Nancy Kay Holmes Library

January's Book Club Meeting

2012-01-27T17:16:00.004-05:00

Check out these scenes from our most recent Book Club meeting:

Paint samples-turned-into-"Books to Read"-bookmarks:

Our next Book Club meeting is Tuesday, February 28th, 5:30-6:30pm. Friends in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade are always welcome to join us! Bring a book you've already read to recommend to others! Registration is required, so call 207-0764 and say you'll be here! See you at Book Club at the library!

Happy 42nd Birthday, RUBBER DUCKIE!

2012-01-27T16:37:00.007-05:00

January is Bathtub Safety Month! And, everyone's favorite bathtime buddy, Rubber Duckie, recently celebrated his 42nd birthday! (He looks pretty good for having spent the past forty-two years in the bathtub!)
We helped him celebrate as we read these stories:

We created our own bubbly tributes to the squeaky yellow guy as we mixed liquid soap with blue food coloring. We inserted straws into our "bathtub", blew big bubbles, and pressed our pictures over the top. As the bubbles popped, they created this effect:
Happy Birthday, Rubber Duckie! Stay safe in that bathtub!
xoxo, Miss Katie

Snowballs at the Library, Lois Ehlert-style!

2012-01-27T16:03:00.006-05:00

Open Letter to Renowned Author and Illustrator Lois Ehlert:

Dear Ms. Ehlert,

Recently, our Storytime friends were so amused, engaged, intrigued and inspired by your famous book, Snowballs, they just had to dive right into bowls filled with assorted odds-and-ends! Our finished results were Snowboys and Snowgirls like the snow friends found in your book! Take a look at our works of art, and give us a call if you need our creative assistance and contributions for your next masterpiece!

Love,
Your Fans and Friends at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library

Final Family Place Workshop for January

2012-01-27T15:18:00.002-05:00

Only a few photos from this week's Family Place Workshop because we were so busy talking, playing, reading, painting, and having fun with our friends! Our next series of Family Place Workshops begin February 15th, and Registration is required, so call 207-0764 to sign up your favorite kiddos age Birth-3 years.

Magic 8 Balls, Robots, and.... Dinosaur Underpants?!?

2012-01-27T14:48:00.008-05:00

What an interesting variety of items to be found at last night's Show & Tell Storytime! We played games on a tablet, looked through binoculars, followed a robot, asked questions of a Magic 8 Ball, and.... located leftover dinosaur underwear?!?
Our Show & Tell items proudly displayed:

And the hunt for leftover dinosaur underwear from our story:

You never know what you'll read about - or find - at the library!

Our next Show & Tell Storytime is Thursday, February 16th, 5:30-6:30pm. Registration is required. Call 207-0764 to say you'll be here! See you next time! xoxo, Miss Katie

Mittens!!!

2012-01-27T14:19:00.007-05:00

Though there's little need to wear them this winter, we read stories today about mittens on snowy days, including these entertaining reads:

As we read each story, my friends observed how difficult it was to see the mittens in the illustrations because they were CAMOUFLAGED... so we made camouflaged mittens too! If you closely look at each mitten, you'll see several brightly colored snowmen decorating our mittens, while some snowmen are less obvious, as we first glued snowmen the same color as our mittens for the camouflage effect:

Speaking of observations, this is Miss P animatedly observing that Miss Katie's hair looked "all messy" this morning, so, of course we had to pose with Miss M for "messy hair" photos:

So much fun at the library! See you next time!
xoxo, Miss Katie

Chinese New Year Celebration, Tuesday Jan. 24th!

2012-01-23T15:25:00.002-05:00

A very special Chinese New Year Celebration is planned for tomorrow, Tuesday, January 24th, 5:30-6:30 at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library. We are pleased to welcome our friends from The Scranton Chinese School! They will recite poems, play the violin, read children's stories aloud, and print children's names in Chinese during our celebration! We also have several crafts and tasty treats planned. All ages are welcome, and everyone is invited! Registration is required, please call 207-0764 to say you'll be here!

