The Boot Camp Model for Deeper Informal Learning

A few years back, I read about the Fayetteville Free Library's forays into Geek Girls Camp--a weeklong summertime program during which the same group of girls came to the library every day to explore, learn, and build on what they were doing each day. It's an intriguing model: more sustained learning for a core group of program participants than a typical one-off program, with the resulting outcomes of greater increases in skill and confidence among the attendees.

Now I don't know about your library, but at mine, we'd have to majorly shuffle around our program schedule in order to offer even one single all-day, weeklong camp program like this one. Considering our already robust, well-attended program schedule, reducing typical programs to add one really, really big one like this just isn't feasible at our current levels of capacity and community participation. The idea kept rattling around my brain, though. After all, if there's a way to support deeper informal learning for kids in the library, it's something I want to seriously consider. And consider it we did.

That's no rave... that's a Robot Dance Boot Camp!

Starting with winter break of last year, we've made our own foray into the camp-style program for kids: boot camps. For us, the boot camp model means a few things in terms of program formatting:

• Each boot camp program has a core theme, with all activities taking place during the sessions tying into that theme.
• Each boot camp has an intended age of attendees that will facilitate age-appropriate peer learning. We tend to offer boot camps for grades K-2 or grades 3-5, not spanning the elementary age range too far in any single program.
• Each boot camp meets at least two days in a row, potentially three. Depending on the age of attendees and content planned, each session ranges from 60-90 minutes long.
• Boot camps take place during weeks school is not in session: winter break, spring break, and during the summer.
• Boot camps benefit from multiple instructors: as a minimum, we try to have at least one lead instructor for all sessions on a theme with another staff member to assist each day.
• The boot camp topic determines the ideal number of participants, with a standard range being 12-20 kids.

A lot of these best practices for our kids' boot camp programs came from years of learning what does and doesn't work in our community when it comes to programs in a series--which is essentially what a boot camp program is. In years past, we'd offered multi-week series programs; for example, a 3D printing program that met every Monday for four weeks. As you can imagine, even though interest was extremely high for these programs, attendance was rough--we found it was difficult for families to commit to attend across multiple weeks because family schedules just aren't that consistent. And so we developed a boot camp model with back-to-back sessions on consecutive days, making it easier for families to schedule their kids to attend all sessions.

We also require that all attendees participate in all of the offered boot camp sessions. That is, if it's a three-day boot camp, the registered child can't be planning to miss even one of the days. That's been something of a shift from our default attitude about program attendance--many families had gotten used to signing up and then deciding to show up on the day-of, rather than clearly committing to attend or canceling should they be unable. That more lenient mode works for us for one-off programs, where we then fill vacant spots with wait list or walk-in participants. Not so for multi-day boot camps, however, where each day builds upon the last. Kids need to be present for all days for the boot camp to be meaningful.

To that end, we employ two core strategies. First is very detailed reminder calls to all registrants. Our library's program assistants call every single family with a child registered for a boot camp, and during that call they remind them a) of the schedule and b) of the expectation that the child will attend all days. Then the program assistant asks, "Will your child be able to attend all sessions?" If the answer is "no" the program assistant once more explains the expectations before removing the child from the registration list. Any time we remove a child from a boot camp because they won't be able to attend all days, we follow that explanation with an invitation to attend a similar upcoming one-off program event. So while a child might not be able to come to a boot camp because they're not available both days, we still leave them with options for other library programs. (We do something similar if a kid shows up on day 2 having missed day 1.)

The second strategy to facilitate all-days participation: the coolest stuff happens on the last day. If it's a boot camp with a creative or art component, that means the core project isn't completed and ready to take home until the end of the final session. If it's a tech or coding program, that means we don't show off the programs we've created until the end of the final day. When all activities in the boot camp build up to a final product or show-and-tell, motivation to participate throughout is strong.

As I mentioned, we've been offering this style of boot camps for three school breaks now, with another set coming up this winter break. In all those camps, we've averaged one child dropping out after day one at each camp--usually a kid who wasn't interested in the topic, but whose parent insisted they try it anyway. The rest of the kids are in it for the long haul, really developing their skills, honing their creations, having conversations with their fellow attendees, and overall engaging in deeper learning than we can typically support in a standalone one-hour program.

Curious what topics we've explored with boot camp programs for elementary age kids? My colleague Amy and I have led, and written about, our Scratch Jr. Code Boot Camp (grades K-2) and our Robot Dance Boot Camp (grades 3-5). We also offered a two-day DNA boot camp this past summer (grades 3-5), and we're about to offer a two-day Baking Chemistry Boot Camp (grades 2-5), where we'll explore the chemistry behind basic baking skills while making three yummy baked goods. Other staff have also lead camps on puppetry (sessions for grades K-2 & 3-5); enchanted forest-themed games, crafts, and stories (grades 1-4); basic video editing (grades 4-6); 3D printing (grades 3-5); and simple sewing (grades 3-5). Some colleagues will also be offering a winter nature-themed boot camp in early January, with sessions for grades K-2 and 3-5.

We've found this boot camp model to be really successful at our library: there's always plenty of interest (so that we're thinking about when to repeat camp topics); staff are invigorated to create boot camp activities in areas of their own interest and expertise to share with kids; and kids themselves get elbows-deep in a topic they might be exploring for the first time. When a kid can walk out of the final day of boot camp excited about coding, or proudly holding a handmade puppet or terrarium, or with a link to the video project they made, they're leaving the library not only with a new skill, but with a new interest that can connect them to even more exploration and learning in the future. That's why we offer boot camps for kids.

Program Kits for Summer Bookmobile Pop-Ups

Two summers ago, I wrote about our forays into pop-up programming for the summer. I mentioned in that post that I'd be assessing this volunteer-staffed, in-the-library, weekly activity model for the following summer, and my youth program team and I definitely considered all aspects of the program. What we ended up with last summer was an in-library program schedule with a much higher volume of activities--which meant we could focus our pop-up energies elsewhere. And so we did: to the bookmobile. What we discovered last summer is that we can pretty simply pop-up with activities for bookmobile patrons, but we have to provide staffing for every pop-up; our bookmobile staff see such a high volume of patrons at each stop that they can't lend one of their regular staffers to lead an activity.

