Chanukah Books for Children

Two nights ago marked the start of Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights.  This Jewish holiday lasts for eight days and is observed by lighting candles each night on a Menorah.  During those eight nights, why not share some books with your children?  Here are some of the new children's books about Chanukah we have at DeWitt Community Library!  We also have children's DVDs, CDs, and other books about Chanukah available.  Ask the librarian and Happy Chanukah!

Elmo's Little Dreidel
by Naomi Kleinberg
Random House, 2011
Ages: 1-3
This board book introduces little ones to a few of the traditions of the Jewish Festival of Lights. And they'll even learn how to play dreidel!

Engineer Ari and the Hanukkah Mishap
by Deborah Bodin Cohen
Kar-Ben, 2011
Ages: 5-7
Near Palestine in the 1890s, a train derails and its engineer, who was rushing to spend Hanukkah with friends, is surprised when a Bedouin who helps him says they are in the very place where the miracle of Hanukkah began.

The Golem's Latkes
by Eric A. Kimmel
Marshall Cavendish Children, 2011
Ages: 5-8
Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel visits the Emperor, leaving a new housemaid to prepare for his Hanukkah party, but returns to find that she has misused the clay man he created. Includes historical and cultural notes.

The Hanukah Hop!
by Erica Silverman
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2011
Ages: 3-6
Rhymed text and illustrations follow a family's activities as they prepare to celebrate Hanukkah.

Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah
illustrated by Olga Ivanov & Aleksey Ivanov
Marshall Cavendish Children, 2011
Ages: 2-5
An illustrated presentation of the well-known Hanukkah song. Includes note about the history of the song.

Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles
by Tami Lehman-Wilzig
Kar-Ben, 2011
Ages: 6-8
Although Jacob finds his autistic brother, Nathan, annoying, he gets angry at a new neighbor who calls Nathan weird, but their mothers help the boys get along with a special Hanukkah observance.

The Story of Hanukkah
by David A. Adler
Holiday House, 2011
Ages: 6-8
No celebration of Hanukkah would be complete without recounting the events of more than two thousand years ago that the holiday commemorates. In a simple yet dramatic text and vibrant paintings, the story of the courageous Maccabees and the miracle that took place in the Temple in Jerusalem is retold. For readers who want to continue the festivities, a recipe for latkes and directions for playing dreidel are included.

Maccabee!: the Story of Hanukkah
by Tilda Balsley
Kar-Ben, 2010
Ages: 5-8
The Hanukkah story of how Judah and the Maccabees fought the dictator King Antiochus for religious freedom of the Jews and the restoration of Jerusalem.

Eight Winter Nights: a Family Hanukkah Book
by Laura Krauss Melmed
Chronicle Books, 2010
Ages: 2-5
Short verses describe symbols, foods, and family fun associated with the festival of Hanukkah. Includes facts about the history and traditions.

Happy Hanukkah Lights
by Jacqueline Jules
Kar-Ben, 2010
Ages: 1-3
This board book shows how a family celebrates Hanukkah by lighting candles, opening gifts, and eating latkes.

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

Written and illustrated by Melissa Sweet.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011.

Ah, Thanksgiving.  A time for giving thanks for all the wonderful blessings in your life.  It's also the glorious holiday devoted to my favorite foods...turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, squash, rolls, cranberry sauce.  Excuse me, I'm drooling.  While most people will be up bright and early roasting their turkeys and prepping their side dishes, I will be engaged in a yearly tradition that doesn't involve slaving over a hot stove.  I will be plopped in front of the television, in my pajamas, and sipping some coffee while watching the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  No matter how old I get, I still get excited to see the huge balloons floating down the city streets. I know a lot of work and people go into making the parade such a success, but I never knew the history behind it.  I  was thrilled when I learned a picture book was available on the very subject.  So, to jump start your Thanksgiving, may I suggest Balloons Over Broadway?

This is the story of Tony Sarg, who became the puppeteer of the Macy's parade.  As a boy, he loved to make things move and created various marionettes.  When he grew up, he made puppets his life's work.  Macy's approached Tony about helping them create puppets for a parade celebrating the holidays.  The first parade was held in 1924 and each year it grew in size.  Tony created puppets made out of air-filled rubber that floated and were held up by wooded sticks.  The problem was not everyone could see them, so he created puppets that had controls below so the puppet could rise up.  Hence, the balloon puppets we see today.

I just love this story and the fact that it is geared towards children, but still packed full of information.  The illustrations are a combination of watercolors, collage, and toys.  It gives the book a playful element, which meshes well with the story.  I enjoyed pouring over the details in the illustrations and loved the "scrapbook" style of a book within a book.  Knowing the story behind the Macy's parade really prepares me for the joy and whimsy I see in each balloon every year.  This is a perfect read for Thanksgiving.  Now, hand me my pajamas and cup of Joe...it's parade time.