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2012-01-23T13:58:00.012-05:00

So long, Year of the Rabbit! Today begins the Year of the Dragon! We celebrated Chinese New Year at this morning's storytime as we read these books:

Inspired by the colorful dragons in the stories' illustrations, we created Chinese Dragon Puppets, which we promptly used to frighten Miss Katie:

Lots of fun today! Join us tomorrow evening, 5:30-6:30 at the Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library for a very special Chinese New Year's Celebration! Registration is required, so call 207-0764 to say you'll be here! See you at the library!
xoxo, Miss Katie

Cabin Fever Family Fun Night! 5:30-6:30

2012-01-19T10:18:00.003-05:00

Don't let the winter weather stop you! Grab your family and get out of the house this evening, 5:30-6:30pm, for CABIN FEVER FAMILY FUN NIGHT at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library! Registration is REQUIRED, so call (570) 207-0764 to say you'll be here! See you soon!
xoxo, Miss Katie

BINGO Par-tay To-day at Nancy Kay!

2012-01-12T11:17:00.007-05:00

Bring your BINGO skills and your winning smiles over to Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library today, 5:30-6:30pm, for our Winter Reading Club's BINGO PARTY! Registration is required! Call the library at 207-0764 to register for this event! And while you're here, check out some books for our Winter Reading Club and add a snowball sticker to your wall penguin!

Volunteers are invited to help out at this event. Call 207-0764 or email KWalshKeenan@albright.org if you can join in our fun! See you at the library!

xoxo, Miss Katie

Wet Crayon Art at Family Place

2012-01-11T12:06:00.013-05:00

Hello! Today's Family Place Workshop featured Aleta Yarrow, Director of Interpretive Programs at the Everhart Museum, and her water-soluble crayons! Many moms and kiddos were here to visit and play this morning. Following a quick, cute story about a little girl who gets more paint on herself than on her paper, we got down to business on the floor as we experimented with Aleta's cool crayons. As is age-appropriate, we focused on the process of creating art, rather than on the finished art product. We had a great time, as you'll see in these photos:

Only two remaining Family Place Workshops are scheduled for this session! Call 207-0764 to register for Wednesday January 18th or 25th! See you at the library!

xoxo, Miss Katie

Scenes from Friendship House's "Family Storytime" at the Library!

2012-01-10T18:45:00.005-05:00

Special thanks to Friendship House for visiting with us this evening! We spent time drawing portraits of, and talking about our FAMILIES! We noted that each individual family was different, yet there were similarities in all.

Kim from Friendship House reads Murphy's Three Homes:
We had a great time together! See you next time at the library!

xoxo, Miss Katie

Winter Reading Club PENGUIN INVASION at the Library!!

2012-01-10T10:34:00.011-05:00

Penguins, penguins, everywhere! Did you sign up for Winter Reading Club yet? If not, stop in soon to pick out your penguin, put your name on it, and don't forget to add a snowball sticker each time you visit, now through Friday, February 17th. Cool prizes are available too, like bookmarks, stickers, and passes for bowling, plus an invitation to our "Cocoa and Cookies Celebration" to be held in February, at Winter reading Club's conclusion. All you need to do is read - or be read to - for approximately 15 minutes each day. And that's the easy part, with great winter, snow, and penguin-themed stories like these:

See you at the library!
xoxo, Miss Katie

"Family" Storytime with Friendship House

2012-01-10T10:09:00.003-05:00

We're excited to have Guest Readers today at Storytime! Friendship House will be joining us to share stories about FAMILIES, and snacks and a craft will be provided too! If you haven't registered yet, call 207-0764 to sign up! All ages welcome! So, bring your family to the library today, 5:30-6:30pm! See you here!

Winter Weather Cancellations

2012-01-10T09:54:00.004-05:00

We've managed to escape winter's wrath thus far, but snow and icy weather are sure to follow... With this in mind, we'd like to offer a few reminders regarding our library's Winter Weather Cancellations:

When Scranton School District closes due to inclement weather, all children's programs for that day are cancelled.

When Scranton School District is on a delayed opening due to inclement weather, all programs before 12 pm for that day are cancelled.

