 Before I tell you about the Children’s Healthy Fun Fair, let’s take a look at what else is coming up at the library this week!
Tues. Mar. 1, 10 am – noon: The LifeStory Institute Presents: Memoir and Family History Writing Workshop – Charley Kempthorne, writer and teacher, will conduct this workshop, which is free and open to all. Registration is required as space is limited! Register by calling 620-626-0180 or going to our website: http://lmlibrary.libcal.com/event/2490233
Tues. Mar. 1 at 6 pm and Thurs. Mar. 4 at 11:15 am: Storytime! We’re reading some classic Dr. Seuss stories in honor of his birthday and doing a Seussian craft.
Thurs. Mar. 3 at 6 pm: A special evening Dr. Seuss Storytime! Enjoy some favorite Seuss books and make a Seuss-inspired craft!
Thurs. Mar. 3 at 6 pm: A special evening Dr. Seuss Storytime! Enjoy some favorite Seuss books and make a Seuss-inspired craft!
Now, let’s talk about the Thirteenth Annual Children’s Healthy Fun Fair! This year’s fair will be held on Saturday, March 5, from 10 am – 1 pm in the Agriculture Building at Seward County Fairgrounds. It’s FREE and it’s a lot of fun for the whole family! Children ages birth to sixth grade and their parents are especially invited to the fair, as are women who are pregnant.
This year, we have a lot of great things lined up for the Fair! New this year, United Healthcare is bringing a “Community Baby Shower” to the fair. Pregnant mothers will be able to learn about prenatal, post-partum, and well-baby checkups. They will also be able to learn about services available to their children, once they are born. United will also be giving gifts and a snack for pregnant mothers.
Russell Child Development Center will be handing out some fun things for the kids! This includes rubber ducks and various other items.
The Health Dept. and Safety Council will be giving out information on car seat safety and they will raffle 4 booster seats for children 4 – 8 years old.
Seward County Fire will have a fire truck display outside, weather permitting. They will also be handing out coloring books and badges.
Seward County Emergency Management will be handing out coloring books, the new revised disaster response guides for adults, and other items dealing with how to react to both natural and manmade disasters. They will also have pictures of recent storms in our area.
USD 480 will have their alphabet fishing booth, where children can fish for the letters of the alphabet, and get a piece of sidewalk chalk with suggested motor activities for children. They will also be giving away books for kids! They will also have The Newcomers Center taking pictures of the children, and kids can decorate a frame for it.
Also new this year, Southwest Kansas Diaper Bank will be displaying and handing out information about diaper need, how to help with that need, and how people can receive help with getting diapers.
Genesis Family Health together with Life Time Smile will be performing oral screenings.
Southwest Medical Center will have information about X-Rays, a demonstration of the effects of smoking on the lungs, a hands-on hand hygiene activity, and a general information booth.
Kansas Talking Books will have a booth highlighting the service, which provides free audiobooks to borrow to patrons with vision issues and children with certain reading disabilities. They will also have some fun give-a-way items for kids!
The Library will have some tabletop games to play and free books for kids, plus information for parents!
We hope that all pregnant mothers along with children ages birth – sixth grade and their parents will join us on March 5, between 10 am and 1 pm at the Ag Building on the Seward County Fairgrounds for a fun time of exhibits, demonstrations, activities, give-a-ways, and more!
This week at the library:
 Join us for Library and Lunch on Tuesday at noon, where we will discuss The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll. Bilingual Storytime launches this month on Thursday at 6 pm. Kids and their parents can come enjoy Spanish and English stories and songs, followed by a craft. And don’t forget our normal storytimes, Tuesdays at 6 pm and Thursdays at 11:15 am. We will also have a Lego Build Day on Wednesday at 4 pm in the Cooper-Clark Room. There will be treats, Legos, the Minecraft card game, and Minecraft crafts. Fun for builders of all ages!
Newberys, Caldecotts, and other Children’s Book Awards
Tomorrow is a very exciting day for all who love Children’s literature. Tomorrow morning at the American Library Association’s Midwinter Conference (held this year in Boston), the winners of the Newbery Medal, Caldecott Medal, and several other children’s book awards will be announced. I’m excited to see what the committees have picked as the best of the best for 2015! With these medals on the verge of being announced, I thought I’d revisit some of my favorite past Newbery Medal winners, all available for checkout at the library:
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (2011 Newbery winner): The author of this book lives in Wichita, Kansas! From the book description: “Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of 1936, sends her to stay with an old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up, and where she hopes to find out some things about his past.”
Holes by Louis Sachar (1999 Newbery winner): From the book description: “Stanley Yelnats has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.” There is also a good movie adaptation of the same name, starring Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, and Jon Voight.
The Giver by Lois Lowry (1994 Newbery winner): From the book description: “Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.”
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1963 Newbery winner): From the book description: “Meg Murry, her savant younger brother Charles Wallace, and her friend Calvin become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg’s father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.”
And, as a long-time Dr. Seuss fan, I can’t forget about the Geisel Awards, given to “the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers.”