So for this summer, we considered what we'd learned, then iterated again. For 2017, we're sending activities out to the bookmobile once again. Since we know providing staffing is vital, and scheduling staff can be difficult during the summer, we needed to be really flexible to ensure that any staff member could confidently and competently lead a pop-up program with the bookmobile, little advance training necessary. And so we created Bookmobile Program Kits, each with video instructions that we can play at the pop-up.

Ribbon Cutting for New Bookmobile by Skokie Public Library, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

See, we got a magnificent new bookmobile a little over a year ago. This gorgeous library on wheels boasts an exterior awning, under which we can set up a folding table and lead activities. Also under the awning, beneath a panel on the exterior wall of the bookmobile, there is a flat-screen television. Which means we can play videos while we're set up under the awning leading activities. Thus our idea of how-to videos for bookmobile programming was born.

This summer we've got five different bookmobile program kits available, each with a bin full of supplies and a how-to video featuring a library staff member of community volunteer who has experience leading that same activity in a formal library program or space. Our kits, all with a STEAM connection:

• Nature Paints
• Paper Airplanes
• Paper Lotuses
• Pixel Art
• Sharpie Tie-Dye

We've only made a few pop-up appearances with the bookmobile so far this summer, but word is they're going quite well. The short videos help to reinforce to bookmobile patrons that they can participate in the activity even if they only have five minutes--we've found most patrons plan enough time for browsing and checking out books, but don't plan to stay for a longer activity. Staff leading the activities have shared that the kits work well logistically: all the supplies are easily accessible, the activities don't require a huge amount of space for patrons to engage, and the video allows ease of participation even when there's a larger size group of eager participants. And no one forgets how to do an activity, because you have the how-to on a loop.

At this point in the summer, we're considering these Bookmobile Program Kits a success. And a bonus: we didn't specifically brand the how-to videos as pertaining to the bookmobile pop-ups, so we can reuse them in so many potential programs and spaces in the future.

The Many Tastes of Salsa

Every winter/early spring at my library is marked by our participation in a community-wide initiative, Coming Together in Skokie and Niles Township*. This year, the initiative is called ¡Viva! and the overall goal is to explore and learn about the diverse Latino cultures and experiences in our community.

Latino culture is not monolithic--there are myriad cultures, traditions, allegiances, and values underneath that larger term. And so in creating a program for youth that could begin to reflect this reality of nuance and multiculturalism, we looked to a concept shared by all: food. Here's the program that resulted.

The Many Tastes of Salsa

Photo by Skokie Public Library, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

I kicked off this program (aimed at elementary-age children and their families) with a bit of introduction. I asked attendees what types of foods they really like, what foods and flavors make them think of home and family. This line of conversation set the stage for the read-aloud for the program: Salsa: A Cooking Poem by Jorge Argueta. The gorgeous text, accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Duncan Tonatiuh, is the story of one child's family traditions around salsa--of making it every weekend, and of dancing to salsa music during the process. The short, lyrical book provides a basic introduction to what salsa is and how it is made, and along the way the reader/listener gets to learn the family and cultural significance of the dish in the child's life.

After the read-aloud, I projected some images onto our big screen to show many of the common elements and ingredients of making salsa. We talked about the common tools--molcajete and tejolote--and most common ingredients--tomatoes, onions, chilies, lime. Then we also explored other ingredients that go into the salsas of folks from different geographic and cultural Latino backgrounds. We talked about difference in spiciness; tomatoes versus tomatillos; additional flavors like garlic, corn, and fruit. We talked, in short, about how different folks have different go-to salsas, and how a single type of recipe can be adapted and embraced by lots of different people.

Photo by Skokie Public Library, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Then the largest chunk of the program, and the part during which there was most natural social discussion: the salsa tasting. One of the major benefits of living in an area as diverse as Skokie and its surrounding towns and cities is the availability of great foods. For our tasting, we used a range of types of salsas, all made in-house by a local international produce shop. Using Chicago-made tortilla chips, kids tried a mild red salsa; salsa roja, with a bit more heat; a salsa with corn and beans added in; salsa verde made with tomatillos and dried chilies; a mango salsa; and a hot red salsa.

Photo by Skokie Public Library, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Now, if you've never done programs for kids that involve food tastings, let me tell you two things I've learned: 1) kids who attend are by and large willing to try just about any foods; and 2) breaking bread--or, in this case, scooping salsa--together is the single best way I've found to nurture comfortable, kitchen table-style conversations among kids in the library. This program was no exception. Some kids came knowing a friend or a family member, but once the food was out at the tables, everyone was congenially talking to their tablemates--about favorite foods, family traditions, preference for spiciness, etc. Food can facilitate those social connections by providing us with shared experience and an opening for talking about something we have in common.

So that was the program: an exploration of how different cultural groups within a larger cultural identifier embrace a food and make it their own. Our conversations were rich, and our taste buds satisfied.

~~*~~

*For a bit of quick back story on Coming Together in Skokie and Niles Township: Skokie is extremely diverse (think 70+ languages spoken in our elementary schools), and the community currently includes, and has historically included, high numbers of immigrants. About 25 years ago, members of the community put together an annual initiative called the Festival of Cultures to celebrate this diversity. More recently--in 2010--community leaders wanted to add a large community initiative that would have more of an education component. That is, where the Festival of Cultures celebrates all the community's diversity, Coming Together focuses on an ethnic or cultural group with a major presence in Skokie to allow all community members opportunity to learn more about that group--their neighbors. 2015 was something of an outlier year, where instead of focusing in on a single culture or cultural group, we tackled race.

Librarianship on YouTube: How to Make a Volcano

Right now and through the month of April, we're exploring all things earth science in the BOOMbox. That means rocks, natural disasters, ecosystems... all sorts of exciting natural phenomena that are ripe for exploration. One of the hits of the BOOMbox: Earth rotation thus far has been our weekly Monday afternoon microworkshop on volcanos. Who doesn't love a good eruption?