When Scranton School District has an early dismissal due to inclement weather, all children's programs after 12pm that day are cancelled.

If you are ever in doubt about the status of a program, please call the library at 207-0764 for information.

When registering for children's programs, please ensure that a contact phone number is provided, in case of cancellation of the program.

Musical Ice Floes!

2012-01-09T12:38:00.009-05:00

Hello! Penguins and polar bears were on our minds this cold Monday morning, so my friends and I warmed up with these books on this first day of Winter Reading Club: We shook our sillies out and played "Penguin-Pokey", then we played a new game, "Musical Ice Floes" (similar to Musical Chairs). Because we learned that penguins and polar bears face greater challenges in finding food due to Earth's warming temps and its melting ice floes, we pretended to be polar bears and penguins as we danced, hopped, or swam from ice floe to ice floe, carefully avoiding falling into the chilly blue "water" surrounding our floes! When the music stopped, we crammed ourselves onto remaining ice floes, just as penguins and polar bears must do!

You can play this game at home, too. All you need are paper towels to represent ice floes; each time the music stops, remove an ice floe until there is only one remaining, with all the penguins or polar bears on top! (No "outs" in this version.)

This looks like fun:

We tore up pieces of wax paper to represent ice floes, then we made polar bear pictures, just like in our story. We even added falling stars to resemble the meteor shower witnessed by the polar bear in today's book:

A quick reminder: no Storytime next Monday, January 16th. The library is closed in observance of MLK, Jr. Day.

Stay warm out there, polar bears and penguins! See you next time at the library!
xoxo, Miss Katie

WINTER READING CLUB begins TODAY!

2012-01-06T17:26:00.003-05:00

WINTER READING CLUB
January 9th – February 17th, 2012.

Step #1. One your next visit to the library, select a penguin and write your name on it. (This is where you will add your snowball stickers for every visit to the library between Jan. 9th and Feb. 17th.)

Step #2. Take home a bookmark, an Official Reading Log, and a certificate for a free game of bowling. Be sure to check out some books while you’re here!

Step #3. Warm up with some good books! Read (or be read to) for at least 15 minutes every day. Record your reading times in your Official Reading Log. You can even write reviews of your favorite books on the reverse of the Log!

Step #4. Return your books to the library and check out new stories! Don’t forget to add a snowball sticker to your penguin each time you visit the library!

Step #5. On or after Friday, Feb. 17th, return your Official Reading Log to the library to receive a Certificate of Participation, an invitation to a special “Cocoa and Cookies Celebration” to be held in February, and other special prizes!

Good luck, and have fun!

Twelve Hats for Lena, Only One Hat for Us!

2012-01-06T17:24:00.008-05:00

Happy New Year, and a Happy Miss Katie to see many, many friends at the first Friday Storytime of 2012! We read books about the seasons and months of the new year, including one of my favorites:Just as Lena decorated her hat to celebrate each month, we also decorated yellow hats with stickers and pictures for every month and season! Only a few photos of Friday's Storytime because we had so many friends come to visit! See you next time at the library!
xoxo, Miss Katie

Llama, Llama, Pigeon & Pajamas!

2012-01-06T17:14:00.008-05:00

Our favorite Pigeon and Llama may not be ready for bed, but my friends certainly looked adorable - and sleepy! - in their pj's at yesterday's Pajama Storytime at the Library! Neither cups of (imaginary) coffee nor a rousing game of Sleepy Pokey could keep these friends awake for long, so after we read these stories:

we made a new quilt for Llama and we designed a new pair of pajamas for him too:
Didn't they do an excellent job?! Our next Pajama Storytime is in February - check back soon for the date! See you at the library!

xoxo, Miss Katie

Hooray! It's Pajama Day!

2012-01-05T10:48:00.003-05:00

Happy Thursday! Pajama Storytime this evening at the library: 5:30-6:30pm. All Ages! Wear your coziest pajamas and curl up to read bedtime stories and make a bedtime craft! Register for Pajama Storytime by calling the library at 207-0764. See you at the library!

xoxo, Miss Katie

SNOW Much Fun at Family Place Workshops!

