Kids Blog

Green eggs and ham is the order of the day on March 2. This is the day we celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday, the beloved author who brought us such favorite characters as the Grinch, Horton, and the Cat in the Hat. 

Here are some activities to do to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday:

-Of course, read Dr. Seuss books!

-Download the Cat in the Hat audiobook from NetLibrary and listen to it with your family.

-Play games online at Seussville (there are things to print out too)

-Make one of the Dr. Seuss crafts or play a game from About.com

-Make green eggs and ham for dinner, or another recipe from the Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook (here for samples).

-Have a contest to see who can speak in rhyme the longest.

And remember, you can celebrate Dr. Seuss any day. "Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one!"

The GBBC is an annual, four-day event that takes a snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. It's an easy, fun, and free way to help the birds. Anyone can do this for as long or as little a time as he pleases, and their Web site has good information on how to get started, .

This Saturday's author program for kids with Michael Hemphill and Sam Riddleburger has been postponed due to the impending snow.  Our co-sponsor, Jabberwocky Children's Books, is working on a new date in May. Stay tuned for the announcement of their rescheduled visit!
 

Porter Book Bunch kids recently shared their thoughts about the importance of the library. Have you thought about what the library means to you?

    Two kinds of young readers are hard to buy books for:  the reader who reads everything, and the reader who reads nothing.  For the first kind of reader, finding out what the child has read lately can help avoid the disappointment of a second or third copy of a book that the recipient has already read.  For the second type of reader, try informational books.   

    Nonfiction appeals to kids who don’t read much, because these books tend to have strong visual elements and often allow readers to jump around in the text depending on what interests them most.  Believing firmly that you can’t make kids read but have to meet them where they are, I suggest the following stellar nonfiction for reluctant readers on your list.

 What better way to celebrate the holiday season than by creating a festive — and edible — holiday decoration that has been a Christmas tradition for centuries: gingerbread!  

    This year, why not shop locally for your holiday presents?  Jabberwocky Children’s Books, an independent children’s bookstore that has graced downtown Fredericksburg for over twenty years, has a wide selection and knowledgeable staff. Like most bookstores, they will special order any book they don’t have in stock. 

    While you’re shopping locally, look for books by local authors.  We are lucky to have a talented group of writers and illustrators for children in this area, many of whom I have come to know over the years.  Here are just a few suggestions.

    Thanksgiving disasters usually take the form of dried-out turkey or not enough mashed potatoes.  But for the Peterkin family, proper Victorians all, Thanksgiving disaster strikes when their dinner simply disappears.  In “The Peterkins’ Thanksgiving,” Elizabeth Spurr has adapted one of Lucretia Hale’s charming stories about this hapless family into a picture book edition illustrated with cheerful whimsy by Wendy Anderson Halperin.

Mass-produced holiday cards first appeared in Europe with the early printing presses, hundreds of years ago. As early as 1467, the Christ child appeared on a card in Germany wishing the receiver a good and happy year.

In older times and in other countries, New Year's was a time to give little presents, sometimes food, sometimes jewelry, sometimes money. In some countries, they still prefer to send New Year's cards to Christmas cards.