Snowman Workshop

Another successful snowman workshop was held yesterday in the Wakelin Room; stop by the children's room to see the results!

Creation Station at the WFL

Check out our new Creation Station!  After only 3 days, the creative kids of Wellesley have already filled nearly every inch of our paper!  Come on by, draw a picture, write a poem, and get creative!  Don't worry, we'll be putting on a fresh paper soon.

This just in: What Does the Fox Say...the book!

Look what arrived at the library today!  Find it in our catalog.

Ylvis' 'What Does the Fox Say?' Book Tops New York Times Children's Best Seller List

By Kevin Rutherford | December 19, 2013 6:09 PM EST

inSha

Ylvis may not have hit No. 1 in America with sleeper hit "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" but the Norwegian comedy duo has reached the top of a chart after all this year -- this time with its first book.

How Ylvis' 'The Fox' Went Viral (With Help from Stargate) - Q&A 

"What Does the Fox Say?," the children's book based off the duo's sleeper hit of a song, has debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times' Best Sellers List for Children's Books, it was confirmed today to Billboard. The Simon & Schuster-published book, which is in its sixth printing, includes the lyrics to "The Fox" along with illustrations from Norwegian artist Svein Nyuhus.

The No. 1 book, released Dec. 10 and featured in Billboard's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide, is the latest coup for Ylvis, who placed "The Fox" at No. 6 in the U.S. on the Hot 100 after its late summer release. The original music video has been viewed nearly 300 million times on YouTube, reaching the 100 million mark just over a month after its release.

Thus far, the duo has been unable to reclaim the success of "The Fox" with a new single, though the brothers Ylvisaker aren't sweating it much. In an interview posted yesterday (Dec. 18) by The Hollywood Reporter, Bard Ylvisaker said that even if its future endeavors don't go over well in America, "we'll return to our office in Norway and still be happy. Everything's a bonus. And we won't be disappointed if we're kicked out of the country."

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/record-labels/5847717/ylvis-what-does-the-fox-say-book-tops-new-york-times

Candy mosaic photos

The latest creations from our middle schoolers in Edible Art:

Our new favorite book!

Alfred Crabtree has lost his false teeth. But don’t worry, he’ll find them if he can just get his things organized! Alfred’s world is cluttered with surprising objects. Some are very uncommon, and some are probably not where they ought to be. There are a lot of pencils and small yapping dogs. There’s a squeeze bottle of mustard, a plunger, a rubber band or two, a few very fancy hats, and a group portrait of sea monsters. There’s an old cassette tape, a swizzle stick, a bicycle pump, and an armadillo shell. Join Alfred on a romp through his far too many possessions and you’ll end up learning more about him than he knows about himself. And maybe he’ll find his teeth in all that stuff!
Praise for Crabtree:
“This book is fantastic in every way.”
—Maira Kalman
“There are so many great things in this book. If you like great things, this is the book for you.”
—Jon Klassen
“An epic tale is hiding among Crabtree’s possessions, and the search for a single object takes on cosmic meaning. Highly recommended.”
—Patton Oswalt
“I have many, many copies of this book in different rooms in my home as part of an ongoing collection of books I like very much all kept in separate rooms for organizational purposes.”
—Lemony Snicket
“A terrific debut! I was completely tickled by this book. Bravo Jon and Tucker Nichols!”
—Jon Agee
“A light-hearted meditation on how we are defined by our possessions, delivered with that trademark McSweeney’s flair.”
—The Atlantic Wire
“Witty… [Alfred Crabtree] really has a lot of stuff.”
—Kirkus
Photos

App recommendations: Shapes & Colors

The WFL Children's Department will be producing monthly themed app lists, focusing on apps to use with young children.

This month's theme is Shapes and Colors!

