The Summer of Owen Todd by Tony Abbott

As a father of young children I always worry about whether or not I have given them the tools to handle stranger danger or even danger from familiar faces (statistically children are more likely to be abused by a family member). One such way I can do is by looking for literature that handles difficult topics in a sensitive manner. Luckily, The Summer of Owen Todd by Tony Abbott does just that.

It starts off like any other summer for Owen Todd on Cape Cod...visions of baseball, go karting and beaches fill his head...it's going to be a long, fun summer. His best friend Sean has similar plans but due to extenuating circumstances his mom hires a babysitter. The babysitter turns out to have other plans up his sleeve besides mere babysitting and Sean confides in Owen.

Owen is shocked by the revelations and  his tween mind struggles with what  to do with the information especially when he considers what revealing the truth could do to the tight-knit community. Owen could take the easy route out as he has his own issues to deal with. He never loses sight of the big picture which is that what someone-a grown up no less- has done something wrong to his best friend and as a friend he should try to do something about it.

It would be easy to blame Sean's mother what with all that she has to do and the other mitigating factors. Like many single parents she has a lot on her plate and in trying to make ends meet decides to use a familiar resource.

The author also includes an afterword that implores readers to use many of the resources available if they know or suspect sexual abuse is occurring (if you see something, say something). Although there aren't graphic descriptions of events, the subject matter may be better understood by children aged 9+.  A good read for adults to share with younger ones is Some Secrets Should Never be Kept by Jayneen Sanders.

Show and Prove by Sofia Quintero

If you're like me you read the inside of the front and back covers of a book that looks interesting. This particular book, Show and Prove's  back cover says that the author, Sofia Quintero is an "Ivy League homegirl". That for me was more motivation for me to pick this book up.

Set in the South Bronx of the 1980s the book traces the events in one hot summer of two friends, Smiles and Nike. Both have family who came to the city from somewhere else and both share a love of hip-hop.  Like any good coming of age story their relationship morphs over the course of the book and there are some bumps along the way.

Though the two are best friends Smiles has been doing a lot of introspection and finds that his life should be more purposeful. What this purpose is he doesn't know. As for Nike, he has all the purpose he needs with his Nike sneakers, fresh clothes and boom box. During the summer they work together at a neighborhood center and the interactions they have with each other, with the kids and with two other counselors will forever impact their lives.

As a fan of break dancing I especially liked the battle scenes in the book but the political awakening of the characters is to me even more important. Often times I hear people say that Americans aren't aware of what's going on (or at least not as aware as they should be) and that to me is disheartening.  Quintero does a masterful job however of not being too preachy but still presenting her views in an accessible way. This book could be a good primer into a variety of urban issues such as race relations, urban decay, immigration, the working poor and neighborhood uplift. I highly recommend it for ages 13+.










As an added bonus, here is an interview with the author in which she talks a little about the creative process involved in writing this book.

Back to School crafts

Believe it or not summer is over and the kiddos are going back to school. For the little ones, the first few days are usually spent teaching the rules, getting to know each other and practicing routines.

Some teachers incorporate crafts into those first days because it helps build hand muscles that will be used to practice writing letters and numbers later on. I have scoured the web to find some crafts that will appeal not only to teachers but also to homeschoolers, librarians and those of that ilk.



I did the pencils below last week at craft hour and they were delightful. Parents and kids alike found them to be very cute and of course they can be personalized to suit individual desires. In the pic below the pencil tip is drawn on but I glued a piece of construction paper onto the pallet stick and used a sharpie to color the tip and it looked just fine.

                                                    


For tomorrow's craft I plan to decorate pencils and pens with yarn, here are two of the samples that I have to show. I added the pom poms as a pièce de résistance!

Pencil toppers are always a nice idea and you can use chenille sticks and any number of materials. But I found these pretty simple crafts using craft foam, scissors, glue and some markers.

Crafts aren't only for little ones however and for this craft you can get older kids to help out although I think that when they see the colorful duct tape they will want to dive right in. I have seen duct tape wallets, pouches, bracelets and such but this duct tape lanyard is perfect for kids who may have to have keys, school ids and such within easy reach (somehow putting things in bookbags doesn't always work). These simple duct tape lanyards are useful, colorful and original.

Often on social media I see parents post pics of their little ones holding signs saying "I'm a 4th grader" etc so I wanted to find some cool signs since I myself am thinking about doing that this year with my two sons. This link has a ton of  them in all colors and some can be customized as you like. Be careful however as it is easy to spend an hour or more just browsing. Until next time, happy crafting!

