YAACING Winter 2015 BC SRC PreConference MiniConference
Dispatches from a Rural Librarian
Imagination, Technology and Childhood picture books
Chinese New Year & Teddy Bear Picnic Storytimes
NEWSLETTER OF THE YOUNG ADULT & CHILDREN’S SERVICES SECTION OF BCLA
YAACING winter 2015
CONTENTS WINTER 2015
4 Message from the Chair 5 Message from the Editors
NEWS 6 BC Library Conference to host BC SRC PreConference Mini-Conference 7 Stellar Award 2014/2015
COLUMNS
FEATURES 21 Chinese New Year Storytime, by Veronica Fu and Crystal Yin 24 Teddy Bear Picnic Preschool Playtime, by Deanna King 28 Imagination, Technology, and Childhood: An Annotated Bibliography of Picture Books, by Alexandria Yurgensen
8 Kaitlyn’s Programming Corner: Homework Help, by Kaitlyn Vardy 33 10 Teens Only: Double Digit Programming, by Heather Gloster 13 Dispatches From a Rural Librarian: To Boldly Go, by Amy Dawley 15 We’ll Link to That!: Jbrary’s Internet Finds, by Lindsey Krabbenhoft and Dana Horrocks 17 Who’s on the Felt Board?: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears? by Ana Calabresi
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REVIEWS CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS YAACS (Young Adults and Children’s Services) is a section of the British Columbia Library Association. Founded in 1980, our members include librarians, teacher-librarians and other library workers interested in services to youth in British Columbia. Our purpose is to promote the exchange of ideas among library personnel who work with Children and Young Adults. YAACING is published 4 times per year. Editors: Alicia Cheng Stefania Alexandru Art Director: Afton Schindel If you are interested in submitting anything for publication, send it to yaacing@gmail.com Next Deadline: March 1, 2015 WINTER 2015 | YAACING 3
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Happy Winter YAACS! As I write this, I’m simultaneously sucking on a candy cane, listening to Christmas music, and planning the last minute details on my final holiday storytime of the year! Fall is my favourite season, but Christmas is without a doubt my favourite holiday. The new year is just around the corner, however, and 2015 holds a lot of promise for the youth library world. The deadline for the BCLA Conference proposals has just passed, and a number of people have been kind enough to share their ideas with me. I can’t wait to see which sessions are chosen! I’m hoping for an increase in children’s and youth related sessions at the conference this year. The more we share our ideas, successes and even concerns about our particular branch of the library profession, the more we will be able to impact youth librarianship in BC and ultimately better serve the youth in our communities. And on that note, I know one of our main topics at this January’s YAACS meeting will be how best to promote YAACS at the conference! In other news, the wonderful Maggie Hodge-Kwan is stepping down from her role as Vancouver Island’s Continuing Education Representative for YAACS. I’d like to thank her for being part of YAACS, and wish her all the best. We look forward to welcoming Nancy Duncan as our new Vancouver Island Continuing Education Representative at our next meeting in January. I am also very excited to welcome my long-time close friend and fellow librarian Afton Schindel to the YAACS crew! We have her to thank as our new Artistic Director for these beautiful graphic designs in this and future issues of YAACING. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, and as always, I’m excited to find out what winter programming and initiatives your libraries have planned! If there’s ever anything that you want to share or ideas that you want to see YAACS get involved in, please do let me know. - Kaylea Prime YAACS Chair, BCLA kayleancormier@gmail.com 4 YAACING | WINTER 2015
MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS By the time you are seeing the Winter issue of YAACING, we will have enjoyed another holiday season, and another December full of special programming in public libraries across BC. We are happy to bring you exciting news about a BC SRC pre-conference mini-conference hosted by BCLA at this year’s May conference, where SRC coordinators will have a chance to connect and exchange planning and programming ideas for future years. We also have a gentle reminder to support the Stellar Award for Young Adult Fiction and the list of nominees for the 2014/15 award on page 7. This issue contains many beginnings. We want to welcome newly minted Teen Librarian at the Prince George Public Library, Heather Gloster, to the YAACING fold. Heather writes about Double Digit, programming for 10 to 12 years olds, in this issue’s Teens Only column. Amy Dawley tells us about her new adventures as a rural librarian on Gabriola Island and how she is adjusting her years of experience as a Teen Librarian to serve a wider variety of patrons. And welcome too, to our new art director, Afton Schindel. Happy winter! We are looking forward to hearing about your preparations for the BCLA Conference in May, your programming ideas, your book reviews, your felt stories, and your experiences from every corner of the province. Our next submission deadline is Sunday, March 1, 2015.