You can find the basics of the microworkshop on the help site for the BOOMbox (click here). And if you want to make your very own volcano, just like ours? Well, lucky you--here's a video that shows you how to do just that, complete with elephant toothpaste eruption.



Don't forget to click through to this volcano frame template if you want to follow along--or feel free to build a volcano that satisfies your own craftiness!

Tabletop Coding, plus more resources for coding with kids from WisCode Literati

I'm a fan of coding and other computer science activities in libraries--and I hope more and more folks will be inspired in this area, too, what with President Obama requesting $4 billion in the next budget specifically for K-12 computer science (CS) education. I love that coding activities are simultaneously versatile and engaging. Also, there's some indication that those activities kids intentionally spend time on are the ones preparing them for future jobs we have yet to even imagine. That's a strong argument for making sure CS and coding are part of library offerings, if you ask me.

In my relatively short career thus far, I've had the opportunity to work in libraries with both limited and advanced tech materials when it comes to kids' programming. What hardware a library has access to certainly factors into what type of computer science programming they can offer, but hardware doesn't have to be correlated with your intent to program around coding. We can get kids started with fundamental coding concepts in plenty of no- and low-tech ways.

All you need for a simple coding
activity is a grid board, some
tokens, and blank index cards.

With that in mind, I put together a Tabletop Coding activity for elementary ages and older. I've offered it as one of a range of stations on our Afternoon of Code here at Skokie, but it can also be a standalone pop-up activity, a competitive program--you name it. The materials are simple: a gridded game board, like for chess or checkers; a few game pieces or other tokens; and 20+ blank index cards, plus a writing utensil. With these simple materials at your fingertips, you can get kids in the mindset for coding. Full details on running the activity are here.

You see, rather than specifically share this full program activity how-to here on the blog, I wrote it up for a tremendous, free coding resource made by and for librarians: WisCode Literati. Their website hosts a growing number of CS activities, called "kits," that cover the full spectrum from no-tech to high-tech activities. Basically, there's something there for every library to offer, regardless of the tech you have at your disposal. Each activity has a thorough description, most often with helpful pictures, to get library staffers at a point where their comfort level matches their enthusiasm for offering coding activities. You should check out all of the great program and activity ideas, all of which have been vetted by librarians.

What are some of your favorite coding resources?

Early Elementary STEAM: Vegetable (& Fruit) Prints

We have two-month program cycles at my library, and during each cycle, we aim to have formal, registered STEAM program opportunities for each of the age ranges in my purview as Youth & Family Program Coordinator--that is, preschool, early elementary (K-2nd), and older elementary (3rd-5th). When we can, the other youth programming staff and I like to tie in the themes and concepts in these age-specific programs to align with the theme in the BOOMbox, our STEAM space. The following program activity aligned with our recent Textiles rotation, where folks of all ages explore sewing, weaving, prints, dying, knitting, batik, and more.

Vegetable Prints

Target age: kindergarten through second grade (our room fits about 16 comfortably)

Key concepts: print-making; visual thinking; shapes of fruits and vegetables from different perspectives

Supplies:

• tempera (or other washable--trust me, this gets messy) paint, in an assortment of colors
• vegetables and fruits of different types, sizes, and shapes (for the best result, cut them into halves/pieces at least 6 hours in advance of the program to allow the exposed edges to harden a bit)
• heavy paper (like construction or watercolor paper) and/or fabric squares
• trays to hold the paint
• paintbrushes
• cups with water to rinse brushes
• paper toweling for blotting wet brushes

Once kids were settled into our craft room for the program, I encouraged kids to put on painting smocks in anticipation of the mess. Then I prompted them to look at the materials on the tables. What did they see? Could they identify the different fruits and vegetables? Could they make any guesses at what we'd be doing with the materials in front of them?

After kids were clear that we'd be exploring print-making with paint and natural materials, we talked for a few minutes about what different shapes, patterns, and prints the different fruits and veg would make if painted and applied to the paper/fabric in different ways. I encouraged kids to pick up the veg pieces to look at them from different perspectives, trying to imagine the prints each side would make.

Then it was time to make some prints! We started off with everyone applying paint to their chosen fruits and veg using the paintbrushes, but after a while most kids defaulted to dipping their natural materials straight into the paint. (Told you it would get messy!)

We did this as a 45-minute program, and an integral part of using that full time frame was having multiple surfaces on which the kids could make prints. Everyone started off with a small sheet of paper to get a hang of the technique, then after maybe 10-15 minutes they each got a larger sheet of paper to plan out a larger, more intricate print (if they wanted). We talked about patterns and repetition, color choices, and other factors that print-makers consider at this point. Then, the final 15-20 minutes were spent with kids diligently creating a final print on a piece of muslin fabric. The idea was for the dried fabric to serve as a wall or door hanging, so we attached dowels with string to the top of each child's fabric so that the finished print could be displayed more easily.

It was so interesting to me to see how different kids really connected with different aspects of this activity. Some were totally into color mixing, while others favored a consistent palate. Some wanted to get the full effect of a single veg or two from every angle (a sort of natural cubism), while others wanted to explore every single shape and texture available. By the end, one or two kids even started repurposing the veg as paintbrushes, using them to draw and write on their final prints. Simple activity, so many possibilities!

Librarianship on YouTube: How to Make Finger Puppets

Remember that time I made a cameo in a YouTube video for the BOOMbox, the STEAM space at my library? Well, this time around, I have more than a cameo--I'm the guest expert walking folks through the steps of how to make finger puppets! Check out the video for full instructions on how to make adorable, handmade, simply-sewn finger puppets that are perfect for use in storytimes or as gifts. They're a great simple maker activity, too, if you're looking for those at your library; we've had kids making Minion finger puppets galore, plus favorite superheroes, etc., etc.



If you watched the video, did you catch the terrific puns? They were completely unplanned, I promise. Also make sure you catch the impromptu Little Red Hen scene at the end. Being a librarian is the best.

Librarianship on YouTube: How to Hack a T-Shirt

Folks have been actively ramping up our YouTube content here at my library, and this initiative has recently begun to include showing what takes place in the BOOMbox, our STEAM space. This September through December is all about textiles in the BOOMbox, and the first of our YouTube videos highlighting a textiles activity is available online. So take a few minutes to see how you can hack a t-shirt into a tote bag! Featured is my colleague Amy Holcomb, who runs the space. But be on the lookout for a cameo from yours truly.