Kids Paint at the Library

      For the longest while I have been itching to do some painting at my branch's weekly craft activity for kids. We have washable tempera paint in abundance so I didn't have to buy any paint.  I wanted to combine a recycle activity with some STEM-related activity so I used some tp rolls and some paper towel rolls which a great teen volunteer and I then made into shapes. I will say from now that the heart shape was the hardest to make and I ended up making two variations of those.  Inclement weather meant that the turnout wasn't as great as most weeks but I was able to save the materials for the next time I do this activity probably in six months or so.

   Here is how I ended up setting up the room. I thought about putting the drop cloths on the tables but decided not to. Some paint ended up spilling on the table and I was able to use clorox wipes to clean the mess fairly quickly. If you look closely you will see some small dixie cups in which I placed small amounts of paint. The kids then dipped the shapes into the paint to make various patterns. I started with red and black paint and then poured more as requested. Going forward I will pour less paint in the cups (just a dot not a lot!) because I had too much left over and I will also wait and see how many kids turn up before I set material out.

This is the cart that I used to wheel all the materials into the room.

Here is a sample pattern I did just to show the kids what they could do.

I could not take pics of any of the actual participants at the branch but I was able to get one of my son when I reproduced the craft at home with my son. We discovered that dollar store paints aren't the best quality (big surprise!)

Summer Paper Crafts

Summer officially started several days ago but most kids have been out of school for almost a month now and if they are anything like mine boredom is setting in. Here are some crafts that can be done with any combination of paper, paper plates, chenille sticks,glue, markers, craft sticks a wee bit o glue and a little ingenuity. Crafts are good because not only do they help beat boredom but they also develop fine motor skills in little ones as well as help kids to think creatively.


This fan is not only visually stunning but it is also a perfect way to beat the heat. I would recommend using tempera paint due to the fact that this paint cleans fairly easily. Be warned though that as with many paints when it dries it may cause paper to get a tad stiff.   For the melon use some green paint (you may have to use more than one coat since the paint may dry very light) and then stick the various colored paper on the plates.



The directions for this and for others can be found here.

Summers are hot because of the sun so how about making a cool paper plate sun. Paint or color a paper plate yellow and if you have a hole puncher punch some holes around the edges through which you will thread the chenille sticks (you can slip some plastic decorative pieces over those) and if you'd like glue some decorative jewel pieces on the plate.



This next craft is really easy to do and you will need a few different kinds of construction paper which you will then cut in small strips and then fold them and stick them to the craft sticks. Then cut another piece of paper in a circle and stick that on top of everything. It comes out looking very nice.





 The above crafts are perhaps a bit too involved for a preschooler to work on independently so I am including two crafts that are perfect for this age group. In this first craft a grown up will have to cut the fish shape first or perhaps cut the circle before the little one sticks the triangle onto it. Little ones can then stick on little pieces of construction paper to serve as the scales of the fish.





This next craft is one that I like because there are many ways to do it. If you have more than one child you can have them use their hands only or you can do the craft as shown in the pic below and use everyone in the family's hand. If you want you can use plain construction paper and have the child color it, write something on it or even stick something on it to decorate it. When completed you can stick it up somewhere in the house that way you can keep a ready visual of how small the child's hands were at one point.



Till next time, keep crafting!

Vacation bible school crafts

   The kids are out of school and for many the summer months are a good time to learn a little more about the Christian faith. Songs, games and other group activities are always a large part of this. Crafts are cool and the good thing about them is that they can be modified or adjusted according to the skill level of the kids.

For this door hanger, used cds are perfect. Add some decorations, color and a verse of scripture of your choice and voila!




Some scriptures are so powerful that reading them every day can provide a level of comfort. Little ones can make their own praying hands complete with scripture. I think for this one you can have the kids trace their hands or if not then they can use a template.



Also since most of the kids will probably have on flip-flops or sandals anyway you might as well do a foot scripture.  I am thinking that you can get the kids to trace their foot on a piece of construction paper or some other sturdy material, cut it out and then decorate it. For extra longevity you can laminate it as well.




A VBS camp craft list would not be complete without a cross of some sort and I found two that I like. This one is made out of construction paper and regular paper. You can print the verses on the colored paper or have the kids write  those out before pasting them on the cross.