- Alicia Cheng and Stefania Alexandru YAACING Editors yaacing@gmail.com WINTER 2015 | YAACING 5
NEWS
BC Library Conference to host BC SRC Pre-Conference MiniConference, Wednesday, May 20, 2015 This half-day, stand-alone, pre-conference session will be an opportunity to meet your fellow SRCers, to put faces to email addresses, to hear great speakers, to get inspired, to get your questions answered, to exchange best practices, to brainstorm ideas for future BC SRC themes! We’re in the planning stages and welcome your ideas and suggestions. Here are some of the topics we are thinking of so far: •
How to run a summer reading club program
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How to apply for student grants to staff a summer reading program
•
How to effectively promote your summer reading program in your community
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How to use social media to effectively connect to your community
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How to tell our stories about the impact of summer reading programs and libraries
The theme of this year’s BC Library Conference is Creative Communities. What a great setting in which to launch our inaugural “BC SRC Pre-Conference Mini-Conference”. (The name might need a little work, though… any ideas?) If you’re an experienced SRCer and would be interested in sitting on the panel “How to Run an SRC program,” we’d love to hear from you! Please contact me directly at bcsrc@bclibrary.ca. Registration will be required for this event, so we can organize things like chairs and snacks! Stay tuned for more details and registration information!
- Cynthia Ford BC Summer Reading Club Coordinator
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NEWS
Stellar Award 2014/2015 Young Adult Fiction: Stellar Award Nominees for 2014/15 The Young Reader’s Choice Awards Society of BC is pleased to announce the list of nominees for the Stellar Award 2014/15. Nominated titles are carefully selected by teens around BC. The nominated titles for our tenth season are: Color of Silence by Liane Shaw (Second Story Press) Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass (Pajama Press) An Infidel in Paradise by S.J. Laidlaw (Tundra Random House) Over My Head by Charles DeLint (Penguin) Power Play by Eric Walters (HarperCollins) The Rising by Kelley Armstrong (Doubleday Canada) Slated by Teri Terry (Nancy Paulsen Books Penguin) Tag Along by Tom Ryan (Orca Book Publishers) Undercurrent by Paul Blackwell (HarperTeen HarperCollins) Until Today by Pam Fluttert - (Second Story Press) War Brothers by Sharon McKay (Annick Press) Who I’m Not by Ted Staunton (Orca Book Publishers) Teens between the ages of 13 and 19 can vote for the winner at our website http://stellaraward. bclibraries.ca during the summer months. Refer to the website for reviewing and voting guidelines. We ask you to promote the award to your Teen Advisory Groups and teen book clubs; encourage them to read the books, write reviews, and vote. Due to low participation, we did not declare a winner last season. Sadly, 2014/15 could be the final year for the award if lack of interest continues. Through the Stellar Award we can promote Canadian Young Adult authors and bring a spotlight to their work. With your help, we can make this a dynamic Stellar season! - Katherine Parker (VPL) Chair, Stellar Award Committee WINTER 2015 | YAACING 7
COLUMNS KAITLYN’S PROGRAMMING CORNER
Homework Help
by Kaitlyn Vardy
The Prince George Public Library decided to implement a Homework Help program, as there had been frequent requests for the library to create a program that assists children with their homework. These requests have come from parents with children of all ages and backgrounds. Although providing a child with a tutor can help their grades immensely, hiring a private 8 YAACING | WINTER 2015
tutor can be very costly. This recognized need is what really ignited the program to kick off. In order to get this program up and running, we needed to seek grant funding, as we wanted to hire highly qualified subject specific tutors. I applied for grant funding through our city’s Literacy Association. They agreed that the program would be wonderful, and we got the funding!
Here is an overview of the program and what we wanted to achieve:
Program: Homework Help Program Target Audience:
tutors. We also called other tutoring centres in town and were informed that Math and English were the most requested subjects children needed help with. •
• School aged children/teens (ages 6–18 years)
o 2 Math Tutors o 2 English Tutors
Goals: •
Create a non-judgmental environment for children to learn.
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Assist the growing newcomer population with Immigrant & Multicultural Services Society.
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Assist parents to help their children to achieve academic success and enjoy learning.
Program Structure: •
We offered the Homework Help program twice a week. o Tuesdays 3:30–4:30pm o Saturdays 1:00–2:30pm
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This program was completely free for patrons; however, registration was required.
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We restricted the homework help to Math and English. Doing so allowed us to hire qualified subject specific
We hired:
•
Children were matched up with tutors based on their need. We assigned two children max to a tutor, to ensure they received sufficient one on one help.
Success Story! One mother informed
me that her child who came to the program every week improved his Math grade from a C to an A! We were very happy to hear that! Overall the program has been a total hit, and is appreciated by many children and families. If you have the opportunity to do this at your library, I highly suggest you try it out.
If you’ve done a Homework Help program before I’d love to hear how you conducted the program. If you’d like to start a Homework Help program, I’d love to help you get started. Please email me at kvardy@pgpl.ca. Happy Programming!