There is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems (2008 Geisel winner): From the book description:
“Gerald the elephant discovers that there is something worse than a bird on your head– two birds on your head! Piggie will try to help her best friend.” Mo Willems’s book, Are You Ready to Play Outside?, also featuring Gerald and Piggie, won the Geisel in 2009.
 We’re gearing up for Christmas here at the library, with all sorts of fun activities. So if your kids (or you) need some relief from Cabin Fever during their long Winter Break, I have the perfect remedies – here’s all the fun stuff the library has in store for the rest of this month:
Santa Claus Storytime – Dec. 17 at 11:15 am and 6 pm – Santa himself will read us some Christmas stories, and of course there will be a Christmas craft.
 If you signed up for one of our Gingerbread House decorating sessions on the 19th, don’t forget to come at 9:30 am or 11:30 am (whichever one you signed up for). Don’t worry, you will receive an email reminder the day before. These sessions are by registration only, and all spaces are now full.
Star Wars Day – Dec. 18 – Just in time for the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens! All ages are welcome at these events. Star Wars crafts and prizes at 1 pm, movie at 2 pm with Star Wars posters for everyone who attends, Star Wars games and prizes at 4 pm. Wear or bring your favorite Star Wars gear!
THEME DAYS FOR KIDS’ WINTER BREAK (there will be movies, along with crafts, stories, and other fun):
Solstice crafting & celebration – Dec. 21 – Learn about the shortest day of the year. Movie at 2 pm.
Teddy Bear & PJ Day – Dec. 22 – Party at 2 pm. Come to the library in your most comfortable jammies and bring along your favorite stuffed animal.
Christmas crafts – Dec. 23 at 4 pm, make some fun Christmas crafts. Also, there will be a Christmas movie to get you in the holiday spirit at 2 pm.
Disney Day – Dec. 28 – Wear your favorite Disney gear! Disney movies at 2 and 4 pm. Enjoy some Frozen-themed fun!
Music, Drama & Musicals Day – Dec. 29 – Enjoy watching some great musicals, and even sing along if you want to!
Anime and Art Day – Dec. 30 – Enjoy an anime movie at 2 pm, and/or make some art.
Noon Year’s Eve – Dec. 31 at noon – Come celebrate the New Year while we’re all still awake.
And if you & your fellow adults need some stress relief, try our Stress Management session with Leslie Bissell on Dec. 16 at noon. Learn some techniques to relieve the stress of the holidays.
Also, don’t forget that we’re forgiving library fines this week when you donate new, unopened, unused, and non-perishable food, toiletry, clothing, and sundries, all of which will be given to the Stepping Stone Shelter. See our website at http://lmlibrary.org/fine-forgiveness-2015/ for suggested donation items. Even if you don’t have any fines, you can still contribute to helping the homeless here in Liberal by donating.
And if you didn’t yet receive a copy of this year’s Kansas Reads to Preschoolers book, Is Your Mama a Llama?, we will have free copies available at the front desk. This classic picture book is a great gift for the preschooler, baby, or toddler in your life.
 November is Kansas Reads to Preschoolers month, and this week libraries across the state will celebrate the event with storytimes and activities. According to the State Library of Kansas, “The State Library’s 10th annual one-book/one-state reading initiative, Kansas Reads to Preschoolers, highlights the importance of reading to children with a goal that every Kansas child from birth to age five is read to during the week of November 15-21.” This is an opportunity for libraries, preschools, daycare providers, parents, and guardians around Kansas to all share the same book with the young children they care for and/or work with.
This year’s book is Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino. Guarino’s classic picture book features a young llama asking his woodland animal friends if their (respective) “mamas” are llamas. The book gives clues as to what type of animal each friend’s mama really is, leading to a fun guessing game for young listeners. School Library Journal said of the book, “Young readers will delight in the playful rhythm of the text, and each riddle is sure to result in a resounding chorus of response.”
At Liberal Memorial Library, we have a storytime with a special guest reader every day of the week! Many thanks to all of them for agreeing to participate. Bring your child under five (or over five, all are welcome) and join us for one or more storytimes with these fine community members:
Monday at 6:00 pm: Clarissa Carrillo Martinez from Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland
Tuesday at 11:15 am: Pat McClurg from the Liberal Police Department
Wednesday at 3:00 pm: Liberal Mayor Joe Denoyer
Thursday at 11:15 am: Liberal Storyteller Bonnie Raff
Friday at 3:30 pm: Firefighters from the Liberal Fire Department
Saturday at 11:00 am: Darth Vader (Christopher Trujillo) from the 501st Legion
Also, we will be having a special Bilingual (Spanish & English) Storytime on Thursday night at 6 pm.
As always, there will be craft time to go along with the story/stories each session. Plus, attendees at each storytime will have a chance to win a copy of the book Is Your Mama a Llama? (or the Spanish-language translation, ¿Tu Mama es Una Llama?). And of course, the library has copies of the book (including a board book version and the Spanish-language translation) available for checkout, if you decide you’d like to read it again.
In addition, I will be traveling to the local preschools and daycare centers to present storytimes to the children there. I look forward to connecting the kids with such a fun book and getting the chance to reach out to kids who might not often come to the library. Parents, caregivers, childcare workers, and teachers can also find ideas for learning and just-for-fun activities at the State Library’s website for Kansas Reads to Preschoolers, https://kslib.info/prek. I know I am getting a lot of ideas from this site & the linked Pinboard for supplemental activities and potential crafts.
