Alice shares the first book of one of her all-time favorite book series – The Screaming Staircase! The Lockwood & Co. series is great for middle grade readers who love ghosts and supernatural stories, and FDL has The Screaming Staircase available in book, audiobook, eBook, and eAudiobook formats. (And keep an eye out for the upcoming TV series!)
Good morning and welcome to story time. I’m Miss Sharon, and today we’re going to read about noise! Think about some of the noises you hear everyday. Cars and trucks, a dog barking, or a bird chirping – maybe a baby sister or brother crying. Noise is everywhere!
The more we get together, together, together,
the more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
Cause your friends are my friends,
and my friends are your friends,
the more we get together the happier we’ll be!
Source: Supersimple A Place To Learn and Grow
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Written by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Barry Gott, and read with the permission of Dutton Children’s Book.
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5 noisy robots in the toy shop,
Shiny and tall with antennae on the top.
Along came a girl with a penny one day.
Bought a noisy robot and took it away.
4 noisy robots in the toy shop,
Shiny and tall with antennae on the top.
Along came a girl with a penny one day.
Bought a noisy robot and took it away.
(continue with 3, 2, 1 noisy robots)
Source: Storytime Katie
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Written and illustrated by Sarah Massini and read with the permission of Henry Holt and Company.
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This is the way a monster goes, (stomp like a monster)
He has big feet, (lift and shake each foot)
And furry toes, (wiggle your toes)
He stamps a lot, (stamp feet)
His feet go bang, (clap hands loudly)
And when he smiles, (make a toothy smile)
He shows his fangs! (gnash your teeth!)
This is the way a monster goes, (stomp like a monster)
With goggly eyes and a (peek through circled fingers)
Very big nose! (gesture a big nose)
With spiky horns and (gesture big horns on head)
Big sharp claws, (hold fingers out like claws)
And terrible breath (waft hand under nose)
Whenever he ROARS! (roar loudly!)
Source: Lets Play Music
Quietly, quietly not a sound
I’m listening and I’m listening
As I look around
No sounds as I nod (nod)
No sounds as I clap (clap)
No sounds as I tap my hands on my lap (tap)
Loudly, loudly, stamp and clap (stamp and clap)
Loudly, loudly, stamp and clap (stamp and clap)
Loudly, loudly, stamp and clap (stamp and clap)
All that noise, well fancy that!
Credit: Preschool Storytime Outlines
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Written by Ron Rauss, illustrated by Rob Steppherson, and read with the permission of Simon & Schuster.
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Skinnamarinky dinky-dink (Put your left elbow in right hand, wave)
Skinnamarinky Doo (Right elbow in left hand, wave)
I (Point to eye)
Love (Cross your arms over your heart)
You! (Point to audience)
Skinnamarinky dinky-dink (Left elbow in right hand)
Skinnamarinky Doo (Right elbow in left hand, wave)
I (Point to your eye)
Love (Cross arms in front of heart)
You! (Point to audience)
I love you in the morning (Cross arms above your head)
And in the afternoon (Cross arms around your chest)
I love you in the evening (Cross around your tummy)
And underneath the moon! (Cross arms above head again)
Skinnamarinky dinky-dink (Left arm in right hand, wave)
Skinnamarinky doo (Right arm in left hand, wave)
I (Point to your eye)
Love (Cross arms in front of heart)
You (Point to audience)
Too (Show two fingers)
Boo boop we doo! (Wave and kiss!)
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Craft kits are available to pick up in the Youth Services department or the drive-up window while supplies last.
Kit supplies:
What you’ll need from home:
Directions:
Note: If you do not have a stapler, you can use tape.
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(Tune: Oh My Darling Clementine)
Thanks for sitting, thanks for listening,
Thanks for coming here today!
Now that story time is over
Hope you have a lovely day!
Source: Literary Hoots
Join Miss Alice next week for story time!
– Miss Sharon, Youth Services Specialist
Dust Bowl Girls: The Inspiring Story of the Team That Barnstormed Its Way to Basketball Glory by Lydia Reeder
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Assistant
Genre: Sports History, Non-Fiction
Suggested Age: Teen, Adult
What is This Book About? The women’s basketball team from Oklahoma Presbyterian College for Girls, the Cardinals, did something amazing during the 1931-32 school year. Their winning streak was unprecedented. This book follows the story of young women who would otherwise not have been able to afford a college education during the Great Depression if not for basketball. In a time when there was debate about whether women should participate in competitive or non-competitive sports, these ladies played to win, and win, and win.
