Children's Services @ the Saugus Public Library

September was Hunger Action Month, and a mom approached me about doing a series of special library storytimes focused on food and hunger.  She had the idea to include a food drive for the local food pantry, which was a wonderful way to tie learning and action together.

The other awesome idea this mom brought to the storytime was a hands-on retelling of Stone Soup, complete with her homemade set of props (see below).  It’s such a simple story: hungry travelers stumble into a village that doesn’t have much food.  Everyone is carefully guarding what little they have, and no one will share with the hungry travelers.  What to do?  Make stone soup, of course!  Three stones in a bubbling pot of water (and some clever prodding from the travelers) inspires the villagers to share a little of what they have to make a satisfying meal for everyone.

Instead of reading the story from a book, we all got involved with the tale!  I found a pot and three people in my stash of flannelboard figures, and then there were the stones:

Stone soup: complete with embellished stones!

The photo quality isn’t great, but each stone has a different soup ingredient painted or stickered to the stone.  Each child gets a stone (or two or three) and plays the part of a villager.  “Oh gee, this soup would be so much more delicious with salt and pepper!” And up comes the salt and pepper stone.  By the end of today’s two retellings, the kids were flocking to the cook pot to share their bounty.

What a great way to bring the story to life!

Many thanks to Carrie at Crafty Moms Share for suggesting today’s storytimes and shaping them into something great.

Monday, April 23 at 11 AM.  Ages 2-6. Elmo will lead a special storytime for preschoolers! Meet this wonderful Sesame Street character in person, and enjoy exciting stories and activities.

This weekend marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.  If you’d like to learn more about the tragedy, or read a story set during its fateful voyage, then we have the books for you!

Lassieur, Allison (2012).  Can You Survive The Titanic? An Interactive Survival Adventure (Gr. 3-5)

You are a passenger on the most spectacular ocean liner ever built the Titanic. When the ship hits an iceberg and begins to sink, it’s going to take more than luck to survive. Will you, try to save lives as a member of the ships medical crew? Protect the children of your wealthy employers? Experience the disaster as a 12-year-old boy with inside knowledge of the ship? Face the life or death dilemmas of the most famous shipwreck in history. You choose what you’ll do next. The choices you make will either lead you to safety or to doom.

McPherson, Stephanie Sammartino (2012).  Iceberg, Right Ahead!: The Tragedy of the Titanic (Gr. 3-5)

Learn all about the history of the Titanic, the night of the sinking, and the discovery of the wreck.

Korman, Gordon (2011).  Unsinkable (Gr. 3-5)

The Titanic is meant to be unsinkable, but as it begins its maiden voyage, there’s plenty of danger waiting for four of its young passengers. Paddy is a stowaway, escaping a deadly past. Sophie’s mother is delivered to the ship by police – after she and Sophie have been arrested. Juliana’s father is an eccentric whose riches can barely hide his madness. And Alfie is hiding a secret that could get him kicked off the ship immediately. The lives of these four passengers will be forever linked with the fate of the Titanic. And the farther they get from shore, the more the danger looms.

Osborn, Mary Pope (1999).  Tonight On The Titanic (Gr. 1-3)

Titanic trouble! Jack and Annie are in for an exciting, scary, and sad adventure when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the decks of the Titanic. Is there anything they can do to help the ill-fated ship? Will they be able to save anyone? Will they be able to save themselves?

… in the world of children’s literature, March is all about School Library Journal’s Battle of the Kids’ Books.  Beginning this week, notable children’s/YA authors will judge showdowns between two books at a time–bracket-style, just like basketball.

Tomorrow’s battle is between Amelia Lost and Anya’s Ghost.  Check back each day for a new pair of books, and keep an eye on those brackets.

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center is looking for parents or legal guardians of children between the ages of 2 and 6 to participate in a survey about children, books, and reading.

If you have a child in that age range, head over to take their survey!  It’ll take about 20 minutes, and you’ll be eligible for a $50 Amazon gift card.

Click here for the survey.