2012-01-04T15:34:00.010-05:00

Brrrrrr! Baby, it's COLD outside! It's the perfect day to spend indoors with good friends, neat toys, great books, and..... shaving cream?!? Yes, it's true! At this morning's Family Place Workshop (the first of four January sessions), we met new friends and played with old pals. We sang, danced, and on this frigid morning, we examined how some animals cope with chilly winter weather as we read Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons by Il Sung Na. In this book's enticing illustrations, we noticed the snow rabbit's fur is brown in spring, summer, and fall, yet it changes to a wintry white this time of year, so we planned to paint our little brown bunnies to match... but Miss Katie (oops! "forgot") to bring the white paint to Family Place! Luckily, two volunteers mixed equal parts shaving cream and school glue to create a cool white puffy paint! We had a TERRIFIC time painting with this amazing concoction! Check out these photos:

Our next Family Place Workshop is next Wednesday, January 11th. Call 207-0764 to Register! See you at the library!
xoxo, Miss Katie

Updated: Arts & Crafts & Ornaments Club

2012-01-04T14:33:00.004-05:00

I'm always amazed at how much FUN we can have with a little glitter, glue, beads, and sequins! Some scenes from yesterday's Arts & Crafts Club Meeting:

Arts & Crafts & ORNAMENTS Club?!?

2012-01-03T13:47:00.007-05:00

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" wishes from a less-than-happy Miss Katie! I'm feeling a bit Grinchy because it's almost time to de-Christmas-ize my home, and my tree!

The good news: knowing how much I'll miss my favorite holiday ornaments over the next 11 months has inspired me to rename our Arts-&-Crafts Club to: Arts-&-Crafts-&-Ornaments Club! You've probably guessed why - each month in 2012, January through December, our Arts-&-Crafters will create (in addition to the craft of the month) a unique, handmade ornament to take home and save until it's time to Deck the Halls next December! So, friends participating in our Arts-n-Crafts-n-Ornaments Club every month will have a total of twelve new, original works-of-art to proudly display on their trees at the end of 2012!

Our first meeting of the A&C&O Club is today, 5:30-6:30 pm! Registration is required, and the Club is open to friends in 1st-4th Grades. A $2 fee is also required and it covers both the craft and the ornament materials! Please call 207-0764 to register!

Today's snowman door hangers craft:
and beaded snowflake ornaments:
Or, glitter glue snowman ornaments: I'm feeling less-Grinchy already! See you soon!

xoxo, Miss Katie

Mark your calendars to "Warm Up with a Good Book"!

2011-12-30T15:14:00.002-05:00

Did Santa leave a new 2012 Calendar under your tree? If so, be sure to mark this date: Monday, January 9th is the start of Winter Reading Club 2012! Visit the library on (or after) Monday, January 9th to register for this year's Winter Reading Club and to receive your Official Reading Log! Snow is falling, and books are calling, so "Warm Up with a Good Book"!

A storytime that's for the birds...

2011-12-30T14:21:00.007-05:00

Wondering what to do with that tall tree in your living room, now that Christmas has passed? Me too! At least, I was, until I read these wonderful winter stories:

The After Christmas Tree book inspired me to think of having an after-Christmas party with some very special guests-of-honor: our neighborhood birds! In today's books, we witnessed what happens when caring friends leave nuts and seeds outside during winter. Then we made our own "After Christmas Tree birdseed ornaments" to take home and display in our yards. On the bottom of the plates caring the special birdseed ornaments, we placed a special poem we'll recite to encourage birds to visit and feast on their treat! That is, if we can remember to save some birdseed for the birds!

See you next year at storytime!
xoxo, Miss Katie

WNEP and Wuggle Pets at the Library!

2011-12-30T12:39:00.009-05:00

Where do you go when you're Kurt Aaron of WNEP's "Does It Really Work" and you need cute kiddos to help try out the hottest item on toy store shelves? Why, to Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library, of course! And that's just what WNEP did recently, as several of our young patrons experimented in making "Wuggle Pets" on camera. We added stuffing, magic glitter dust, personality charms, and chanted the magic words to create these precious pets. We gave the cameras our biggest smiles and two thumbs up because we loved making the Wuggle Pets!