Find the list on our Pinterest page or pick one up at the Children's Desk:

www.pinterest.com/wellesleylib/apps-for-kids-shapes-and-colors/

Check out these literary classics, adapted into board books, at the Wellesley Free Library!



http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/books/a-library-of-classics-edited-for-the-teething-set.html?_r=0

A Library of Classics, Edited for the Teething Set

By JULIE BOSMAN

Published: October 26, 2013

The humble board book, with its cardboard-thick pages, gently rounded corners and simple concepts for babies, was once designed to be chewed as much as read.

But today’s babies and toddlers are treated to board books that are miniature works of literary art: classics like “Romeo and Juliet,” “Sense and Sensibility” and “Les Misérables”; luxuriously produced counting primers with complex graphic elements; and even an “Art for Baby” book featuring images by the contemporary artists Damien Hirst and Paul Morrison. 

Booksellers say that parents are flocking to these books, even if the idea that a 2-year-old could understand “Moby-Dick” seems absurd on the face of it. A toddler might not be expected to follow the plot, but she could learn about harpoons, ships and waves, with quotes alongside (“The waves rolled by like scrolls of silver”). 

Publishers of these books are catering to parents who follow the latest advice by child-development experts to read to babies early and often, and who believe that children can display aesthetic preferences even while they are crawling and eating puréed foods. 

“If we’re going to play classical music to our babies in the womb and teach them foreign languages at an early age, then we’re going to want to expose babies to fine art and literature,” said Linda Bubon, an owner and children’s book buyer at Women & Children First, a bookstore in Chicago. “Now we know there are things we can do to stimulate the mind of a baby.” 

Suzanne Gibbs Taylor, the associate publisher and creative director of Gibbs Smith, a small publisher in Salt Lake City that conceived the popular BabyLit series, said she realized that no one had ever “taken Jane Austen and made it for babies.” 

While the BabyLit books do not try to lay out a complicated narrative of “Wuthering Heights” or “Romeo and Juliet,” they use the stories as a springboard to explain counting, colors or the concept of opposites. The popular “Cozy Classics” line of board books, introduced in 2012 by Simply Read Books, a publisher based in Vancouver, B.C., adapts stories like “Moby-Dick” and “Les Misérables” for infants and toddlers using pictures of needle-felted figures of Captain Ahab and Jean Valjean.

“People are realizing that it’s never too young to start putting things in front of them that are a little more meaningful, that have more levels,” said Ms. Taylor, whose BabyLit series has sold about 300,000 books so far. “It’s not so simple as, ‘Here’s a dog, here’s the number 2.’ ” 

While the publishing industry is still scraping through the digital revolution, children’s books have remained relatively untouched. Most parents are sticking to print for their young children even when there are e-book versions or apps available, and videos like the once ubiquitous “Baby Einstein,” founded in 1997 as a fast-track to infant genius, have fallen out of fashion. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that television should be avoided for children younger than 2 years old, and studies have suggested that babies and toddlers receive much greater benefit from real interactions than from experiences involving video screens. 

“There has been a proliferation of focus on early childhood development on the education side,” said John Mendelson, the sales director at Candlewick Press, “as well as on the retail side.” 

Board books, traditionally for newborns to 3-year-olds, have always been a smaller and somewhat neglected category in the publishing business, compared with the larger and more expensive hardcover picture books designed for children of reading age. 

But board books may be catching up. Libraries that used to shun the genre are now buying them from publishers. Bookstores are making more room for board books on their shelves. And while a board book might have once been too insubstantial a gift to bring to a child’s birthday party, the newer, highly stylized versions (that can run up to $15) would easily pass muster. 

“A board book was little more than a teething ring,” said Christopher Franceschelli, who directs Handprint Books, an imprint of Chronicle Books. “I think as picture books have developed in the last 20 years, parents, librarians, teachers have thought, ‘Why should board books be any less than their older siblings?’ ” 

In 2012, Abrams Books, the art-book publisher, created a new imprint, Abrams Appleseed, to focus on books for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Since then, it has published high-end books like “Pantone: Color Puzzles,” released this month, which uses intricate drawings and puzzle pieces to teach children the differences between colors like peacock blue and nighttime blue. 

