I can't pick 'em

Boy, was I off on picking this year's Newbery winners! I tried really hard. I read hundreds of juvenile and young adult chapter books last year (not all of them new, of course) but, of the four honor/medal winners, I'd only read all the way through one: honor winner Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson. Up until the awards were announced, I was satisfied just reading the reviews of honor winner The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt. To top it off, I'd actually considered and declined purchasing (@ full-price, I beg you to understand) a copy of the medal winner, Good Masters, Sweet Ladies by Laura Amy Schlitz to have her autograph it a book festival this fall. My coworker will tell of my Rumpelstiltskin-esque fit I threw when I heard of Ms. Schlitz's win and remembered my passing up of the chance to have a first edition autographed. I should have figured it out. Ms. Schlitz's A Drowned Maiden's Hair received a lot of praise from the kidlit bloggers I read (at least one of whom I believe was on the 2007 Newbery committee), and I have to admit, while I'm not comfortable with the subject matter, it was really very well written (Best first line ever of a kids book, I think.).

Since the announcements I've read The Wednesday Wars and really, really, enjoyed it. I'm currently reading Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. I have to agree, though, with the Cuffies awards, given by PW & children's booksellers, that both books would be a much better 'sell' if they had more interesting covers. I think I'll be able to overcome the boring-ness (I don't care if it's not a word, I'm using it!) of The Wednesday Wars cover to get kids to read it, but am afraid the saving grace of this edition of Elijah of Buxton will be the title's Coretta Scott King Award win, as these are a frequent school assignment.

I'm still upset that Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale was absent from all the ALA awards, but I'm a new fan of The Wednesday Wars, and recognize the merits of the other winners and will forgive the committees.

Better luck next year, right?

Bathtime Storytime Plan

Audience: Families (all ages)

My Standard Opening Song: "What A Miracle" (Hap Palmer, Peek-a-Boo and Other Songs for Young Children)


Read-Aloud Book: Big Smelly Bear by Brita Teckentrup, 2007

Action Song: "Everybody Wash" (Sesame Street Splish Splash Bath Time Fun

Flannel Board: Tiny's Bath by Carl Meister, 1998

Song: "Do De Rubber Duck" (Sesame Street Splish Splash Bath Time Fun)

Read-Aloud: Bath Time by Eileen Spinelli

FingerPlay: Rub A Dub Dub
Rub a dub dub (rub hands together)
Three men in a tub, (hold up three fingers)
And who do you think they be? (Hold hands out in question)
The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker (count them off on your fingers)
And all of them gone out to sea. (make paddling motions)

Lap Theater: Rub-A-Dub-Dub: Who's in the Tub? by Jun Takabatake

Song: "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" (Joanie Bartels, Bathtime Magic)


Read-Aloud: "Take Me Out of the Bathtub", Take Me Out Of The Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz

Extra Song: "I Took a Bath in a Washing Machine" (Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes


Extra Fingerplay: Baby's Bath
Baby's ready for her bath.
Here's the baby's tub, (Make circle with arms)
Here's the baby's washcloth, (Hold hand up, palm flat)
See how she can scrub. (Pretend to rub face)
Here's the baby's cake of soap, (Make a fist)
And here's the towel dry, (Hold hands flat, thumbs touching)
And here's the baby's cradle (Make imaginary cradle)
Rock-a-baby bye. (Rock 'cradle' back and forth)

My Standard Closing Song: "So Long Now" (Kidzup Productions, Kindergarten Songs)

(images of book covers are from/linked to Amazon . com, the title of the books/albums are linked to the library)