In case you missed our television debut, check out the link below:

http://www.wnep.com/videobeta/?watchId=b7f56a87-3284-428d-a87d-5f52ea34241a

Special THANKS to our volunteers and parents/grandparents for your time, your efforts, and your smiles! You are STARS - both ON and OFF-camera!

xoxo, Miss Katie

Book Club Meeting today!

2011-12-29T13:53:00.003-05:00

It's our final Book Club Meeting for 2011! Join us as we recap our favorite books from the past year, and make resolutions about the books we'll read in 2012! Bring a book to share, get some great suggestions for new books to check out, enjoy a light snack, and see friends old and new! Today: 5:30-6:30pm! Open to kids in grades 3, 4, and 5! Call 207-0764 to register!

"Favorite Holiday Gift" Show & Tell Storytime at the library

2011-12-28T15:00:00.005-05:00

Yesterday's very special edition of Show & Tell Storytime for our "Favorite Holiday Gifts" produced an interesting display of toys and presents. Friends brought cars, trucks, helicopters, nano bugs, guitars, and Smurfs to proudly present. We read one of my favorite Christmas gifts - a new copy of Mo Willems Pigeon Wants A Puppy, which was ironic because all I wanted for Christmas was - you guessed it - a puppy! We made Pigeons and predicted what he'll want for his next present!

Our next Show & Tell Storytime is scheduled for Thursday, January 26th at 5:30pm. Call 207-0764 today to register for this program!

xoxo, Miss Katie

Get ready to watch the ball drop at Drop-in Craft Today!

2011-12-28T10:36:00.003-05:00

Hi Friends! Are you planning to stay up late on New Year's Eve to watch the Ball Drop in Times Square? Maybe you'll be participating in all of the exciting New Year's Eve celebrations right here in Scranton? No matter what your New Year's Eve plans are, be prepared to count down to midnight with this:
Visit our library today to make your own New Year's Eve Ball Drop Countdown! Drop-in Craft today from 2:00-4:00 pm. (No Registration required.) See you soon!

xoxo, Miss Katie

Holiday Storytime at the Library!

2011-12-27T14:28:00.004-05:00

Our recent Holiday Storytime was a wonderful evening spent at the library! We read adorable and meaningful stories about Hanukkah and Christmas, we created angels for the tops of our Christmas trees (just like angel we found in our story Penguin's Special Christmas Tree) and we made handprint menorahs (much like the one we saw in our story Chanukah Lights Everywhere). Most importantly, we spent time with some old friends and many new friends too!

Digging for Dinosaurs with... COOKIES?!?

2011-12-27T13:32:00.010-05:00

Dear Santa,

All I wanted for Christmas was a living, breathing, walking, talking, roaring, snoring DINOSAUR! But my knowledgeable friends at the library explained that dinosaurs are EXTINCT! These future paleontologists helped me understand more about these prehistoric pets as we recently read stories together about what would happen If the Dinosaurs Came Back (Bernard Most), about How Do Dinosaurs Go to School (Jane Yolen) and about Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct (Mo Willems). Apparently, I didn't know she was extinct, either, because I assumed these candy-chip cookies were baked for us by Edwina, just like in our story. My friends used these yummy cookies to demonstrate how paleontologists carefully dig for real dinosaur fossils, just as they dug out their pretend dinosaur fossils (candy chips). As you can tell by these photos, we had a terrific time digging for dinosaur fossils and making Shape-a-Saurus dinosaurs to take home!

xoxo, Miss Katie

"Reindeer Games" at the Library!

2011-12-27T12:59:00.012-05:00

Have you ever see a reindeer made entirely of rectangle shapes? Have you ever wondered what kinds of games reindeer play? We certainly have! At a recent storytime at the library, we read Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Olive, the Other Reindeer before playing a spirited version of "Rudolph-Hot-Potato"! So many laughs with this game! Then we used our creative problem-solving skills as we assembled various colors and sizes of rectangles to make these "Rectangle Rudolphs":

We were disappointed to discover that Rudolph has returned to the North Pole, yet we can't wait for next December, when we can play our reindeer games again! See you at the library!

xoxo, Miss Katie

DINOSAURS Storytime!

