Tech Parents-Ace Your Knowledge of the Digital Age

Does your child know more about Facebook than you? Do you fear that your child may be accessing information digitally that you'd rather they didn't-but don't know enough about computers or the programs to feel comfortable making changes? Have no fear, your library is here to help you! On Saturday, May 21 the Town of Monroe is hosting a Technology Day for parents just like you. Come to FREE classes on Facebook, Cyber-Bullying, Internet Safety, and Gaming. Presented by the Town of Monroe's Technology Department, you will leave empowered and renewed in your ability to manage today's latest and greatest technologies. For a list of the day's events please click here.

Family Travel

As the school year begins it's final quarter, families start planning summer vacations. Theme parks, camps, and beaches are some of the destinations along with trips to visit family and national sites. Even for the seasoned family traveler, the prospect of a ten day vacation with young children might seem a little daunting.

From the mode of transportation, to the best route to take, to what to do once you finally get there are all pieces of this vacationing puzzle. Wouldn't it be nice to have a list of all the family friendly hotels in the area? Or an idea of what your children (and you) might enjoy once you hit your destination?

Well, come to the library and check out one of our many resources on family vacationing. Whether its (Fodor's Walt Disney World with Kids) or staying local in the Big Apple (Fodor's Family New York City with Kids), we have a travel guide for you. Also, prepare your youngest travelers for their first flight, with books such as: Flying by Donald Crews or The Airport by Patricia Murphy. We also have DVD Series for traveling with kids. Watch as a family how to navigate: London, Bali, Costa Rica and many more.

So if you need a little help with planning that big excursion this summer, stop on by-and relax. We're sure to have the resources to help you.

-Adrienne

A Camping We Will Go

It's that time of year again...when savvy parents begin researching information about summer camps. Did you know that your local library has the Connecticut Summer Youth Camps Day/Resident 2011 Directory? It's FREE and yours to take home and keep. Visit our Children's Department for a FREE Guide. Or visit: www.ctcamps.org to find the perfect camp for your little adventurer.

Happy Camping!
-Adrienne Wilson
Children's Librarian

Finding Childcare @ Care.Com

Awhile back, I put a link to Care.com on our parents link list. Care.com is a website that provides resources to parents to help them find nannies, babysitters, au pairs, and childcare centers. Care.com actually has resources to aid one in finding all sorts of care giving needs, including pets, adults & seniors, and even house keeping and house sitting. Care.com is a company, and will require you to pay a nominal fee to have access to all it's features.

However, those features include:

-standard Background Checks include Social Security number verification
-a national criminal database search,
-a state sex offender registries search
-enhanced Background Check that also includes an in-person search of county and federal courthouse records performed by an investigator,
-reference interviews so you can hear from caregivers' previous employers-or you can call the references yourself if you prefer,
-you decide when to share your contact information with a caregiver- all messaging happens through the Care.com site, which monitors for spam, scams, and inappropriate content

The site also lists the latest news and information regarding childcare, parenting and tips.

While the resources are not free, they are very good. And sometimes, you do get what you pay for. There is an option to try out the site for free, but you will not have access to all the features.

But, if you are looking for childcare, and we all know that can be really tricky-you might give this site a try. It is run by and for moms who know how hard finding good care can be.

Yoga Kids

Imagine a room full of cows, effortlessly transforming into meowing cats. Later, the same children balance on one leg spreading their limbs to become forest filled with different types of trees. This is a scene from a preschool class room where children experience the many benefits of practicing yoga. Yoga is a natural, creative way for children to move their bodies while developing confidence, self-awareness, and a healthy life style.

The physical benefits of yoga include increased coordination, strength balance, and flexibility as children stretch and move their bodies to become a dog, tree or snake. Yoga practicing children improve their self-regulation and relaxtion. They gain body strength and feelings of accomplishment at the same time. Yoga is inherently non-competivie and accepting. Just as nature is filled with many different types of trees, each child forms his or her own unique tree pose. As yoga is accepting of all abilities, strengths and weaknesses, it has many benefits for children.

Periodically, the library hosts Yoga classes for kids. You may see some this summer!

