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Preschool

Reading Aloud -- The Essentials of Early Literacy

Summer Reading is right around the corner, and it isn't just for readers.  It's also for listeners.  Reading aloud is an important part of the summer reading program.  How else could babies, toddlers, and preschoolers participate?  Reading aloud also sets a good foundation that will help your child when they begin reading themselves.  It establishes the six early literacy skills that children must develop for reading success.
1. Print motivation -- This is the child's interest in, and enjoyment of, books.  If they enjoy them, they will want to learn to read them.

Meet Our Newest Storyteller

Miss April has embarked on a new journey as head of the children's department at Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest.  We miss her but wish her the very best.  Miss Laura has taken over PJ Storytime on Thursday nights.  And our new storyteller, Miss Nay Nay, is leading Tiny Tot Tales on Wednesday mornings.  Miss Nay Nay is a mom to two boys, a lover of gymnastics, and a storyteller with eight years experience.  If you haven't met her yet, check out 

Check Out This View!

What view am I talking about? Why, the new Playaway View display and collection in the Kid Zone. You can't miss it -- it's the first thing you see when you set foot on the starred carpeting in the Kid Zone. What is a Playaway View? It's a self-playing, pre-loaded video player. Each View holds hours of video, offers speaker or headphone jack listening options, and comes with an AC adaptor to keep it fully charged. You asked for them; we bought them. We've purchased 25 Playaway Views so far. They are available for a 1-week checkout. Get your hands on one today! Here's a list of the titles available.

Rhinos Who Read

No, this blog post is not about reading rhinoceroses. I know you were really excited about that, and I apologize for getting your hopes up. But I had to name the blog "Rhinos Who Read" in honor of a fun series of picture books by Julie Mammano. And I had to blog about rhinos because (1) my fellow librarian Mr. Jeremy is nuts about them, and (2) I just read an article about the newest addition to the Birmingham Zoo. You guessed it -- a rhinoceros! His name is Max.

Reading Snapshot #2

Remember how I promised a monthly blog series called Reading Snapshot? Well, I keep my promises. Here's what we're currently reading.

Spotlight on Jan Thomas

Jan Thomas is a rising star in the world of picture books. Her titles feature minimal but hilarious text, simple but expressive illustrations. And she throws in the occasional turnip. Discover her in E THO today!

Tomorrow Is Ask a Stupid Question Day

That's right. September 28, 2012 is Ask a Stupid Question Day. It was created by teachers in the 1980s, to encourage their students to ask more questions in the classroom. Have you ever been afraid to ask a question? Even a question you really wondered about? Maybe you thought no one would know the answer. Or maybe you were sure everyone but YOU already knew the answer. Remember: there are no stupid questions. How else are you going to learn things?

NEW! TumbleBooks

Have you lost your pep for reading? Are you looking for a new way to experience picture books? Then we have GREAT NEWS! The Hoover Public Library now has access to TumbleBooks.

TeleTale? What in the world is that?

If you haven't discovered TeleTale yet, you've been missing out. Big time. Call 444-7838 to hear one of your favorite librarians read a new story to you every week. Listen to old favorites and new releases. It's the perfect way to pass the time when you're in line, settling down for a nap, or just looking for a laugh.

Shark Week is 25 Years Old?!?!

I haven't had cable in ten years. But when I did, there was one thing I never missed. Shark Week on Discovery Channel. My sister and I couldn't get enough. I was reminiscing about it with her the other day and decided to see if it was still around. A Google search revealed that Shark Week is turning 25 in 2012. A quarter of a century! Now that, my friends, is library blog-worthy. Take a bite out of these shark books, then tune in to SHARK WEEK: 25 YRS, beginning August 12.

A.B.C. = August Book Challenge

School is starting a little later this year, which means local kids will be looking for stuff to do. The Hoover Public Library has to take a break from programming in order to get ready for a fall chock-full of fun, but you can still count on us to keep you entertained.

A.B.C. = August Blog Challenge will give you a new puzzle to solve each week. All of them are book-based and will require a little sleuthing. Our first one is called Nonfiction ABC, Easy as 123. Match the Dewey Decimal Number listed with the correct subject. Clue: the subject starts with the letter before the number. When you're finished, check your answers by clicking on the blue. Good luck!