“If you look at board books from 15 years ago, it looks like the stuff on there was pulled off the Internet somewhere,” said Cecily Kaiser, the publishing director of Abrams Appleseed. “Now there’s a real embrace of a much more artful style.” 

At Chronicle, a San Francisco-based publisher, sales of board books have been rising for at least two to three years. Editors there have experimented with books that attempt interactivity, such as a line of books with finger puppets. “We’re in this era of mass good design for everybody,” said Ginee Seo, the children’s publishing director at Chronicle. “You’re seeing good design at Target; you can buy Jonathan Adler at Barnes & Noble. You’re not willing to accept the cheesy clip art on a board book.”

Jon Yaged, the president and publisher of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, said the demand for board books has driven him to release more of them in recent years. He has also added ornate flourishes: on the cover of a new edition of “The Pout-Pout Fish,” the title reads in a shiny gold foil, a touch that would normally have been reserved for a more expensive picture book. 

Cindy Hudson, a guidebook author and mother of two in Portland, Ore., who runs a Web site suggesting books for parents to read with their children, said she doubted a baby would “benefit intellectually” from being exposed to Tolstoy or the Brontë sisters. 

Still, “anything that encourages that interaction between babies and parents is a good thing,” she said. “That’s where the learning and the bonding comes from.”

2013 Teens Top Ten

Looking for a good teen read?  Check out one of the 2013 Teens Top Ten!  Teens across the country voted for their favorite books of last year, and as of October 19th, the voting is in!  Most of these books can be found in the Youth or Young Adult sections at the Wellesley Free Library!

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/reads4teens/2013-official-teens-top-ten

1. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
2. The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen
3. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
   
4. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
5. Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
   
6. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
   
7. Crewel by Gennifer Albin
8. Every Day by David Levithan
9. Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
10. Butter by Erin Jade Lange

Edible art- Candy sushi!

Check out the candy sushi our Middle Schoolers made during our Edible Art program!  Join us again for Edible Art on Friday November 22, 3:30pm in the Craft Room.

Here I Am

Arnie The Doughnut Musical

Rotten Pumpkin, our favorite book for fall 2013!

From School Library Journal

Gr 1-4–Schwartz meticulously tracks the life cycle of a pumpkin/jack-o'-lantern as it decays and eventually gives birth to new pumpkins. The gross-out factor is high, as each of the rodents, insects, molds, fun...gi, etc., do their respective jobs. For example, the fly states: “You're gonna love hearing how I eat. I vomit on the pumpkin flesh. My vomit dissolves pumpkin nutrients so I can lap them up.” Fifteen different organisms describe their role in the eventual demise of this jack-o'-lantern. The photography is sharp and clear, and effectively ramps up the “eww” element. A few concerns might be the occasional use of the vernacular, as in the aforementioned “gonna,” and some younger children could be upset about the fate of their carefully carved pumpkins. Jack's plaintive voice is heard now and then: “Where once I smiled and winked, now fungi ring my mouth and eyes. A cheerful jack I am no more.” Schwartz includes some suggestions for classroom investigations, and they would be a wonderful vehicle for scientific explorations. Those wishing for a gentler look at this process might go to Wendy Pfeffer's A Log's Life (S & S, 1997).–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.

Sophie's Squash

Book List Review

*Starred Review* Who says children don't love vegetables? Sophie certainly does, as her best friend is a yellow squash she has named Bernice. Even though Bernice is supposed to be dinner, Sophie draws a smiling face on her and convinces two very tolerant parents to let her keep the gourd as a playmate. The two have tea parties, somersault down the hill, go to library storytime, and have sleepovers. As the summer wanes, Mom is always exploring new recipes for cooking Bernice before she rots away altogether. Don't listen, Bernice! Sophie cries in terror, shielding her friend. In the fall a blotchy Bernice seems softer and her somersaults lacked their usual style, so Sophie plants her in the garden. In a perfect blend of story and art, the humorous watercolor-and-ink illustrations are bursting with color and energy on every page, replete with patterns in swirls, stripes, florals, and polka dots appearing on clothing, curtains, and upholstery. Endpapers depict the pigtailed Sophie with her jaunty red bows in constant motion running, tossing, flipping, cuddling, and balancing the squash. This is a paean to love and friendship, which can come in all species, shapes, and sizes.--Gepson, Lolly Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Rufus Goes to School by Kim Griswell

