Tag Archives: children’s books

Book suggestions for Habitat for Humanity Project?

Image result for Habitat for Humanity logo

A library person is looking for book suggestions. A few came in, andI’m adding them below; if you have others to suggest, add them in the comments!

“My library is planning to partner with Habitat for Humanity this summer.  I’d like my family book club to get really involved, so I’m looking for a chapter book for kids (any level above Picture book and under YA is fine).  I’ve racked my brain, Google, and Goodreads to find something pertaining in some way to the importance of a home, house, families who need a second chance, or even building a home – but I haven’t come up with much other than Crenshaw.  Any ideas?  Thanks!”

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Picture book suggestions for kids with disabilities

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On a recent library listserve posting, a library person was asking for suggestions for a mom who wanted picture books to read with her daughter who has cerebral palsy and is using a walker. Several people chimed in with suggestions (library people are great at that!); so I thought you could use them in your own libraries, and am sharing them here.  If you have other suggestions, add them to the comments!
Let’s Talk about Extraordinary Friends, by Fred Rogers “How do you get to know someone in a wheelchair? Is it okay to ask questions when you see someone who is different from you?
Written for the child without special needs–the child with the questions–this book opens up a difficult subject to discussion. Mister Rogers challenges the stereotypes that often plague children with special needs and celebrates six children who are extraordinary friends. Share this book with all children–to spark communication, to attack the stigma, to bridge the gap between children with different abilities. Mister Rogers is the perfect person to write a book like this, with respect and the same gentleness that has characterized his television show for decades. “Rogers offers caring support and validation…Books that offer such honest reassurance are rare.”– Publishers Weekly

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Book Suggestions for Autism Acceptance Month

April is Autism Acceptance Month, and a great way to learn more about autism is through reading about the experiences of others.

This list from Read it Forward features six titles with a mixture of fiction and nonfiction. Some of the titles include:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
“This bestselling-novel has seen great success on Broadway after it was adapted for the stage in 2014. Haddon’s fifteen-year-old main character Christopher John Francis Boone knows all of the world’s capitals and prime numbers up to 7,057 but can’t stand to be touched and hates the color yellow. His well-ordered life goes off the rails when his neighbor’s dog is murdered, but Christopher sets off to solve the mystery, using—of course—logic.”

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
“His unique book truly shines a light on what goes on inside an autistic brain; author Naoki Higashida was thirteen when he painstakingly penned this book—a collection of answers to frequently asked questions about autism, like “Why do people with Autism talk so loudly and weirdly?” and “Why don’t you make eye contact when you speak?” Brought to English translation by David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas, The Bone Clocks) and his wife, this disarmingly honest read is illuminating and beautifully written.”

Make sure to check out this list of picture books compiled and reviewed by a school librarian! Some of her picks include:

Andy and his Yellow Frisbee by Mary Thompson
“I loved this subtle story of acceptance, probably because Sarah reminds me of my daughter. Between Sarah’s effort and Rose’s calm but protective wait-and-see, this story gently conveys to typical children that there is no magic formula for interacting with someone who is autistic.”

Ian’s Walk: A Story about Autism by Laurie Lears, illustrated by Karen Ritz
“Ian’s Walk is a beautiful story with a simple plot, but one that conveys the complex sibling relationships inherent in special needs families. It’s an obvious story to share with siblings of autistic and special needs children (or even in support groups for such)”

National Autism Resources has several lists of children’s books to choose from, or check out this one from the nonprofit literacy group Books for Bay.

Find more suggestions for books and other publications from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network here.

Reader’s Advisory: Dial A Story!

Ericsson Dialog in green
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could just read you a story?

For kids, it’s an ultimate treat to get storytime! And now it’s even available while patrons are away from the library: Dial a Story! Kids love to use the phone anyway – letting them hear a story can be an additional fun activity.  Dial a Story programs are going strong in many libraries around the country!

The Broward County library offers one of them: “Convenient, quick and always available – that’s Broward County Library’s Dial-A-Story, a free storytime-by-phone service that’s available 24/7 to anyone with access to a telephone. Dial-A-Story features four different stories at a time, and the stories are changed every other week. Geared toward younger children, the stories are a mix of contemporary tales, timeless classics and favorite fairy and folk tales. Professionally recorded, the stories are easy to access and loads of fun. To hear the latest stories, just call 954-357-7777.”

Professional storytellers are in on this action as well! “The Dial-A-Story program is an outreach service of the Jackson County Library System and the Storytelling Guild for pre-school age children. Guild members record stories on the phone for children to listen to from home. Stories change every two weeks, or more, depending on the storyteller. Children call the library at 541-774-6439 and hear the stories.”

A few other libraries offering Dial a Story programs:

Have you provided a service like this? Have you recorded stories?? This could be a great way to provide some Reader’s Advisory services to patrons – sharing suggestions for some fun books kids would love!

Reader’s Advisory: Storywalk titles!

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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Have you run a StoryWalk?

Have you been to a StoryWalk?

They sound amazingly fun! And they are a great way to involve kids in a book – and  hopefully interest kids in many more books!

“StoryWalk® is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Laminated pages from a children’s book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you stroll down the trail, you’re directed to the next page in the story.”

“If you are interested in having a StoryWalk® in your community, The StoryWalk Project- FAQ March 2017 Update.doc.

A library person was recently talking about StoryWalks on the ALSC listserve, and asked for suggestions on other titles to use. She collected the responses, and we are sharing them with you here:

  • Life on Mars by Agee
  • The Three Little Aliens & the Big Bad Robot
  • Seymour Simon has several NF space books
  • The Aliens are Coming
  • Company Coming
  • Postcards from Pluto
  • Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System
  • Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman
  • I Want To Go To The Moon by Tom Saunders
  • The Darkest Dark
  • Oh No, Astro!
  • Star Stuff

Clearly, this would be a fun program in itself. You can also expand on that by involving some Reader’s Advisory work.

  • Add in signs with additional books on topics for each page. Picture of an ant on one? Recommend an ant book! Ms. Frizzle stops at Jupiter? Have a Jupiter book ready to go!
  • Create a bibliography you can give to parents and caregivers at the end, with similar books to the StoryWalk book you just had fun reading. Also put this online, so everyone can find it!
  • Have kids yell out their favorite books! We are already running (fun!), and adding in a yelling component could be even more fun! Keep track of their suggestions, so you stay in touch with the books important to this community group.

Check out some of the photos of StoryWalks on Pinterest!