This second cross is really simple as well and you can use pallets of different sizes for this. The kids can color them with markers (paint is really messy) and then paste colored beads, buttons or some other embellishment on it. They come out really nice.

Superhero kids songs

I posted last week about books that could accompany this summer's superhero reading theme. So today I wanted to select some songs that could be used for programs or story times that went along with that theme.

This song is a good one for story time because it has lots of actions that change in each (short) verse. The video has Ms Shukla singing the lyrics and some exuberant kids doing the actions she describes. The song also emphasizes the message of friendship so I like that especially. I would definitely use this one in a story time or program.

This song is not the fastest, the lyrics aren't particularly giggle-inducing and the graphics are very low tech BUT the words are displayed and can be used for karaoke style sing alongs. Words on a screen solve a problem of having to have kids learn words, printing words on story sheets (that half the parents won't read anyway). So for this reason I will include it on this list.

This song can be used in school and in other programs because it incorporates numbers. It is catchy enough and the graphics are attractive enough that they won't turn off younger ones.

I found Pancake Manor when I was searching for some songs for my own children and I like their style (it's vaguely reminiscent of the Imagination Moviers or the Aquabats). The video features quirly puppets and cute kids in diy costumes

Here are some cool superhero theme songs from yesteryear. Spiderman, Batman are absolute classics (and make cool ringtones also) and although I am not sure if they are superheros per se the Ghostbusters theme is a classic and very catchy also.

Every Hero Does Indeed Have A Story- Unmask it!

    Superheroes and their many and varied stories are the focus of this year's Summer of Reading program. I decided to read as widely as I could to find some books that librarians, parents and caregivers could use in displays, school visits etc. to promote the various SOR events and to drum up interest in the theme. This year's theme is especially catchy and sooo many books tie into it which makes it even more exciting!  I can just see kids coming to the various SOR events dressed as their favorite superheroes.

Kapow by George O' Connor features some friends dressed in their superhero garb. In their minds however they are fearless defenders of the city. The kid dressed as American Eagle's mom has already warned the kids about hitting, a fact that his younger brother (dressed as the Rubber Bandit) reminds him. The kids keep playing and then an accident occurs. What to do?  Taking responsibility for one's actions is a great lesson to learn and is what a true superhero would do.








Superfab Saves the Day by Jean Leroy is about a rabbit who is super fabulous- his walk-in closet is a marvel. This rabbit is not just a snazzy dresser however- he is also a superhero. Superfab's keen fashion sense begins to hinder his career until he is no longer called. Then one day Superfab is the only one who can save the day.  This book is

The Day I lost my Superpowers by Michaël Escoffier is a cute tale told from a child's first person perspective. He describes all the fabulous things he is capable of (flying off his bed, making food disappear etc until one day he loses his powers and has to count on the help of another family member who has powers of her own. This is a cute little read aloud.





Girls can do anything boys can and that includes doning a cape and saving the day. In Super Red Riding Hood by Claudia Dávila a little girl ventures into a forest to pick raspberries for a snack but runs into a hungry wolf. She uses her super skills to evade the famished creature but then uses perhaps her best power of all-kindness to save the day.









Not all heroes are born great. In fact some heroes don't save planets or worlds but do small things to help themselves or their family. In Superhero Joe by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman, we meet a boy called Joe. He doesn't seem very heroic. In fact, he used to be scared of many things. One day he got a cape and a special shield and from that moment life changed for him drastically.






For readers who are a little older, here are some good reads that they can sink their teeth into. The Adventures of Beanboy by Lisa Harkrader is not one of those books where the kid turns into a superhero or where the superhero saves the kid. The hero in this book is a regular kid who helps his overowrked mom out with caring for his special needs younger brother. He does well in school and generally stays out of trouble. Beanboy must make some hard choices when he has an opportunity to help someone out who needs help but is not too keen on accepting help.




Another book that I found to be good reading was Ordinaryboy by William Boniface. Ordinaryboy ("OB" to his parents) is the only normal person in Superopolis. He pals around with his friends, each of whom have a quirky super power and they call themselves the Junior Leaguers.  The illustrations throughout are actual pages from the Li'l Hero's Handbook. They all adore Amazing Indestructo and buy anything with his likeness on it. When some trading cards come out the group finds that there is a sinister plot at hand and it is up to the Junior Leaguers to stop a dastardly villain. This book operated on various levels and adults would finish it and reflect on some of the themes discussed. Young readers would identify with OB as although he is a normal kid, he is able to hold his own.