2011-12-15T12:04:00.003-05:00

DINOSAURS Storytime at the Library this evening, 5:30-6:30pm! All ages. Call 207-0764 to register! See you here!

Bad Dreams, Good Dreams, and Snow Dreams...

2011-12-09T12:39:00.006-05:00

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas like the farmer in Eric Carle's Dream Snow? Or are you having nightmares about polka-dot monsters and cupcake-eating fairies just like the adorably neurotic squirrel in (my new favorite book) Scaredy Squirrel At Night by Melanie Watt? Whether your dreams are of the good or bad (or weather) variety, we have the perfect stories to read! Check out these Dreamy Snow paintings we recently made at the library!

Pajamas Storytime Tonight!

2011-12-08T11:45:00.004-05:00

Hello! Last night's Winter Wonderland weather inspires me to put on my pajamas and snuggle in to read one of my all-time favorite books: Eric Carle's DREAM SNOW. Wear your pajamas to the library this evening from 5:30 - 6:30, and join me in reading this beautiful book! We will paint our own snowy scenes just like Mr. Carle's illustrations. If you haven't done so yet, please call the library at 207-0764 to register for our Pajama Storytime! See you at the library!

XO, Miss Katie

MyGym and Soda Bottle Paintings at Family Place!

2011-12-07T12:54:00.007-05:00

Today was our final Family Place session of 2011! Miss Ashley from MyGym in Scranton came to visit. MyGym has developed an extraordinary program devised to help children 6 weeks thru 13 years of age develop physically, cognitively, and emotionally. Miss Ashley showed us some fun exercises and games, and we had a terrific time playing with her! Thank you, Miss Ashley! We hope to have MyGym back for a visit to Family Place in early Spring 2012!

Then we read a cute story about RORY the Reindeer, and we painted pictures of "Rudolph's Nose So Bright". But, oops! Miss Katie "forgot" to bring paintbrushes today, so we strengthened our motor skills as we painted with the bottoms of soda bottles! Check out these unique paintings:

Family Place will return on Wednesday, January 4th thru Wednesday, January 25th. Rehistration for January's Family Place Workshops has already begun, and space is limited, so call 207-0764 to register your spot today!

Holiday Open House photos

2011-12-07T12:37:00.006-05:00

Here are some photos from last evening's Annual Holiday Open House:

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE today, 5:30 pm at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library

2011-12-06T12:25:00.004-05:00

You and your family are warmly welcomed to Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library's Annual HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE this evening, December 6th, at 5:30pm. Cocoa, cookies, crafts, and good company will be provided! All are invited! We hope to see you here!

Gumdrop Grins!!

2011-12-05T12:54:00.005-05:00

Check out these gorgeous grins! It's always a fun day when GUMDROPS are put out for play! Today we read gumdrop books, sang songs about raindrops and gumdrops, and created gumdrop snowflakes to hang on our gumdrop trees, just like in our stories. We even voted for our favorite gumdrop colors:

Nancy Kay Holmes Annual HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

2011-12-02T16:29:00.002-05:00

An invitation and a reminder: our Annual HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library is this Tuesday, December 6th at 5:30 pm. This is an all ages event and everyone is welcome! Stop in for cocoa, cookies, crafts, and more! (No registration necessary for this event.) Hope to see you here!

Melted Snowmen at Family Place

2011-12-02T16:02:00.003-05:00

What do you get when you mix glitter and glue and toddlers at Family Place?...

Melted snowmen ornaments, of course!

Ready to hang on the tree:

Here's an interesting melted snowman:

We had a great time pouring glue, sprinkling glitter, and making these ornaments at Family Place on Wednesday morning! If you were here and made one with us, they're dried and ready to be picked up and hung on your tree!

