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Celebrate Children’s Book Week at Your Library

Next week, May 7 to 13, is the longest running literacy initiative in the United States, Children’s Book Week. Every year, we celebrate the best of the best in children’s books. 

Wondering what’s going on at your library? Check out your closest library’s page here, or take a look at the list below for a taste of what’s happening all across Philadelphia to celebrate kids and books. From author events to story times to book clubs and even a story time in the park, we've got a lot going on for kids, their parents and educators!

Monday, May 7th at 10:30 am - Dan Gutman, author of the My Weird School, Baseball Card Adventures, and Genius Files series, at the Central Library Montgomery Auditorium. School classes must call the Central Children's Department at (215) 686-5369 to register in advance.

Tuesday, May 8th at 10:30 am - Toddler Story Time at the Roxborough Branch. Bring your children for a program of stories, songs, and activities. The program is designed for children 18 months to 3 years old, but older siblings are welcome too. Groups are welcome but must call (215) 685-2550 in advance. 

Wednesday, May 9th at 6:30 pm – Books Aloud! At Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library. Books Aloud! is an educational enrichment initiative that promotes emergent literacy and library services for parents of preschool children, day care providers and preschool teachers. Through a series of monthly workshops, adults are provided with the resources and skills needed to read aloud successfully with young children. To register for the current month, please call the Office of Public Service Support at (215) 686-5372.

Thursday, May 10th at 10:30 am - Preschool Story Time at the Wynnefield Branch. Children and their caregivers are invited to enjoy stories, songs and rhymes. Stories are suitable for children 3-5 years, but all are welcome to join in. Groups must schedule in advance by contacting the library at (215) 685-0298.

Friday, May 11th  at 10:30 am - Michael Townsend, author of the Kit Feeny series, Billy Tartle, Monkey and Elephant’s Worst Fight Ever, and Amazing Greek Myths of Wonder and Blunder at the Central Library Montgomery Auditorium. School classes must call the Central Children's Department at (215) 686-5369 to register in advance.

Also on Friday, May 11th at 10:30 am - Story Time at Malcolm X Park, 52nd and Pine Streets. Join us for story time outside at Malcolm X Park, weather permitting. For rainy and inclement weather days, story time will be moved into the Children’s Departments story hour room. For more information, contact the Children’s Department at (215) 685-7422 or visit us on Facebook for our meeting location.

Saturday, May 12th at 2:00 pmThe one and only Jacqueline Woodson,  author of The Other Side, Show Way, Feathers, and Locomotion at the Central Library Montgomery Auditorium. For families with children in Kindergarten through grade 4. Call the Central Children's Department at (215) 686-5369 for more information.

Also on Saturday, May 12th at 3:00 pm - Book Club for 3rd and 4th Graders at David Cohen Ogontz Branch. Each week  boys and girls in the third and fourth grades read together and share their ideas with Ms. Prather. Call (215) 685-3566 for more information.

 

Tags: Books Aloud, Children's books, Pre-K, children's programs, early literacy

Children's Book Week Poster by David Wiesner
Children's Book Week Poster by David Wiesner
Eastwick Branch Librarian Tara reads to her baby!
Eastwick Branch Librarian Tara reads to her baby!
The amazing Jacqueline Woodson will visit the Central Library on Saturday, May 12th!
The amazing Jacqueline Woodson will visit the Central Library on Saturday, May 12th!

Calling all parents and caregivers! Want to learn some new techniques for fostering literacy skills in young children? Consider registering for the Books Aloud! program. This program offers a series of workshops which focus on the importance of early literacy. Each workshop is full of ideas and activities for sharing books with children.

Books Aloud! is being held at the Parkway Central Library, as well as Blackwell Regional, Coleman Regional and Northeast Regional.

Click here for more information on the Books Aloud! Program.

Sign up for the Books Aloud! email list in order to receive an informative newsletter! 

For the Books Aloud! Schedule, click here!

To register for the current month, please call 215-686-5372. 

 

Tags: Books Aloud, Pre-K, early literacy

Books Aloud! Workshop
Books Aloud! Workshop
Teen Parent Workshop
Teen Parent Workshop

Books Aloud! is the Free Library’s early literacy program. The goal of the program is to encourage parents and child care providers to READ, SING, PLAY, TALK, and WRITE with children in the early years. We also encourage adults to borrow books from the Free Library so that there are always books available for the little ones.

Attend a Books Aloud! session to learn more about early literacy. Every workshop features interactive literacy activities and a free book for participants!

Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library, 125 S. 52nd Street
The first Tuesday of the Month @ 6:30 p.m. 

Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library, 68 W. Chelten Avenue
The second Wednesday of the Month @ 6:30 p.m.

Northeast Regional Library, 2228 Cottman Avenue
The first and third Wednesday of the Month @ 6:30pm

Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street – Skyline Room
The third Saturday of the Month @ 1:30 p.m.
 

To register for the current month, please call 215-686-5372. 

Tags: Books Aloud, Pre-K, early literacy

Books Aloud! Workshop
Books Aloud! Workshop
Wonder Spark Puppets
Wonder Spark Puppets

This Sunday, January 30, Wonder Spark Puppets will visit the library to present the classic tale Little Red Riding Hood. The puppet show will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the Montgomery Auditorium. This program will delight kids of all ages, so bring the little ones and the older ones, and don’t forget grandma and grandpa. Sundays on Stage is made possible by the PCI Board of Managers.

Try making puppets at home!

There are great library books to borrow that will provide direction and inspiration.

Simple Puppets From Everyday Materials by Barbara MacDonald Buetter includes easy to follow instructions that show you how to turn the junk around your house and the stuff in your recycling bin into puppets.

Make Your Own Puppets & Puppet Theaters by Carolyn Carreiro is another great book.  This book includes creative ideas for sock puppets, stick puppets, shadow puppets and much more!

You can also do a quick online search for finger puppets and you will see hand crafted finger puppets, templates for finger puppets, tons of examples, and plenty of inspiration to make your very own puppets.

Fun filled learning!

Making and playing with puppets is so much fun. An added bonus is the early literacy skills that your child develops as a result of this activity. When children act out stories by using puppets they develop vocabulary, the ability to tell a story, and an understanding of the sequencing of stories.

Visit the Free Library’s Books Aloud page to learn more about early literacy http://www.freelibrary.org/libserv/booksaloud.htm

Sign up for a Books Aloud workshop to experience a hands on approach to early literacy.

Tags: Books Aloud, Pre-K, Sundays on Stage, early literacy

Little Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood
<i>Simple Puppets from Everyday Materials</i>
Simple Puppets from Everyday Materials