laura Driscoll
Ages 4-8
Presents a history of the Negro Leagues, in the form of a school report written by a young girl after a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Stealing Home: The Story of Jackie Robinson by Barry Deneberg
Ages 9-12
As the first black man to play in the all-white baseball leagues, he was a symbol of courage, hope, and unity for all black and white Americans, and for people throughout the world.

Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way by Peter Golenbock
Ages 6-10
This is the moving story of Hank Aaron’s strength and perseverance—of how he became a great ballplayer and an inspiration to all.

There is an old adage that change is the only thing in life that remains the same.

In this blog I share information about books and reading tips that I hope you find useful.  For me, that is the library.  The library is also the buildings and materials, the people, the information we share, and the heart of a community.

If you follow local news, you know that the Milwaukee Public Library is faced with some serious issues regarding our budget and the future of our aging system.  See this link for more about this challenge: www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/51360527.html

We are not alone in this crisis.  Libraries across the country are facing similar challenges.  I think libraries are at a crossroad, but I by no means believe that libraries have lost their importance or relevance in the 21st Century.

If you care about libraries, if you have an opinion about libraries, and if you want to be part of change that is necessary, I encourage you to make time to attend one of our Community Meetings.  For dates and locations for the community meetings: mpl.org/file/news_community.pdf

It’s your library.  Listen and be heard.  It’s an exciting time and an opportunity to help shape the future of our libraries.

I knew I’d have a difficult time adjusting to life without Harry.  I love the Harry Potter books and have savored reading each one of them.  What I miss most about them, though, is the excitement that each book release brought.  One of the things that struck me about the spectacle that accompanied each book release was how people from so many different walks of life embraced these books.  I’m delighted that, although there won’t be any more books in the Harry Potter series, we can look forward to two more movies.

I’m not the only one still struck with Harry. To celebrate Harry’s birthday and the release of the new movie, the Milwaukee Public Library is hosting two events. Join us!

Harry Potter Celebrations:
Get ready for the movie release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and celebrate the birthday of Harry Potter, the famous boy wizard.  Activities include treats, games, prizes, and Quidditch!  Registration is required.

Bay View Library                         Zablocki Library
Thursday, July 16, 6-8 p.m.          Wednesday, July 29, 6-8 p.m.
Call 286-3019 to register             Call 286-3055 to register

This might be the perfect time to reread one of the books in the Harry Potter series.  If you’ve never listened to them, I recommend an audio book.  The 17+ disks make for a lot of listening, but Jim Dale’s narration brings JK Rowling’s words to life.  Welcome, back Harry. I’ve missed you.

As parents we try to pepper our children’s experiences with learning opportunities. Below are some books you can share with your children about Independence Day. Have a Happy 4th of July!

Fourth of July, Sparkly Sky by Joan Holub—board book toddlers will enjoy.

Hats off for the Fourth of July by Harriet Ziefert—(Preschool to 1st Grade)—Spectators wait to see what will come next as they watch the town's Fourth of July parade.

Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong—(Kindergarten-Gr. 2)—A Chinese American child fears that the food her parents are preparing to sell on the Fourth of July will not be eaten.

Beat the Drum : Independence Day Has Come selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins/illustrated by Tomie dePaola—An anthology of poems for all ages about American independence.

Happy 4th of July, Jenny Sweeney! by Leslie Kimmelman—(Kindergarten-Gr. 2)—Town residents prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July with food, a parade, and fireworks.

Happy Birthday, America by Mary Pope—(Kindergarten-Gr 2)—The whole family joins in a lively small-town celebration of Independence Day, including a parade, a picnic, music, and fireworks. An author's note explains the origin of the celebration of July 4th.

Hold the Flag High by Catherine Evans Clinton—(Gr 3-6)—Describes the Civil War battle of Morris Island, South Carolina, during which Sergeant William H. Carney became the first African American to earn a Congressional Medal of Honor by preserving the flag. In July 1863, a significant battle in the Civil War was fought. Sergeant William H. Carney, an officer of the newly formed Massachusetts Fifty-fourth Regiment - comprised entirely of African Americans - led his soldiers over the ramparts of Fort Wagner, where Union soldiers charged the Confederates. As the soldiers fought, they gained strength from the stars and stripes of the American flag, Old Glory. It was Carney's vow to never let Old Glory touch the ground, and despite several gunshot wounds, he was able to rescue the flag from the fallen bearer. Carney held the flag high as a symbol that his regiment would never submit to the Confederacy. The battle of Fort Wagner decimated the Fifty-fourth Regiment, but Carney's heroism that night inspired all who survived.
 