My Review: This is a heartwarming tale of women who were able to pursue a sport they loved during a time where women who played competitive sports were often seen as too manly. These young women were plucked out of poor communities and awarded college scholarships that helped them breakaway from poverty during the Great Depression. I enjoyed learning about this not-so-well-known bit of history. Interspersed among the main storyline were detailed backstory components about people, locations, and even local politics. Sometimes this broke up the main story a bit more than I’d like, but it was still interesting. Listening to the narrative portions of the games could have easily been mistaken for a radio broadcaster calling the shots. I listened to the audio version of this book that is available on hoopla, and it felt more like I was listening to historical fiction: an entertaining story and not just a regurgitation of facts. Considering the author is a relative of the Cardinals’ coach at the time, Sam Babb, I think she must have been able to access some little-known tidbits to fill in what might have been awkward gaps.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Interesting, Endearing, Underdogs
Give This a Try if You Like… Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien, or the movie A League of Their Own
Rating: 4/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
Are you trying to cut down on your kid’s screen time, but don’t know how to help them find books they’ll like? You don’t have to stick to books that have the exact same characters they see on TV; there are tons of other choices they may love just as much! We’ve compiled a list of books here that have similar content or characters to some of today’s most popular shows. These fun stories are sure to capture your child’s attention and help them learn that books can be just as entertaining as their favorite cartoons. If you need even more recommendations, feel free to chat with us or use our FDL Match service.
For fans of SpongeBob SquarePants:
Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey (also available on Axis 360 and Libby)
There’s a Fly Guy in My Soup by Tedd Arnold
For fans of The Loud House:
Amelia’s Are-We-There-Yet, Longest Ever Car Trip by Marissa Moss
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney (also available on hoopla, Axis 360, Libby, and Playaway)
Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary (also available on hoopla and Libby)
For fans of Craig of the Creek:
Lumberjanes series by Noelle Stevenson (also available on Libby, Axis 360, and hoopla)
Urban Legendz by Paul Downs and Nick Bruno (also available on hoopla)
Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez
For fans of Victor and Valentino:
Charlie Hernández series by Ryan Calejo (also available on Axis 360)
Sal and Gabi series by Carlos Hernandez (also available on Axis 360 and hoopla)
Red Panda & Moon Bear by Jarod Roselló (also available on hoopla)
For fans of The Owl House:
Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
Hex Vet: Witches in Training by Samantha Davies (also available on hoopla)
The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag (also available on Axis 360)
– Cindy, Youth Services Assistant
Hi, everyone! My name is Miss Haley, and I’m so happy you’re joining me today for bilingual story time at Fondulac District Library. Bilingual is a word that means more than one language, so this story time is bilingual since we’ll be singing songs and reading books in English and Spanish.
Tune: “Frère Jacques” or “Are You Sleeping?”
English Lyrics:
Good morning
Good morning
How are you?
How are you?
Very well, thank you
Very well thank you
And you?
And you?
Spanish Lyrics:
Buenos dias
Buenos dias
¿Como estas?
¿Como estas?
Muy bien, gracias
Muy bien, gracias
¿Y usted?
¿Y usted?
Credit: Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel
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English Lyrics:
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap, lap, lap
Creep them, crawl them,
creep them, crawl them
right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open wide your little mouth, but…
Do not put them in!
Credit: Jbrary YouTube Channel
Spanish Lyrics:
Abre, cierra
Abre, cierra
Da una palmadita, -ta
Abre, cierra
Abre, cierra
Mantenlas juntitas, -tas
Sube, sube, sube, sube
Hasta la barbilla, -lla
Abre la boquita pero…
¡No metas los dedos!
Credit: NCO Bilingual Storytime
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Written by Patty Rodriguez, Ariana Stein, and Citlali Reyes (illustrator), and read with the permission of Little Libros Books.
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My two hands go clap, clap, clap
My two feet go tap, tap, tap
My two hands go thump, thump, thump
My two feet go jump, jump, jump
My one body turns around
and it quietly sits down.
Credit: Jbrary
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Written by Susie Jaramillo and read with the permission of Encantos Media Studios.
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Oh, the carnival is great
And the carnival is grand
There are games and rides,
Cotton candy in your hand
Better get your ticket fast
‘Cause you don’t want to be late
This is what we do when we go through the gate
Ride the roller coaster up
Ride the roller coaster down
Ride the roller coaster up
Ride the roller coaster down
Ride the roller coaster up
Ride the roller coaster down
And we turn around
Credit: Jbrary
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Written by Chris Haughton, Salvador Figueirido (translator), and Luis Amavisca (translator), and read with the permission of Candlewick Press.