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COLUMNS TEENS ONLY
Double Digit Programming by Heather Gloster
Hi everyone, my name is Heather Gloster and I started working at the Prince George Public Library at the end of April as a Junior Programmer. I became the Teen Librarian in September but wanted to discuss the success of our Double Digit (10-12 year olds) program for my first YAACING column. At the Prince George Public Library Children’s staff divide age groupings for the Summer Reading Program and other programming into 6 to 9 year olds and Double Digits (10-12 year olds). This makes it easier to attract older elementary school students because they don’t feel like they are being lumped in with the younger 10 YAACING | WINTER 2015
children, and as a result we saw higher attendance at our programs. In this column I am going to discuss some of the ways we have successfully engaged with the Double Digit demographic in Prince George. During the Summer Reading Program every Thursday the Double Digit crowd came roaring in the library laughing, joking and best of all, excited to be at the library! I started out each session by making sure the Double Digits had name tags on and introduced one another. Some of the group came in little packs of friends while others were in Prince George visiting grandparents for the summer
and didn’t know anyone. The once-a-week Double Digit program became very important for some of the group as it allowed them to make friends and socialize with their peers as summer can be isolating for some with no regular routine. After introductions I did 5 or 6 book talks and then opened up the floor to the Double Digits to share with the group what they were reading. Most of the group was also taking part in the Double Digit summer reading challenge so they would also chat about which challenges they were working on. After that we did a craft, played WII, Minecraft, board games, or participated in a scavenger hunt. Due to the success of the summer Double Digit programs we decided to continue running it through the school year. The teachers’ strike in the fall resulted in bored kids and lots of interest in the Double Digit Drop-in. One afternoon I had planned to run Minecraft in our lab with 11 computers. The library also has 3 laptops available, so I thought we would be covered. Boy, was I wrong! Word had gotten out about Double Digit Drop-in and we had twice the usual amount of attendees! This has been the only downfall of drop-in style programming where a certain number of computers are required. What works best for me with this age group is giving them options during the one hour that they are with us. Sometimes I set up 4 or 5 stations, and sometimes it is just two options. Some of the activities are:
WII games I like to use Just Dance or Just Dance Kids
(the boys might have reservations about this at first but trust me they will get into it). We have four controllers but that didn’t stop Double Digits from joining in and doing the dance moves without a controller.
Board Games It is fun to set up a bunch that they can choose from and try. I put on some upbeat tunes in the background and encouraged people to play games with people they didn’t know.
Minecraft This is a hugely successful program with this demographic. Most of the Double Digits had some experience with the game and would help each other so my lack of Minecraft knowledge didn’t affect the program too much. Everyone really enjoyed being in the same virtual world and they chatted happily as they all played together. This is a really good time to set up a display with any Minecraft books you may have.
Crafts I did some traditional friendship bracelet– type crafts with the Double Digits that some enjoyed more than others. This is a good time to have the WII hooked up and a deck of cards at the ready for people who are not so craft inclined.
Birthday party–type games Playing musical chairs is always fun but I did have one bad episode where a couple of boys were fighting over a chair and started shoving each other. A small tussle ensued and it was ⊲⊲⊲
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COLUMNS quite uncomfortable for the other Double Digits and me! Setting some boundaries before beginning is important as I later found out!
Scavenger hunt This is always a hit! I use donated books as the prize and get them to do a number of activities and searching for things in the library. Depending on the size of your library and staff you could have the children sing a song to the circulation staff, walk like zombies to the top of the stairs, impersonate their favourite Harry Potter character to the reference librarian etc. The only issue I had with this was some participants racing around the library and not being careful of patrons who have mobility issues. I heard after that a patron complained to circulation about how they were worried about getting knocked over. A quick reminder to look out for other patrons before the scavenger hunt starts.
Button Maker Our library has a button maker and Double Digits think it is pretty much the niftiest thing in the world. We have a box of discarded books, magazines and graphic novels that we go through and find interesting images to turn into buttons. This activity also helped to promote Double Digits because as the children would go to school with their awesome library made buttons on their 12 YAACING | WINTER 2015
backpacks, others would become interested in Double Digits and start turning up. With so much emphasis on early lit programs and teen programming the Double Digits can easily get missed. They are a group that have their own unique needs that don’t quite align with that of teens or younger children. They yearn to be spoken to like adults, have fun, and chat about the latest Erin Hunter book! I have had such a blast hanging out with the Double Digits every Thursday; it is truly a highlight of my week. Since September I took over Amy Dawley’s position as Teen Librarian and have continued to do Double Digit Dropin every week. I am really excited about the relationships I am building with this age group because it will make recruiting for the Teen Youth Advisory Board in the future very simple! If you have any further questions about programming for Double Digits please don’t hesitate to contact me via phone at 250-5639251 ext. 105 or by email hgloster@pgpl.ca. Heather Gloster was the Junior Programmer until September when she became the Teen Librarian at the Prince George Public Library.
COLUMNS DISPATCHES FROM A RURAL LIBRARIAN
To Boldly Go By Amy Dawley
This past summer I took a huge leap. I applied for and was the successful candidate for a position that landed me in a small library branch on Gabriola Island, one of the Gulf Islands off the coast of Vancouver Island. Never having visited this particular island, or having lived anywhere else except Prince George save for the year I went to library school, I embarked on an adventure that took me on a completely new ride. From a municipal library in Prince George to a regional system on Vancouver Island, I left behind all I knew from the last 10 years of working at PGPL to start something fresh and completely new. When the word started to spread about my change in position, I began to hear from my librarian colleagues and YAACing readers from all across British Columbia. They were all excited and wished me well (thank you!), but the one unifying theme was that they hoped that I wouldn’t stop advocating for teens now that my job wasn’t as a teen librarian anymore. I’ll be the first one to admit that I was sad to leave the job that I loved for the past six years, but it was also time for me to move on. I laid the foundation for some beautiful things for teens in Prince George, and I was excited for someone else to take it over who was energized to see it through to the next steps, whatever they may be.