The summer travel season is finally upon us.  For some families that means the always-popular road trip.  Parents have many options for keep-busy ideas when traveling with children. 

One of the best ways to pass the time on a road trip to plan for a variety of reading-related activities.  The trick, of course, is to make them seem more like fun than work.  Books on tape are an excellent way to engage the entire family while traveling.  Books on tape are available in a range of reading levels, titles and interests.  During a succession of family road trips we have listened to all of the Harry Potter books on tape.  They are wonderfully narrated and listening together gave us plenty to discuss.  Our car trips turned into mini book clubs! 

Engage in word games while tooling down the highway.  For younger children play “Rhyming I Spy”.  One person says, “I spy with my little eye something that rhymes with __________ (fill in with a word that rhymes with something you’ve just seen).”  The child then responds with the correct rhyming word. 

Older children will enjoy a more advanced version of this game.  Instead of rhyming, give the definition of what you “spy”.  Children will guess the word and build vocabulary.

Silly songs are a good way to help beat car boredom.  Check out CDs by Jack Hartmann , Jim Gill or Father Goose.  Sing at the top of your lungs!   Encourage older children to read the lyrics to reinforce their reading skills. 

Encourage children to write and draw.  Give them a “book” containing blank pages labeled with each letter of the alphabet.  Have children jot down or draw words or pictures for things they have seen during your travels.  The result will be a keepsake ABC travel journal. 

Practice spelling by using refrigerator magnets and a small cookie sheet.  Call out words and have children arrange the letters to spell the words.  The magnet letters stick beautifully to the cookie sheet and the lip on the sheet keeps the letters from spilling.

Do you have any travel tips to share?  I'd love to hear them. 

Happy trails to you! 

Last time I wrote about the importance of summer reading and how time spent reading during the summer helps children maintain their reading levels.   I’d like to talk a bit more about reading for pleasure.

Reading for pleasure should be just that—material that the reader finds enjoyable.  What is enjoyable varies widely from reader to reader.  I don’t care for mysteries.  I wouldn’t be amenable if someone told me I had to read a mystery this summer.  My co-worker reads cookbooks as if they were novels—cover to cover.  I don’t get it.  But hey, that’s her thing.

I fear that because we often tell kids what they should read we aren’t helping them discover how pleasurable it is to sit down with a book of their own choosing and get lost in it.  I argue that we should take this approach with our children—especially when it comes to summer reading.  I care that they spend time each day reading.  What they read, I’m prepared to let them decide.

Unless you find something truly objectionable, I urge you to let your kids select what they are going to read this summer.  It might be a comic book, magazine, graphic novel, or some unconventional text that still requires plenty of reading.  Ask your kids to tell you about what they are reading.  You might be surprised to discover how excited they are!
 

Ah….Memorial Day weekend; the traditional start to the summer season.  The kids still have a few weeks of school, but it’s beginning to feel a lot like summer.

Summer is a time to slow the pace of the school year schedule: no homework that needs checking, no looming science fair projects, no term papers…. Kids deserve to down-shift in summer just as much as adults.

We need to, however, encourage our children to read over the summer.  I think summer is a perfect time for children to read for the simple pleasure of reading.  Summer reading should include opportunities for children to choose what they want to read—to discover what pleasure reading means.  Children read more when they can choose materials based on their own interests.  Summer is a perfect time to let children explore those interests.

Time spent reading during the summer has a significant impact on children’s reading skills.  Children who read for pleasure during the summer—even just 15-20 minutes a day— will log approximately 20 hours of reading by summer’s end.  Think about what all of that reading does for children’s reading skills.  By sixth grade the child that hasn’t read over the summer can be as much as two years behind the child that has.

The Milwaukee Public Library’s Super Reader Summer Reading program is a great way to encourage children to read throughout the summer.  Children earn prizes for reading and visiting their library.