From Booklist

Does Rufus Leroy Williams III ever want to go to school! Sure, he is a piglet, but he has got a beloved picture book, and he wants to be able to read it. After observing human students, he figures out what he needs to be admitted: a backpack! Suitably backpacked, Rufus is taken before the principal, who shuts him down. “Because pigs track mud in the halls,” he says. “They play leapfrog in class, and they start food fights in the cafeteria.” Next Rufus acquires a lunch box and then a nap-time blanket, but the principal maintains that pigs disrupt school in a dozen different ways. It is only when Rufus reveals that he wants to learn to read that the principal reconsiders. Griswell’s list of imagined pig offenses is hilariously random (apparently pigs like to knock over block towers, leave nose prints on the windows, etc.), and each trespass is painted by Gorbachev with a maximum of pink, potbellied cuteness. The final pages take an odd sidestep into the inspirational, but otherwise this is a pure porcine pleasure. Preschool-Grade 1. --Daniel Kraus

 

 

 

"A warm, gently humorous story for kids who are looking to school with anticipation, not trepidation." —Publishers Weekly

Middle School Reviews

Looking for one more good summer read before the school year starts?  Look no further!  Here are some recommended books by Middle Schoolers who took part in the 10 in 10 summer reading challenge.

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
Reviewed by A.C., a rising 6th grader

This book is about a boy named Jeffrey who had cancer.  His older brother Steven went to Africa.  On Jeffrey's first day of high school met a boy named Tad who also had cancer.  He was Jeffrey's best friend.  Then Jeffrey met Lindsay and they fell in love.  I recommend this book to older kids.




Wooden Bones by Scott William Carter
Reviewed by E.S., a rising 7th grader

It's about what happens after Pinocchio becomes a boy.  He has magical powers, but when he uses them, he slowly turns back into a puppet.  I'd recommend this to people who like fantasy and fiction.





The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Reviewed by J.K., a rising 8th grader

I'm still in suspense about the other people of Ember and if they found their way out!

Superhero Storytime was a success!

Superhero snacks, complete with a spinach cape!

 

 

 

 

Star Girl, working on her superhero costume...

Our Wilbur Statue Made the List!

Wellesley Free Library’s statue of Wilbur, Charlotte and Templeton from the classic children’s book Charlotte’s Web was featured in School Library Journal’s blog post “The Complete Listing of All Public Children’s Literature Statues in the United States!” Check out the article and remember  you can visit Wilbur and his friends in the children’s room! 

You can read School Library Journal's blog post by clicking here
Our statue is under "C" for Charlotte's Web!

Our new favorite book: Gus, the Dinosaur Bus by Julia Liu

From School Library Journal

PreS-K-When a long-necked dinosaur serves as the bus, none of the kids want to miss school. Though everyone loves Gus-the city even builds a special road just for him-the principal finally tires of complaints about him knocking down traffic lights and getting tangled in phone wires and removes him from the road. Relegated to the school gym, Gus makes a swimming pool with his tears and finds a new life as the school's playground, with a swing on his tail and his long neck serving as a slide. In tone and visual details, this gentle story is reminiscent of Syd Hoff's classic Danny and the Dinosaur (HarperCollins, 1958). Lynn's scratchy, childlike watercolor and pencil cartoons have a daydreamy quality that suits Liu's simple text. Gus's story holds universal appeal; even a dinosaur can learn to turn lemons into lemonade.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MDα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. 

