Blankets & Snugglies

With a new season approaching and the weather growing colder (today at least!), my mind is turning toward cozy fall days and one of the favorite objects of childhood - the blanket. Many children have a blanket they are attached to (or "snuggly," or "lovey" or a different beloved object of affection). In honor of blankets, the security they can give children, and the often difficult transition of parting with this object of affection, here are a few  favorite blanket-inspired stories:

Flora's Blanket by Debi Gliori

Flora, a little rabbit, does not want to sleep without her missing blanket, so her family helps her look for it.

Kiki's Blankie by Janie Bynum

Kiki the monkey has many daring adventures with her polka-dot "blankie," but when it sails away without her and lands above a sleeping crocodile, she may not be brave enough to come to the rescue.

No More Blanket for Lambkin! by Bernette Ford, with illustrations by Sam Williams

Ducky wants to play laundry day and wash Lambkin's blanket. But an unexpected event occurs when the blanket is washed.

Owen by Kevin Henkes

Owen's parents try to get him to give up his favorite blanket before he starts school, but when their efforts fail, they come up with a solution that makes everyone happy. (A Caldecott Medal Honor Book)

New Book Series for Toddlers

Meet Tilly and Friends - a new picture book series by Polly Dunbar (author/illustrator of Penguin, Down the Back of the Chair, and Dog Blue). Tilly and her friends all live in a yellow house. Tilly is an adorable little girl with a toddler friend named Hector - a very cute pig. These picture books are full of sweet, whimsical illustrations and sing-song text sure to please toddlers (Rooty-toot-toot! and Whump! Bump! Whoops!). In the first book of the series, Hello Tilly, Tilly and her friends have fun playing in their yellow house - making music, dancing, enjoying a "feast", and reading stories. In Happy Hector, all of the other animals want to play with Tilly. This leaves Hector a bit unhappy until he realizes there's a way he can have fun even if he doesn't have Tilly all to himself. Additional Tilly and Friends titles coming soon: Pretty Pru, Where's Tumpty? Doodle Bites and Good Night, Tiptoe.

Notable Site: Speakaboos

Find of the week: www.Speakboos.com.

Speakaboos (Beta) brings classic stories and nursery rhymes to life using animation, song, and spoken word performed by celebrities. There is even an option for you or your child to record their own voice (option coming soon). For example, you can listen to Wilmer Valderrama recite "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" or hear and watch actor John Krasinski tell the story of Aladdin. If you're a teacher, there are story guides, worksheets, and arts/crafts ideas to peruse. For parents, there are activity sheets to download and print out, as well as links to parenting resources. Another fun way to help encourage and build literacy skills with your child!

Take a video tour here:

Pick of the Week: Llama Llama Misses Mama

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney (Viking, 2009)

Llama Llama is starting school for the very first time and is feeling shy, scared, and lonely without mama there. This is a gem for sharing for first-day jitters with the preschool set. Anna Dewdney has once again done a fabulous job of capturing the emotions, the love, and the "llama drama" that young children will recognize in their own experiences. Llama Llama finds that while he loves and misses his mama, he can also love school!

New Pregnancy Books

The library has a lot of resources for pregnant mothers and fathers-to-be, including books, DVDs, magazines, and audiobooks. Take a look at a few of the library's newest books on the subject of pregnancy:

What to Expect Before You're Expecting: the complete preconception plan by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
The author of the classic expectant parent guidebook, What to Expect When You're Expecting, offers couples who are planning (and trying) to conceive a wealth of practical advice on everything from tracking ovulation to seeking help for infertility.

Your Pregnancy for the Father-to-Be: everything dads need to know about pregnancy, childbirth and getting ready for a new baby by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler
This full updated and expanded edition includes: Essential pregnancy information -- Lifestyle changes for you as an expecting couple -- Ways to support your pregnant partner -- Changes in your life as an expectant dad -- Your couple relationship -- You're part of this pregnancy, too! -- The financial realities of parenthood -- If there are pregnancy problems -- Preparing for baby's arrival -- Childbirth preparation, and labor and delivery -- Now you're a dad! -- Before the next pregnancy.

Mindful Motherhood: Practical Tools for Staying Sane During Pregnancy and Your Child's First Year by Cassandra Vieten, foreword by Sylvia Boorstein
Vieten, a psychologist specializing in mood disorders as well as a mom herself, presents a mindfulness training program developed to help new mothers parent their children and manage changes in mood, stress levels, and behavior.

Full of Life: Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Pregnant by Nancy O'Dell
Extraordinarily helpful and filled with honest, candid tips on everything from unusual cravings to sudden pre-baby breast leakage, "Full of Life" presents straightforward advice on pregnancy and motherhood. b&w illustrations throughout.

Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy by Elizabeth M. Ward
Includes health information, healthy eating tips, fourth trimester information, food safety, and infertility and other common issues.

New Subject Resource Guide for Picture Books

Check out the library's new Picture Book subject resource guide here.
The library is in the process of updating and expanding our online resource guides for our customers. Hopefully these newly created guides will be useful for you. We welcome hearing your comments and suggestions.

Pick of the Week: Will I Have a Friend?

Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen, illustrated by Ronald Himler (Star Bright Books, 2009)

In this newly illustrated version of Miriam Cohen's classic book about starting school, a young boy named Jim has a lot of anxiety about starting school. Will he have a friend there? Lucky for Jim, his anxieties are put to rest when he meets Paul, who shares his toy car with him. Share this one with young children who are nervous about starting school for the first time or transferring to a new school. The new illustrations by Ronald Himler give great new life to this classic back-to-school title.