My new role is that of a more general librarian–I oversee branch operations while also performing community outreach and designing and delivering programs for children, teens, adults and seniors and everyone in between. Changing my librarian brain from being a specialist to a generalist has been interesting, but what’s struck me the most in my new role is how I’ve had to relearn and reconceive of everything I’ve learned about programming in libraries because of the new situation I find myself in. Gone are the days of room bookings and set up, as my new library branch has no separate and dedicated programming room. Storage space is limited and what little storage our branch does have is highly sought after. This makes accumulating programming supplies extremely challenging and even potentially detrimental to the overall functioning of the branch. To top it off, there is only one of me to go around, so whether I am designing programs for young children or seniors, I always have to remember that I am on my own and to not bite off more than I can chew. Many of you seasoned rural librarians reading this are probably laughing at what are most likely my terribly obvious observations about programming in a small, rural branch library, but to this gal who is used to slinging Nerf weapons in a twenty-thousand-square⊲⊲⊲
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COLUMNS foot library arena lock-in style, it has been a bit of a culture shock! I remembered the kinds of questions I’d always get at the Beyond Hope Library Conference in Prince George, which brings together library professionals from communities in British Columbia north of Hope. Many of the attendees are from relatively small, one-room libraries and when they’d attend my teen programming conference sessions, they reminded me that they didn’t have a dedicated program space, or sometimes not even an open space in which to lay out program supplies at all. My new experience on Gabriola, paired with what I’ve heard from other folks in small libraries all across BC, has prompted me to want to write about what it’s like to serve children and teens in these smaller spaces, and to share the successes and failures with others who are in the same boat as I am. In my heart of hearts, I will probably always be a teen librarian and will continue to advocate for the needs of teens in libraries. Now, in my new role, I like to think of what I do as serving teens of all ages, from young children as “tiny teens” to adults as “older teens” to seniors as “much older teens,” I am stretching my skill set and learning to meet the needs of teens at all stages of their life. It won’t be easy and I will probably have challenges, but I’m looking forward to this new adventure and hope you’ll enjoy reading my antics as I boldly go.
Do you have stories you’d like to share about working in a smaller library? Is there something the drives you nutty about rural library life? I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line any time at adawley@virl.bc.ca or 250-247-7878. If you are a Teen Librarian or are a librarian passionate about serving teens in libraries, YAACing is looking for a new columnist to take over Teens Only! Please contact them at yaacing@gmail. com.
Amy Dawley is the Customer Services Librarian II at the Gabriola Island branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library. Before joining VIRL, she was the Teen Librarian at the Prince George Public Library for over six years. 14 YAACING | WINTER 2015
COLUMNS WE’LL LINK TO THAT
Jbrary’s Internet Finds By Lindsey Krabbenhoft and Dana Horrocks
Usually we’re all about bringing you all the link love one little article can contain, but this quarter we’re changing things up. We are constantly discovering new blogs dedicated to youth services. Some of these blogs are just starting up, and some of them are well established. In both cases, they’ve made it onto our radar over the past few months, and we want to share them with you. So get your RSS feeds ready! 1. HAFUBOTI: Rebecca’s blog is an absolute must-read! Her monthly displays and passive programs are a sight to behold with recent additions such as Dinovember and Decemberley. This blog is bursting with creativity, from crafts to graphic design projects. Everything you see you’ll want to do in your own library. 2. PLAYING THE HITS: Don’t let the byline fool you - Maggie is no rookie! One thing we look for in blogs is a diversity of content and this one delivers. Read about unique storytime themes such as Pizza Dinosaurs,
learn about apps she uses in her iTots storytime, or get the rundown on holding a Minecraft club. The Chicago area is lucky to have her! 3. GEEKED LIBRARIAN: Lots of STEM ideas on this blog by a newly minted children’s librarian. Learn how to make squishy circuits or find out how to make a library website with no budget! We also love how she discusses how she tweaks and revamps the programs she’s inherited such as this music and movement storytime. 4. LAURA’S LIBRARY ADVENTURE: We were drawn in by the
adorable profile picture, we stayed for the top notch content. With over 10 years’ experience, Laura wows us with her full spectrum of programs such as her preschool labs, pumpkin palooza, and storytime goodies. We also love her ideas for the after school crowd: hands-on science and sweet snacks. 5. MISS COLLEEN’S CORNER: Colleen blogs about all different kinds of storytimes and her posts are very thoughtful and detailed. She explains why she chose the books and songs for each theme. We also love ⊲⊲⊲ WINTER 2015 | YAACING 15
COLUMNS her StoryTech posts which explain how she incorporates technology into storytime. Additionally, she’s blogged about a sensory storytime which she offered with the cutest visual cue cards ever. 6. LIBRARYKRISTEN: While Kristen’s blog is only a couple months old it is brimming with thoughtful content. Her blog focuses on both her experiences as a Children’s’ Librarian and her participation in the Colorado Association of Libraries Leadership Institute (CALLI). The result is lots of great reflection on topics like screen time, professional goal setting and awesome ideas when it comes to books and programs. 7. ERINISINIRE: We love following Erin on Twitter because she keeps it so real and her blog is no different. Her recent post about what she wants to do highlights her commitment to all things awesome and early literacy. Look no further than her TMNT Passive Program or her Ode to Babytime for original ideas and plain old hilarious writing. 16 YAACING | WINTER 2015
8. THE ADVENTURES OF A BOOKGIRL: We love Bookgirl’s blog for its well organized content (c’mon we’re librarians too!) and lots of gorgeous pictures. Check out her Tween, Teen and YA programs and display ideas as well as her Sensory Storytime for some neat visual tools.