For more information about the Milwaukee Public Library Super Reader Program and some excellent summer reading suggestions, visit www.mpl.org/SummerReading

I fall in love easily and often.  With books and authors, that is.  My present kids’ book heartthrob is the author of the delightful Elephant and Piggie series, Mo Willems.

Mo Willems has penned a number of well-known children’s books including the popular Knuffle Bunny books, the Pigeon books and the Naked Mole Rat series.  My current favorite, however, is his easy reader series featuring best friends cautious Elephant and optimistic Piggie.

These two characters are sure to become a classic literary couple in the vein of Pooh and Piglet and Frog and Toad.  You can’t help but falling in love with Elephant and Piggie.  Not only has Willems created two characters who completely capture your attention, but the books themselves are among the best easy readers.  The controlled vocabulary and simple text make these books perfect for children who are just beginning to read by themselves.

It’s both Willems’ humor and Elephant and Piggie themselves, however, who will win over adults.  Of course we want to encourage young readers to practice, practice, practice.  Really, grown ups, these aren’t the kind of books where you find yourself wanting to skip pages.  You’ll be begging your child, “One more time!”  Trust me.

If you want a fantastic introduction to this endearing two-some, join us this Saturday, May 16, at 10:30 at the Central Library.  Elephant and Piggie will come to life as these popular books are acted out.  I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

For more information about Saturdays at Central visit us online at www.mpl.org

One of the things I enjoy about my job is the periodic visits from Karen Radtke, who has one of the best jobs at the library.  Karen is the children’s book selector.  That means she is responsible for choosing new books to add to our collection.  I’m sure Karen does a lot more than “just” select books, but it is that facet of her job which captivates me.

Whenever Karen approaches my desk, book in hand, I know I’m about to be treated to something really, really good.  Karen is kind of our own Billy Mays with all the passion and enthusiasm, but not the shouting.  Karen can hawk a book!  Sometimes Karen will read her new finds aloud so we get the true essence of the book--hearing it read with gusto, inflection and spirit.

Geeky, I know.   But these exchanges are so much fun and they create so much excitement that you can’t help but want to run to the shelves, check out the book, grab a kid, and read!

So, here are a couple of Karen’s current favorites as written by her.  Check them out.  I think you’ll agree these are some great reads!

Best Friends and Drama Queens by Meg Cabot
Third book in the Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls series.  I like this series for 4-5 grade girls.  Allie is brutally honest as only a 10 year old girl can be.  I love how her father serves buttered microwave popcorn for breakfast (corn and dairy) and the Mom begs Allie not to tell the teacher.  I also loved when the teacher moves her to the back row with all the troublesome boys.  She rationalizes the move by thinking that the teacher knows she has brothers and isn’t squeamish about boy stuff.  Meg Cabot does “get” girls.

Butterflies and Moths by Nic Bishop
Anything photographed by Nic Bishop is amazing.  With breathtaking full-page images, Nic introduces young readers to the beauty and diversity of these amazing insects, from the shockingly bright blue morpho butterfly to the nearly transparent glasswing butterfly to the caterpillar that pretends to be a snake when face to face with a predator.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
Everyone loves this book.  One staff member took it home and read it to her 5 yr old nephew.  She said he went into the bedroom and re-read it a couple of times and then made his grandmother listen to him ‘read’ it to her.
 

Watch Me Throw The Ball! by Mo Willems
How far can Piggie throw a baseball?  Would you believe, “all the way around the world?”  Perfect for beginning readers.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
The last in the series, although Rick has hinted that he plans a new spin off using one of the other characters.  This book may be at my door today.  I purchased it for my son’s 16th birthday.  I predict that my non-reader son will have it done in a couple of days.

Two personal favorites—
Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin--Reminds me of Bugs Bunny cartoons—so funny.
My People photos by Charles R Smith Jr. -- Such artistry in the photos themselves and in the arrangement to accompany the poem. The sensibility in this book is spot on.

Lastly…
Hot off the press—check out the website www.gunnerkrigg.com

The wonderful thing about this graphic novel is that both girls and boys will enjoy it.  I just showed a 5th grade class and 3 girls and one boy grabbed it to check out.  This is a web book that I enjoyed as a librarian and as a comic loving adult.  Its got a lot of layers, plot-wise, as well as literary and cultural motifs.  It also contains a lot of dream images/icons—a dark building with different rooms, long roads, shadows, eyes, death icons, birds etc.  And I must say I read ½ on-line and the other ½ in book format and I enjoyed both experiences.