The library just acquired a new set of Yoga DVD's for children by the well-known Yoga publishing company Gaiam. We also have books for kids, that teach Yoga poses on a page by page basis.
For additional information for caregivers beginning yoga with children: http://yogakids.com/

Article by Deborah Muro, M.A. All Children Considered.

CHET-Dream Big Contest

It's that time of year again, for the CHET Dream Big Contest.

CHET is the Connecticut Higher Education Trust-sponsored by the State of CT Treasurers Office, and they specialize is 529 College Savings Programs. Every year, the State of CT Treasurers Office holds a competition, open to kids in grades K-5, the winner receiving a starter college savings account. Kids in grades K-3 are asked to submit drawings while children in grades 4-5 are asked to submit essays. Check out the link to CHET here: http://www.chetdreambig.com/.

The library also has the entry forms in our Children's Department, on our miscellaneous/freebie shelf. The deadline for entry is April 4, 2011.

Good Luck! Don't forget to Dream Big.

-Adrienne

Feed Your Family: We Have the Books!!!

As a new mom, feeding my child well is a top priority. I had been thinking about this over the weekend, and like anyone else... I googled the topic first. My search came up with a variety of .com sites. However, I wanted to make sure that the information I was finding was verifiable, truthful, timely, accurate and just plain good. So, I then decided to see what books our library owned on this same topic.

The great thing about using library books, is that libraries purchase most of their materials based on positive reviews from book journals. Someone went to the trouble of reading this book for you-cover to cover-before it made it to the library. This same person then wrote a short review saying "yes, buy this for your community-it's great!" or "don't waste precious tax dollars, it's not worth it". That means, that every non-fiction book you find in a library, should be of the highest calibler as far as information content, accuracy, readablity, and usefulness. Those are pretty important things when it comes to feeding your family...or anything really.


Back to what the library owns...I was certainly pleased with the results.

From our ever popular copy of Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfield or The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine, in which the reader learns how to "hide" or "covertly smuggle" nutritious ingredients into the most tantalizing of entrees for the finicky eater; to learning how to make your own baby food in Love in Spoonfuls by Sarah Putnum Clegg, Cooking for Baby by Lisa Barnes or Blender Baby Food by Nicole Young.

In another book, Superfoods for Children, the author Michael Van Stratten discusses guidelines for healthy eating, the fundamentals of nutrition for optimum growth and lists 50 "superfoods" for kids, followed up by more than 100 tasty recipes. Those are just a few of the many titles we own for your borrowing pleasure.

There are also books that EWML doesn't own, but other libraries in CT do, that we can bring here for you in a matter of days, like: Starting Solids by Annabel Karmel, Toddler Bistro by Christina Schmidt, and The Top 100 Finger Foods for a Happy, Healthy Child by Annabel Karmel.


To top it all off, books from the library are FREE! You don't spend a cent. So, you can see if these family friendly food finds, are right for you-and then decide to purchase.

I don't know about you...but that's a meal deal I can't pass up.

-Adrienne Wilson
Children's Librarian

It’s Never Too Early: Parents should talk to their young ones long before they can speak

It’s Never Too Early: Parents should talk to their young ones long before they can speak

I just read a wonderful article about the importance of talking to your child to help develop their future vocabulary. Talk to your child in the morning, in the car, during bathtime, at the dinner table-every available second that you have. Keep all that rich vocabulary coming, and you will have an avid reader!

0-3 Key Age

While many parents know that ages zero through six/seven is key in the development of young minds, many might not be aware that within that time window, ages zero to three has it's own unique development growth opportunity. "Early experiences have a decisive impact on the architecture of the brain, and on the nature and extent of adult capacities." (Shore, 1997.) Schools, day care and libraries try very hard to continually expound this message through early literacy type activities in story, play and class times. However, parental involvement is more than key in this development. Your baby or toddler needs your help in becoming the best version of themselves. The library has many books & resources about this topic. But, I'd like to share some websites that are of particular use.

Zero-Three: http://www.zerotothree.org/ A national organization that aims to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. Includes some really cool interactive tools that show you how your child's brain is developing, and what activities you can do to continue that development!

Reading Rockets: http://www.readingrockets.org/audience/parents This national multimedia project offers information and resources on how young kids learn to read and why so many struggle. It has a phenominal parents page with FREE resources and activities.