And a note: while we filmed this video as a way to highlight an activity that kids and adults can do in our BOOMbox, it's an activity that anyone can do pretty much anywhere. All that's required is a t-shirt and scissors. Our in-house goal for these videos is that Skokie residents who cannot visit the BOOMbox can still participate in activities around our theme. A benefit for everyone with the internet? You can do this activity, too! No makerspace or real expertise required. So get hacking! Seems like a possible project for DIY holiday gifts...

Star Wars Sticky Note Mosaic Murals

We celebrated Star Wars at my library this weekend. It was my first time being immediately involved in a big Star Wars program since my spring break programs in my former job, and while my current library has celebrated Star Wars for a few years now, the goal is to always add some new elements to the festivities. Of course we had some of the expected: trivia; a light saber craft; and a seek-and-find scavenger hunt. We also repeated using the green screen in our youth Digital Media Lab to take family photos and insert them into Star Wars backgrounds.

What was totally new this year, however, was the main activity taking place in the BOOMbox, our STEAM space: Sticky Note Mosaic Murals.

My colleague Amy Holcomb, who runs the BOOMbox, emailed me a few weeks back with a news article about a paper company, Viking Direct, that created such murals on their office walls. I looked at those pictures (and looked harder), and from there I created a 25-by-25 sticky note grid template in Excel, on which I designed Darth Vader and Yoda images. The individual grid templates are pictured below if you're interested.

To make this activity work, one of my program assistants broke each 25-by-25 mural into 5-by-5 squares; these squares each had a designated spot on a grid, allowing a child/teen to take one grid square "map," gather their requisite sticky notes, and place their sticky note mosaic squares into the proper section of the full grid, which was measured out with string and tape on the glass BOOMbox windows. We had a grid on one window for the Light Side of the Force, and another on the opposite window for the Dark Side. The grid square "maps" are linked here if you'd like to use them to do this collaborative mosaic wall activity yourself (Light Side link; Dark Side link).

To create both the Vader and Yoda mosaic murals, you will need:

• 7.5'x7.5' wall or window space for EACH mural
• string, tape, and a measuring device to mark out your full grid, as well as paper or sticky notes to label the rows and columns (picture of the grid set-up below)
• Sticky notes for Yoda: 295 blue; 219 green; 54 yellow; 34 orange; 16 gray; 7 black
• Sticky notes for Vader: 304 black; 243 blue; 78 gray

As kids and teens came into the BOOMbox for the activity, they could choose if they wanted to help with the Light Side or the Dark Side. From there, we gave them a grid square map that would be within their reach--that is, lower squares for shorter, younger kids, and higher squares for taller teens. We were able to help explain the map-to-wall process as needed, but most kids jumped into the activity with a decent understanding of how to read their maps and add to the wall.

Our Vader mosaic mural in progress.

Note: because of the height at which our windows begin, I chopped the bottom row off of both grids for our particular activity. Were we to repeat this activity on a bare wall, however, I'd start with the bottom of the grid touching the carpet and build up from there. I just didn't want the grid to get too high for our activity--no ladders allowed.

Kids really liked this activity, and their caregivers got pretty excited about it, too. It was great fun to overhear conversations about what kids thought the murals would be while they were in early stages--each mural got pieced together one square at a time, making it a cool puzzle to solve.

Once our mosaic murals were completed, kids were welcome to come in the space to admire them and to create origami Yodas under the gaze of sticky note Yoda himself. Quite a fun way to weave our current BOOMbox theme--textiles--into our larger Star Wars Extravaganza!

Have you done any of these cool sticky note murals before? Care to share your plans?

Exploring Water & Dissolving in Science Club, Jr.

I led my final Science Club, Jr. program of the summer last week. The program has gotten such a great reputation that we had a huge combo crowd of folks who had registered in advance and folks who showed up day-of with a big interest in participating. And while I need to work with my fellow youth programming staff to work out the finer points of our registration/latecomers/walk-ins policies, I was glad to be able to allow 15 families--not just kids, as per usual--to participate. It was crowded, sure, but everyone was happily engaged in doing science.

In this particular program, I wanted for us to explore some of the properties of water. Or, more specifically, how some substances will or won't dissolve in water. To kick off our program, we shared a read aloud of The Gingerbread Man. This picture book choice may seem odd at first glance, but recall the story: the gingerbread man meets his ultimate demise because he must trust a fox to carry him across a river--a river which would cause him to fall to bits should he try to swim.

Photo by Skokie Public Library (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

So we read the story, then we talked about what we observed happening. I was interested to discover that, when we started talking about why the gingerbread man couldn't swim, many children said that if he swam he would have melted. I would not have anticipated that bit of kid logic, although it of course makes sense to me in hindsight. This reasonable misconception opened the door for us to talk about what the word "dissolve" means and to practice saying it.

Photo by Skokie Public Library (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

After we had the nuts and bolts of the concept of dissolving substances, we moved to our hands-on experiments. Each station was prepped with the following:

• a bowl of water
• a small cup with salt
• a small cup with fruit punch powder
• a small cup with a few Skittles candies
• a small cup with a piece of graham cracker
• a popsicle stick for stirring

Before we really got to experimenting, we talked about how we could tell that the liquid in our bowls was water. This line of questioning helped reinforce that scientists never drink or eat a substance that they don't know what it is. It's never to early for science safety skills!

The first phase of the experiment was for kids to dump the cup of salt in the water and observe what happened. Kids were invited to stir their mixture with their popsicle sticks if they so desired. End result: the salt dissolves!

Phase two was dumping the fruit punch powder into the water to observe what would happen, again with optional stirring. This time around, only some of the substance dissolved. We were able to tell some dissolved because the water turned the color of the powder, but we could also see some undissolved powder on the bottom of the bowls. This allowed us to introduce the concept of saturation, when no more of a substance can dissolve in a liquid.

Advice: if at all possible, dump the bowls and refill with fresh water at this point.