BIG Summer Summary

These are some amazing numbers.

Roger Day = 3,025
Madcap Puppets = 1,995
Atlantic Coast Theatre = 1,757
Eric Litwin = 1,865
Walkabout Puppets = 1,040
That Puppet Guy = 1,726
Safari Greg = 1,660
BubbleMania = 1,672
TOTAL for 40 shows in The Library Theatre = 14,740

We Love Mario Kart = 139
Angry Birds = 410
Diary of a Wimpy Kid = 156
Amazing Flying Machines = 68
Start Your Engines = 139
It's Great to Be a Girl = 112
TOTAL for 9 tween events = 1,024

Dream Big Storytime = 808
Come Back, Babies = 60
TOTAL for 8 storytimes = 868

Dream BIG 4 Real! Great Nonfiction Books Whip Up Midnight Snacks

It's the final week of Dream BIG 4 Real. We made it to Week 8, so I think we deserve some Midnight Snacks. Treat yourselves to these books about food.

1. All in Just One Cookie by Susan E. Goodman
J 641.8 GOO

2. An Astronaut Cookbook: Simple Recipes for Kids by Sarah L. Schuette
J 641.5 SCH

3. Banana Split Pizza and Other Snack Recipes by Heather E. Schwartz
J 641.5 SCH

That Puppet Guy (AKA Lee Bryan)

Don't let the mustache fool you! That is Lee Bryan. You may know him as That Puppet Guy. He's an Atlanta-based puppeteer who's bringing the Fee-Fi-Fo-FUN to our Library Theatre this summer.

The Giant, the Beanstalk & Jack
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012
10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.

Dream BIG 4 Real! Great Nonfiction Books Full of Nocturnal Animals

Whoa. We're already in Week 6 of Dream BIG 4 Real. The summer is flying by. Just like some of the Nocturnal Animals in this week's book list.

1. The Bat's Cave: A Dark City by Joyce Markovics
J 599.4 MAR

2. The Best Book of Nighttime Animals by Belinda Weber
E 591.5 WEB

3. Black Out! Animals That Live in the Dark by Ginjer L. Clarke
E 591.5 CLA BEGINNING READER

Kid Zone Summer Reading Programming: That's a Wrap!

That's it, folks! Our eight week whirlwind of summer programming for kids has finally died down to relative calm (emphasis on the word "relative"). Summer 2011 featured a grand total of 56 events that entertained 15, 283 people! No wonder parking was so difficult to come by this summer! Here's a quick breakdown for the number-obsessed:

42 shows in the Library Theatre = 12,862 attendance, average 306 per show

7 storytimes = 1,252 attendance, average 179 per storytime

7 special events = 1,169 attendance

We had 610 Party with Potter!

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

We were only expecting around 400, but we had even more than that waiting in line for us to open the doors at 7 p.m.! A whopping 610 fans came to our grand goodbye to the wizarding world of Harry Potter! Everyone received a special edition of The Quibbler from Luna Lovegood to guide them through the evening. The giant Marauder's Map and the Fat Lady Painting were also close at hand to help wizards and Muggles alike find their way. And Sir Cadogan was handing out bags to help carry all their forthcoming magical loot

Winnie the Pooh Back on the Big Screen!

Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the Hundred Acre Woods with Winnie the Pooh, the first big-screen Pooh adventure from Disney in more than 35 years! Owl sends the whole gang -- Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit, Kanga, Roo, and Eeyore -- on a wild quest to save Christopher Robin. It turns out to be a very busy day for a bear who simply set out to find some hunny.

Before you see the movie, you may want a refresher course in all things Pooh. Or, after you see the movie, you may crave even more of that willy-nilly-silly ol' bear. No matter the reason, you can find plenty of books and movies about your friends from the Hundred Acre Wood at the Hoover Public Library!

Spring Break Follow-Up, Part I: Tangled and Percy Jackson Parties

We are halfway through our Spring Break week! Can you believe it? We've packed a lot of fun into a short amount of time. Hopefully, you were able to make it to our Tangled Up in Rapunzel party on Monday. If not, you missed one BIG party! The Birmingham News featured it as one of the top 12 things to do in the city during Spring Break. The result: 355 people! WHOA! Luckily, Miss Mary Ann and Miss Karen were super prepared.

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