A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That...

By Jan Pease

Fall children’s programs have begun in earnest.  One of the highlights from today was watching a group of very young children using paint dabbers to make colorful fall trees.  They worked so hard on their pictures, and every picture was unique.  One of the things I enjoy about fall is that leaves on each tree change color in their own way. 

Our September book is “In the Middle of Fall,” by Kevin Henke.    We “painted” leaves one week with markers on color diffusing paper, using water to make the colors run together.  I have to find one more leaf craft for next week.

Another highlight from our week came on

Thursday afternoon at Beginner Book club.  We read the book “Dog Diaries: Secret Writings of the WOOF Society,” by Betsy Byars and her daughters Betsy Duffy and Laurie Meyers.  These secret writings are short stories from the dogs’ point of view.  Some are very funny.  The kids especially enjoyed chapter four, “The Invisible Enemy,” which tells about the mysterious interloper in the kitchen sink, named “Disposer.”  One of the boys started reading out loud, without being asked, and we read an entire short story together.  Because no one had read all of the stories, we will continue our discussion next month about “Dog Diaries” and hand out books for November.



The children asked to read “Cat Diaries: Secret Writings of the MEOW Society.”  By the way, WOOF stands for “Words of Our Friends,” and MEOW stands for “Memories Expressed in Our Writing.” 

My goal for Beginner Book Club is for the members to read for enjoyment.  Yes, we have a few discussion questions and sometimes look at character development and plot.  But I want these children to enjoy reading for its own sake.  When they started spontaneously reading aloud, I almost wept.  Beginner Book Club meets once each month on the third Thursday, and is for students in grades 1-3.

Make it a point to look around the library at the fall decorations.  The staff who decorated switched things around.  I think some of the items that are usually in the children’s department are in the adult areas, and some of the adult decorations are in the children’s department.  Whatever was done, and whoever did it, I like it!  Books from the “Harry Potter” series appear here and there, and the effect is, dare I say it, magical!

Finally, be sure to look at the LEGO creations on display near the children’s desk.  This display will be up for one more week, and then everything will be broken up and put in the LEGO totes.  I especially like the flying hair salon.  It would be so much simpler if the beauty salon flew to the customers.  Also be sure to look at the red diamond shape.  The builder started at the point of the diamond and built outward.  It’s an interesting bit of engineering. Next week we will have challenges from the new Booster Bricks Box. It should be fun.  If you’re aged 4-14, come and join us!