Photo by Skokie Public Library (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Phase three was placing the Skittles candies in the bottom of the bowl. We just observed to start off, watching what happened to the colors of the candies as they sat in the water. The colors will bleed from the candies, ultimately leaving a white candy at the bottom of the bowl. Before giving everything a stir for good measure--because who can resist, really?--we talked about reasons why the color might come off but the whole candy might not dissolve.

Our fourth and final phase of the experiment was the graham cracker, which most closely resembled the gingerbread man of our story. Once again, after placing the graham cracker in the water we observed. Kids were interested to see how the graham cracker became visibly soggy before ultimately coming apart in pieces. I heard some great parent/child conversations about what this experiment suggests about dunking cookies in milk at home.

All in all, this was a great program--not too messy, easy for antsy young scientists to do the activities more quickly with their caregivers as desired, and a concept that kids encounter but didn't necessarily have the vocabulary to explain. It was a great summer for Science Club, Jr.!

9 Weeks of Pop-Up Programming for Summer

This summer, we offered weekly pop-up programs in the main entryway to the youth services department at my library. We changed up the activities each week and harnessed the power of summer teen volunteers to keep the pop-ups running smoothly. Full details ahead!

What activities did we offer?
Over the course of our 9-week summer reading program, we offered the following activities:

• Monster page-corner bookmarks
• Materials: colored paper printed with a bookmark form template I created, scissors, glue sticks, and markers
• How-to: page corner bookmarks from Tally's Treasury
• Catapults
• Materials: popsicle sticks, rubber bands, plastic spoons, and pom pons for ammo
• How-to: Marshmallow Catapults from Mommy Poppins
• Card Making
• Materials: assorted colors paper and card stock, assorted die cuts, markers, glue sticks, and joke books
• How-to: Invite kids to make cards for time-appropriate occasions; for us, that was Father's Day and/or graduations. We also had plenty of joke books on hand for kids who wanted to just make "anytime cards."
• Fingerprint Art
• Materials: white paper and washable ink pads
• How-to: I've documented my prior forays into this activity at my previous job
• Origami Dinosaurs
• Materials: origami paper and origami how-to instructions and books
• How-to: Origami Dinosaur from Origami Voor Kinderen
• Balloon Rockets
• Materials: twine, drinking straw, scissors, tape, party balloons
• How-to: Under Pressure: Launch a Balloon Rocket from Scientific American
• Postcard to an Author/Book Character
• Materials: postcard-sized paper and markers
• How-to: Encourage kids to write a postcard to their favorite author or book character. If you're able to, take photos of the kids' cards and tweet them at the authors and/or publishing houses.
• Planet Buttons
• Materials: button maker with appropriate button-making tools and materials as well as images of the planets sized to fit the button maker
• How-to: Encourage kids to choose their favorite planet (we did this activity to celebrate New Horizons and the first clear photos of Pluto) and then make a button to share it proudly.
• Optical Illustions
• Materials: paper, scissors, drinking straws, tape, and coloring pencils
• How-to: Thaumatrope Illusion from Teachers Try Science

When did pop-ups take place?
Based on the calendar of scheduled programs and a rough guess at general patterns of foot traffic in the summer, we opted to offer pop-up programs on Thursday afternoons for approximately 90 minutes. After a few weeks of running the pop-ups from 4-5:30, with seriously dwindling numbers for the last half hour, we adjusted the time to 3:30-5 p.m.

Who ran the pop-up programs?
While I (or another staff member, the week I was out of town) was present in the youth department for the duration of the pop-up programs, a team of teen volunteers actually facilitated the pop-up activities from start to finish. I had a team of 5 teens who took turns rotating roles: one would be designated in-charge; one would make sure to take count of participants; one would move about the department to alert kids and families that an activity was taking place; and everyone would assist kids in completing the activity.

Who was the target audience for the pop-ups?
We wanted to offer activities that were accessible to children ranging in age from preschool through early junior high. Recognizing that that is a really huge range in age and ability, the litmus test for a program activity was whether a first grader might be able to complete the activity on their own/with little mediation. The volunteers were more than happy to assist kids who needed it, but we didn't want activities to be frustratingly complicated.

How were the pop-up activities received?
Really well! While there were some fluctuations in the number of attendees from week to week, we had a solid number of participants for every activity, and always a handful of kids at minimum who expressed really enjoying the activities.

Would we offer summer pop-ups again?
You bet! For next summer, I'll be considering not only what activities might be well suited to pop-up times, but also the best possible strategies for staffing them (volunteers? or part-time programming staff who can spend some work time making activities as well as leading them?) and when we offer them (scheduled? or truly pop-up, when we see lots of bodies in the department but no program on the calendar?). Lots to think about, including potential implications for school-year pop-ups.

~~*~~

What have been your most successful pop-up programs and activities for kids?

Stock Your Digital Suitcase: A Family Tech Program

Summer usually means two main things at the library: summer reading and vacations. As youth librarians, we want those two things to go hand in hand; we want kids to include reading as part of their summer vacations. For many libraries, this intended connection has long led to heightened promotion of audiobooks in the summertime. After all, what better way to pass the time of a long family car trip than with a great book that's performed for you? With this summer ethos in mind, I decided to offer a program to highlight the particular value of the library's eresources during the summer. And so the concept for "Stock Your Digital Suitcase" was born.

My idea for "Stock Your Digital Suitcase" was to allow my target audience--school-age children and their caregivers--the opportunity to learn about the different downloadable and streaming eresources my library offers, then give them time to start trying them out while I was in the program to help with questions and troubleshooting.

Because I knew I wanted families who attended the program to be able to get hands-on and actually download a resource, I clearly stated in the published event description that attendees should bring an ereader and/or wi-fi-connected device (smartphone, tablet), their library card, and any password they might need to download the free eresource apps. I asked people to register for the program so I could gauge the general level of interest in this topic--if only one or two signed up, I was prepared to scrap the program and instead set up one-on-one appointments with the would-be registrants. While the program roster didn't fill up as quickly as some of our summer program offerings, I was pleasantly surprised that, come program day, I only had one slot left in my 20-person roster. Eresources is obviously a topic of interest for many of our patrons.

