Kids' Connection | YP | Blog | Vigo County Public Library

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Children's Storytimes

A World of Adventure

For Ages 3 – 8

Main Library

Wednesdays

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
June 12, 19, & 26
July 3 & 17

Baby Book Worms

For Ages 0 – 17 months

Main Library

Wednesdays

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
June 12, 19, & 26
July 3 & 17

Toddler Tales

For Ages 18 – 36 months

Main Library

Wednesdays

11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
June 12, 19, & 26
July 3 & 17

Please register for storytimes by
calling 812–232–1115.
No registration required
during Summer Reading!

Kids Blog

Amelia Bedelia!

by Miss Alicia

Who is your favorite character from a book? One of my favorite book characters growing up was Amelia Bedelia. Amelia Bedelia picture books follow Amelia as a young girl in elementary school and the Amelia Bedelia chapter books follow Amelia as an adult. In each Amelia Bedelia book, there are always several funny circumstances where Amelia does EXACTLY what someone says. In the book, Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping, Mr. Rogers asks if Amelia can row a boat. Amelia then gets all four boats and puts them in a row. In another book, Amelia was playing a game of baseball and someone asked her to steal first base. Amelia picked up first base from the ground and started running with it in her hand. Oh Amelia, you are so silly! If you enjoy reading books that make you laugh, then you will love reading Amelia Bedelia books. The Vigo County Public Library has several Amelia Bedelia books that can be found in the picture book section and the easy reader section in Young Peoples.

Bike Safety

by Mrs. Clark

Do you have a bike? What is the best thing about riding your bike? Do you enjoy riding with family or friends? Do you like riding down hills gaining speed and then seeing how long it takes to coast to a stop?

Before you go riding again think about safety. The library has resources to help you learn about how to ride carefully in a variety of locations. One title I found helpful is Cyclist Bikelist: The Book for Every Rider by Laura Robinson. Many online sites also explain how to check your bike before you ride and offer safe riding tips.

I hope you do have the chance to ride your bike on these nice weather days and I trust you will wear a helmet and ride safely.

Jim Gill

by Miss Holly

Did you get to see Jim Gill on Saturday? If you missed his show, you can still enjoy his talents! Many of his videos are posted on his website. Or, you can chek out a CD from the Young Peoples Department and listen to several silly songs!

Have you read A Soup Opera? It is a really funny book about a man in a restaurant who is waiting for his dinner. It was written by Jim Gill. You can check it out from the Young Peoples Department.

Take a Tumble!

by Mrs. Clark

Hey, I have just looked at the coolest site! It is called Tumble Books and you can get to it from the VCPL website. I found the link down low on the right side of the Kid’s Connection Page. I have also seen it at the very top of the main page as a graphic that changes to highlight other information. Click on the picture of the book-person. On this site you can look at book covers and information about that book. Click a title that interests you and the book opens for you to see. The site also has questions to answer after you have read or listened to the book. Try an interactive puzzle. One hint on jigsaw puzzles the piece must be placed in the right location it then locks in place. When you find the piece next to that piece drag it over and the new piece will lock in place. The books on the Tumble Books site are not just for little kids. I saw a selection of books for 4th graders! Give it a try and let us know what you like best.

100 Years of Titanic

by Miss Holly

The Titanic was the biggest, fanciest ocean liner the world had ever seen! She was called unsinkable because of the safety features that were included in her design. But on Sunday, April 14th, 1912, she hit an iceberg and started to take on water. In the early morning hours of April 15, 1912, she sank. Many people are interested in the story of the majestic ship and the passengers and crew who were on board.

In 1985, the wreckage of the Titanic was located underwater. Since then, many artifacts have been brought to the surface and shared with museums around the world. Some people think that the Titanic remains should not be disturbed. Others think it is important to bring those items to the surface. What do you think? If you would like to learn more about the Titanic, visit the YP Department. You will want to explore the nonfiction shelves, 910.453.

Pick Me! Pick Me!

Cover: Don't Let Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

by Margaret

Mo Willems wrote the pigeon books. You know, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog. He also wrote Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale where Trixie loses her beloved stuffed bunny. We also can’t leave out Pig from Happy Pig Day! and Elephant from I Broke My Trunk! If you know your Mo Willems books, and I’m sure that you do, you probably have a favorite character. I know who mine is. Who is yours?

Spring Break Fun

Yay! Spring break is just around the corner. If you don’t have anything planned, here are some fun and inexpensive activities you can do at home on your time off from school. Make your Spring break a fun one! Just make sure to get permission from you parents before picking an activity.