Adult book reviews. All this makes for a blog worth following.
9. THE FROZEN LIBRARIAN: It’s not just because she’s so close to the Canadian border she gets French radio that we’re excited about this new blog. We really like the range of formats she covers in her recommended reads, interviews like this one and did we mention her Taco storytime?! Oh yes, and oh you’re welcome. 10. TEENY WEENY LIBRARY: First of all check out this list of themes, Andrea’s even got being sick. Love it! Ok, now back to it Andrea writes awesome book reviews and has contributed big time to Flannel Friday. And just to round this out she’s got a growing list of School Age Programming and Young
Dana Horrocks and Lindsey Krabbenhoft are a triple threat duo working as On Call Children’s Librarians at West Vancouver Memorial Library, the Vancouver Public Library, and Surrey Libraries.
COLUMNS WHO’S ON THE FELT BOARD?
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears
Based on the Book by Verna Aardema Felt Story by Ana Calabresi It’s an African tale about a mosquito that causes a major havoc in the jungle. It’s a cumulative story with many animals blaming each other for the tragedy that happens when the owl does not hoot to wake the sun. This could be a fun addition to an animal storytime for preschoolers.
Ana Calabresi is a recent graduate from UBC’s School of Library Archival and Information Studies and is currently working as an Auxiliary Librarian at Burnaby Public Library.
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COLUMNS
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COLUMNS
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FEATURES
Chinese New Year Storytime By Veronica
Fu and Crys
tal Yin
Veronica Fu and Cry stal Yin are MLIS st udents at the Unive British Columbia iS rsity of chool. This program was originally deve loped for LIBR 527 – Services for Children.
Happy Chinese New Year 春节快乐 --Library Program for Kindergarten to Grade 2 Rong Fu (Veronica) Yangyue Yin (Crystal)
Lantern image for handout courtesy of abcteach.com
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FEATURES The Race for the Chinese Zodiac 《十二生肖赛跑》 By Gabrielle Wang
Program Content目录 Story Time讲故事时间: | The Race for the Chinese Zodiac by Gabrielle Wang ★《十二生肖赛跑》
Thirteen animals are racing for only twelve places on the Zodiac. Who will be honest, and who devious? Who will help friends along the way? Who will come first--and who will miss out? Fun Activities 游戏时间: | The Chinese Zodiac: I was born in the year of…? ★十二生肖：我的属相是什么？
The Chinese Zodiac: I was born in the year of…? 十二生肖：我的属相是什么？
| Lantern Riddle ★猜灯谜 | Traditional Chinese Paper Cutting ★传统中国剪纸
2007 – I was born in the year of pig. 2008 – I was born in the year of mouse. 2009 – I was born in the year of …? 2010 – I was born in the year of ...? 22 YAACING | WINTER 2015
Works Cited
Lantern Riddle 猜灯谜 Lantern riddles are riddles written on the lanterns that are displayed during the Chinese Lantern Festival – the 15th day of a year based on lunar calendar. Lantern riddles can be very challenging. Some are similar to English riddles, but others are based on the construction of Chinese characters, or refer to traditional poetry. Lantern Festival falls on these dates: February 6, 2012 February 24, 2013 February 13, 2014 March 5, 2015
Traditional Chinese Paper Cutting 传统中国剪纸 Traditional Chinese Paper-cut, pasted on window at spring festival or when couple get married, is very popular in Northwest China, as a culture passed down for generations.
Image for Handout: Lantern: “Clip Art: Chinese Lantern.” ABC Teach. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.abcteach.com/documents/clip-artchinese-lantern-happiness-color-2-29766> Paper Cutting: “Year of Goat Stock Photos and Images.” 123RF. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/year_of_ goat.html> “Paper Cutting Spring.” Nipic. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.nipic.com/show/3/95/f31bccbb0635da69.html> “The Race for the Chinese Zodiac Recital and Workshops.” Gabrielle Wang. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://gabriellewang.com/the-race-for-the-chinese-zodiac-recital-and-workshops/> “Product Description.” AliExpress. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2014-NewArrival-Chinese-Zodiac-12-Animals-PatternChildren-Swimming-Goggles-Antifogging-KidsSwimming-Eyewear/860331388.html> Story: Wang, Gabrielle. The Race for the Chinese Zodiac. Somerville: Candlewick Press. 2010. Print. Animals: “Twelve Chinese Zodiac Animals.” Dreamtime. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-freestock-images-twelve-chinese-zodiac-animals-image25268999> “Cute Kitten Cartoon.” Shopping Pictures. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.dxf5.com/2013image/jwhIJc1jT0Pju8pe.html> Jade Emperor: “Zodiac Story.” Topmarks. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.topmarks.co.uk/ChineseNewYear/ ZodiacStory.asp
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FEATURES
Teddy Bear Picnic Preschool Playtime Storytime for Preschoolers and Teddy Bears
By Deanna King Order of Events
Song: Teddy Bear Picnic Story: The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland Action Rhyme: The Bear Stretching Rhyme: Teddy Bear Stretch Story: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
Hug A Bear Do you have a moment, please, to give a bear just one small squeeze? ’Cause teddy bears need hugs to live, so don’t you have just one to give?