 

Review

"In tone and visual details, this gentle story is reminiscent of Syd Hoff's classic Danny and the Dinosaur. . . . Gus's story holds universal appeal; even a dinosaur can learn to turn lemons into lemonade."
—School Library Journal
"The story's mild suspense is just right for the book's audience. . . And the kindly pea-green dino steals the show with his huge smile and even bigger heart."
—The Horn Book Magazine

Superhero Storytime with Miss Michele!

Come to the Main library on August 24th at 2:30 for a Superhero Storytime with Miss Michele.  We'll be reading stories and creating our own superhero costumes.  Recommended for ages 4-6 with their families, but all are welcome.

 

 

Middle School Reviews

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen
Reviewed by T.N., a rising 6th grader

Very good book. It had good connections between the action, instead of just action all the time or being boring in between. I liked the characters and it had good character development but with the characters still likable at the beginning. Also I liked how things that that you thought were a fake turned out to be real.

Guys Read: Funny Business edited by Jon Scieszka
Reviewed by O.M., a rising 7th grader

These stories are so fun to read. I read this for summer reading, and I loved it. I don't know how the authors came up with all these funny ideas. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

True Legend by Mike Lupica
Reviewed by J.C., a rising 8th grader

Mike Lupica is one of my favorite authors; I love all of his books. True Legend is definitely up there as one of my favorite novels by him. First, I liked it because it is a story about basketball, which I play, and is my favorite sport. Secondly, I liked it because I got really into it, thinking about Drew, the main character, and how he was changing for the worst. I also liked it because it celebrated unsung heroes, and all the pro athletes who never get credit for their talent. This truly is one of my favorite books I've read this summer.

Baby Sign Language resources

Check out the new resources about Baby Sign Language on our Parenting page!  And mark your calendar for Mondays November 25 through December 16 when Sheryl White will be joining us again to teach a 4-week baby sign class for pre-verbal babies.  Sign-up begins on November 18th.

Middle School Book Reviews: spotlight on Series

Check out these reviews of books that are the first in a series!





The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
Reviewed by E.W., a rising 6th grader

When survivalist Cass, and logical Max-Ernest find out about the symphony of smells, they get caught up in a mystery about a dead magician, and two creepily pretty adults trying to figure out the secret to living forever.


 
 


I.Q Book 1: Independence Hall by Roland Smith
Reviewed by L.C., a rising 7th grader 

I loved this book!  It was the perfect blend of suspense and action.  I also like how it has lots of cliff hangers.






Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Reviewed by S.S., a rising 8th grader
This book is the first book of the Uglies Series. In a perfect society of beautiful people called pretties, one that is too fat or skinny or too tall or short is considered an ugly. But great luck to uglies like Tally Youngblood, turning sixteen will bring an operation for prettiness, and you'll be sent down the river to New Pretty Town, a place where all pretties live. But when Tally befriends Shay, an ugly that runs away from being pretty, Tally will need to find Shay to turn her in, in order to become pretty. Or else, she'll be an ugly for a lifetime... I liked this book because of the internal and external conflicts of Tally are perfectly set. And how Tally takes risks are refuses to take "no" for an answer.

Middle School Book Reviews

More reviews by Middle Schoolers!



Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Reviewed by V.I., a rising 6th grader

I loved the book because the author made me not want to put the book down once.






The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
Reviewed by B.Z., a rising 7th grader

This is a very good book. It was a real page-turner. I couldn't put the book down. Salim seems to disappear into thin air but it's a mystery that happens to actually be realistic. The ending was very satisfying.

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer
Reviewed by C.Y., a rising 8th grader

I thought it was fascinating both that Jodi Picoult's daughter worked with her on this book and that there might be a dimension in a book when readers don't read it. This book was creative and thought-provoking... though I'm not sure if this qualifies as sci-fi or fantasy. Oliver is such a happy character, and Delilah is a perfect match for him. Edgar is so selfless in the end, and I thought the twist ending was both satisfying and hilarious. Overall, a great book, and one that I won't forget very easily.