Volunteer ~ You could help a neighbor by planting flowers or taking care of their animals, or you could volunteer at a homeless or animal shelter.
Backwards Day ~ You could designate one day as “backwards” day where you would do everything backwards. You could eat dinner for breakfast, wear your clothes backwards, or say “hello” when someone is leaving. Have fun and use your imagination!
Cook ~ Find a yummy recipe and then serve the finished product to family and friends.
Themed Reading Cave ~ Build a “reading cave” in your bedroom, or another room in your house. Pick a theme for your cave, and then start building it using items found around your house. Some themed “reading cave” ideas are: Magic Tree House, camping, beach, Star Wars, or Harry Potter. Once your cave is built, pick a good book, and read it while relaxing it your newly built “reading cave”.

Speaking of Carl, the Big Black Rottweiler

by Margaret K

Did you know that Carl from the books by Alexandra Day has his own web page? I found it by accident, but I am willing to share the site with you. Here it is: GoodDogCarl.com. You can read about Carl’s favorite foods, his favorite movies and even his favorite animals! You can read about Carl’s author and you can see a list of books about Carl. Imagine! A dog having his own website!

Wanted: Dog Lovers

Cover: Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

by Margaret K

I love dogs and there are several picture books and easy readers that have been written about dogs. There’s Carl, the big black Rottweiler, who stars in Alexandra Day’s picture books. He gets into some trouble, but he means well. Clifford, the Big Red Dog, is red and big! He belongs to Emily Elizabeth, but Norman Bridwell writes both the picture books and the easy readers for her. Biscuit is a cute and cuddly puppy and loves to make friends according to author, Alyssa Capucilli. The Biscuit books are found in the easy reader section. Finally, there is Mudge. Mudge is a big, drooling dog who loves his friend Henry. He doesn’t mean to get into trouble, but somehow he does. Cynthia Rylant tells his stories in easy readers for beginning readers. Ok. Here is the question: If you could choose one of these dogs as your pet, which one would it be?

Do you want to play a game?

by Mrs. Clark

Do you know what a board game is? No, I did not say a bored game. A board game has no electronic parts. It usually comes in a box made from cardboard. When I was a child most of these games did not require batteries. Let me give you some examples. If you have played Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, Parcheesi or Hi Ho! Cherry-o, then you have played a board game.

Board games are a fun activity to try with family or friends. Test your skill at moving your token around the board. Experience what it is like to send someone back to start by landing on their spot, but be ready to be sent back to your start by another player.

Which board game is your favorite? Why do you think you like this game best? Maybe you can take a break from the TV, computer games, and video games to experience a board game. I don’t think it will bore you!

A Laugh a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Cover: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney

by Cindy

Are you suffering from Cabin Fever? Do you have the Winter Blues? Are you bored out of your skull? We haven’t exactly been stuck in the house like Greg Heffley in the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, but let’s face it, who wants to go outside and play baseball, or ride your bike, or go swimming!! So what to do?

Reading a funny book will always (a) un–bore me; (b) make me forget my aches and pains; and (c) get me laughing out loud. And who can be depressed when they’re laughing their heads off? (Did you ever see someone actually laugh their head off? Yeah, me neither.) So here are some of my favorite funny books for kids:

Jokes & Riddles — almost any will do! (J793.735 in the nonfiction)

Picture Books & Easy Readers

Click Clack Moo by Doreen Cronin
Imogene's Antlers by David Small
Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon
Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish

Juvenile Fiction

Humphrey series by Betty G. Birney (I LOVE–LOVE–LOVE this little Golden Hamster!)
Superfudge by Judy Blume
Mrs. Child Has Gone Wild by Dan Gutman
The Trouble With Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin

Whose Birthday is it?

by Mrs. Clark

In our country we celebrate Presidents’ Day on February 20. This holiday recognizes U.S. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809. He was the sixteenth President of the United States of America. Do you know when George Washington was born?

George Washington was born February 22, 1732. He served as President for eight years from 1789 – 1797. If you’d like to have fun learning more about George Washington check out the Smithsonian Institute Website at http://georgewashington.si.edu. There are several interactive games for you to explore.

State Reports Due? We Can Help!

by Miss Holly

It’s time to tackle your homework. Your teacher has assigned a state report and you have no idea where to begin. Where do you find a picture of the Alabama state flower or the Arizona state flag? Don’t worry! Our America the Beautiful database can help you.