Action Rhyme: Five Little Bears Action Song: My Teddy Bear Story: Jack the Bear by Christina Leist Felt Board Figures: 5 In the Bed Good-Bye Song: Bye, Bye, Goodbye! Hand Stamp: Choices: Animals Teddy Bear Day is held every year on 9 September 24 YAACING | WINTER 2015
Pick up Teddy Bear Colouring page
Deanna King is an MLIS student at the University of British Columbia iSchool. This program was originally developed for LIBR 527 – Services for Children.
Teddy Bear Picnic If you go out in the woods today You’re sure of a big surprise If you go out in the woods today You’d better go in disguise For every bear that ever there was Will gather there together because Today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic
The Bear Here is a cave, (make a fist) Inside is a bear. (put a thumb inside fist) Now he comes out To get some fresh air. (pop out thumb) He stays out all summer Picnic time for teddy bears The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today In sunshine and heat. He hunts in the forest Watch them catch them unawares For berries to eat. And see them picnic on their holiday (move thumb in circle) See them gaily dance about When snow starts to fall, They love to play and shout He hurries inside They never have any cares His warm little cave, At six o’clock their mommies and daddies And there he will hide. (put thumb back Will take them home to bed inside fist) Because they’re tired little teddy bears. Snow covers the cave Like a fluffy white rug. Inside the bear sleeps Teddy Bear Stretch All cozy and snug. (cover fist with other My teddy bear has 2 legs hand) That reach down to the ground. My teddy bear has 2 legs So he can turn around. My teddy bear has 2 legs So he can jump up high My teddy bear has two legs So he can dance on by. My teddy bear has 2 arms That dangle by his side My teddy bear has 2 arms That stretch out really wide My teddy bear has 2 arms That reach out left and right My teddy bear has 2 arms To hug me very tight! ⊲⊲⊲ WINTER 2015 | YAACING 25
FEATURES
Five Little Bears Five little bears Heard a loud roar One ran away Then there were four! Four little bears Climbing up a tree One slid down Then there were three! Three little bears Deciding what to do One fell asleep Then there were two! Two little bears Having lots of fun One went home Then there was one! One little bear Feeling all alone Ran to his mother Then there were none!
My Teddy Bear ♫ My teddy bear has two eyes, two eyes, two eyes. My teddy bear has two eyes. I love my teddy bear. My teddy bear has one nose, one nose, one nose. My teddy bear has one nose. I love my teddy bear. My teddy bear has two ears, two ears, two ears. My teddy bear has two ears. I love my teddy bear. My teddy bear has two arms, two arms, two arms. My teddy bear has two arms. I love my teddy bear. My teddy bear has two legs, two legs, two legs. My teddy bear has two legs. I love my teddy bear. My teddy bear has four paws, four paws, four paws. My teddy bear has four paws. I love my teddy bear. ♫ Bye Bye Goodbye Bye, bye. Goodbye. Bye, bye, bye, bye. Goodbye. 5 Bears In the Bed 5 bears in the bed and the little one said, “I’m crowded roll over.” So they all rolled over and 1 fell out. (Repeat 4,3,2,) 1 bear in the bed and the little one said, “I’m lonely.”
I can clap my hands. I can stamp my feet. I can clap my hands. I can stamp my feet. Bye, bye. Goodbye. Bye, bye, bye, bye. Goodbye. Bye, bye. Goodbye. Bye, bye, bye, bye. Goodbye. Goodbye!
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Animal Coloring Pages
My name is
From Super Simple Learning
teddy bear Get more coloring pages from www.supersimplelearning.com
Š Super Simple Learning 2014 WINTER 2015 | YAACING 27
FEATURES
Imagination, Technology, and Childhood: An Annotated Bibliography of Picture Books By Alexandria Yurgensen
Navigating our increasingly digital world presents unique challenges and opportunities for both parents and children. The following picture books touch on various aspects of technology, either in content or format, and most focus on the importance of carving out a balance between digital devices and imaginative play in childhood.
1. Cordell, Matthew (2012). Hello! Hello! New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion Books. Sometimes taking a break from technology and our devices is necessary. In Matthew Cordell’s delightful Hello! Hello! a young girl named Lydia finds herself bored silly with her video games, computer, phone, and TV. She sets off across the house saying hello to her family, but finds her mom, dad, and younger brother too absorbed in their own gadgets to notice much. A solitary leaf, blown into the house through the front door, leads Lydia to venture outside alone. As she explores the sights and sounds, saying “Hello” to each plant, bug, and animal she meets, Lydia reconnects with the world around her and discovers the adventure and delight that she 28 YAACING | WINTER 2015
was missing indoors. Cordell uses simple, yet charming illustrations that are created with a combination of watercolour and pen and ink. The first few pages of the book are sparsely illustrated with very little colour, underscoring Lydia’s feelings of boredom and dullness inside her house. Cordell’s illustrations become bolder, wilder, and more vivid in colour the more Lydia physically and imaginatively engages with the world around her, encouraging and propelling an otherwise simple narrative forward. While a story of a young girl running away from her devices and her home without telling her parents may be problematic and unrealistic for some, the poignant message of the story (especially for the parents) is underscored in their reunion— sometimes you have to disconnect from your devices to reconnect with your family.