Every Child Ready to Read: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/ecrr/index2.cfm Although geared for library training, this website has multitudes of information on why from birth to 3, and then to 6, is key in developing young minds. Clear pictures of brain synapses being formed, bring the issue home.

National Center for Family Literacy:
http://www.famlit.org/free-resources/ NCFL's mission is to create a literate nation by leveraging the power of the family. The link included takes you directly to the parent's page, so you can download FREE activities, resources, guides etc.

Want some cool/educational toys to help you with your at home learning? Try these toy stores:

Constructive Playthings http://www.cptoys.com/
Folkmanis http://www.folkmanis.com/
Lakeshore Learning http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/


Best of luck!

Adrienne, Children's Librarian

Flotsam Writing Contest-Is Your Child Participating?

If you didn't know, the Edith Wheeler Library is hosting a writing contest for kids going into Grades K-6. All the details about the contest can be found in the Children's Room of the library on our Flotsam Display.

The library is hosting writer's workshops this summer, in addition to the contest-to inspire our young authors and get them creating something special. Below is a news release article from our favorite bilingual buddy, Lorzeno, about those very writer's workshops!

Breaking News from Lorenzo’s News Service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2010


BRAINSTORMS BATTER EWML WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 Monroe-Heavy Brainstorms battered the craft room of the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library inundating patrons in the Children’s Library with creatures from the deep. Patrons reported robotic fish, miniscule green people, and hot air balloons resembling blowfish, emerge from the craft room in the library’s lower level. Shortly after 2:30 PM, several sharks in the vicinity reported serious dental pain resulting from biting down on robotic fish. Chaotic reports emerged from correspondents of uncovering documents exhibiting lack of punctuation and the inclusion of incomplete sentences. Documents including few details were also noted. Authorities attributed the unusual reporting due to rough drafts emanating from the conference suite of the 4-6th grade writers workshop, a.k.a., The Craft Room.

Unauthorized spokespersons for the writers’ group, who beg to remain anonymous, allege that they were encouraged to toss out the rules and just get their stories down on paper. Unverified reports note that a woman’s straw hat was passed to collect time-taking metaphors, similes, descriptive language, and the authors’ worries and insecurities that the writers’ stories were not worthy of publication. After an hour long flurry of transcribing narratives to hard copy, writers packed their Writers’ Toolbox Folders and left the area at approximately 3:00PM, or 3:04 or 2:59PM.

According to the spokesperson for the group, none of the clocks in the vicinity ticked in unison, leading the writers to speculate on the merits of a story , in which time does not stand still, nor does it stand together with its colleagues-the time reporting machines, also known as clocks, housed in EWML.

Lorenzo’s News Service has received information stating that the cataloging department has been advised of the inconsistent filing of seconds, minutes and hours. Authorities have declined to comment at the time of filing this report. The extended forecast warnings for the area predict clouds with a chance of brainstorms for Thursday morning. Patrons of EWML are advised to avoid the vicinity of the craft room between 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM unless they are adequately prepared for flooding conditions and the flow of prevailing imagination, revision and editing storms.

Stay tuned to www. EWML.LNS.com, your breaking literary news source, for further Make Waves warnings.

Summer Fun

Hello Parents,

Well, the time is almost here. Our summer reading kick-off program is this Saturday, June 19 from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM. More information about that here: http://www.ewml.org/children.htm

Did you know you can print up the Monroe School Reading Lists right from our Children's Home Page? Yes : http://www.monroeps.org/summerreading.aspx

Also, here is a link to some local summer stuff that you can do with your kids! http://www.kidsevents.com/search/search.cfm

Hope you all have a wonderful summer and we'll chat again soon!

Best,
Adrienne
Children's Librarian

Summer Reading is on the Way

No one needs to tell parents how important it is that their children continue to read over the summer. Children learn so much during the school year, and library summer reading programs are truly meant to help continue that learning process so that kids are ready to return to school in the fall.

The Edith Wheeler Memorial Library's summer reading program officially begins Saturday, June 19 with our kick-off program: Chalk It Up 2! But, parents and kids are welcome all summer long to check out all we have to offer and register for the reading program.

