Talkin' Trees

Our Tree Named Steve

by Alan Zweibel

Our Tree Named Steve is a heartwarming story, told in flashback by a father to his 

children, about a tree and how that tree became a beloved 

family member. It is illustrated by David Catrow.  I wanted to do a fall-ish program

but our beautiful Charlotte NC trees haven't begun to change their colors yet.

 So, I opted for Steve.  If you haven't read it,  read it today; 

I'm sure that you will want to share it with others. 

Old Elm Speaks Tree Poems by Kristine O'Connell George

Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art by Thomas Locker

Talking Sticks

In Native American tradition, talking sticks were used to keep order and respect in tribal meetings and gatherings, but their use was also extended to storytelling circles and teaching children. I was just looking for a craft that I could use sticks for. But I got so much more out of the experience, and so did the children. We sat in a circle and I passed the talking stick around giving each child an opportunity to speak. Being the elder, I began the conversation asking them what kind of program they would like to have with Creating with Books? Most of them passed the stick on but we had a few that spoke up.

 Next month I will be doing a program on rocks thanks to one of the students.

The Craft

I brought in some cut "sticks" from an overgrown shrub we had trimmed. My husband helped me cut, sand and clean the sticks. What a sweetie. I had made a talking stick prior to the program testing out different techniques. Prime the sticks in tempura paint (not acrylic) and use permanent makers for the design. I put out different colors of  Sharpie permanent markers on the paper covered work tables. To protect their clothes I had large tee-shirts for cover ups. The primed sticks, yarn and feathers were at a buffet table where my co-worker Noelle manned the hot glue gun that was used to secure the string yarn and feathers. I played instrumental music in the background while the six to ten years old created.

My Talking Stick

 After the craft they enjoyed a healthy snack of  broccoli trees, pretzel sticks and ranch dip. Yum.

Library Lion

There's a cat in the library! And a lion too! 

For our September program I read Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library!
It is a picture book version of the Dewey books, also by Vicki Myron.
The kitten was found in the outside book drop on a cold Janurary morning at the Spencer Public Library in Iowa in 1988. When the staff found him they decided to adopt him and named him Dewey Readmore.
He was loved and cared for by staff and patrons alike;
he also brought worldwide attention to this small town library. 

             


Library Lion is by Michelle Knudsen and beautifully illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. This is a book about a lion visiting the New York City Public Library. The lion is welcome to stay as long as he obeys the rules. No  roaring in the library. The lion came everyday and he is befriended by the patrons and most of the staff until one day he heroically breaks the rule.
A teaching guide is available from Candlewick Press
http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763622621.kit.1.pdf

The lion character is taken from the statues Patience and Fortitude leading up to the stairs of NYPL. 

http://www.nypl.org/help/about-nypl/library-lions

The craft was a wireless notebook covered with brown paper bag that was glued on and the spine taped with masking tape. In the center of the notebook I drew a circle as a reference for the lion mane collage that they tore out National Geographic magazines. I had pre-cut the head form and demonstrated how to draw a lion face on it. Their creativity flowed as they ripped and pasted; they were proud of their notebooks and some have commented since that they have been journaling in them. 

 

I could not resist these cute lion cupcakes. 

My sample. I baked the cupcakes the night before and frosted them with a cream cheese frosting that I colored a brownish orange. The mane is caramel popcorn, chocolate chip eyes and nose with pretzel whiskers. I just set it up as a center after they finished their notebook.

 I played Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) and other cuts from The Lion King at craft time.