Gunnerkrigg Court by Tomas Siddell
Antimony Carver’s first year at Gunnerkrigg Court, a British boarding school that looks like a vast modern factory, but is filled with fairies, gods, ghosts and sentient shadows, is decidedly weird.

 

Thanks, Karen.  Another list of fine suggestions! 

When I’m asked to talk to parents and child care providers about helping children develop early literacy skills, I refer to the Six Skills for Early Literacy.  Periodically in this blog I would like to talk a bit about the Six Skills for Early Literacy.

One of the early literacy skills is phonological awareness.  Phonological awareness refers to a child’s ability to hear and play with the sounds in words.  A friend recently told me that this skill sounded intimidating and teaching it was best left to “the professionals”.  My friend is right, the term does sound intimidating.  But, where she was wrong was in doubting her ability to help her children develop the skill.

If fact, I argue that most parents who read to their children, sing songs together, and engage in conversations on a regular basis are already developing this critical early literacy skill--and they didn’t even know it!

Being able to hear and play with the sounds in words is a strong predictor of a child’s success in learning to read.   Kids who come to school with the ability to do this tend to learn to read with greater ease.  This includes such things as rhyming, alliteration, and segmenting.  All of these are developed through fun, easy interactions with children.
 

What can you do to help your children develop this skill?  Share books that contain lots of rhyming text and alliteration.  A few of my favorites are:
• Playtime Rhymes for Little People by Clare Barton which comes with a CD
• The sweet and tender Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
• The playful and engaging Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
• An appealing presentation of Mother Goose rhymes in The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Nina  Crews
• The hilarious new Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
 

Sing songs with your kids.  Music helps with phonological awareness because of the natural rhythm contained in songs.  Typically, each note in a song represents a syllable in a word.  This makes segmenting words fairly easy.

Nursery rhymes and tongue twisters are great ways to develop phonological awareness.  Kids love it when you make a mistake and marvel when and if you can complete the twister.

Feel free to ask your librarian to suggest books that contain rhyme.

To learn more about this and the other early literacy skills visit www.mpl.org
 

This week the National Association of the Education of Young Children recognizes “The Week of the Young Child.”  The purpose behind this annual celebration is to focus the public on the needs of young children and the adults who are instrumental in their development and care.  Cynically, I know some of us hear “week of the young child” and think, “Isn’t that every week?”  Given the importance of the first years in a child’s life, it makes sense to take time to give it special recognition.

If you have a special young person in your life I encourage you to take a moment to thank the adults who spend time with them for the important work they do.

The theme for the Week of the Young Child 2009 is Bring Communities Together for Children—Children Bring Communities Together.  The Milwaukee Public Library is recognizing the Week of the Young Child with special story times including snacks and extended art activities.  Visit our website at www.mpl.org for more information and have a happy Week of the Young Child!  They’re worth it!
 

Due to a minor technical glitch, this did not get posted. Since there are still a few days of Spring Break left, I wanted to share this!

Not heading out of town for Spring Break? Me neither. I’m going to try not to be resentful of my family and friends who are fortunate enough to be heading to warmer and sunnier parts this Spring Break. Instead, I’m going to give this “staycation” notion a try.

In thinking about what to do next week, I’ve realized that there are plenty of options to keep the family occupied. The Brewers are in town—we’ll take in a game. I love day trips to Chicago—there’s another day covered. I’m treating myself to a little “me” time by attending a gardening workshop and the first gathering of a new book club at the Bay View Library (more on that another time). Most of those things cost money, though. Since this is a staycation, I need to explore some not-so-costly options as well.

There are some wonderful, free Spring Break options available at the Milwaukee Public Library. We’ll be taking advantage of those as well. Preschoolers can enjoy a story time at their neighborhood library. Every afternoon Central Library is hosting a program. Options include: Game Day, Picasso Faces (art activities inspired by Picasso), and Book Jacket Bingo. Feel like taking in a movie? Check out Mill Road, Atkinson, and Martin Luther King. Have a teen at home? Encourage them to participate in the gaming program at the Capitol Library. There are plenty of boredom busters available!