2. Matheson, Christie (2013). Tap the Magic Tree. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.
3. McCarty, Peter (2012). Chloe. New York, NY: Balzer & Bray.
One of the most recent titles in this bibliography, Christie Matheson’s Tap the Magic Tree is a delightfully innovative and interactive concept book created in the same vein as Hervé Tullet’s Press Here. Unlike many of the other titles in this list, there are no digital devices or children interacting with technology in the narrative—instead the interactivity is encouraged through the narrative structure. The reason Tap the Magic Tree warrants inclusion in this list is because the experience it creates for the reader— the experience of making the magic in the tree come alive each season—is similar to the experience of playing with an app on a touchscreen device. Matheson’s poetic language creates a rhythmic text (“There’s magic in this bare brown tree. / Tap it once. / Turn the page to see”) that urges the reader to both create and discover seasons of the year. The book encourages children to tap, turn, rub, touch, jiggle, wiggle, brush, blow, shake, knock, pat, clap, and count—encouraging active kinesthetic learning and motor skill development. The collage-and-watercolour illustrations are bright and textured, reminiscent in style to both Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert. The playfulness and energy of Tap the Magic Tree make it an excellent storytime or read-aloud choice for parents and educators.
Peter McCarty’s Chloe tells the story of a young bunny named Chloe who is stuck firmly in the middle of ten older brothers and sisters and ten younger brothers and sisters. Chloe’s favourite time of the day—family fun time after dinner—is interrupted one day when Dad brings home something new: a box called a television. When family fun time is suddenly disrupted, Chloe uses her imagination (and some bubble wrap) to get it back. McCarty’s illustrations—created using pen-and-ink— frolic across the page much like his characters, and his use of warm, rich hues throughout the story is both inviting and comforting. The concise language and fast pace of the text, along with the wild bunnies sprawled across the pages, lends a frenetic energy and playfulness to the narrative. While the narrative message—turn off the TV and turn on the imagination—is played out in comical fashion, the experience of finding greater joy and greater fun in simple household objects is a familiar one that will ring true for many children. TV is a common fixture in many households, and for some children, exposure happens at a young age. While some may find the tone and message of Chloe to be preachy or too idealistic, McCarty is careful not to technology shame, choosing instead to focus on the positive role of imaginative, interactive play and meaningful family time.
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FEATURES 4. Rocco, John (2011). Blackout. New York, NY: DisneyHyperion Books.
5. Smith, Lane (2010). It’s a Book. New York, NY: Roaring Book Press.
In the fast-paced, technology-driven world many of us find ourselves in, it can be hard to remember to slow down and shut off. John Rocco’s beautiful nighttime story Blackout reminds readers young and old that sometimes you have to turn off the electricity (and the devices) in order to see things in a different kind of light. Set in a sprawling urban landscape, a young boy finds his video game interrupted when all of the city’s lights go out. Instead of spending this hot summer night cooped up indoors being busy alone, the family heads up to the roof and sees the starry sky for the first time on the roof of their building (along with the rest of the neighborhood, who have assembled for a block party). What follows turns out to be a special evening spent being un-busy, bonding with family and community over ice cream, candlelight, and board games. Rocco’s illustrations are bold and large, in the same vein of style as graphic novels or comics, and are mostly made up of panels with a few full bleed pages. While mostly comprised of varying shades of dark, the pages are richly saturated and create a visually striking aesthetic that complements the sparse text as the pages go from colour, to gray-scale, to dark, and back to colour again. Even though the book is set in a dense urban setting, the family—along with the diverse community— finds joy in reconnecting and spending time with others.
Lane Smith’s It’s a Book is a humourous exploration of what a book is and is not in our modern-day world full of technological devices; it is also likely the most controversial title on this list for its two instances of the word jackass. The conversational exchanges Smith has crafted between a donkey, a monkey who is reading a book, and a mouse are droll and at times laugh-out-loud funny. While some may argue that the humour Smith employs skews the line into adult, children will likely appreciate the funny dialogue and obliviousness of the Donkey. Though many of the titles in this bibliography champion the cause of the imagination over the device (and by extension, the format of the book), what Smith presents in this picture book is a neutral approach to the subject: in response to the Donkey’s queries, the Monkey explains in clear, unemotional language the differences between the characteristics of a book and a screen device. Although adults may interpret It’s a Book as anti-technology and pro-book, younger children lack the prejudices and biases toward print that older generations may carry and are unlikely to come away with the same impression. Smith’s illustrations are done in muted colours and have a uniquely textured appearance created by combining brush and ink with both oil and acyclic paints. The comically exaggerated facial features and expressions of the animals add a cartoonish element to the narrative that complements the staccato use of text. While some parents
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and educators may ultimately object to this book on the basis of inappropriate language, switching out one term for another is easily accomplished for younger children who would not be familiar with the word. It would be a shame to miss out on a book that deals so humourously with the great divide between print and digital.