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Pick up a craft kit at the library while supplies last by visiting the Youth Services department or the drive-up window.
Supplies needed at home:
Supplies included in kit:
Instructions:
Credit: And Next Comes L
Bilingual Books:
Books Available in English and Spanish:
Books Available in English with Some Spanish Words:
Did you know that we have an app available on the library website that can help you and your child learn a new language? It’s called Mango, and you can sign up for free using your library card number. Check it out here!
English Lyrics:
Goodbye
So long
To you
My friend
Stay well
And fine
Til we meet
Again
Spanish Lyrics:
Adios
Adios
A ti
Mi amigo
Cuídate
Muy bien
Nos vemos
Otra vez
Credit: Burlington Specials
– Haley, Youth Services Assistant
Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Brown was promised her freedom on her eighteenth birthday. But when her birthday finally comes around, instead of the idyllic life she was hoping for with her true love, she finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil’s Half-Acre, a jail where slaves are broken, tortured, and sold every day. Forced to become the mistress of the brutal man who owns the jail, Pheby faces the ultimate sacrifice to protect her heart in this powerful, thrilling story of one slave’s fight for freedom.
When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson
At night, in Huda’s fragrant garden, a breeze sweeps in from the desert encircling Baghdad, rustling the leaves of her apricot trees and carrying warning of visitors at her gate. Huda, a secretary at the Australian embassy, lives in fear of the mukhabarat—the secret police who watch and listen for any scrap of information that can be used against America and its allies. They have ordered her to befriend Ally Wilson, the deputy ambassador’s wife. Huda has no wish to be an informant, but fears for her teenaged son, who may be forced to join a deadly militia. Nor does she know that Ally has dangerous secrets of her own. Huda’s former friend, Rania, enjoyed a privileged upbringing as the daughter of a sheikh. Now her family’s wealth is gone, and Rania too is battling to keep her child safe and a roof over their heads. As the women’s lives intersect, their hidden pasts spill into the present. Facing possible betrayal at every turn, all three must trust in a fragile, newfound loyalty, even as they discover how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect their families.
A Most English Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria’s Daughter by Clare McHugh
To the world, she was Princess Victoria, daughter of a queen, wife of an emperor, and mother of Kaiser Wilhelm. Her family just called her Vicky…smart, pretty, and self-assured, she changed the course of the world. Young Vicky imagines she’ll inherit the throne of England. Why not? She’s the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and her little brother Bertie is sweet but lazy – she’ll make a far better heir. When her father tells her that males will always take precedence, the precocious princess sets her sights on marrying a powerful prince who will also be the love of her life.
Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman
When Kevin Gogarty’s irrepressible eighty-three-year-old mother, Millie, is caught shoplifting yet again, he has no choice but to hire a caretaker to keep an eye on her. Kevin, recently unemployed, is already at his wits’ end tending to a full house while his wife travels to exotic locales for work, leaving him solo with his sulky, misbehaved teenaged daughter, Aideen, whose troubles escalate when she befriends the campus rebel at her new boarding school. Into the Gogarty fray steps Sylvia, Millie’s upbeat American home aide, who appears at first to be their saving grace—until she catapults the Gogarty clan into their greatest crisis yet.
#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria.
Hi everyone! Gear up and join Miss Alice for some fun books that will get you excited to create! We’ll explore engineering, art, and perseverance in this STEAM-filled story time. Make sure to check out the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s fun activities for Engineering Week!
(using ASL, to the tune of Goodnight, Ladies)
Hello, friends! Hello, friends!
Hello, friends! It’s time to say hello!
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Open them, shut them, open them, shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap!
Open them, shut them, open them, shut them.
Put them in your lap, lap, lap!
Creep them, creep them, slowly creep them,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin!
Open wide your little mouth,
But do not let them in!
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I have ten little fingers, and they all belong to me. (point to self)
I can make them do things. Do you want to see? (point to eyes)
I can squeeze them up tight. I can open them up wide. (squeeze hands shut, then open them)
I can put them together. I can make them all hide. (clap, then hide hands behind back)
I can make them jump high. I can make them jump low. (wiggle fingers above head, then reach down)
I can fold them up quietly and hold them just so. (fold hands and place on lap)
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Written by Kim Smith and published by Clarion Books.
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I have a little turtle, his name is Tiny Tim. (hold hands like a turtle)
I put him in the bathtub, to see if he could swim. (make swimming motion with hands)
He drank up all the water. Glug, glug, glug! (act like you’re drinking from a cup)
He ate up all the soap. Mmm, mmm, mmm! (act like you’re shoving food in your mouth)
And now he’s home, sick in bed, with bubbles in his throat. (lay head down on hands)
Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, pop!
Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, pop!
Written by Gaia Cornwall and published by Candlewick Press.
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Song: One Little Red Fish
One little red fish swimming in the water, (hold up one finger, then put hands together to make fish)
Swimming in the water, swimming in the water.
One little red fish swimming in the water,
Bubble bubble bubble bubble pop! (swirl hands in the air upwards and clap above head)
Two little blue fish…
Three little yellow fish…
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Written by Diana Murray and published by Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan Publishers).
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Pick up a craft kit from the Youth Services Department or the drive-up window while supplies last.
Included:
Not included:
Instructions:
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(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
I am special, I am special, (point to self)
You can see, you can see. (point away from self)
Someone very special, someone very special, (hold hands out in questioning motion)
That is me, that is me. (point to self)
– Miss Alice, Youth Services Manager
Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey
Genre: Romance
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About?: Freelance writer Annie makes a living writing web content while penning a romantic comedy in her spare time. Rom-coms (especially Nora Ephron tales starring Tom Hanks) are her favorite type of movie. Rom-coms are also her link with her deceased mother, who shared her own love of the film genre with Annie. One day, Annie’s friend Chloe is thrilled to read that a movie is going to be filmed nearby, starring heartthrob Drew Danforth. Chloe thinks that, with Annie’s degree in film studies, a job at this film site could be the perfect opportunity for Annie. Surprisingly, the two friends find that Annie’s guardian Uncle Don is acquainted with the film’s director. Uncle Don makes a call, and voilà! Annie lands a job on the film set as the director’s assistant. Before Annie even begins her job, an unexpected sidewalk collision with star Drew Danforth results in an embarrassed Annie and a coffee-stained coat for the star. Chloe insists that this collision is Annie’s “meet-cute,” and that this is the start of Annie’s very own romantic comedy, with Drew playing the role of Annie’s very own Tom Hanks.
My Review: This lively tale gives you all the trials, tribulations, and joys of a true romantic comedy. The characters doubt (does he like me?), and they flirt, argue, make mistakes, and split up. Romantic comedies do take a certain distancing from reality in order to accept their would-this-actually-happen-in-real-life situations. But we all dream, we all hope that there is love and kindness and romance in the world. That’s where this book excels. You’ll want to read the book to find out if Annie and Drew really do have their happily-ever-after ending.
Three Words That Describe This Book: quirky, romantic, funny
Give This a Try if You Like… romantic comedies (You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally), or books like Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters or Meet Cute by Helena Hunting
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
Cassie shares why she thinks you’ll love Little Tree by Loren Long in our latest Book Talk! Check it out and try Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson, too!
Check out one of these novels during Black History Month. This is what publishers and reviewers have said about these notable books written by Black authors last year:
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
“Transcendent Kingdom is a deeply moving portrait of a family of Ghanaian immigrants ravaged by depression and addiction and grief–a novel about faith, science, religion, love. Exquisitely written, emotionally searing, this is an exceptionally powerful follow-up to Gyasi’s phenomenal debut.”
Everywhere You Don’t Belong by Gabriel Bump
“Claude just wants a place where he can fit. As a young black man born on the South Side of Chicago, he is raised by his civil rights era grandmother who tries to shape him into a principled actor for change; yet when riots consume his neighborhood, he hesitates to take sides, unwilling to let race define his life. He decides to escape Chicago for another place, to go to college, to find a new identity, to leave the pressure cooker of his hometown behind. But as he discovers, he cannot; there is no safe haven for a young black man in this time and place called America.”
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
“When a young drug lord is shot in broad daylight by a bumbling drunk known to everyone as Sportcoat, the Brooklyn neighborhood they live in is upended. As Sportcoat comically and unknowingly dodges the police, his actions ricochet around him, igniting a web of drug wars, backdoor dealings with mobsters, and church brawls that demonstrate just how vital yet fragile communities can be.”
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
“In Manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn’t remember who he is, where he’s from, or even his own name. But he can sense the beating heart of the city, see its history, and feel its power. In the Bronx, a Lenape gallery director discovers strange graffiti scattered throughout the city, so beautiful and powerful it’s as if the paint is literally calling to her. In Brooklyn, a politician and mother finds she can hear the songs of her city, pulsing to the beat of her Louboutin heels. And they’re not the only ones.”
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
“Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person’s decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.”
Post by Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist
#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
