You, Yes You, Can Prepare Your Child to Read

Here at the Everett Library we love to read and we love helping your child learn to love reading as well.  However, the best teacher for your child is you! Many of the activities you do every day with your child can  actually be great teaching opportunities.  You don't need a Master's degree in Education to learn how to prepare your child to be a successful reader.  If you just do the five things listed below (many of which you are probably already doing) you will be preparing your child for success!

TALK: Children learn language by listening to parents and caregivers talk.  They hear new words and what they mean.  

* Make sure your child talks with you, not just listens to you talk

* Repeat what your child says and elaborate on it with new words

* Talk as you go about daily activities like grocery shopping, explain what you are seeing and doing

 

SING: Songs are a fun way to learn about language! They help children learn about the different sounds that make up words.

* Sing the alphabet song to learn about letters.

* Sing nursery rhymes so children hear the different sounds in words.

* Clap along with rhythms in songs so children hear the syllables in words.

READ: Reading with your child is the single best thing you can do to help prepare your child to read.  Reading helps increase vocabulary and knowledge   It teaches children how print looks and how words are laid out across a page.  Reading together also helps children learn to love reading, which increase their desire to want to learn to read themselves.

* Read with your child every day.

* Make reading interactive. Ask questions about what is happening in pictures and predict what will happen next.

* Use books to teach new words. As you read words that may be unfamiliar to your child talk about what they mean.

WRITE: Reading and writing go together.  Children can learn pre-reading skills through writing activities.

* Writing starts with scribbles and other marks.  Encourage this by providing many opportunities to draw and write

* Children can "sign" their names to drawings, which helps them understand that print represents words

* Talk to your children about what they draw and write stories together.  This helps connect the spoken and printed language.

PLAY: Children learn a lot of language through play.  Play helps children express themselves and put thoughts into words.

 language by listening to parents and caregivers talk.  They hear new words and what they mean.  

* Give your child plenty of playtime.  The best kinds of play are unstructured, when children can use their imagination and create stories about what they are doing

* Encourage children to make up stories using stuffed animals.  This helps them develop narrative skills.

* Pretend to read a book. Have your child tell a story based on the pictures in the book.  This develops vocabulary and other language skills.

*The information in this post was gained from Every Child Ready to Read @ your library.  More information can be found by going to www.everychildreadytoread.org or talking to the children's librarians at Everett Library.

Upcoming Programs!

Hello Everyone! We at Everett Library wanted to let you know about some exciting programs that are coming up at the Library!

December 11: Human Trafficking in Our Backyard!
Age Group: 13+
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Meeting Room
This lecture will cover the issue of human trafficking, focusing on the United States and particuarly our state.  Experts will speak about the problem and give practical steps that can be taken to identify possible victims, help stop this problem, and much more.  Note: Because of the subject matter, the age limit for this program will be strictly enforced.

December 19: Make Your Own Snow globe

Age Group: 2-16
Time: 5:00-6:30pm

Location: Children's Area
Come to the library and make your own snow globe! We will provide all the supplies, you provide the creativity!

December 22: Winter Extravaganza!
Age Group: All Ages Welcome!
Time: 5:00-8:00pm
Location: The entire library
Come celebrate this magical season with stories, music, crafts and more! There will be activities for all ages, along with a fun surprise!

January 7: Sticking to Your Resolutions
Age Group: 13+
Time: 6:00-7:00pm
Location: Meeting Room
As we embark on a new year, we will hear from Amelia Truex on practical ways to help ensure our carefully set resolutions are stuck to for more than a week.  She will discuss support systems, setting reachable goals, rewards, and how to "get back on the horse" when we fail.




January 17: Fun with Words: Rhythm, Rhyme, and Play
Age Group: 1-5
Time: 1:00-2:00pm
Location: Children's Area
Bring your pre-reader and early reader to explore the fun that can be had with language.  We will sing songs, make silly rhymes, and play with instruments! Exposing your children to these fun ways to play with language will help develop the skills they need to be ready to read!

January 31:
Age Group: 18+
Time: 6:00-7:00pm
Join us for the first book club of the new year as we discuss Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair.  This fun, fantastical, literary mystery will be sure to capture your imagination.  The library has books, eBooks, and audio books of this work, so you have no excuse to not join in on the fun!

February 6: Shopping on a Budget
Age Group: 18+
Time: 6:00-7:00pm
Location: Meeting Room
OSU Extension expert, Cara Gorman, will come teach us how to grocery shop on a budget!  She will tell us why healthy eating is not necessarily more expensive and give us many practical tips on saving money.  Every person who attends will be entered into a raffle for a $25 grocery gift card!

February 14: Anti-Valentine's Bash!
Age Group: 12-17

Time: 5-8:00pm
Location: Teen's "Garage"

Love stinks! Come rebel against the sap-fest that is Valentine's day! Stop in for cranky crafts, moody music and spiteful snacks.

February 28:
Age Group: 18+
Join us this February as we read a love story gone terribly wrong.  We will be discussing Gillian Flynn's best-selling novel Gone Girl.  This book starts with the disappearance of a seemingly happy wife.  However, we soon discover that everything is not as it first appears.  As the book progresses, twists and turns abound as the reader switches alliances back and forth.  If you have not yet read this hot book, this is the perfect excuse to read it.  As always we have copies of the book, eBook, and audio book at the library!


Some come join us for one or many of our upcoming events!  Remember, of course, we will continue to have regular infant, toddler, and preschool storytimes led by our wonderful children's librarians!

Books We Love to View and Films We Love to Read!

