Readers' Report: songbooks for young children

Today's book recommendations came from a small group of professors and staff members at Wellesley College who wanted share their favorite songbooks for young children.  Needham owns some of the books, and other Minuteman libraries own the rest.  You can request a copy from another library to have it sent to Needham.

Seeger, Ruth Crawford (1980). American Folk Songs for Children (Ages 4-8)

Mike and Peggy Seeger have recorded many of the songs in both of Ruth Crawford Seeger's books on a number of CDs.

Seeger, Ruth Crawford (1950). Animal Folk Songs for Children (Ages 4-8)

Raffi (1997). Baby Beluga (Ages 3-8)

Almost everyone knows some Raffi songs, but "Baby Beluga" has its very own picture book to go along with the music.

Blood, Peter (1988). Rise Up Singing (All Ages)

The reader reports that this book has "cradle songs, ballads, funny songs, songs of love, songs from many nations ... train songs, cowboy songs, travel, etc." for children, adults, and everyone in between.

Fox, Dan (1987). Go in and out the Window (All Ages)

Art and music, all in one book!  Each song is paired with artwork from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Hall, Nancy Abraham and Jill Syverson-Stork (1994). Los Pollitos Dicen: The Baby Chicks Sing (Ages 4-8)

This playful book is in both Spanish and English and looks at playtime and traditions in Spanish-speaking countries.

Wells, Rosemary (2002). Getting to Know You! (Ages 4-8)

Rogers and Hammerstein come to life with Rosemary Well's characters.  Broadway classics meet picture-book favorites!

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Do you want some more songbooks?  Look in the non-fiction section, starting with 780.

Not Your Average Fairy

Anderson, R.J. (2009) Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter (Grades 5-7)

In a mighty oak tree, a dying colony of faeries struggles with a mysterious disease that slowly drains the life out of each faery.  These, however, are not typical faeries: they have no magic--it disappeared at about the same time that the disease began to claim the faery lives--and they have become selfish, fearful, and ignorant.  Knife, an orphan and the youngest faery in the colony, becomes the group's designated hunter and, during her trips into the wild, meets a young man.  Her forbidden friendship with this human reveals a startling secret about the faery colony, Knife's mother, and the source of the disease that is slowly destroying the faeries.

Adventure, mystery, and a twisting plot will keep readers on the edge of their seats as Knife's courage and determination unravel her colony's dark history.

The Holiday Display Is Ready!

The weather might not feel wintry, but winter holidays are just around the corner!  Stop by the children's room to see the new display of books about Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the winter solstice.  You can take home picture books, easy readers, novels, craft books, and more about these four important holidays.

Is our display missing your holiday?  Leave a comment to let the children's librarians know.  If we have books about the holiday, we'll display them, too.

Science Fiction in Victorian England

Some books don't fit into the usual genres.  Historical fiction, science fiction, humor, and fantasy are all easy enough to recognize, but what do you do when all four collide in the same book?  Philip Reeve wrote just such a book (and then wrote two sequels for good measure).

 Reeve, Philip (2006). Larklight. (Grades 6-8)

Arthur Mumby and his very proper sister, Myrtle, live in a remarkable house--in outer space.  The year is 1851, and, thanks to Sir Isaac Newton's discoveries about gravity, humans have invented ships that can take them to the moon and beyond.  Queen Victoria's British Empire, for instance, stretches all the way from Venus to Mars, and explorers spend plenty of time around Jupiter.

When Arthur's family receives an unexpected visitor, he and Myrtle are launched into a daring adventure with alien moths, space pirates, and giant white spiders that threaten the Mumbys at every turn.  Arthur tells most of the story himself, but Myrtle's diary entries make regular appearances to fill in some gaps.

Despite the ever-present danger, Larklight and its sequels--Starcross and Mothstorm--are wildly imaginative and humorous books.  You can read an excerpt from the first chapter here!  If it sounds a little strange when you read it, just be patient.  It's supposed to sound like an old, Victorian novel, but it doesn't take long to get used to.  Be sure to pick up a copy of the book itself: the illustrations make the book even more fun to read.

Straight from the horse's mouth

You never know when you'll find a good recommendation at the library.  Today, for instance, the following note was left on a shelf:

The reader has a good point.  Hank the Cowdog is one of the funniest characters out there.

Erickson, John (1983). Hank the Cowdog. (series) (Grades 4-6)

Hank is a cowdog.  More importantly, Hank is the Head of Ranch Security--at least, he's the Head of Ranch Security if you ask him.  If you ask anyone else on the ranch, you'll get a very different answer.  Hank is always getting into trouble with the ranchers and the other animals, despite his best intentions.  He's not as smart or as good-looking as he thinks he is, but he makes up for it in determination.  When a mysterious adventure arises, he's the first to run into it.  For instance, he stands his ground in the face of a plane (a "silver monster bird" trying to steal a steer, according to Hank) and almost manages to catch it before it veers away.

Hank's gruff way of talking and hilarious misunderstandings make these books fun to read aloud or alone, and the series is extensive enough that you'll always have your pick of books.  Although the first book is a good place to start, there's no need to read the series in order.  Each book stands well on its own and doesn't need anything more than Hank's own introduction: "It's me again, Hank the Cowdog."

Crafts for Keeps: Thankful Turkeys

Thanksgiving is almost here!  You can start the celebration early by making a Thankful Turkey to show all of the things you're thankful for.  Click here for easy instructions.  You'll need some colorful construction paper, scissors, glue, and a pencil or marker.

Once you've made your turkey, use the feathers to write in everything you're thankful for this year.  The more thanks you give, the more feathers your turkey can have!  You can glue your turkey to an empty toilet paper tube to help it stand up on a dresser or table.  Put it somewhere special to remind you of all the good things around you.

Audio Books: Now for your own MP3 players!

OverDrive, a new audio and e-book service through the Minuteman Library Network, allows library users to put audio books and e-books onto their computers and MP3 players.  You can use these electronic books whether you have a Windows computer or a Mac, so iPod users can finally download audio books from the library!

These books work a lot like the physical books that you check out at the library: you "borrow" an item and get to listen to or read the book during that loan.  When the book is due, it's automatically "returned" to the library--no overdue fines!  If the title is available after the due date, you can always check it out again.

Books for kids are conveniently set aside in their own "Juvenile Fiction" collection for you to browse.  There are 26 titles right now, so check one out today and see how the new service works!