Monday, April 30, 2007

New Children's Books

About Time: A First Look at Time and Clocks - Bruce Koscielniak
Describes the concept of time and how it has been measured throughout history, using water clocks, sundials, calendars, and atomic vibrations. Time to read a book. Time to wash dishes. Time to do this or that. You say things like this every day, all the time. But there was a time when time itself was undefined-no one knew the difference between a minute, an hour, or a day. Then people started creating tools to measure time. First they used the big stuff around them-the sun, the moon, water. Soon after, using the knowledge they got from their natural time-telling tools, people began to build clocks-huge clocks unlike the ones we use today. They also used their knowledge of the sun and moon to create calendars made up of months and years. Now, centuries later, we have clocks all around us. We can easily figure out how long a month is. But it took many years of tinkering and inventing to perfect the art of telling time. You could take a few moments now to read all about time. If you have a minute, that is.

Beauty and the Beast - Max Eilenberg
Through her great capacity to love, a kind and beautiful maid releases a handsome prince from the spell which has made him an ugly beast.




Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Caralyn Buehner
In this variation on the classic folktale, a rhyming, rope-skipping, little girl rudely helps herself to the belongings of a genteel family of bears.



A Second Is a Hiccup - Hazel Hutchins
Explains units of time in terms every child will recognize.





Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive - Carole Boston Weatherford
Jesse Owen's life and triumphs at the 1936 Olympics.





Here's a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry - collected by Jane Yolen
A collection of poems for children with the various themes of self, family, going outside, and when it is time for bed. "Here's a Little Poem" offers a comprehensive introduction to some remarkable poets, even as it captures a very young child's intense delight in the experiences and rituals of every new day.

New Children's Books

Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More - Jack Prelutsky
An illustrated collection of poems for children about various sports activities.


Every Friday - Dan Yaccarino
Every Friday a father and his child share a special ritual.

Fabian Escapes - Peter McCarty
While Hondo the dog stays home and enjoys his usual pursuits, Fabian the cat escapes out the window and has many adventures.

Today and Today: Haiku - Kabayashi Issa
A selection of haikus by the Japanese master.

A Good Day - Kevin Henkes
A bird, a fox, a dog, and a squirrel overcome minor setbacks to have a very good day.

Skyscraper - Lynn Curlee
Examines the history of the design of tall buildings.

Look at You: A Baby Body Book - Kathy Henderson
Poems and artwork capture babies' delight at exploring their own abilities and the world around them.

Different Like Coco - Elizabeth Matthews
Simple text and color illustrations present the life of Coco Chanel.

New Nonfiction Books

Snowy Weather Days - Katie Marsico
Contents: Word hunt -- It's snowing! -- Forming clouds -- Signs of snow -- Flake shapes -- Snowflake man -- Measuring snow -- Snow fun -- Weather wonders: blizzard -- Your new words -- You can read the sky


Sunny Weather Days - Pam Rosenberg
Contents: Word hunt -- A sunny day -- Spring and summer sun -- Fall and winter sun -- Sun science -- Fun in the sun -- Shadow hunt -- Your new words -- Be smart about playing in the sun

Wild Weather Days - Katie Marsico
Contents: Word hunt -- A wild sky -- Thunder and lightning -- Hail -- Wind -- Hurricanes -- Blizzards -- Wild weather and you -- What else can you do on a wild weather day? -- Your new words -- Four things you might see on a wild weather day

New Professional Resource


Numbers! Colors! Alphabet!: A Concept Guide to Children's Picture Books - Melanie Axel-Lute

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

New Books

A Seed Is Sleepy - Dianna Hutts Aston
An informative, and beautiful, introduction to seeds.

Dreamhunter - Elizabeth Knox
In a world where select people can enter "The Place" and find dreams of every kind to share with others for a fee, a fifteen-year-old girl is training to be a dreamhunter when her father disappears, leaving her to carry on his mysterious mission. 2007 ALA Best Books for Young Adults

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Sunday School Materials

The Sunday School materials for Summer Quarter, 2007, from Regular Baptist Press are now available in the Christian Education area of the CMC.

Monday, April 23, 2007

New Children's Book

Grumpy Bird - Jeremy Tankard
Feeling too grumpy to fly, Bird begins to walk and finds that his mood changes as other animals join him.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

New Children's Books

Young Cornrows Callin Out the Moon - Ruth Forman
A poem about how city children spend their summer.






The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh - A.A. Milne

A Child's Garden of Verses - illustrated by Thomas Kinkade
A collection of poems by Robert Louis Stevenson and others which reflect the joys of childhood, accompanied by Bible verses.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh and the honey tree / Janet Campbell -- Winnie the Pooh and the blustery day / Teddy Slater -- Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too / Stephanie Calmenson -- Winnie the Pooh and a day for Eeyore / Teddy Slater

New Activity Book

Sing a Song of Storytime - Susan M. Dailey

New Reference Books

Educators Guide to Free Internet Resources - Secondary Edition

Educators Guide to Free Internet Resources - Elementary/Middle School Edition

Friday, April 6, 2007

Easter Break Hours

The Centennial Library is closed on Friday and Saturday, April 6 and 7, for Easter break. We will be open from 8:00 until 5:00 on Monday, April 9, and then resume regular hours on Tuesday, April 10. Happy Easter!

Thursday, April 5, 2007

New Children's Books

Today at the Bluebird Cafe - Deborah Ruddell
A collection of poems about different bird personalities.

One Well: The Story of Water on Earth - Rochelle Strauss
Water is a necessity of life on earth. Learn ways to protect it while learning water's story.

Saving the Buffalo - Albert Marrin
Chronicles how the buffalo reached near-extinction in the nineteenth century, discussing the various causes, and explains how they were brought back from the brink with the help of the early conservationist movement.

Turkey - Tamra Orr

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Music Education Resources

From Music Educators National Conference:

It Works for Me!: The National Anthem and Other Patriotic Music in the Classroom
This collection of tried-and-true ideas from real music teachers all over the United States can help teachers who are looking for new ways to bring "The Star-Spangled Banner" and other patriotic tunes into their music programs. More than 100 music teachers describe how they connect patriotic music with historical events, help students learn lyrics, conquer musical challenges, and reach out to the school and the community using patriotic music.

Multicultural Perspectives in Music Education
A pragmatic approach to teaching world music traditions in upper elementary through high school classes. This updated and expanded edition of MENC's landmark 1989 publication goes much further than its predecessor in providing materials to assist music teachers in modifying their classes and involving their students in new forms of music making and new understandings about sounds. Includes illustrations, diagrams, and music examples; extensive, annotated resource lists; and ideas for integrating multicultural music study with other subjects. Features new subjects, expanded sections, and new lessons added to every chapter. Adaptable for use in undergraduate college courses.

Getting Started with High School Choir - Steven K. Michelson
Learn how to conduct simple, painless auditions, and hear about recruitment techniques that really work. Get some new music introduction techniques specifically designed for this age group.




Teaching Choral Music: A Course of Study
Provides a framework for sequential instruction, model lessons, and recommendations for ensuring quality choral experiences. This book was developed by the MENC Task Force on Choral Music Course of Study for teachers of choral music programs in grades 4-12 and is recommended for text adoption.


Strategies for Teaching: Prekindergarten Music
The purpose of the Strategies for Teaching series is to help music teachers implement the K-12 National Music Education Standards and MENC's Prekindergarten Standards. Hundreds of music teachers across the country participated in this project, the largest such participation in an MENC publishing endeavor. Each publication focuses on a specific curricular area and a particular level. Each includes teaching strategies based on the content and achievement standards, a preface and an introduction, and a resource list.