In Memory of Tasha Tudor

Beloved children's author and illustrator, Tasha Tudor, recently passed away on June 18, 2008. Below is the obituary from Children's Bookshelf (a Publisher's Weekly newsletter):

"Author and illustrator Tasha Tudor died yesterday at the age of 92 in her Marlboro, Vt., home. Her decades-long career in children's publishing began with Pumpkin Moonshine (1938), followed by nearly 100 books. Her most recent title was 2003's Corgiville Christmas (Front Street), part of a series of books featuring anthropomorphic corgis in a small village. Among other awards, Tudor received Caldecott Honors for Mother Goose in 1945 and 1 Is One in 1957. The Tudor family has created a memorial Web site where readers can share memories of her work."For more information about Tasha Tudor and her legacy, see this website: http://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/

A sampling of Tudor's work can be found at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Here are a few favorites:

A Time to Keep: the Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays, written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 1996, c1977)

Gorgeous, old-fashioned illustrations make this a favorite for many childhood memories.









Corgiville Fair, written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor (Little, Brown & Company, 1998)

Chronicles the events of the Corgiville Fair, especially the foul play by Edgar Tomcat in his attempt to win the goat race.






First Poems of Childhood, written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor (Platt & Munk, 1967)

A new collection of familiar poetry. Includes: The owl and the pussy-cat, Monday's child, Who has seen the wind, and A visit from St. Nicholas.





1 is One, written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor (Simon & Schuster Young Readers, 2000)

Rhyming verse and pictures introduce the numbers from one to twenty.

Pick of the Week: The Pen That Pa Built

The Pen That Pa Built by David Edwards, illustrated by Ashley Wolff (Tricycle Press, 2007)

In this beautifully illustrated cumulative tale, author David Edwards and Ashley Wolff introduce the reader to a nostalgic look at farming. We learn how sheep are raised and how their wool is spun into yarn for making wool blankets. Young children interested in animals and life on the farm will delight in this historical picture book.

Teddy Bear Picnic - June 26th 10 a.m.

Teddy Bear Picnic 2008
Thursday, June 26th, 10:00 a.m. at Central Park, Corvallis
Featuring children's musicians, Galliump!, and Curious George

Be sure to bring your camera, teddy bear or stuffed animal, and a picnic lunch!
**In case of rain, this program will take place in the Library Main Meeting Room.

For more information, contact Youth Services at (541) 766-6794.

For great teddy bear-related reads, check out these books:

Bears by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Maurice Sendak (Michael di Capua Books/HarperCollins, [2005], c1948)

Classic Maurice Sendak illustrations capture the life of bears in the most unusual of places.







Everybody Has a Teddy by Virginia Kroll, illustrated by Sophie Allsopp (Sterling Pub., 2006)

A child describes teddy bears owned by other children, from Joshy's giant grizzly to the floppy bear Poppy's grandmother made from socks.







My Bear and Me by Barbara Maitland, illustrated by Lisa Flather (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1999)

A very sweet book for toddlers who are attached to a favorite teddy bear, doll, or stuffed animal. Delightful illustrations and just the right amount of text for young listeners.




My Friend Bear by Jez Alborough (Candlewick Press, 1998)

Eddie and his teddy bear meet a very big bear in the woods, and Eddie and the big bear become good friends. This is the first of Alborough's books where we encounter Eddie, his teddy bear and the very big bear.






One Ted Falls Out of Bed by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Anna Currey (Henry Holt, 2006)

When a teddy bear falls out of bed, he has an exciting playtime before finally managing to get back where he started.








What Does My Teddy Bear Do All Day? by Bruno Hächler, illustrated by Birte Müller and translated by Charise Myngheer (Minedition/Penguin, 2005)

A little girl spies all day to catch sight of her teddy bear's secret life. A good book to share with curious children that love their stuffed animals and wonder if they have a life on their own!

Lookybook - Picture Books from Cover to Cover Online

Have you ever found yourself sitting at your computer searching for children's books online and wondering, "Is this a good book to give my grandchildren?" or "Would this title work for circle time at preschool?" Sure, you can read editorial reviews from the library catalog, see customer comments on sites like Amazon.com (which occasionally gives you several pages to browse from inside the book) or social reading networks like Goodreads and LibraryThing. But what if you really want to know what a book is like from cover to cover - without heading to the library or the bookstore first?