I spent the first half of the program--about 30 minutes--giving an overview of the basics of my library's eresources. I presented these basics with the visual aid of some simple slides, which I had on my iPad mini and projected via Apple TV. We talked about what is required to use ersources: library card in good standing; device; and internet connection. And, because my library has eresources available for both download and streaming, we talked about the difference between those two models. The big takeaway: if you're going on vacation to a place where you don't know if you'll have wi-fi access, make sure to download everything before you leave!

In this introduction to our eresources, I also explained that each of the platforms--in our case, 3M Cloud Library, OverDrive, OneClick Digital, Hoopla, and Zinio--requires users to set up an account with them. I emphasize that, while this initial setup process can feel a bit tedious, it is a one-time process. From there, I touted what each resource offers, running the gamut from downloadable and streaming ebooks and eaudio, to downloadable magazines and streaming comics, to streaming movies, tv shows, and music. To say that the attendees were flabbergasted at the breadth of content available who be accurate.

I had created a little half-page handout for attendees to use in the second half of the program, which was hands-on trial time. The handout listed the web address of where to find the list of the library's eresources as well as the names and types of content offered by our different platforms. I included images of each platform's app icon as well to make locating them in the app marketplace easier.

I moved about the room as the kids and their caregivers got down to business downloading a first app and setting up an account. The account creation aspect is the reason I specified this program was for families, including the caregiver: creating an account on each platform requires an email address (which many kids either don't have or don't know), and most ask you to check a box saying you are over 13 or have a parents' permission to proceed. 

Once the desired apps were downloaded and required accounts created, kids searched and browsed for the books and other materials (but primarily books, which made me so happy!) they found interesting, then tried their hands at downloading and/or streaming. At this point, we talked a bit about how eresources return themselves (no late fees!), how best to browse for kids' materials, and how to put an eresource on hold. All of the questions were outstanding ones that really helped kids and their caregivers understand how to use these resources in the same ways they would the library stacks. After the end of the program--which I ended with a reminder to add all ereading to kids' summer reading logs--lots of families left with smiles and statements that they couldn't wait to "pack" for their summer vacations.

I'm thrilled that this program was such a success. As the staff member who purchases all the children's and teen content for our ebook/eaudiobook platforms, I know that we've upped our budgets for eresources in past years. The fact that there's a sizable audience of library cardholders eager to put these materials to use makes me happy. When I shared the success with my colleagues, they recommended possible times to repeat this type of program: perhaps after the holidays when devices have been received as gifts, or in advance of spring breaks. I'll figure out the logistics of when, but I think it's safe to say this program deserves some repeats to highlight a great pocket of our collections.

Little Learners Browsing Bins: A Themed Pocket Collection for Ages 4-7

We debuted a new pocket collection at my library this week.

Let me take a step back to start. We’ve been redesigning a space in the youth department designated for children ages 4-7, whom we call “Little Learners,” and their caregivers. The goal of the space is to engage these emerging readers and their families in literacy-positive activities, including reading and hands-on learning.

One of the initiatives for the space, and the one that I’ve helmed, is the creation of a pocket collection: ten themed browsing bins of age-appropriate picture books (YES! Picture books, and nonfiction in picture book format, are wonderful for all ages!). I’ve done theming/organizing of collections before, but the really cool thing about the Little Learners Browsing Bins project is that it was building a pocket collection from scratch. Turns out it’s super gratifying to go through all the steps to create a shiny, accessible new collection.

The first step was deciding on the bin themes. I did some research on libraries that have organized/reorganized their picture book collections into neighborhoods, thinking about what themes recur most and would be most appropriate for ages 4-7. I created a list of about a dozen themes, then shared them in a poll with all the folks at my library who work the youth services desk. My team members were expert at weighing in on themes--they know what types of books families with children this age ask for over and over again, and they have a great sense of what hidden gems in the collection could use more time front-and-center. They voted on preferred themes, including writing in suggestions. A combo of these themes then went to a poll on the library’s Facebook page, which library patrons were able to take. We got some good feedback from the folks who took the public poll, too.

Thus was our set of 10 themes determined--and 10 was the magic number because our new browsing bins would have space for 10 themes (4 “major” double-binned themes, and 6 single-binned themes):

• Award-Winners - titles that have received accolades, with an emphasis on awards recognizing diversity and inclusion 
• Fairy Tales - folk and fairy tales from both multicultural and traditional Western traditions 
• Science - titles that invite scientific interest and inquiry 
• Longer Tales - longer stories told in picture book format (we had previously noted many of these books in our collections with a note reading “Illustrated Fiction” in the MARC record) 
• Dinosaurs - picture books and picture book-format easy nonfiction dealing with dinosaurs as historical creatures and characters in stories 
• Things That Go - books that depict vehicles and transportation 
• Multilingual - titles including multilingual elements, with an emphasis on major languages spoken in the community 
• School Stories - stories about the experience of starting or going to school 
• Animals & Nature - picture books and picture book-format easy nonfiction that portray animals and nature as they are in real life 
• Listen-Along - picture books with musical accompaniment 

Then it was GO TIME for getting books in each theme. With the exception of titles for the Longer Tales and Listen-Along categories, which were culled from our existing collections, the books for the bins were gathered by purchasing brand new copies of great books. I bought one copy of each title for the bins, and the library also owns at least one additional copy of each title housed in our regular stacks. In my purchasing, I prioritized titles that are more recent (think the past few years) as well as titles by, about, and/or featuring diverse persons. Equity is a major goal with this pocket collection.

The library’s access department staff were outstanding in cataloging and preparing these items, and our graphic designer made outstanding icons for each of the themes; each book in the Little Learners Browsing Bins collection has a beautiful spine sticker, with both text and icon, to identify its theme and home. Very simple for both customers and staff.

There are more elements to the redesigned Little Learners area at my library than these Browsing Bins, including interactive panels, circulating Little Learners backpacks for at-home learning, a rotating monthly display, and eventual hands-on activities for children and caregivers to do together. I like to think, however, that the Little Learners Browsing Bins are a cornerstone of this revamped section--something previously not offered by the library, with great books displayed beautifully and in a manner that pre-readers and emerging readers can use effectively.

