Attention Book Groups

If you liked Call the Midwife or watched and enjoyed the series on PBS, you will probably like Jennifer Worth's next book in the series -- Shadows of the Workhouse.  This nonfiction title chronicles the lives of children growing up in England's workhouses and gives a startling glimpse into the lives of people in the poorest section of postwar London.  Available as a Book Group To Go Bag.  

Literacy Hero Training Coming Up!

You can be a hero!  

Read with at-risk kids in the greater Holland community, serving as a Literacy Hero volunteer.  If you are 18 years or older, enjoy working with kids one-on-one, and have an hour or two to share each week, this may be the opportunity you have been looking for! 

We will be training a new class of Literacy Heroes on Monday, September 23 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm!  If this is of interest to you please sign up on our website here.  

Attention Book Groups

If your book group would like to read something on the lighter side for a change, you can try our new book group bag, "Where'd you go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple.  In this title, when teenage Bee's notorious, hilarious, volatile, talented, troubled, and agoraphobic mother goes missing, Bee begins a trip that takes her to the ends of the earth to find her.  (Description from Novelist)

Book Sharing as a Positive Experience

I’m going to point out something that seems so simple but it needs to be said:  Please, remember to keep reading and book time a positive experience!  This alone can make all the difference between a non-reader and a reader.  Our emotions are not controllable.  How you feel is how you feel.

If an adult reader is stern or negative during reading time, it is almost certain the child will associate that with reading and will avoid reading if at all possible.  Negativity and fear are strong emotions for kids.  They are road blocks to learning of any kind.

On the other hand, if the adult is playful and enjoys books, it’s catchy!  A child is much more likely to enjoy books!

There are no rules about having to finish a book.  If the child loses interest just set the book aside and do something else for a while.  Let the child choose a different book to read.  It’s possible that the child is just not up for reading at that time.  Maybe you can find a time when the child is more rested or alert to try some book time.  Quality is more important than quantity!

To Bee or Not to Bee . . .

Bees in Holland?

The mysterious vanishing of the honey bee and the potential havoc that could be unleashed by their disappearance have been causing quite a stir in scientific and farming communities around the country.  However, did you know that our very own Holland City Council has been discussing bees as well, specifically the issue of whether or not to allow beekeeping in our lovely city?  Herrick District Library has a wealth of resources to help you educate yourself on this very important issue. Check out our many books on this topic, as well as the very informative documentary, Vanishing of the Bees.

Discussion of the beekeeping ordinance here in Holland will ensue during the August 21st City Council Meeting, held at 7:00 pm at City Hall.  The public is welcome, so if you have an opinion on this hot topic, please make your voice heard.

Attention Book Groups

Grand Valley State University's Community Reading Project this year is The Distance Between Us: a Memoir by Reyna Grande.  The author tells about her early years in Mexico, living in poverty with her grandparents, while her parents live illegally in the United States, working to make money to improve their lives back home in Mexico.  Reyna eventually travels to the United States with her brother and sister and her father, who she soon finds out is an alcoholic.  She lives also with her father's new wife, and her father is abusive to the entire family.  Throughout the book the author's perseverance and strength shine through.

This book is available as a Book Group to Go bag for book groups.

Read with your children.  Note the word WITH.  For pre-readers this looks different than it does for readers but I still think WITH is important!

If you are sharing a book with a pre-reader be sure to stop often.  Talk about the pictures.  Talk about how the characters are feeling.  Ask what is going to happen next.  Be sure to wait for answers.  The younger the child, the longer you should wait.  If you are both taking turns talking you are doing it right!  The child should be contributing to the story.

For beginner readers try taking turns with the reading task.  Maybe they read the left hand page and you the right.  They will tire faster than you will so don’t force it.  We all love to be read to.  But do continue to stop often.  Talk about the pictures.  Talk about how the characters must feel.  Ask what they think will happen next.  Once again, you should both be contributing to the conversation so allow time for them to talk.

For readers maybe you could take turns with chapters.  But there is no need to force it, as I said previously.  They will most likely still like you to read to them.  But, once again, don’t just read.  Stop and talk about the book and what is happening.

If you happen to have a reader that thinks they are too old to be read to (Nonsense!  I’m old and I love to be read to!!) maybe you could both read the same book and chat about it after each couple of chapters.  Another great way to share the books would be to start a parent/child book club.  You could all read the same book and then come together to talk about it.

You may see a pattern here.  Your interaction with your child’s reading process will help build language usage skills, comprehension, and vocabulary!  You will build a stronger bond with your child and hopefully instill a love of reading in the process!

Games to Play in the Car

Playing games in the car together is a great way to explore sounds and letters and even some arithmetic.  Remember playing alphabet?  Everyone works on finding the letters in the alphabet, starting with "a" and ending with "z", on road signs, billboards, business signs, and license plates as you travel.  This simple game of finding letters as we look through our car windows is a way of not only recognizing the different letters, but it also points out the importance that these letter groups have in our lives.  They make up words that help us maneuver through this world.

Another fun game is "I spy".  This game can have many hats.  Sure, for the little ones, you can use colors.  "I see something red."  But how about spicing it up for preschoolers with "I spy something that rhymes with..." or "I spy something that begins with /m/ (m sound)..."?  

Once they understand the letter sounds, try going through the alphabet, taking turns and naming something that begins with each letter.  

Person 1: apple

Person 2: bag

Person 3: car

Person 1: dump truck 

etc.

Of course, on the second time through the alphabet you can't reuse any words used the first time through!

My grandchildren in California play a game spying Volkswagen bugs.  The new models are worth 1 point and the old models are worth 3.  Once a person has claimed a sighting they have dibs on those points.  Each person keeps track of their own score.  This is a memory exercise and an adding exercise.  I, personally, think that a VW bug convertible should get some bonus points!

What I like best about all of these games is that you can play them as a family!  They are fun and, through repetition and your encouragement, they are learning something!