The Hunger Games Trailer

I'm really excited to see the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games, and this trailer looks GOOD!  I loved the books so much, and I hope the movie does them justice.  What do you think of this?

Toddler Storytime: Woof! Woof!

There are many wonderful picture books about dogs and most children love this animal.  So, I planned a fun storytime about Man's Best Friend.

NURSERY RHYME:  Old Mother Hubbard

There are many versions of this rhyme, but I use the verses that coordinate with the felt board set our library owns.

Old Mother Hubbard

Went to the cupboard

To fetch her poor dog a bone.

But when she got there

The cupboard was bare,

And so the poor dog had none.

She went to the grocer's

To buy him some fruit,

But when she came back

He was playing the flute.

She went to the fishmonger's

To buy him some fish,

But when she came back,

He was licking the dish.

She went to the barber's

To buy him a wig,

But when she came back,

He was playing a jig.

She went to the cobbler's

To buy him some shoes,

But when she came back,

He was reading the news.

She went to the tailor's

To buy him a coat,

But when she came back,

He was riding a goat.

The dame made a curtsy.

The dog made a bow.

The dame said, "Your Servant."

The dog said, "Bow-wow."

BOOK:  Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

This is one of my favorites to read aloud, because the children always laugh at the animals the vet pulls out of  George's mouth.  Scholastic Video Collection made a wonderful version of this story (Bark, George - and More Doggie Tails) that I've shown at storytime.

FINGERPLAY:  Call the Dog

Call the dog,  (Beckon with hand)

Give him some milk.  (Cup other hand)

Brush his coat  (Pretend to brush dog)

Until it shines like silk.

Call the dog,  (Beckon with hand)

Give him a bone  (Other hand out)

Take him for a walk  (Walk fingers on open hand)

And put him in his home.  (Fit fingers in hole made with other hand)

BOOK:  Dog's Colorful Day: a Messy Story About Colors and Counting by Emma Dodd

I love the bright illustrations in this book.  I made a felt story of this book and it was really easy.  All you need is felt in different colors and the pattern.  The pattern is in the book Storytime Magic and is available online through the American Library Association website.  See, easy peasy.

FINGERPLAY:  Digging in the Dirt

Ten little doggies went out one day  (Hold ten fingers up)

To dig in the dirt and play, play, play.  (Pretend to dig like a dog with both hands)

Five were spotted and five were not,  (Hold up one hand at a time)

And at dinner they ate a lot!  (Pretend to eat)

Children's Books for Rosh Hashanah

Tonight marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  I've been trying to incorporate more multi-cultural storytimes into my schedule.  Thankfully, I have a great resource in the Central New York community of The PJ Library.  Miss Alicia was our special guest at storytime today and she read a story about celebrating the world's birthday.  She showed the children three different types of shofars (a horn made from a ram).  The kids also sang a song about the three noises a shofar makes.  Finally, it was craft time!  Children made birthday cards to the world and made their own noisemaker to ring in the New Year (and generally just make lots of noise, because that's what kids do).

The book Alicia shared is The World's Birthday: a Rosh Hashanah Story by Barbara Diamond Goldin.  We don't own a copy of the book at my library, but it is available through our library system.

Summary: Daniel is determined to have a birthday party for the world to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

Here are some other children's books about Rosh Hashanah available at my library:

Sliding Into the New Year

by Dori Weinstein

Yaldah Publishing, 2011

Ages: 8-12

Thrill-loving fifth grade Ellie "YaYa" Silver has been waiting all summer to visit the brand new indoor water park in town.  She is ecstatic when her best friend, Megan, invites her to go - that is until her twin brother Joel "YoYo," points out that Megan is going on Rosh Hashanah.  Sure, Rosh Hashanah is a big deal, but so is Splash World!  What will Ellie do?

Talia and the Rude Vegetables
by Linda Elovitz Marshall
Kar-Ben Publishing, 2011
Ages: 5-9
City-girl Talia misunderstands her grandmother's request that she go to the garden for "root vegetables" but manages to find some she thinks are rude, as well as a good use for the rest she harvests.  Includes a recipe for Rude Vegetable Stew.

New Year at the Pier: a Rosh Hashanah Story
by April Halprin Wayland
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009
Ages: 5-9
On Rosh Hashanah, Izzy and her family make lists of the wrongs they have committed over the past year, and after they have apologized, they throw pieces of bread into the water to "clean their hearts" in a ceremony called tashlich.

Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride
by Deborah Bodin Cohen
Kar-Ben Publishing, 2008
Ages: 5-9
Israel's first train chugs from Jaffa to Jerusalem on Rosh Hashanah.

Celebrate Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur
by Deborah Heiligman
National Geographic, 2007
Ages: 5-9
Explores the meaning of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and how they are celebrated around the world.

When the Chickens Went on Strike: a Rosh Hashanah Tale
by Erica Silverman
Dutton Children's Books, 2003
Ages: 5-9
A Jewish boy living in Russia learns a lesson from the village chickens at the time of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Sound the Shofar!: a Story for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
by Leslie Kimmelman
HarperCollins Publishers, 1998
Ages: 3-8
Uncle Jake gets to blow the shofar twice within ten days, as the family celebrates first Rosh Hashanah and then Yom Kippur.

On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
by Cathy Goldberg Fishman
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1997
Ages: 3-9
As she and her family celebrate these two Jewish holidays, a young girl contemplates their meaning in her life.

Sammy Spider's First Rosh Hashanah
by Sylvia A. Rouss
Kar-Ben Publishing, 1996
Ages: 3-6
A young spider wants to join in as he watches a family prepare to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

Happy New Year, Beni
by Jane Breskin Zalben
Henry Holt, 1993
Ages: 3-9
After constantly fighting with his cousin Max during the celebration for Rosh Hashanah, Beni discovers that the new year is an opportunity to put his mistakes behind him and start over.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Written and illustrated by Brian Selznick.  New York: Scholastic Press, 2007.

The saying "so many books, so little title" aptly describes me and my reading habits.  Now, I'm an avid reader and I love to read, but I always feel like I will never get to read everything I'm "supposed" to.  As a children's librarian, this definitely applies.  Each month, as I catalog the new books, I think "I should read this," but I pass it along for a later date in time, as I already have a stack of books to read on my nightstand.  This applies to this book...I guess several years is later enough!  Winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal and a movie adaptation due in theaters this November, I thought I should finally read this book.

Hugo Cabret is twelve years old and lives in the walls of a Paris train station.  Orphaned and abandoned by his alcoholic uncle, he repairs clocks and steals in order to survive and remain undiscovered.  While attempting to steal a toy, he gets caught by the owner and suddenly his world and the secrets he's trying to protect become exposed.  His life becomes intersected with Papa Georges (the shop keeper) and his goddaughter Isabelle.  Hugo has a notebook from his father that describes how to fix an automaton that his father rescued from a museum before his death.  Hugo is convinced that if he can get the machine to work, it will solve all of his problems.  Unbeknownst to Hugo, Papa Georges also has a secret that is linked to the machine.  How does the notebook, a drawing, a key and a message all connect?  You'll have to read the story to find out!

Please don't let the length of this book put you off from reading it!  I finished this book in a day.  About 300 of its 500 pages are illustrations . The text and the story itself is not complicated or hard to read, so this is a great choice for children ages 7 and up.  The illustrations are done in pencil and are exquisitely detailed.  What I love about illustrations is their part in storytelling and I poured over each one absorbing them as much as the words on the pages.  I am eager to see how they interpret the illustrations into the movie adaptation, since they are such a large part of this novel.

Now that's I've got this checked off my list, what to read next?  Hmmm....perhaps Brian Selznick's new novel Wonderstruck?  I think so.

Toddler Storytime: Zany Zoo Animals!

In my experience, nothing grabs the attention of toddlers like animals!  With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to focus on zoo animals.  Plus, I have a lot of animal puppets that I haven't used in a while, so it was a perfect theme!

OPENING SONG:  "We're All Here for Storytime"
(sung to the tune of "London Bridges")

We're all here for storytime,
Storytime, storytime.  (Children slap thighs to the beat.)
We're all here for storytime,
Let's get ready.
Can you turn your ears up high,  (Turn earlobe upward.)
Ears up high, ears up high?
Can you turn your ears up high
So you can hear?  (Point to children, then ears.)
Can you turn your mouth down low,  (Pretend to button lips.)
Mouth down low, mouth down low?
Can you turn your mouth down low?
Now let's read!  (Fold hands in lap.)

Source:  Simply Super Storytimes: Programming Ideas for Ages 3-6 by Marie Castellano. UpstartBooks, 2003.