I so look forward to seeing how this pocket collection is used--and, hopefully, enjoyed--by our 4- to 7-year-olds and their families.

~~*~~

Debut collection for the Little Learners Browsing Bins at Skokie Public Library (we’ll keep adding new titles as excellent choices are published):

Award-Winners:

1. Princesses on the Run by Smiljana Coh
2. Part-time Princess by Deborah Underwood
3. Red Kite, Blue Kite by Ji-Li Jiang
4. Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss
5. Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light by Tim Tingle
6. A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant
7. Back to Front and Upside Down! by Claire Alexander
8. Niño Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales
9. Firebird by Misty Copeland
10. Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty
11. Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue
12. Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
13. One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
14. Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
15. Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave
16. A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Erin Stead
17. The Three Pigs by David Wiesner
18. So, You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George
19. Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
20. Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
21. Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
22. Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully
23. Grandma's Gift by Eric Velasquez
24. The Pirate of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon
25. A Coyote Solstice Tale by Thomas King
26. Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt's Treasured Books by Susan L. Roth
27. The House Baba Built: An Artists' Childhood in China
28. Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia
29. Zephyr Takes Flight by Steven Light
30. Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey
31. Molly, by Golly! by Dianne Ochiltree
32. Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown
33. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
34. May I Bring a Friend? by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers
35. The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship by Arthur Ransome
36. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
37. Ox Cart Man by Donald Hall
38. Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
39. Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman
40. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

Fairy Tales:

1. Walt Disney's Cinderella by Cynthia Rylant
2. The ABC of Fantastic Princes by Willy Puchner
3. Aladdin by Giada Francia
4. Beauty and the Beast by Giada Francia
5. Cinderella by Giada Francia
6. Little Red Riding Hood by Giada Francia
7. Rapunzel by Giada Francia
8. Sleeping Beauty by Giada Francia
9. The Little Mermaid by Giada Francia
10. Snow White by Giada Francia
11. Little Red Riding Hood by Jerry Pinkney
12. Precious and the Boo Hug by Pat McKissack
13. Hansel and Gretel by Rachel Isadora
14. Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal by Paul Fleischman
15. The Tale of the Firebird by Gennadii Spirin
16. Goldy Luck and the Tree Pandas by Natasha Yim
17. Rumpelstiltskin by Paul O. Zelinsky
18. Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco
19. Town Mouse Country Mouse by Jan Brett
20. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
21. Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
22. The Girl of the Wish Garden by Uma Krishnaswami
23. Brush of the Gods by Lenore Look
24. Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin
25. Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
26. Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote by Duncan Tonatiuh
27. One Grain of Rice by Demi
28. Ganesha's Sweet Tooth by Emily Haynes
29. Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer
30. The Contest by Nonny Hogrogian
31. The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton
32. Juan Bobo Goes to Work by Marisa Montes
33. Just a Minute by Yuyi Morales
34. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka
35. Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens
36. It Could Always Be Worse by Margot Zemach
37. The Emperor and the Kite by Jane Yolen
38. Ten Big Toes and a Prince's Nose by Nancy Gow
39. Lon Po Po by Ed Young
40. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe

Science:

1. Look Up! Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer by Robert Burleigh
2. The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever by H. Joseph Hopkins
3. Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A. Nivola
4. Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette Leblanc Cate
5. The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton
6. Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos by Stephanie Roth Sisson
7. Light is All Around Us by Wendy Pfeffer
8. What Happens to Our Trash? by D.J. Ward
9. Secrets of the Seasons: Orbiting the Sun in Our Backyard by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
10. Lookin' for Light: Science Adventures with Manny the Origami Moth by Eric Braun
11. Simply Sound: Science Adventures with Jasper the Origami Bat by Eric Braun
12. Plant Part Smarts: Science Adventures with Charlie the Origami Bee by Eric Braun
13. Rainbows Never End: And Other Fun Facts by Laura Lyn DiSiena
14. Saturn Could Sail: And Other Fun Facts by Laura Lyn DiSiena
15. What is the Water Cycle? by Ellen Lawrence
16. What are Rocks Made Of? by Ellen Lawrence
17. How Are Rain, Snow, and Hail Alike? by Ellen Lawrence
18. What is Weather? by Ellen Lawrence
19. What is Climate? by Ellen Lawrence
20. What are Clouds? by Ellen Lawrence
21. Volcano Wakes Up! by Lisa Westberg Peters
22. The Magic School Bus Blows Its Top: A Book About Volcanoes by Joanna Cole
23. The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About How Living Things Grow by Joanna Cole
24. How Many Planets Circle the Sun? by Mary Kay Carson
25. A Trip into Space: An Adventure to the International Space Station by Lori Haskins Houran
26. You Can't Ride a Bicycle to the Moon! by Harriet Ziefert
27. Gravity by Jason Chin
28. Pluto's Secret: An Icy World's Tale of Discovery by Margaret A. Weitekamp
29. It's Raining! by Gail Gibbons
30. It's Snowing! by Gail Gibbons
31. Clouds by Anne Rockwell
32. Energy Makes Things Happen by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
33. Sounds All Around by Wendy Pfeffer
34. What Makes a Magnet? by Franklyn Mansfield Branley
35. What's Alive? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
36. My Five Senses by Aliki
37. Forces Make Things Move by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
38. The Human Body by Jon Richards
39. Volcanoes by Seymour Simon
40. No Monkeys, No Chocolate by Melissa Stewart

Longer Tales:

