A couple months back I blogged about How I Levelled Up My Toddler Storytime in my new position. Storytime is becoming more and more exciting for me; I’ve realized that there’s limitless room for growth. There are always new songs to learn, strategies to use, and kids to read to. Which is why I decided to make… Read More Five Green and Speckled Frogs Flannel
Adult and Teen Summer Reading challenges can be tough. How can you inject some fun into the reading experience without seeming too childish or dictator-y? Everyone has a child within, but not everyone is willing to unleash that side of themselves in a public setting with no warning. This is why Book Bingo is a… Read More Book Bingo: Dos, Don’ts, and … What Even?
Thank you to Scholastic Canada for the Advanced Reading Copy. Guts by Raina Telgemeier will be published on September 10, 2019. This review contains spoilers, and is written from the perspective of a children’s librarian. It’s been 5 years since Sisters, the sequel to Smile, was published. From my experience working in libraries, interest in… Read More Raina Telgemeier is at the top of her game with new book, Guts
There are a lot of factors to consider when running a public library’s Instagram account: content, style, captions, frequency of posts, hashtags, stories, and engagement with users. But the most immediately impactful aspect is the quality of your photos. Most of the people who run their library’s social media accounts do not have degrees in… Read More Instagram Tips for Small Public Libraries – Photos
I heard through the grapevine that my neighbours to the south are celebrating A Universe of Stories as their Summer Reading theme this year! Canadians are celebrating Our Natural World. I know some people might not consider galaxies as part of our natural world, but I sure do. I imagine hundreds of American Librarians (hey,… Read More Galaxy Jars with Mini-Lesson on Nebulae
You might be rolling your eyes – ANOTHER post about slime Karissa? That tired old goopy mess? Aren’t kids totally done with that trend? Move on, girl! And yes. I’ve posted about slime a couple times: Homemade Layered Slime Jars with Ombre Effect How To Throw a Slime Party at the Library (and why you… Read More Space Slime with a Mini-Lesson on Chemistry
Bees are incredible creatures. And without bees, our ecosystems would be irreparably damaged. But bees have a bad reputation among children (they’re scary!), and I want to change that. I’m sharing all my resources for this program so that you can help change that too. If you are a teacher or a librarian, feel free… Read More Un-BEE-Lievable Science: A bee themed lesson plan for grades 3 – 6
I have been tracking my reading on Good Reads for the first time ever this year, and I’m obsessed! I hope to get to a point where he only social media app I use is Good Reads. Here’s a round up of the books I’ve reviewed lately – including some ARCs from NetGalley. Much Ado… Read More Spring 2019 Book Review Round Up
When I first started doing storytimes three years ago, they were fine. At their best, kids were engaged. They sat still during 2 stories and laughed at all the right times. Parents softly sang along to the songs, and helped kids complete their craft. As they left, kids gave me hugs and parents politely thanked… Read More How I Levelled Up My Toddler Storytime
Province cuts Ontario Library services funding in half Ford government cuts Ontario Library Service budget in half Province slashes Ontario Library Service funding by 50% These headlines caused a panicked outcry on social media. People read the headlines and thought that all Ontario libraries were losing half their budget. Rightfully, they were extremely concerned. But… Read More In Response to Ontario’s Library Services Cuts
Ontarian Librarian 