Special thanks to Lisa Berardelli of United Way's Success By 6 program for visiting with us. Success By 6 works to improve the quality, affordability and accessibility of early care and education programs for children so that they enter school ready to learn and with the essential "building blocks" for success throughout their lives. Lisa answered questions and provided our families with important information about development and learning in young children.

Our last Family Place session of 2011 is this Wednesday, December 7th, 10:00 - 11:15am. MyGym will be here, so get ready to tumble and somersault! Please call 207-0764 to register!

The Santa Countdown is on!

2011-12-02T13:18:00.007-05:00

Happy December!

This morning we read books about sharing (a timely topic for this month) and books about counting the days 'til Christmas. Some of our young friends are excitedly counting the days until Santa's visit, so we shared craft materials and worked together with brothers and sisters (if they were present) to create our Family Christmas Coundown Calendars:

The "before":The "after" - this is what our countdown calendars will look like on Christmas Eve: (We shared popcorn too!)

Muppets Movie at the Library and enter to WIN Four Free Passes to the Muppets Movie in Theaters

2011-11-30T16:41:00.006-05:00

Kick off your December with some family fun at the library! Come to Family Movie Night at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library tomorrow, Thursday, December 1st. Our movie The Muppet Christmas Carol begins at 5pm. Popcorn and beverages will be provided!

While you're here, enter to win four free passes to see the latest Muppets Movie now playing at the Cinemark Theatre in Moosic! No purchase necessary - earn one raffle ticket for every five books checked out tomorrow evening; the winner will be chosen at random at the conclusion of the evening.

Please register for this event by calling 207-0764. See you here!

November Book Club

2011-11-30T13:02:00.002-05:00

Big THANKS to these friends for participating in last night's Book Club! We discussed some really great books, and I'm eager to read the titles you highly recommended! I'm looking forward to our next Book Club meeting on Thursday, December 29th at 5:30pm!

Bookmarks we made:

Airplanes!

2011-11-28T13:10:00.011-05:00

Did you know that November is Aviation Month?! In honor of airplanes everywhere, we read two sweet stories about a bunny's inaugural airplane ride and a little boy's adventures aboard his red plane. Then our friends made this craft:

It was exciting seeing so many old and new friends at the library today! Hope to see you again soon!

"Refrigerator ART"

2011-11-25T16:09:00.005-05:00

Today at Storytime we read some fun stories about colors, painting, and a young artist appropriately named "Art"! We channeled our inner "Art" to create refrigerator art, just like we saw in our storybooks. Take a look at our creative use of color and painting techniques!

Family Place at Nancy Kay Holmes

2011-11-25T15:23:00.007-05:00

Family Place at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library, Wednesday, November 23rd. Toys, stories, crafts, old friends, and new friends too!

Our next Family Place session will be Wednesday, November 30th, 10:00 - 11:15am. Lisa from the United Way - Success by Six will be present to speak with parents and caregivers. Call 207-0764 to Register!

Thanksgiving Celebration at the Library!

2011-11-25T14:47:00.009-05:00

Our recent Thanksgiving Celebration at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library included a reading of three amusing Thanksgiving stories: A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting, 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey, and I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson. If your family hasn't read these stories yet, check them out - they're sure to produce lots of giggles! Our friends made balloon floats and created gumdrop turkeys to go with these entertaining turkey tales!

Ten (not so) Fat Turkeys!

2011-11-25T14:14:00.006-05:00

Our library has so many terrific Turkey and Thanksgiving books to choose from! A recent reading of our favorite, Ten Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston, yielded some very colorful, yet not-very-plump turkeys! How cute are these fine feathered fowl?!

Shhhhhh! Bernate is sleeping!

2011-11-25T13:00:00.006-05:00

Shhhh! Don't wake "Bernate"! As autumn turns to winter, we read these great stories about hibernation: Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky, Old Bear by Kevin Henkes, Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep by Jane Yolen, and my favorite, Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming. We learned about the many animals that hibernate during the cold winter weather, and we colored our very own "Bernate" bears. (Say "Hi Bernate!") We created cozy caves for Bernate to sleep inside, to be hidden in our homes throughout the upcoming winter months. Some of our friends plan to "hide" their sleeping-Bernates-in-caves under their beds, in linen closets, and even in the china hutch in the dining room so she won't be disturbed! In early spring, our friends will bring their Bernate Bears to the library for a special "Wake Up Bernate Breakfast" storytime.