1. Hope Springs by Eric Walters
2. Dancers of the World by Aurelia Hardy
3. Harlem Renaissance Party by Faith Ringgold
4. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
5. Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia McKissack
6. Lost + Found by Shaun Tan
7. January's Sparrow by Patricia Polacco
8. A Boy Called Dickens by Deborah Hopkinson
9. Mister Whistler by Margaret Mahy
10. Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin A. Ramsey
11. Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek by Deborah Hopkinson
12. Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China by Deborah Noyes
13. Black Dog by Levi Pinfold
14. The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman
15. Ladder to the Moon by Maya Soetoro-Ng
16. The Secret River by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
17. The Man in the Moon by William Joyce
18. Cloud Tea Monkeys by Mal Peet
19. Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp
20. Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson
21. Henry and the Kite Dragon by Bruce Edward Hall
22. A Packet of Seeds by Deborah Hopkinson
23. Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett
24. Jack and the Giant Barbecue by Eric A. Kimmel
25. When Grandmama Sings by Margaree King Mitchell
26. The Beautiful Lady by Pat Mora
27. The House at the End of Ladybug Lane by Elise Primavera
28. The Odious Ogre by Norton Juster
29. Stand Straight, Ella Kate by Kate Klise
30. The Django by Levi Pinfold
31. The Girl Who Wanted to Dance by Amy Ehrlich
32. Naming Liberty by Jane Yolen
33. The Flying Bed by Nancy Willard
34. Pancakes for Supper! by Anne Isaacs
35. Wings by Christopher Myers
36. The Yellow Star by Carmen Agra Deedy

Dinosaurs:

1. My Dinosaur is More Awesome! by Simon Coster
2. Brontorina by James Howe
3. When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach
4. Tea Rex by Molly Idle
5. Dinosaurs Love Underpants by Claire Freedman
6. Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
7. Time Flies by Eric Rohmann
8. Dino Pets by Lynn Plourde
9. If Dinosaurs Live in My Town by Marianne Plumridge
10. Dig Those Dinosaurs by Lori Haskins Houran
11. How Big Were Dinosaurs? by Lita Judge
12. Amazing Giant Dinosaurs by DK
13. Why Did T. Rex Have Such Short Arms? by Melissa Stewart
14. If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur by Linda Bailey
15. Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? by Julie Middleton
16. Bang! Boom! Roar! A Busy Crew of Dinosaurs by Nate Evans
17. Camp Rex by Molly Idle
18. The Three Triceratops Tuff by Stephen Shaskan
19. Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur by Judy Sierra
20. Dinosaur vs. the Library by Bob Shea

Things That Go:

1. The Too Little Fire Engine by Jane Flory
2. Construction by Sally Sutton
3. The Village Garage by G. Brian Karas
4. Machines Go To Work in the City by William Low
5. Everything Goes By Sea by Brian Biggs
6. Everything Goes in the Air by Brian Biggs
7. Everything Goes on Land by Brian Biggs
8. Moonshot by Brian Floca
9. The Glorious Flight by Alice Provensen
10. Locomotive by Brian Floca
11. Backhoe Joe by Lori Alexander
12. Night Light by Nicholas Blechman
13. Digger, Dozer, Dumper by Hope Vestergaard
14. Planes, Trains, and Cars by Simon Abbott
15. Supertruck by Stephen Savage
16. The Tweedles Go Electric by Monica Kulling
17. The Fire Station by Robert Munsch
18. Number One Sam by Greg Pizzoli
19. Earth Space Moon Base by Ben Joel Price
20. Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper

Multilingual:

1. Maria Had a Little Llama / María Tenía Una Llamita by Angela Dominguez
2. Book Fiesta! Celebrate Children's Day-Book Day / Celebremos El Día de los Niños-El Día de los Libros by Pat Mora
3. Gracias / Thanks by Pat Mora
4. Count Me In! A Parade of Mexican Folk Art Numbers in English and Spanish by Cynthia Weill
5. Alicia's Fruity Drinks / Las Aguas Frescas De Alicia by Lupe Ruiz-Flores
6. Healthy Foods from A to Z / Comida Sana de la A a la Z by Stephanie Maze
7. Grandma's Chocolate / El Chocolate de Abuelita by Mara Price
8. Movi la Mano / I Moved My Hand by Jorge Lujan
9. La Florecita de la Maleza / The Little Weed Flower by Vicky Whipple
10. Little Crow to the Rescue / El Cuervito al Rescate by Elizabeth Cummins Munoz
11. Playing Lotería / El Juego De La Lotería Mexicana by Rene Colato Lainez
12. Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! / Preparate, Kindergarten! Alla Voy by Nancy Carlson
13. Mirror / (Arabic) by Jeannie Baker
14. Time to Pray / (Arabic) by Maha Addasi
15. Waiting for Mama / (Korean) by Tae-joon Lee

School Stories:

1. Lizzie and the Last Day of School by Trinka Hakes Noble
2. Planet Kindergarten by Sue Ganz-Schmitt
3. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
4. The New Girl...And Me by Jacqui Robbins
5. Follow the Line to School by Laura Ljungkvist
6. The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
7. My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay by Cari Best
8. Miss Brooks' Story Nook by Barbara Bottner
9. Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio
10. The Best Thing About Kindergarten by Jennifer Lloyd
11. The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten by Maureen Fergus
12. Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten by Toni Buzzeo
13. Kindergarten Diary by Antoinette Portis
14. Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
15. Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin
16. A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech
17. Preschool Time by Mij Kelly
18. The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing
19. Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison
20. Miss Nelson is Missing by Henry Allard

Animals & Nature:

1. Little Puffin's First Flight by Jonathan London
2. My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell
3. My Garden by Kevin Henkes
4. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
5. Neighborhood Sharks Katherine Roy
6. Whale Trails, Before and Now by Lesa Cline-Ransome
7. Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Susan L. Roth
8. These Bees Count! by Alison Formento
9. Picture a Tree by Barbara Reid
10. Plant a Little Seed by Bonnie Christensen
11. Awesome Autumn by Bruce Goldstone
12. Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
13. Time to Eat by Steve Jenkins
14. Time to Sleep by Steve Jenkins
15. Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins
16. How Do You Know It's Winter? by Ruth Owen
17. Shaping Up Summer by Lizann Flatt
18. Swirl by Swirl by Joyce Sidman
19. The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry
20. At This Very Moment by Jim Arnosky

Listen-Along:

1. The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket
2. Pictures at an Exhibition by Anna Hartwell Celenza
3. Vivaldi's Four Seasons by Anna Hartwell Celenza
4. Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite by Anna Hartwell Celenza
5. Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue by Anna Hartwell Celenza
6. Bach's Goldberg Variations by Anna Hartwell Celenza
7. The Heroic Symphony by Anna Hartwell Celenza
8. Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf by Peter Malone