School adopts iPad

We all knew that someday in the future kids would be learning via computer. But did you know that the future is now?

I don't know how long this article in Forbes Magazine (online) will be up, but click on the link to learn about schools in Scotland and the US of A which are giving every child an iPad to use in school.

Benefit -- the iPad is flat which helps teacher see what each child is doing, whereas students can hide behind computers.

Do you think this is a good idea? or not?

Halloween Party at the Library

Tuesday, we held our annual Halloween party at the Joppa Library from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. By five minutes of six, there were already costumed people in the library gathered around the craft tables and massing at the door to the meeting room.

Exactly at 6:00 pm I placed the final supplies on the three craft tables in the Children's room and let the familes dig in. Another librarian sat at a fourth table helping children decorate paper bags.

The meeting room doors opened showing various snack food, a few more crafts, plus a large pumpkin shape and a pile of beanbags. The object of this game was to try to toss your beanbag through the eyes or mouth.

Each child checking in with me got a jack-o-lantern hand stamp.
We had planned to have the costume parade about 7:00, but since everyone had pretty much hit every activity earlier, we formed the parade about 6:45. It wound its way around the adult department, stopping for "Trick or Treat" at the Information Desk, then approached me at the Children's Information Desk.

"Trick or Treat!"
"Do you have candy?"
No, I didn't have candy.
I had PRETZELS! (In little bags)

(I also discovered that this was a good way to get an accurate count of the number of children attending -- I knew how many bags were in the pretzel jar and could subtract what was left.)

Including moms and dads, big sisters and brothers, and babies, we had way over 100 people milling around the library Tuesday. (and they all fit!)
Probably a record attendance for any program here.
Fun
Fun
-wendieO

Nonfiction Monday -- Calico Dorsey, Mail Dog

Calico Dorsey, Mail Dog of the Mining Camps by Susan Lendroth. Illustrated by Adam Gustavson. Tricycle Press, 2010. Available now.

Hey!
Did you know that Tricycle Press is now owned by Random House?
Me neither.

In the 1880s Dorsey, a border Collie, lived with Al, the storekeeper of the mining town of Bismark. Every week Al and Dorsey went to the town of Calico to pick up store supplies -- and the mail.

One week, Al decided it was too dang hot to make the trip over the mountain trail. (But Dorsey went anyway, to visit his Calico friends.) In fact, Dorsey visited more often than Al, every week.

Soon the men were attaching notes to Dorsey, back and forth, and eventually attached mailbags to his back. True story. A note in the back tells about the real Calico and even has a photograph of him.

This picture book biography of a Mail Dog should appeal to first and second grade readers as well as preschool listeners.

Links to more Nonfiction Monday blogs are listed at Write about Now.

What does Moondust smell like?

I saw this headline and was fascinated. I didn't know it smelled like anything strange. I had to go read the article.
Think about what you think it smells like, then go read the NASA article here.

Then come back here and tell us (in the comments) what you thought.

Is the picture book dead?

Ha!
Here's an interview with an editor who doesn't believe the picture book format(in this case, the picture book biography)as a physical format is dead. Check out this interview with Clarion's Lynn Polvino on Tina Nichols Coury's blog, Tales from a Rushmore Kid.

Visited the Academy of Notre Dame today

Lovely visit today with the librarians, Victoria Abens, and Mary Buxton, and the Middle School students at the Academy of Notre Dame in Villanova, PA.

Beautiful day for a drive north to the Philadelphia area.
Enthusiastic students and teachers, great question and answer session.
I feel inspired to keep writing.
-wendieO

Nonfiction Monday -- Orangutans are ticklish

Orangutans are Ticklish, fun facts from an animal photographer by Steve Grubman with Jill Davis. NY: Schwartz & Wade, 2010.

Don't plan to use this book for assignments. But it might serve as a kick-off to get children interested in wild animals.

Steve Grubman, a wild animal photographer, presents photographs he took of various animals, along with a few interesting facts about the animals, plus side comments about the photo shoot. "This chimp and I took turns making funny faces at each other. Monkey see, monkey do!"

First and second graders will enjoy the animal facts -- set in larger type than expected. Adults will be interested in his two page preface describing how he posed the animals. With advice about always having an escape route if things get out of hand. (like when the tiger attacked him)

Want more facts? A few more about each animal are inserted on the last pages.

I probably would have written the section about the Aardvark a bit differently than Jill Davis did, not using the word "nocturnal." Nowhere does she explain what that means. On the other hand, I never knew that Aardvarks are only active at night (nocturnal) until I read it here. (I wonder how that information affects our view of Marc Brown's Arthur books? He's supposed to be an Aardvark.)

This is more equivalent to an adult Coffe Table book than an informational book about animals.

But it's about what you should expect from a man who photographed the ad for a Samsonite luggage campaign. He was asked to produce a photograph of an elephant standing on a piece of luggage, so Steve found an African elephant, got it into his studio, and took its picture. (I remember that one! Don't you?)

Do you like those t-shirts that have the design facing you on the front of the shirt, but shows the back of those object on the back of the shirt? Me too. Then you'll like the cover of this book. An Orangutang faces you on the front cover, but his backside is pictured on the back of the book.

More Nonfiction Monday links can be found at Mother Reader's blog, today.