Bluffton

 

 

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-Henry and his hometown of Muskegon, Michigan, may be ordinary, but neighboring Bluffton is anything but. The year is 1908, and vaudevillians have come to the resort town to relax for the summer. Intrigued by the visitors, Henry heads off to Bluffton and meets a young actor named Buster Keaton. The two boys quickly become friends, but each of them yearns for what the other has-Henry wants a life of show business and fame, while Buster wants a normal life filled with baseball and fishing. Phelan does an excellent job of showing an accurate portrayal of Buster Keaton, from his dangerous physical comedy routines to his alcoholic father; the facts flow so smoothly that it does not feel like historical fiction at all. Henry is undeveloped in the beginning and simply moves along Buster's story, but the character really comes into his own later on when feuding with Buster and trying to put on a show of his own. Phelan's watercolors are expertly rendered and soft in focus, but pop at just the right moments, simultaneously showing the sleepiness of the town, the glamour of show business, and the energy of summer. An author's note and some photos explain a bit more about the real Buster Keaton. Overall, Bluffton is a rich and engaging story with a lot of charm, and will be a great choice for early chapter-book readers and graphic-novel fans.-Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WIα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.            

 

 From Kirkus Reviews

 Thrilling—a spirited, poignant coming-of-age vignette and an intriguing window into a little-known chapter in vaudeville history.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Middle School Book Reviews - Spotlight on Graphic Novels!

Each week we will be posting reviews from a rising 6th, 7th, and 8th grader who are participating in our 10 in 10 challenge (read 10 books in 10 weeks) this summer.  Check back regularly to get recommendations from kids like you!

This week's focus is graphic novels:

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
Reviewed by A.C., a rising 6th grader

This book is about a dog and a robot who are best friends.  They go to the beach together and dog wants robot to go in the water with him.  That's when the trouble starts.  This book has no words so you get to make them up.  Happy reading!


Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Reviewed by K.W., a rising 7th grader

Callie loves theater but can't sing so she decides to join stage crew.  The actors having drama on and off stage makes it crazy! When she meets two brothers, her year takes a turn.  I love this book.  The story was great.  The characters seemed real.  The artwork was fabulous. 5 out of 5.

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang
Reviewed by K.W., a rising 8th grader

I really enjoyed this book.  It was fun and interesting to read from beginning to end! It was funny and had a good lesson in the end.  I would definitely recommend this book to someone!

Totem Island Sculpture Worshop!

Kids created fanciful 7-foot high totem poles at our Totem Island Sculpture Workshop on Thursday afternoon, July 18th.  Everyone enjoyed this fun, colorful activity that demonstrated how ordinary objects can be recycled into exciting art!  This program was generously sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries.

Middle School Book Reviews

Each week we will be posting reviews from a rising 6th, 7th, and 8th grader who are participating in our 10 in 10 challenge (read 10 books in 10 weeks) this summer.  Check back regularly to get recommendations from kids like you!

Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney
Reviewed by N.G., a rising 6th grader

I thought that this book was interesting to read. I liked they way that the other described the characters and the illustrations. I will probably like the other books in the series of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.





The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Reviewed by E.M., a rising 7th grader

I really enjoyed The Adoration of Jenna Fox. As I read, I felt like I was a part of the book. The author made it seem as if the reader was in the accident, so they forgot everything and had to go through the same learning process as Jenna. This writing style was interesting and I never wanted to put down the book. Jenna's lack of friends, knowledge, and an understanding for her family add to the book's intensity and interest level. Throughout the book, there were cliffhangers and curveballs. I liked this because I was always engaged and kept avidly reading. I never wanted to miss a part. I definitely want to read the other books in the series and I would recommend this book to friends.



Hattie Ever After by Kirby Lawson
Reviewed by J.H., a rising 8th grader

A pretty good book, took me a while to finish, but overall I liked it and was sad when it ended. I like the way in the book that Hattie stood up for herself and decided what she wanted to do and then achieved that goal. She didn't care about what other people thought, she just went out and did it.
 

Lego Club continues in a new time slot...

Lego Club will be held each Thursday at 3:30 in the craft room; drop-in for creative fun for ages 5 and up!