FINGERPLAY:  Open Them, Shut Them
(begin by holding up ten fingers)

Open them, shut them,  (Open and close fists.)
Open them, shut them,  (Open and close again.)
Give them a little clap.  (Clap hands.)
Open them, shut them,
Open them, shut them,
Put them in your lap.  (Fold hands together and place in lap.)
Creep them, creep them,  (Creep fingers up to your mouth.)
Creep them, creep them,
Right up to your chin,
Open up your mouth,
But don't put them in!  (Shake head.)
Open them, shut them,
Open them, shut them,
Give them a little clap.
Open them, shut them,
Open them, shut them,
And put them in your lap.  (Place hands in lap.)

FINGERPLAY:  The Brown Kangaroo
I used a kangaroo puppet to demonstrate this rhyme, but fingers work well, too!

The brown kangaroo is very funny,
She leaps and runs and hops like a bunny.  (Hold two fingers up; hop like bunny.)
And on her stomach is a pocket so wide,  (Place other hand on stomach.)
Her baby can jump in and go for a ride.  (First hand jumps into pocket.)

Source:  I'm a Little Teapot!  Presenting Preschool Storytime by Jane Cobb.  Black Sheep Press, 1996.

BOOK:  The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort; illustrated by G. Brian Karas.
This book is a hoot to read - er, sing - aloud!  A take on the song "The Wheels on the Bus," I encouraged all the adults to sing along.  I asked the kids if they knew what each animal was and what kind of noise it made.  The toddlers loved it!

SONG:  "Shake My Sillies Out"  (From the album More Singable Songs by Raffi.)
At this point, the toddlers are wiggly and I get them up on their feet to move around.  This song is one of my favorites and I handed out shaker eggs to everyone to make even more noise!  This is a storytime staple of mine.

FELT BOARD RHYME:  Five Elephants in the Bathtub
Artfelt makes a beautiful finger puppet set for this rhyme, and I purchased it for my library.  Again, fingers work great for this one!

One elephant in a bathtub going for a swim.  (Hold up one finger.)
Knock, knock - splash, splash - come on in!
(Clap twice with "knock, knock;" slap thighs twice with "splash, splash;" motion with both hands to "come on in.")
Two elephants....etc.
Three elephants...etc.
Four elephants...etc.
Five elephants in a bathtub going for a swim.
Knock, knock - splash, splash - it all fell in!  (Knock elephants and tub off the board.)

BOOK:  From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
This book encourages toddlers to move their bodies just like the zoo animals!  Eric Carle is always a winner at storytime and the simple text and bright illustrations make this a great choice for toddlers.

FINGERPLAY:  Mr. Crocodile and the Five Little Monkeys
I have a glove puppet set for this rhyme that I purchased from Lakeshore Learning (see, I told you I have a lot of animal puppets).

Five little monkeys swinging in a tree.
(Hold up five fingers and swing hand back and forth.)
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, "You can't catch me!  You can't catch me!"
(Hold up an index finger and point left several times.)
Along comes Mr. Crocodile, as quiet as can be and he...
(Use two hands with palms together to clap shut like a crocodile's mouth.)
SNAPPED that monkey right out of the tree!
Four, three, two, one, etc.
No more monkeys swinging in the tree,
Only Mr. Crocodile  (Rub your "full" tummy.)
Happy as can be!

BOOK:  Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr.; illustrated by Eric Carle
This is another winner for toddlers!  Rhyming, repetitive text makes this a perfect read aloud.  And, the bright, big illustrations make pointing out animals and making their noise easy and fun.  I have storytelling kit that goes with this book and I gave out an animal to each toddler to put on the board when I called out its name.  Um, it didn't go so well.  Listening and taking turns is still a new concept for toddlers.  But, the mass chaos that ensued was fun-"ish"!

FINGERPLAY:  An Elephant

An elephant goes like this and that.  (Pat knees.)
He's terrible big,  (Hands up high.)
And he's terrible fat.  (Hands out wide.)
He has no fingers  (Wiggle fingers.)
And he has no toes,  (Touch toes.)
But goodness gracious, what a nose!  (Make curling movement away from nose.)

Source:  I'm a Little Teapot!  Presenting Preschool Storytimes by Jane Cobb.  Black Sheep Press, 1996.

CLOSING SONG:  "Where is Thumbkin?"

Where is thumbkin?
Where is thumbkin?
(Have both hands behind your back; bring one hand out at a time showing only your thumb.)
Here I am!
Here I am!
Did you like our stories?  (Have one thumb talk to the other.)
Yes, I liked our stories!
Time to go,  (Place one hand behind your back.)
Hide away.  (Place the other hand behind your back.)
Where are all of you?
Where are all of you?
Here we are!  (Show one hand.)
Here we are!  (Show other hand.)
Can you wave goodbye now?  (Wave hand.)
Yes, we'll wave goodbye now.  (Wave hand.)
Bye, bye, bye.
Bye, bye, bye.