Lookybook.com allows you to flip through picture book titles from cover to cover online. Registered members are able to build virtual bookshelves and leave comments. Registration is free but limited to kids and adults over the age of 13. Or just browse the titles available anonymously. You can search by keyword, title or author, as well as by subject or genre. Of course, the virtual browsing doesn't replace the experience of the book-in-hand...but it's a great way to get a feel for what the book is like before you make that decision to check it out at the library or purchase a copy. Lookybook, which is still in beta, currently contains over 300 picture book titles and the list is growing daily.

Is this a useful feature? Let us know what you think!

Celebrating Dads

Celebrate Father's Day today with these books:

Because Your Daddy Loves You by Andrew Clements (Clarion Books 2005)

When things go wrong during a day at the beach, like a ball that drifts away or a gooey ice cream mess, a father could do a lot of things but always picks the loving one.



Day Out With Daddy by Stephen Cook (Walker, 2006)

A humorous story about the fun to be had when dad's in charge for the day. A young boy tells his own version of the day he spends with Daddy while Mommy is out of town, and Mommy vows never to miss all the "fun" ever again.







My Father the Dog by Elizabeth Bluemle (Candlewick Press, 2006)

Sure to inspire a few laughs! A young girl suspects that her father is really a dog because he performs such acts as fetching the newspaper and chasing balls.






Tickle Tickle by Dakuri Hru (Roaring Book Press, 2002)

A baby boy has lots of fun when his father plays with him. A good book to share with babies and toddlers. Originally published in 1997 as In Daddy's Arms I am Tall (illustrated by Javaka Steptoe and published by Lee & Low) Ken Wilson-Max's bold, bright illustrations bring a playful version bursting with love and energy. This one is good for sharing one-on-one or with groups.

Pick of the Week: Big Chickens Fly the Coop

Big Chickens Fly the Coop by Leslie Helakoski (Dutton Children's Books, 2008)

"Finding the farmhouse is no picnic for this pack of panicky poultry! The four big chickens are all cooped up when their dream is to see the farmhouse--so they set out in search of it. But what makes something a farmhouse anyway? A roof? No, that's a doghouse! A chimney? No, that's a tractor! It's nothing but mixed-up mayhem when hapless hens with the right idea go looking for the farmhouse in all the wrong places. Sidesplitting silliness abounds as those crazy chickens return with another flapping-fluffing-squawking-flocking farmyard adventure. Henry Cole's boisterous art captures the spirit of this riotously funny new read-aloud and follow-up to the smash hit Big Chickens."--From publisher description.

Hold the Date! Teddy Bear Picnic

Everyone's invited to the annual Teddy Bear Picnic at Central Park in Corvallis, Thursday, June 26th, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.

Children's musicians, Galliump!, will be performing, followed by a visit with Curious George!

Bring your teddy bear or favorite stuffed toy, camera, and a picnic snack.

Join us to kick off the Library's new Curious? Read! program for children ages birth to 4 .

See you there!

Catch the Reading Bug

Summer is almost here and we're celebrating at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library with our annual Summer Reading Program for children ages 5-12. This year's theme is "Catch the Reading Bug!" - so we're reading about all things buggy. Stop by the Library and pick up a summer reading bag containing a reading log, pencil, sticker and bookmarks. Check out the Library's summer reading schedule of programs and events here.

Start this summer off with a buggy tale:

The Very Lazy Ladybug by Isobel Finn and Jack Tickle (Tiger Tales, 2001)

"A lazy ladybug who never learned how to fly decides she wants to go somewhere, but she cannot find an animal to give her a peaceful ride."




I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly retold and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott (Little Brown, 1980)

"A cumulative folk song in which the solution proves worse than the predicament when an old lady swallows a fly."



For more buggy reads, stop by the Library and ask a Youth Services Librarian.

** Stay tuned for more information about the Curious George Reading Program for ages 0-4 coming this summer to your Library!

Pick of the Week: Bye-bye Crib

Bye-bye, Crib by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Ross MacDonald (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008)

Alison McGhee (author of last week's Pick of the Week) has brought us another great book about that big toddler transition from crib to bed. For some toddlers, this is an easy transition. But for many others, like our little boy in Bye-bye, Crib, it is a much-feared moment in toddlerhood. Ross MacDonald illustrates the transition in great retro comic-style art and Alison McGhee's text shows a real understanding of the event from a small child's perspective. With big toddler courage and his trusty Baby Kitty to help him get through the night, the little boy successfully takes on the charge of adjusting to his new "big boy bed." You'll be cheering for this young hero!