This year we are so lucky to have so many wonderful community sponsors!
Chuck E. Cheese of Danbury
Sports Look of Monroe
Dr. Mike's of Monroe
Cold Stone Creamery of Newtown
Pizzeria Uno's of Milford
Cycle Fitness of Monroe
The Bridgeport Bluefish
Athletic & Outdoor Sports of Shelton
Shelton Sports Center
The Beardsley Zoo
Monroe Parks and Recreation
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Skatetime of Monroe
Quassy Amusement Park
McDonald's of Monroe
Rita's of Bridgeport
Linda's Storytime of Monroe
Sal's Family Restaurant of Monroe
Jennie's Pizzeria of Monroe
Costco


So get ready to have your kids reading for fun and learning-and earning some great prizes along the way!

See you soon.

Adrienne
Children's Librarian

Hollywood Reads to You!

There are so many great resources out there on the web-especially when it comes to the virtual story hour! Yes, I said Virtual. Can't make it to your local library for story time? No worries! Check out Story Line Online.

http://www.storylineonline.net/

Here, actors and actresses read aloud wonderful children's books-and included are printable activities for you and your child. What more could you want? A show and lesson all in one.

I was recently given this link by a fellow librarian, and found it very neat. I hope you like it.

-Adrienne Wilson
Children's Librarian

Consumer Safety Recalls

Now that I'm going to be a parent too, I'm suddenly aware of all the recalls that the government has on many baby/child products that I might be going to purchase. How to keep up with all this information you may ask? I'm asking the same thing! Well, here's one way! You can sign up to the Consumer Product Safety Recalls Subscription List. Sign up for free, and you'll get emailed everytime there is a recall on something. Sign up for all product recalls, or just those types that interest you (children's products, sports products, household products etc.) Sign up by going to the on-line form for CPSC Subscription Lists at www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.


And you can unsubscribe at anytime.

WoW!

-Adrienne
Children's Librarian

NEW! Kidspeak Language Learning System

“Kidspeak Spanish”
Transparent Language
USB drive, interactive language immersion program
On line tutorials and parents’ guide (English)
Printable activity pages and parents guide (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)
J 468.3421 KIDSPEAK

¡Madres y padres, niños, hola!
Permitame to introduce you to my new friend at EWML! She can’t wait to meet your family. Her name is Pepa and you will find her in the new Spanish/English bilingual section. Just look for the DVD-size case titled “Kidspeak Spanish” and bring it to the circulation desk. Check out our new USB drive program and hang on to your sombrero!

¡Qué chica traviesa! When Pepa enseña (teaches) español, you learn Spanish while you play! It’s so easy! Los niños can gallop with mischievous Pepa and her caballo (horse) from one interactive video game to the next, or los padres can join in. The printable parents’ guide (English) has some great suggestions for using both the program and the printable activity pages.

“Kidspeak Spanish” includes activities for ages *3 and up. Pre-readers can click to “color” a page on line, or click to pack Pepa’s macuto (backpack) with school supplies. The youngest niños can simply click on the pictures to hear Pepa *repeat the names of colors, animals, clothing, numbers, and sing along with the songs included with each activity.

Pepa’s cool! This saucy señorita’s antics really appeal to older niños, too! Readers can immerse themselves in puzzles, bingo, tic, tac, toe, word scrambles, learn to add and subtract, tell time, and mucho más.

Por favor, check out “Kidspeak Spanish!” Let Pepa put a smile on your face in an uno, dos, tres.
Uno (1): plug in the “Kidspeak Spanish”USB key.
Dos (2): Click on “Run”
Tres (3): ¡Diviertanse! Have fun!

Tu amigo,
Lorenzo

*Padres, a few words may sound different if you are familiar with South American Spanish pronunciation. Pepa pronounces her c’s and z’s as they are pronounced in Spain. Click on the Reference icon, where the words are written next to the pictures, to help make the transition.

*The “Kidspeak Spanish” target audience starts at age three. Pepa speaks quickly. Some three-year-olds may be more comfortable with a less peppery cartoon personality.

A Dad Who Handles It All

Hi Parents,

This article was in the 4/4/2010 issue of Parade. One of our staff members turned me onto it, and I thought it was worth sharing.

Click on the title of this post and it will take you to the article.

