April is National Poetry Month!

Sharing poems and songs with your preschool-aged children helps get them ready to read. Nursery rhymes and nonsense verse are especially great in the way they expand children’s imaginations, and tickle their funny bones. When you sing or say a rhyme, your child learns that words are broken up into syllables. Think about how words are broken up in “Mary Had A Little Lamb” and “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Now you know what a syllable is!

Here are some books, available at your local Free Library of Philadelphia location, which feature poems, songs, and rhymes for preschool children.

The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Nina Crews

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Jane Cabrera

Here’s a Little Poem: My Very First Book of Poetry by Jane Yolen

Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig

Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling by Tracey Campbell Pearson

Itsy Bitsy Spider by Annie Kubler

Pat-a-Cake and Other First Baby Games by Tom Brannon (Sesame Beginnings)

Tanka Tanka Skunk by Steve Webb

Tags: Children's books, Pre-K, early literacy

This year, celebrate National Library Week (April 14-20) at any of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s 54 locations city-wide. If you’re looking for literacy-rich, fun activities for young children, you’re in luck! Some of children’s literature’s greatest authors and illustrators are visiting your local library branches, Regional libraries and the Central Library. Our all-star line-up includes Lindsay Barrett George, Brian Biggs, Mônica Carnesi, Peter Catalanotto, and Kathleen Wainwright.

Find out which authors and illustrators will be visiting your local library, along with times and locations here: http://libwww.freelibrary.org/bookfestival/program.cfm

Tags: Events at the Library, Pre-K, children's programs

Something scary is creeping up behind you… Getting closer every day… It’s HALLOWEEN! And if you’re anything like me, you’re putting off costumes until the last minute. Get some great, super-easy ideas for kids costumes at Kidspot. Make fairy wings in minutes! A no-sew magician’s cape!

And of course, don’t forget to share some creepy crawly books with your little ones. Here are a few of your Free Library Children’s Librarian tried-and-true favorites.

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown. The carrots that grow in Crackenhopper Field are the fattest and crispiest around and Jasper Rabbit cannot resist pulling some to eat each time he passes by, until he begins hearing and seeing creepy carrots wherever he goes.

Halloween Forest by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by John Shelley. A trick-or-treater ventures outside town only to find that the forest is full of spooky bones!

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd. The classic holiday favorite about a clever old lady who assures a clomping pair of shoes and a wiggling pair of pants that she is not afraid of them.

Shake dem Halloween Bones by W. Nikola–Lisa, illustrated by Mike Reed. A rhythmic tale about different updated fairy tale characters who attend a hip-hop Halloween ball.

If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberley. Clap your claws! Twitch your tail! Wiggle your warts!

In a Dark Dark Wood: An Old Tale With an New Twist by David A. Carter. In the dark, dark wood, there was a dark, dark house... Do you dare read till the end?

Tags: Children's books, Pre-K, early literacy

Is your little one feeling sniffly and sneezy? Come check out some of these books, and you'll be sure to feel better soon!

Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

Poor old Bear wakes up achy and stuffy, and his woodland friends make him feel better with tea, lullabies, and their kind company.

Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems

Oh no! Elephant is allergic to his best friend, Piggie! Call Doctor Cat!

I Hate to Be Sick! by Aamir Lee Bermiss, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max

Being sick means staying in bed, missing school and playtime. Fortunately, the little boy in this sweet Easy Reader has daddy to make him feel better.

"Stand Back!" Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!" by Patricia Thomas, illustrated by Wallace Tripp

Speaking of sneezing elephants! All the animals try to convince elephant to hold in his sneeze, due to the disastrous effects of his last sneeze. (Hint: It scared the stripes off the zebras.)

Feel better soon!

Tags: Children's books, Pre-K, early literacy

The Best Things in Life

We here at the Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek Branch of the Free Library have had the pleasure of working with a lovely young lady, Angelina Smith. Angelina started out as a Teen Leadership Assistant (TLA), earning some extra money by helping kids with homework and offering literacy-based activities afterschool. She did such a great job that we invited her back for the summer as a Philadelphia Youth Network employee, helping with the Summer Reading Program.

Here’s what she has to say about the time she’s spent as a Free Library employee:

Some of the most important things you are supposed to gain in life are friendship, love, happiness, success, and how you will impact the world. I can truly say that I have gained almost all of these things and my life has yet to begin. The last three years of my high school career I was employed at the Free Library of Philadelphia Branch around where I lived, the Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek Branch. While working there I gained so many things, so much more than what people would see as a simple paycheck. I gained communication skills, an efficient work ethic, experience, team building, lifelong friends, and the simple fact that if I ever needed a place to work I could go there.

The library for a long time was a haven, somewhere I could go and never have to worry about a single thing. It was my second home. There were people that cared about me, looked out for my well-being, and always put a smile on my face. I thank my boss Mr. Darren Cottman for helping me become part of who I am today. He gave me the skills and courage to do what I had to do to make things happen. If it wasn’t for Ms. Sarah and my coworkers I don’t really know how my experience would have formed into a priceless diamond from a piece of rock.

I began to see how much of a role model I was to the little kids and how much of an impact I had on them. I began to see working at the library as more of a life lesson then a place to just work. When I would put together activities for the kids and work with them over the summer I would feel a sense of satisfaction and greatness. I was doing something great and that was one of the best things I could have gained. I had this sense of accomplishment that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

I love everyone who helped me and showed me that the best things in life... are truly and indefinably free.

We thank Angelina and are so excited for her as she goes off to college in the fall. Congratulations, Lina!

Do you know a teen who would make a fabulous Teen Leadership Assistant? Invite them to visit their nearest branch of the Free Library for an application.

Tags: Teens