If you have or know a preschooler (or younger child), I hope you and they will join us for a llama storytime sometime this week! See you there!
 October is a great time for kids here at the library, as we have all sorts of fun stuff planned just for them this month! We will have a Family Halloween Party on Saturday, October 31 starting at 10 a.m. in The Learning Center. Kids can show off their Halloween costumes, play games, win prizes, make Halloween-themed crafts, and eat a snack. The kids we have at our afterschool program really enjoy Bingo, so we’ll be playing a Halloween-themed Bingo for prizes. Don’t worry, we’ll also have goodies to take home at the end of the party. Feel free to come & go as you please, the party goes until the library closes at 1.
This week, kids can get their faces painted with a Halloween design on Thursday night at 6 pm or Saturday morning at 11 am. Local artist Judy Yates will be sharing her face painting talents. According to her website, Judy uses paints that are “hypoallergenic and especially designed for children’s skin.” Her website is at http://faceartbyjudy.com/ for those wanting to preview what her wonderful face paintings look like.
Also this week, school is out on Friday the 16th, so we will be showing a Family Movie and doing an easy craft at 2 pm. There may be a family-friendly Halloween movie to enjoy with our friends. Pass the snacks and lemonade!
And on Tuesdays throughout October at our afterschool club (4 pm – 6 pm in The Learning Center), kids can learn about Halloween costumes and makeup. They’ll learn to make simple costume accessories and do their own Halloween-themed makeup. Get some cool ideas and handmade costume items just in time to plan your Halloween costume! And of course we always have other art projects, board games, and other activities at Afterschool, if you’d like a break from all the Halloween stuff.
At storytime for the rest of October, we’ll be sharing Halloween-season stories, songs, and crafts! Our storytimes are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:15 am, and Tuesdays at 6 pm. All ages of kids (and their parents and caregivers) are welcome. Make your own Frankenstein’s Monster, design the perfect paper Jack-o’-lantern, and more!
 This week, we’ll be reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Mo Willems. Willems used to write for Sesame Street, and his books are subtly hilarious. This week, we’ll be reading his book called Leonardo, the Terrible Monster. Along with some other great books about monsters, we’ll also be singing and enjoying monster-themed songs and making the aforementioned Frankenstein’s Monster. But don’t be scared, he’s more cute than scary.
But grownups, don’t feel left out! If you’re stressed, why not come enjoy some relaxation at our first Adult Coloring session, this Thursday at noon. If you can’t come this Thursday, don’t worry, there will be another Adult Coloring session on Oct. 22 at 6:30 pm. Take a break from work, kids, and/or real life and find some zen with quiet, soothing coloring. We will provide the coloring pages and colored pencils. Yes, there will be snacks, too.
One of my favorite parts of my job is sharing stories with the kids at storytime. Storytime has been something that I’ve enjoyed since I was little. My mom will tell you how I asked her to read Green Eggs and Ham again and again when I was a preschooler – and I had the book memorized, so she couldn’t skip a page, lest I complain. There’s also a picture of me in preschool playing “teacher,” reading (or pretending to read) a story to the rest of the kids. Fast forward a couple of decades, I remember when I worked in childcare, I loved when I got the chance to read to the kids one-on-one. The kids would ask for one book again and again – Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. There’s just something about the rhythm and the part where all the letters fall off the tree that makes kids love that one, and I loved being able to read it to them.
 Now that I’m a Children’s Librarian, I get to read to kids three times a week. We have Storytimes where all ages are welcome on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 11:15 am, and Tuesday evenings at 6 pm. The kids get to experience the fun of hearing a few stories, but that’s not all! They also get to sing some songs (often with actions, for added fun) and make a craft that relates to the theme of the week.
Believe it or not, these activities have been shown to be beneficial for children’s learning. Even before they can read, children are learning that letters make up words – and we can reinforce this lesson by reading books aloud to them. Songs are a good way for younger children who are still learning to talk to learn more words. Songs also help older children gain awareness of the individual sounds (phonics) that make up words. And crafts help children remember what they have read about.
So, if you make an ice cream craft, you can later look at it and remember reading and singing about ice cream. And of course having fun at storytime helps kids learn that books are fun, and this will hopefully encourage them to read once they learn how! Even if a child can’t quite pay attention to all of the stories or even a whole story, they are still learning that books are fun. This is one of the most important things to learn about books at a young age, since a background of positive interactions with books will make kids more willing to do the hard part of sounding out words later.
Turns out that this week is “National Farm Animals Awareness Week,” so at storytime this week we’ll be reading about one of the most popular farm animals that you see in the fields of Kansas, the cow! I don’t want to give away all of my secrets, but the craft will also be cow-related. Bring your ability to “moo.” Join us at the library on Tuesday or Thursday morning at 11:15 or Tuesday night at 6 for fun with cow stories, songs, and a craft.
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Before I tell you about the Children’s Healthy Fun Fair, let’s take a look at what else is coming up at the library this week!