-Adrienne Wilson
Children's Librarian

Advanced Readers Book Lists

Good guides available at EWML for parents of ‘tween readers!”

Oooppps! Jen and Jonnie can read! And, well beyond their grade level, too! So, what’s the problem? Well, it could be that your avid reader has informed you that he or she has outgrown the fiction classified as “J,” in other words “too babyish.”

Your reading wizard’s comprehension may be light years ahead of his or her chronological age when it comes to vocabulary, but is a 10 or 11 year-old socially mature enough to be exposed to some of the topics explored in novels designated for “young adults?” Only you, as a parent, can answer that question, but how do you find time to preview each and every book your child wants to check out? How you judge a book by its cover?

Here, at EWML, we can help you meet this “reading challenge.”

Just ask to see the lists of age appropriate titles available at the adult reference desk, the desk in the children’s library, and the great guide books on the Parenting shelf in the children’s library.

-Pat Salerno
Library Aide

We Moved Our Parenting Shelf

Hi Parents,

Just letting you know, that we recently relocated our Parenting Collection to the far left side of the Children's Play Area. You'll see it on your left, when you enter the area. We did this, because often when children are playing with the train table-it's hard for adults to get to those parenting books. We hope this helps out a bit.

Stay tuned for more news!

Best,
Adrienne

My Papa Diego and Me: Bilingual Book Review by Lorenzo

“My Papa Diego and Me: Memories of My Father and His Art”
“Mi papa Diego y yo, Recuerdos de mi padre y su arte”
By Guadalupe Rivera Marín
Artwork by Diego Rivera
J 759.972 RIV


Hola, madres y padres,
Buenas noticias! I have good news for everyone who would like to escape the chill of a New England day! Just slip between the covers of my libro favorito de enero, my favorite book for January: “My Papa Diego and Me/ Mi papa Diego y yo,” by Guadalupe Rivera Marín. You will find it on display with the new picture books.

Sí, that’s the one! The beautiful painting on the cover is by the famous Mexican painter Diego Rivera. ¿Qué? You say that you already know all about him? Bueno, OK. But, perhaps, not everything. Por favor, look inside! Unas sorpresas hermosas, beautiful surprises, are waiting for you. With each full page reproduction of Rivera’s paintings, Picos, the little girl who posed for “Picos con naranja” shares her recuerdos, her intimate memories and her love of Diego Rivera, who just happened to be her papá.

The paintings chosen by Dr. Marín (Picos) for this book record the life and customs in Mexico in the 20th Century: mothers and children working together in the flower market, children happily breaking a piñata at a fiesta; children walking in “La Procesión” celebrating Las Posadas. ¡Mira! Do you see the women braiding one another’s hair in “Mujeres peinándose?” Did you know that braids were required in those days? ¡Verdad! Really!

Bueno! Enough! I don’t want to tell you everything. I hope you will want to see for yourself. Rivera Marín has written in both Spanish and English so that niños of all ages can enjoy her special stories about the paintings and the secret, tender side of her famous papá.

Muralist Diego Rivera spent his life picturing his beloved Mexico. Por eso, it seems to be the perfect time to read Pico’s story, “My Papa Diego and Me/Mi papá Diego y yo.” Por favor, please join in EWML’s celebration of “Picturing America” by including this unique memoir(appropriate for all ages) about the “picturing” of Mexico, our North American neighbor just south of the border.

Qué se diviertan! Enjoy!
Su amigo,
Lorenzo

Children's Award Winners Annouced!

Hi Parents,

The American Library Association's committee for choosing the Newberry and Caldecott Awards has annouced the picks for 2010. Here they are:

Newbery Medal
"When You Reach Me," written by Rebecca Stead, published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books

Newbery Honor Books
"Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" written by Phillip Hoose, published by Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group
"The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" written by Jacqueline Kelly, published by Henry Holt and Company
"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" written by Grace Lin, published by Little Brown and Company Books for Young Readers
"The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg" written by Rodman Philbrick, published by The Blue Sky Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Caldecott Medal
"The Lion and the Mouse" illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney, published by Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers

Caldecott Honor Books
"All the World" illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon, published by Beach Lane Books
"Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors" illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman, puslished by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt