REMINDER

There are no Busy Bees Story Times nor After School Club this week.  All programs will resume next week, with three sessions in May.

Please be sure to stop in or call the library to register.

Happy Spring!

Miss Amy

Mr. Carrot-Fish

So, we waited a week so see what sort of silliness Mr. Pinkfish would get into for Easter. You see, he rode in a on a magic carpet once, wore a Dr. Seuss hat and St. Patrick’s Day hat, stays warm in a winter coat (glove) and dry in a raincoat (plastic sandwich bag), and loves to create his own costumes.

There was a lot of giggling from Mr. Pinkfish and his best friend, Beauregard, as they waited for the children to settle. Bearegard showed himself first, his “bunny ears” peeking through the materials cart. After saying hello to everyone, Beauregard prepared to listen to the story and we got down to the business of figuring out what Mr. Pinkfish would be wearing. Would he look like an egg? A piece of candy? A bunny? We could hardly wait for him to appear!

Mr. Pinkfish was renamed Mr. CARROT-fish today in honor of his costume… and we all reminded Beauregard not to nibble on him as they sat together for stories!

Busy Bees will return for stories on May 2^nd and May 3^rd with the PA One Book program. This story time proper may run a little shorter than usual as there will then be stations to visit afterwards (puzzles, games, books, flippers to try, a wooden shoe to tie...)

You may visit all of them or none of them. We will have the room until 2:00PM and 12:00PM on those days.

Have a lovely Easter!

Stories:

Milo the Really Big Bunny by Stephen Krensky

The Easter Egg Farm by Mary Jane Auch

Happy Easter, Biscuit! by A. S. Capucilli

Songs:

Easter Bunny "Ten Little Indians" Where, oh, where is the Easter bunny, Where, oh, where is the Easter bunny, Where, oh, where is the Easter bunny, Early Easter morning Hiding all the eggs for your Easter basket, Hiding all the eggs for your Easter basket, Hiding all the eggs for your Easter basket, Early Easter Morning Find all the eggs and put them in a basket, Find all the eggs and put them in a basket, Find all the eggs and put them in a basket, Early Easter morning

Pretty Eggs "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" I woke up on one Easter morning. I opened my eyes and looked round. And on this special Easter morning, I saw eggs all over the ground! Orange, yellow, Pink and blue and purple too, Pretty eggs -- Come here, and I'll share some with you. Robbie the Rabbit Robbie the rabbit is fat, fat, fat. (Pat your belly) His soft little paws go pat, pat, pat. (Tap one hand with the other) His soft little ears go flop, flop, flop. (Arms over head, bend hands over and wave up & down) And when Robbie runs he goes hop, hop, hop! (Hop 3 X )

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

 

We finished watching the Bass and Rankin Peter Cottontail movie today. The children had a great time trying to guess which holiday on the calendar Peter would fall through next on his quest to save his job as Easter Bunny.  Iron Tail tries to ruin Peter’s chances but only ends up helping him to succeed…much to our great delight!

 

After the movie, we read the story Rechenka’s Eggs by Patricia Polacco. It is the story of an old woman who decorates the most beautiful Easter eggs in all of Russia. One winter day she saves a goose that has been hurt by  a hunter. When the goose, Rechenka,  begins to heal,  she accidentally destroys all the eggs Babushka had been decorating during the winter. The very next morning, Rechenka begins laying beautifully decorated eggs and continues to lay one every day for 12 days. Babushka takes them to the Easter Festival and wins first prize.  When Babushka returns home, she finds that Rechenka has left her one  final gift .

After we read the story, I showed the children a goose egg. They were amazed by its size and weight. One of the girls did not believe there wasn’t a gosling inside. I tried to convince her, but I knew I had failed when she gently held it…and sniffed it…and placed it carefully next to her ear, listening for tiny honks. I then showed them a big block of beeswax and talked about the art of making pysanky eggs. We also looked at a few pysanky eggs that my family has made. There are some beautiful examples at this site: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~yakowenk/pysanky/

We are going to have one more class next week. We will finish some Easter stories and make a rabbit paperback puppet. We will meet up again in May. I am thinking three weeks, but we can plan for just two if that better meets your needs. Let me know what you think.

Don’t They Look Like They’re Having Fun

Conducting the Venango Chamber Orchestra certainly was the highlight of my day!

Books, Bach, and Beethoven

Today was the culmination of more than two months of work on a project called Books, Bach, and Beethoven. The students from St. Patrick School promised to read a minimum of ten books during the month of February. At the same time, they were taught about composers and their compositions during their weekly music classes. They also listened to a variety of classical pieces during quiet work time in their classrooms. I also took a number of books about composers and musical instruments to the school. The younger children listened to a story about a day in the orchestra during one of our weekly library times.

On March 17,  Nancy Simpson, concertmistress for the Venango Chamber Orchestra,  presented a wonderful program at the school. Mrs. Simpson talked about orchestras and instruments and answered a number of student questions.  She also brought several violins and even played a jig for the students.

Today, the children attended the spring concert.  (It was delightful watching some of them conduct from their seats along with Mr. Murcko.) At the end of the concert, the students were invited onstage. We presented the Venango Chamber Orchestra with a check for $331.21!They were delighted. As a final treat, the students were asked to conduct a bit of a rousing Sousa march. It was a wonderful way to end a terrific project.

After-School Club Update

What a terrific group we had at the after-school club today. We read one of my favorite authors, Patricia Polacco. It was a perfect story for today as the wind was blowing and the rain falling while we read about making Thunder Cake (recipe is available online). We also giggled our way through a sweet story about a chicken who laid unusual eggs.  Instead of plain white or speckled brown, her eggs looked exactly like what she was seeing when she laid them---sky blue with clouds, Mona Lisa's lips, flowers, ballet dancers! The kids really thought they were awesome. Our last story was about a naughty bunny obsessed with soccer.

We finished the program with the first part of the movie PETER COTTONTAIL. There is nothing to compare with the old Bass and Rankin movies!

Although I had originally scheduled only two programs in April, I found that I have enough stories and activities (and interest) to add a third date, April 18th. I will post a note at the library and talk to everyone next Monday, but I hope you all will be able attend!

The Chocolate Chicken Clucks Again!

We had a wonderful story time today! A new family joined us and their daughter watched wide-eyed as all our zany routines unfolded. Mr. Pinkfish was a hit (as he usually is) and was held for most of the program.

After reading about a rabbit who could only whisper because he swallowed a bee (better cover your mouth when you yawn!), we learned a new song about a bunny. After singing it a few times, I decided we should stand and really get into the motions…and we did!

We also read a great story about a naughty little character named Max who was trying so hard to find hidden eggs so he could win a chocolate chicken. In his desperation, he snitches the chicken and hides away, nibbling it bit by bit while his sister searches for him in vain. The children really enjoyed Max’s silliness. We were able to practice numbers and colors and talk about the folly of eating an entire chocolate chicken!

Little Mouse Meets the Easter Bunny by Harriet Ziefert

Max’s Chocolate Chicken by Rosemary Wells

The Whispering Rabbit by M. Wise Brown

I'm a Little Bunny "I'm a Little Teapot"
I'm a little bunny with a cotton tail;
See me hopping down the trail.
When I see a carrot ---
My ears - they shake!
And then, of course,
A Bite I take!!!
CRUNCH!!!!!

Family Fun

 

Looking for some fun things to do with your child? Check out www.FamilyFun.go.com.

 

There are links to crafts, games, party ideas, food, and much, much more. You do not need to subscribe to the magazine to take advantage of all the wonderful ideas and projects offered on the website.

Erie Children’s Museum

The Erie Children’s Museum is offering a story time and hands-on craft for Toddlers on Thursdays at 10:30AM.  Admission is $5 (children age 1 and under are free). On Thursday, April 21, the story and craft will be about Easter.

That same day, Stephen Swinburne, the author of WHOSE SHOES?, will be reading and creating art activities at 2:30PM. I checked with the museum---no registration is required. You may leave after story time and return for the author program without being charged again. Just tell the desk your plans and keep your receipt.

 

For more information, please check out their website:

http://www.eriechildrensmuseum.org/visit_us.htm

This sounds like a fun day out!

Whose Shoes?

 

We will celebrate PA ONE BOOK during the evening of April 27 from 7- 7:45 PM and

during our regularly scheduled story times on Monday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 3.

Programs will include the reading of the story

Whose Shoes? by Stephen R. Swinburne,

along with additional activities.

Each FAMILY that attends the event will receive

one free copy of the book.

Space is limited.

Registrations will be accepted beginning April 1^st until filled

but no later than April 21^st.

For the sixth consecutive year, Pennsylvania's One Book, Every Young Child program will lead the way and highlight the importance of early literacy development in preschoolers ages 3 to 6.