Here at the Everett Library we have been excited about the new movie The Hobbit that is coming out soon. As most of you know, that movie (and the three Lord of the Rings movies that preceded it to the box office)  is based on a wonderful novel of the same name by JRR Tolkien.  We have been discussing other great books that have been adapted into wonderful movies.  Before The Hunger Games and  Harry Potter made the jump from the young adult section to the cinema, there were many other books that moved from the bookshelf to the big screen.  As an information center that carries not only books, but also movies, we thought our customers might be interested in checking out a few of our selections.  Below are a few of our favorite book and movie pairs!


To Kill a Mockingbird--Harper Lee (book), 1962 (film) This classic book/film has been a mainstay on both best books lists and best film lists through the years.  It is the story of a Southern town during the depression told through the eyes of a young girl.  Her father, an attorney, defends an African-American man who is accused of raping a white woman.  Themes of racial injustice, poverty, and Southern life are dealt with in the book and film.  The novel won a Pulitzer Prize and the film earned three Academy Awards.



Romeo and Juliet--William Shakespeare (play), 1996 (film) While you may have had to endure reading this Shakespearean play in high-school, you should revisit it now as an adult.  There are many great themes and the language may not be as overwhelming the second time around.  While there have been many screen adaptations, we are partial to the 1996 film which updates the setting but keeps the language intact.

Ordinary People--Judith Guest (book), 1980 (film) This book/film tells of the suffering and disintegration of a family after one of there members dies in a boating accident.  The book was critically acclaimed and the film won the year's Academy Award for Best Picture.




One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest--Ken Kesey (book), 1975 (film) This classic of American fiction was turned into a film that garnered all five major Academy Awards.  The story centers on a patient at a psychiatric hospital and his battles with the overbearing nurse who rules there.  Institutions, the human mind, the nature of freedom, and many other themes are explored in these riveting works.





The Godfather--Mario Puzo (book), 1972 (film)  While you may be familiar with the Academy Award winning film, which is consistently ranked among the best films of all time, have you checked out the novel on which it was based? The novel is as intriguing as the movie and keeps the reader engaged in the best possible way.  This is a great book to bring on vacation with you.





Heart of Darkness/Apocalypse Now--Joesph Conrad (novella), 1979 (film) If you have not read Heart of Darkness, it really is a novella you should give a chance.  It is an accepted part of Western canon and examines light and darkness both in the material world and in the human heart.  Apocalypse Now is loosely based on the novella and stands on it's own as a commentary on the themes of the book, along with war and madness.  The film was critically acclaimed at its release and remains on many lists of the best American films

 





Push/Precious--Sapphire (book), 2009 (film) These gritty works tell the story of Precious, an obese, illiterate teenager who is on her second pregnancy as a result of being raped by her father.  Just when circumstances seem to be getting even worse, Precious is given hope by a committed, caring teacher.  The film won a number of awards, including two Academy Awards.






Pride and Prejudice --Jane Austen (book), 1995 (tv series) This classic work of literature is witty and entertaining.  It tells the story of the Bennet sisters, especially of Elizabeth Bennet.  The story follows her as she navigates issues surrounding marriage, women's roles, and love in early 19th century England. While there are several film versions of this book, we particularly enjoy the 1995 television series from the BBC starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth's love interest.



The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe--CS Lewis (book), 2005 (film) The first in the children's series The Chronicles of Narnia, this is the tale of three children who find their way into a magical land that is under the spell of an evil witch.  Through their relationships with talking animals and mythical creatures the children soon find themselves drawn into a battle against good and evil which encompasses the entire land.  The book has been enjoyed by children and adults since it was written and the film version is an accurate rendering of the book that all audiences will find entertaining.

Great Children's Books

Hello! Recently, those of us in the Children's department have come across several great children's books that we wanted to share with you! We are including a brief summary of each book, so you can decide which ones you would like to share with your little one (or read yourself : )  )

The Heart and The Bottle--Oliver Jeffers

This incredibly touching book deals with a little girl and her relationship with her grandfather.  When he dies, she bottles up her heart to protect it from any more pain.  When she is older she wants to release her heart, but finds she is unable to without some special help.  This book is best for older children, children trying to deal with the death of a close family member, and adults.

Art 123--Stefano Zuffi


This counting book deals uses great works of art to explore numbers from one to twelve.  Each page is well laid-out with the number being portrayed in large font, along with a hand holding up the number of fingers that are being counted.  Great for exposing young readers to art and teaching counting.

Press Here--Herve Tullet

This extremely interactive book must be experienced with an inquisitive child to be properly appreciated.  Each page gives the reader an instruction, which then "impacts" the action on the next page.  The illustrations and text are simple, but the book is one your toddler-Kindergartner will want to read again and again!

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/ Marisol McDonald no combina--Monica Brown and Sara Palacios

This is a great book for school-aged children who may feel like they don't fit in or "match" others.  It is the story of Marisol McDonald who has red hair and nut brown skin.  She likes mixing polka dots and stripes, enjoys eating peanut butter and jelly burritos, and is "mismatched" in many ways.  After trying to conform to others expectations, she finally discovers that all her contradictions are what make her unique and wonderful!


Animals should definitely not wear clothing--Judi Barrett and Ronald Barrett

This classic book is as funny to preschoolers and early school-age children today as it was when it was first published.  The book covers the different problems animals would have if they wore clothing.  For instance a snake would slither right out of his trousers and a giraffe would have to wear many neckties.  Laugh along with your child as you enjoy this book together!

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?--Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

If you have yet to be introduced to this wonderful book (and its many sequels), then you have been missing out! In wonderful rhythm and rhyme the tantrums, last ditch efforts to stay awake, and other tricks that children use at bedtime are performed by dinosaurs.  The book concludes by saying that no dinosaurs don't do any of those things, but instead go straight to bed just as they are supposed to.  This book is a must read for any child who loves dinosaurs, hates bedtime, or just loves a good book!