Week 4 of the Library Club
This update is a little late in coming. Between the change in schedules and a long weekend away (without a computer), I didn’t get this post written. So here goes …
Catherine is still very excited about our weekly visits to the library. When she checked in, the young woman behind the desk commented asked Catherine which of the books on the list was her favorite, she drew a blank. At first that bothered me, because I started thinking “maybe we’re reading too many books.” We don’t make it a race or a competition, but maybe we’re overdoing it.
As we walked through the children’s section, Catherine started pointing out books … stories she remembered from school and books we’ve read at home. She can tell me what happened in the story and what she liked about it. So I stopped worrying. When people ask me my favorites on the spot, I’m not always good at thinking of a title, so why should I expect that from a 7-year-old?!
I am really tickled with our selections this week:
The Bat Jamboree by Kathi Appelt – Catherine picked this. It looks really cute.
A Bunny is Funny: And So Is This Book by Harriet Ziefert – Catherine picked this one and we played a game with it on the drive home. She would read the riddle and leave out the animal; I had to guess what it was.
Ghosts: Ghostly Tales from Folklore by Alvin Schwartz – I picked this easy reader.
Hello, Red Fox by Eric Carle – This is another “comfort book.” Catherine picked this because she loved when Mrs. C. read it to the class at school. She loves asking us to look at the page with the heart.
Miss Rumphius byBarbara Cooney – This one is for me. It is part of my goal for reading the Top 30 Picture Books in the Fuse #8 Top 100 Picture Book Poll of 2009
Sneaky, Spinning Baby Spiders by Sandra Markle – I am “sneaking” in this nonfiction picture book.
Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davies – Catherine picked this book after she saw it displayed on the end cap.
My efforts to encourage writing have been pretty poor. We did try Notaland as the Book Chook suggested, but Catherine was more interested in searching the photo galleries and looking at pictures than in writing a story. I’m hoping with a more stable routine and no out-of-town trips this week that we can do better.
Yes, I think it’s like anything new, and I’m the same at first. I want to try the stickers, see how this bit works, check out the gallery – oh, how cute! etc. It might be something she plays with now, and comes back to when she’s a little older. Or she might not have the desire to express herself in that way. For some kids, they might want to tell a friend their story, or Grandma. For other kids, especially older kids doing a book report, using a digital interface can sweeten a task that they basically have to do as a class requirement.