The database has several different sections. Click on the "Fast Facts" tab and you will find the most common information about the state you are studying, including the state motto, song, bird and flower. Under the "Profiles" tab, you will find biographical information about famous people from your state. When you search "Indiana", you will find all types of people from Jeff Gordon to Eugene Debs. Choose the "Culture" tab to learn more about the people who live in your state and their ethnic backgrounds.

Once your homework is done, check out the "Games" tab at the top of the page. There are lots of fun options to help you learn states and capitals, state and local history and interesting geographic information. You can even compare two states and learn how they are similar and how they are different. Check out all of our databases for more!

Saint Valentine

by Cindy

I loved parties at school when I was a kid. I bet you do too! Special crafts, games, cookies, candy — all that stuff made holidays more fun. I always loved cutting out pink and red paper hearts to glue onto white paper sacks for collecting my Valentines. (We never got to use white bags any other time of the year.) Nowadays, my granddaughters decorate some pretty fancy shoeboxes for their Valentine parties!

We send Valentines to tell people we care about them, or even love them. But why are these special little cards called Valentines?

Valentine’s Day has been around for more than 2000 years! But it wasn’t always called Valentine’s Day. During an early Roman celebration known as the Festival of Lupercalia that was held on February 14 and 15, the girls all put their names in a big pot, and each boy drew out the name of a girl who would be his partner for the festival. Sometimes they fell in love. About 300 years later, the ruler of Rome made a law that said young men were not allowed to get married, because he needed them to be soldiers. But a priest named Valentine didn’t think that was right, and he would marry couples anyway. So the ruler had him killed on February 14. After that, he was made a saint in the church, and it is said that people started honoring his memory on February 14 by expressing their love for each other. Apparently there were three priests known as "Saint Valentine," and they each have a different story. That’s the thing about legends — we’ll never really know for sure.

Let the Game Begin!

Cover: Super Sandwhichs by Rose Dunnington

by Margaret

Do you have your Super Bowl snacks planned yet? Check out one of our kids’ cookbooks and have some family fun in the kitchen while you try something new. Be sure to let us know what you fixed. We love to try new recipes too!

Snow Fun

by Mrs. Clark

What is your favorite thing to do in the snow? I remember sledding when I was young. We didn?t use anything fancy or go anywhere special and we all had a great time. Even if there are no hills nearby taking turns pulling each other on a sled can be fun. Here are some things to think about before taking the first run down a hill.

Be sure to dress in warm clothes, including a coat, mittens or gloves, boots and a hat. When you are comfortable you can play longer.
Look at the area you will sled in with an adult before your first run. Never sled into a street, alley or driveway. Look over the area to be sure there are no hidden tree stumps or sharp objects hidden by the snow.
Let someone know where you will be and what time you plan to return home. Better yet take an adult with you. We adults need fun in our lives too!

Stay safe and enjoy the winter wonderland!

Look at Frosty Go!

by Margaret

"Frosty the Snow Man" was originally a song made famous by Gene Autry in 1950. (He also sang "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"). In that same year, Little Golden Books published the story of Frosty. Later, a cartoon was made based on the book. As you can see, Frosty has been around for a long, long time! Ask some of the grown-ups in your life what books they read when they were little and let us know what books they enjoyed!

Sledding!

by Laraine

It is no secret I love snow. The main reason is that my birthday is in January and for many birthdays I had sledding parties. It was so much fun! I grew up on a farm that had a really tall hill. It was a little tiring dragging the sled up the hill, but the ride down was worth it! There were bumps and lumps to send you flying into the air and an occasional curious cow to dodge. I never minded the numb toes and bright red nose when it was time to go inside. Mainly because my mom would make hot chocolate for us as we peeled off the layers of snowy wet things and got into snug warm dry ones.

You may already know that snow is simply rain that has been frozen while it was up in the clouds. It is said that no 2 snowflakes are alike. Isn’t it an amazing thing to think that millions of flakes can all be different? Snowflakes are like people in that way … no 2 are exactly alike!

Make your own snowflakes:

Welcome to the World of Jan Brett

by Margaret

Hedgie’s Surprise, The Hat, The Mitten, and Armadillo Rodeo are just a few of Jan Brett’s popular books. If you want to learn more about this author/illustrator or if you want to find some fun games and activities that go with her books, try her website! You will find lots to do!

Beat the Boredom!

by Margaret

Hey, Kids! Looking for something to do when it’s too cold to be outside? Check out the I Can Read website for cool games and activities about your favorite book characters. You’ll find Fancy Nancy, Amelia Bedelia, Flat Stanley, Minnie and Moo, Frog and Toad and more. Have fun and let us know what you think!