6. Tullet, Hervé, & Franceschelli, Christopher (2011). Press Here. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Like Christie Matheson’s Tap the Magic Tree, Hervé Tullet’s Press Here (translated into English by Christopher Franceschelli) is a magical and unexpected concept book. It is also included in this bibliography for the same reason: it is handled and explored by readers in the same sorts of ways that an app on a tablet device would be. While the content of the book has nothing whatsoever to do with technology or devices, following the instructions in the book is very much like playing with a game on a touch screen. The book breaks the fourth wall and asks the reader to press, rub, tap, shake (softly and vigorously), tilt, blow, and clap as the dots on the page multiply, change colours and directions, and grow in size. The illustrations are simple and done in bright primary colours with lots of white space. There are so many opportunities for meaningful and fun interactive learning experiences with this book. Children will get a chance to practice following instructions, identify colours, count, learn concepts like
left and right, and practice looking for and identifying patterns. This picture book has seen a surge in popularity in the last few years and is a perfect fit for group storytime.
7. Yaccarino, Dan (2013). Doug Unplugged. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. Learning by taking your time and exploring can often prove more meaningful than absorbing knowledge without reflecting, and in Dan Yaccarino’s Doug Unplugged a young robot named Doug learns just that lesson when he decides to unplug from his computer for the day. Instead of passively downloading information and facts, he flies around New York City encountering it. As Doug experiences more and more of the city’s hustle and bustle, he surprises himself by discovering that some things just cannot be learned from a computer—they have to be touched, heard, smelled, and played with. Yaccarino creates a bold, futuristic story set in the city, with colourful and richly saturated illustrations created with a combination of ink and Photoshop. Beyond its message about disconnecting from devices and reconnecting with the outside world, Doug’s journey from unsure to confident city explorer might also help reassure children who hold anxieties about new experiences. It is also important that children and adults be reminded that there are many different ways to learn and that, like Doug, some children need more kinesthetic learning opportunities. While Yaccarino does gently remind readers of the benefits of unplugging in a technology⊲⊲⊲
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FEATURES oriented world, his message is not too heavyhanded or didactic. While we can learn a lot from technology, Doug Unplugged reminds us that some things—like friendship and tactile experiences—cannot be downloaded from a machine or absorbed through a screen.
recharge or reboot, but for older children who have experience with devices, this is a fun and light-hearted book to explore.
8. Zuckerberg, Randi, & Berger, Joe (2014). Dot. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publisher. Randi Zuckerberg, the former Market Developer of Facebook (and sister of the company’s CEO), is no stranger to the digital world, its devices, and the divide it can arguably create in its users. Her debut picture book Dot. (with illustrations by Joe Berger) is about a precocious and tech-savvy young girl named Dot who loves her devices and who knows how to tap, tweet, swipe, and share. While Dot is comfortable using her devices in everyday life, she also loves outdoor play and face-to-face interactions with friends. Zuckerberg plays with language (and the adult reader’s expectations) by avoiding being overly critical or negative about a girl growing up in the digital age. Yes, Dot can tap and tag, and share, just in a different way depending on the situation. Dot’s digital and non-digital experiences are really two sides of the same coin—and both are part of her childhood. Joe Berger’s bright, predominantly red and yellow illustrations are carefree and light in their execution, and there is a rhythm to Dot’s movements as she dances and frolics across the pages. Children younger than five may not be as tech-savvy as Dot is and may not understand fully what it means to 32 YAACING | WINTER 2015
Alexandria Yurgensen is an MLIS student at the University of British Columbia iSchool. This annotated bibliography was originally created for LIBR 520 – Survey of Children’s Literature, a course taught by Judith Saltman at UBC’s iSchool.
REVIEW BOOK REVIEW
The Book with No Pictures / B.J. Novak Review by Alicia Cheng
If you think a picture book with no pictures is boring, think again! This is a hilarious and ridiculous read-aloud that will for sure have the kids rolling in laughter. The person reading the book must read everything on the page. Even if the word makes no sense...such as BLORK. Even if it’s a sentence of gibberish. Whether it’s a real word or not does not matter. The sillier the better. The more words the merrier. It’s a perfect silly read-aloud for school-aged children Gr. 1-3.
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SUBMISSIONS
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS YAACING is published four times per year and is always looking for submissions that might interest childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and teen specialists in BC libraries. We accept news pieces, articles, program descriptions and ideas, conference reports, and much more. If you would like to write a regular column, send us a brief pitch. Submissions should be no more than 2500 words, sent in an editable format (not PDF). Please include a byline with your job title and workplace, or for students: your school, program and class information, if applicable. YAACING invites your contributions to our Review and Felt Story sections:
Reviews: Please send us reviews of books, blogs, websites, or other resources. Submissions should be no more than 300 words. Longer reviews may be considered for publication as featured articles.
Felt Stories: Share your creativity! YAACING is looking for felt story patterns.
Submissions should include a printable pattern, photograph of the finished product, and related rhyme or note about the origin of the story. The deadline for the Spring 2015 issue of YAACING is March 1, 2015. Email your submissions to the editors at yaacing@gmail.com.
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