This last book for younger readers is about another ordinary kid. He is made more ordinary by the fact that his older brother is the local football star. Tragedy strikes however and Newton "Newt" Newman  finds himself saving the day as Captain Nobody. It's a bit cliche to say it but this book has a lot of heart and for this reason it is perhaps my favorite of the bunch.  Yes the events are a bit fantastical but I this kid is one of the most unselfish characters I have seen in any of the superhero novels. Good for him.






 I was fooled. I thought that this next book was about a kid superhero called Stainlezz Steel who went about his hood defeating bad guys. the first few pages showed him bragging about defeating heavyweights super-villains.  I thought yes here is someone the kids can root for and he is a superhero of color also!

It turned out not to be entirely true. Yes our hero is a person of color but he is not exactly a titan. Kenny Wright is a public school kid, and one who lives in a tough part of Washington D.C.  He is street smart but not a hoodrat thanks in part to the unwavering guidance of his grandmother whom he calls G-Ma. There are bullies, school issues and other matters to deal with and sometimes he finds himself in strange situations where he has to think really hard about making good choices. I like how the authors chose to keep the focus of the book on high academic expectations throughout. Kenny Wright is indeed a public school superhero.

Coming-of-age stories abound and  Battling Boy by Paul Pope follows a well trodden theme i.e. the alien coming to Earth to save the day. Where the story differs in Battling Boy is that the young protagonist (barely into his teens) is prone to rash decisions. His sojourn on Earth is a mere test of his ability to follow in the footsteps of his father, himself a mighty warrior. This very strong kid armed with a closet full of power t-shirts arrives in Acropolis at a pivotal moment in the city's fight with a scourge of monsters. Acropolis' hero, Haggard West has just been killed and the monsters are making plans for total domination. Battling Boy is going to have to grow up really fast in the face of all these challenges.

The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks introduces us to a young woman who is a great superhero capable of beating bands of ninjas and bashing giant monsters. Her love life is so-so and she sometimes has trouble making her half of the rent. Hicks' character is someone to root for. (And you'd better, or else she'll pound ya)




Thus ends my round up. What books do you recommend? Feel free to leave a comment. Cheers!














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Graphic novels for reluctant readers

I saw a post on instagram that read something to the effect of "there are no reluctant readers only readers who aren't getting the right books". I thought long and hard about that quote and decided to do this post about books that are in graphic novel form. Graphic novels are not only for those who like superheroes. Nowadays graphic novels encompass everything from adaptations of classics like A Tale of Two Cities to teenage angst. I will focus this post mainly on books for readers in grades 2-5. These books are all high interest and for the most part feature simple vocabulary. In any case graphic novels often help scaffold vocabulary so that is just one more advantage to these books.

Dalen and Gole: Scandal in Port Angus by Mike Deas features two friends from the planet Budap. They love racing but smell something fishy when they are thwarted at the finish line. They follow clues and discover that the trail leads to Earth and wind up teaming up with an earthling to stop an interplanetary plot.







I like The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook by Eleanor Davis because it shows that science is cool. The heroes in this book are not muscle bound or superpowered.When strange things begin ocurring in the city however the trio band together to solve the case. I like how there are detailed illustrations of the crafts and gizmos that the kids design. Very cool.








Zita the Spacegirl is the first in a series by Ben Hatke. Zita is a bit headstrong but she cares deeply for her friends. It is this care that leads her on intergalactic adventures because when her friend Joseph is abducted by strange creatures she dashes to save him and thus begins her odyssey through space as she battles to get back home.








Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet series is fantastic. It has a manga feel to it, (the author is Japanese) and is very well written and fleshed out.  The characters all have so much depth to them. I had to wait a few weeks for the books in the series on hold at my library because they were so popular.  When her father dies Emily and her brother move with their mom to the home of her deceased great-grandfather but the house is not what it seems. They meet a strange creature called Miskit and then the real adventure begins.







August Moon by Diana Thung is one of my faves. Its main theme is friendship but throughout the book we see a strong push for environmental conservation and most striking for me, the innocence of childhood. The boy from the moon floats above everything and hangs out around the city. He befriends a girl called Fiona and she delights in playing with him. Things turn serious however when an evil corporation comes to the quiet town. Fiona is thrown into a battle for the very soul of a community.