While I may not come home with a great tan and sand in my ears, I think we’ve got the makings for a pretty great Spring Break right here at home.

How do you plan to spend Spring Break?

For a complete list of Spring Break @ the Milwaukee Public Library visit www.mpl.org

Sergeant Joe Friday from the old television show “Dragnet” is remembered for his oft repeated saying, “Just the facts, ma’am”.  There is an entire group of readers for whom this phrase applies.  Most adult readers have a preferred genre.  I’m a fiction gal.  Adults sometimes think that children want only storybooks.  Storybooks are easier and perhaps more fun for adults to read to children. 

Truth is, however, many children prefer non-fiction.  I call these kids the “just the facts ma’am kids”.  Often, but not always, boys are the readers that seek facts.  They want to know about the natural world, science, and tangible information.  You know these kids when you meet them.  They can rattle off the names of the entire dinosaur kingdom without blinking an eye.  They can tell you all you ever wanted to know about how gadgets work. 

These kids may, in fact, be on to something.  More and more, educators are encouraging children—young and old to read non-fiction.  The information gained from reading non-fiction helps children build background knowledge that is necessary for the reading students eventually encounter in science, social studies, and other subjects.  And, exposure to non-fiction helps to create life-long learners by fueling and encouraging children’s natural curiosity. 

So, don’t be afraid to seek out a new section at the library the next time you’re selecting a book.  You just might learn something! 

Ask your librarian to recommend great non-fiction titles or visit www.mpl.org and check out Kid Zone. 

You know you’re an icon when you’re the featured Google site id for the day.  March 20 is not only the first day of spring (yeah!), but it also marks the 40^th anniversary of the now-classic Eric Carle book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  This book is so familiar to the children’s literature landscape that it even has its own wiki (see link below).  So how does a book become a classic?  How does a book go from popularity with one generation of readers to a book that has staying power across generations?  That’s a good question.  

In honor of the 40^th Anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar a beautiful pop-up version of the book has been published.   Happy spring and thanks, dear caterpillar friend! 

Most parents understand the importance of learning to read.  You wouldn’t be reading this if that weren’t true—sometime during your early years the mystery of the printed word unfolded and you became a reader.  Reading is critical to nearly every function of our adult lives.  For children, daily reading practice is essential to developing reading skills and building a solid reading foundation.  The only way children will become readers or improve their reading skills is by reading—pretty simple, right?  Those whose children are natural readers are fortunate.  But, sometimes we face the challenge of getting our children to sit down and read.  Some of us seek the elusive “hook” or magic bullet—something to engage our children and make them want to read; to discover the pleasure of reading and all the wonders that books hold.  So, what do we do?  One of the most wonderfully simple ideas I’ve seen is the Milwaukee Public Library’s Read to Rover program.  In collaboration with the Wisconsin Humane Society, certified therapy dogs are brought into the library so children can read to them.         

Why read to a dog?  Because, a dog won’t embarrass you if you make a mistake.  A dog won’t interrupt you.  A dog won’t start to fidget and roll its eyes as you work on deciphering a passage.   True, the dog can’t correct you, either, but just think about the benefits a child gains by reading for a solid 25-30 minutes.  Children need models for fluent reading so they know what good reading sounds like, but they also need opportunities to build their fluency by reading and re-reading until the words are automatic.  Rover won’t mind listening to the same story until it flows off your child’s tongue like butter. 

If you can’t participate in the Milwaukee Public Library’s “Read to Rover” program, this is an idea that is easy to implement at home—with your own pet be it a dog, cat, chinchilla or gecko.  Children might even enjoy reading to a favorite teddy bear.  Any loving and accepting audience will do!   What is important is the motivation to read.   

I do want to offer one word of caution.  After we participated in “Read to Rover”, a four-year “please can we get a dog” campaign was launched in our household.    I think you can guess the outcome.  Yup, we now have a dog; in part because of our “Read to Rover” experience.  And our little pup faithfully supervises homework each night and is eager to cuddle when either child stretches out to read.  Now, if I could just launch a “Rover Takes out the Trash” program…  

To learn more about the Milwaukee Public Library’s “Read to Rover” program, visit www.mpl.org