ECRR Concept of the Week (7-26-07)

This week for storytime, our theme was camping. This was a great time with younger preschoolers and school-aged children. The stories used were Quiet Night by Marilyn Singer, Good Night, Owl! by Pat Hutchins and Under the Moon by Dyan Sheldon. Ranger John Sutton from Baker's Mountain came to talk to the youngsters about safety in the wild and he also brought a friend, Shadow (a 5 foot King Snake). The older kids loved the snake, but I was not so sure. A good time was had by all! One of the activities that I did with the kids was a campfire story. Basically, this was a story that I told using something that I memorized and some puppets for props. When using Every Child Ready to Read Concepts, it is not always necessary to have a book in hand. Sometimes, the parent or caregiver might want to make up a story for the child. This challenges the child to use their imagination. The use of props is a great way for them to practice visualizing what they read. Also, when making up stories, see if they want to add to it. They might just surprise you with some pretty terrific ideas of how to story should go. The great thing about making up stories with your child is that you never have to worry about hearing the same one twice. -Amy Dawson, Youth Services Librarian, Catawba County Library

ECRR Concept of the Week (7-19-07)

Have you ever watched the wonder in a child's eyes when they learn something new? Try using easy nonfiction books. These books are great for learning and entertaining. Especially the science books such as books about bugs, spiders, dinosaurs, and various animals. They give good information and have great pictures. If you pair this with a picture book, you can take a fun story and make it a teaching experience. Here are few to try:

Curious George by H. A. Rey with Monkeys and Apes of the World by Rita Gelman
(Gelman's book has interesting tidbits that can be shared with younger children even if they won't sit through the whole book)

The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown with The Farm by Gail Saunders-Smith
(Saunders Smith uses great photos with simple text to describe work on a farm)

Dinosaur Stomp by Paul Strickland with What is a Dinosaur? by Niki Walker & Bobbie Kalman
(The nonfiction text is lengthy, but by the end young children will have a better picture of dinosaurs)

ECRR Concept of the Week (7-12-07)

This week at one of our Summer Reading Programs, we had a local artist do a program entitled "Find the Artist in You." The artist did a fantastic job of incorporating literature into her program using the books My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss and Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. The kids at the program were school age and all were readers, but this same concept works with the younger preschool kids as well. Using some sort of artistic activity in conjunction with a book is a great way for children to explore what they heard in a story. At our weekly storytimes, we usually have some sort of craft project that reinforces our stories. It's a great way to teach skills and have fun, too!-Amy Dawson, Youth Services Librarian, Catawba County Library System

ECRR Concept of the Week (7-5-07)

The Summer Reading Program is a great activity for the entire family. Even young non-readers can participate when moms and dads read to them and log their books. This is also an excellent opportunity for older siblings to read to their brothers and sisters. They both benefit. The older ones get to brush up on their reading skills while the younger non-readers get to hear someone else read (an important step in early literacy). Siblings get to spend quality time together, hopefully with no fussing or fighting. Now that’s a great summer program the entire family can enjoy!-Amy Dawson, Youth Services, Librarian, Catawba County Library System