(Don't worry: if you didn't get a chance to color a Bernate Bear with us, or make a lunch bag-cave for her during Storytime at the library, you're welcome to create your own sleeping bear and cave at home and bring it with you to our special Spring Breakfast Storytime! Check out these photos for ideas on how to make a Bernate Bear and cave!)

Transportation Tales!

2011-11-23T16:13:00.008-05:00

Whose bus does this look like?

If you guessed it looks like the bus our friend Pigeon tries to drive in Mo Willems book Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, you're correct! We loved reading this story, and we also read two more books about transportation - Freight Train and Round Trip. Who needs paintbrushes?! We painted with cars and trucks, and made pigeon bus cookies! Yummy! Just look at these happy faces!

Family Place Fun!

2011-11-23T15:07:00.005-05:00

Check out these scenes from a recent Family Place session. Toys, toys, and more toys!

We read Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh. Then we mixed paint, just like the mice in our story! We created such interesting colors!

Pajamas and Teddy Bears Storytime at the Library

2011-11-23T14:40:00.006-05:00

It was TEDDY BEARS and PAJAMAS evening storytime at the library! We read What Does My Teddy Bear Do All Night, Brown Paper Bear, and Corduroy, and we made brown paper Corduroy bears to take home. Adorable storybooks, adorable friends, adorable bears! Can't wait to do it again! Our next Pajama Story Time is Thursday, December 8th, 5:30-6:30, all ages invited. Hope to see YOU here!

"Autumn Scenes" Collage Club craft

2011-11-23T14:03:00.006-05:00

Leaf through these photos to see creative "Autumn Scenes" recently made by our Collage Club.

UPDATED: Let's talk TURKEY! Drop-in craft today 2:00 - 4:00pm!

2011-11-09T11:39:00.005-05:00

Is it a Turkey shelf-sitter?? Or a Turkey headband?? YOU decide! Drop-in for a visit this afternoon anytime between 2:00 - 4:00 pm to make this lurky Turkey, and check out some Thanksgiving books to take home! See you soon!

xoxo, Miss Katie

UPDATE! Some scenes from today's Drop-in Craft:

Lots of familiar friends this afternoon, and some new friends too!

Our next Drop-in Craft is Wednesday, December 14th, but I hope I'll see you many times before then!

xoxo, Miss Katie

NOOOO!-vember Storytime

2011-11-07T12:56:00.004-05:00

November always reminds me of my favorite "NOOOO!" stories, and we shared a few this morning. My friends helped the bus driver by shouting "Nooooo!" at the silly pigeon as he attempted to drive the bus; we rolled our eyes, groaned, and echoed "No, David!" at this little boy's amusing antics; and we watched as one young paint enthusiast covered himself in paint - Oh NO!

We reasoned that paint belongs on paper - not on us! - so we put on our painting coats and painted these pictures:

We had a NOtoriously fun time this morning with our old friends, and our many new friends too! It was great to see YOU! Just a reminder: the library is CLOSED this Friday, Nov. 11th in honor of Veteran's Day. THANK YOU to our Veterans! See you Monday, November 14th at 11:30 for our next Storytime!

xoxo, Miss Katie

These germs are not for sharing!

2011-11-04T14:19:00.007-04:00

It's cold and flu season! At Storytime this morning, we read stories about getting sick and preventing the spread of GERMS - yuck!

After we read these stories and played "Germ-y Pokey", we created these original works of art, titled "Spreading Germs". Since we can't actually see the germs on our hands, we blew paint drops through straws to represent what our imagined germs must look like. Check out how easily these "germs" are spread:

Miss Katie's completed painting was hung above the library's bathroom sink to remind us to wash our hands to prevent the spread of these creepy germs! You can do this at home too! And, remember to use your coughing and sneezing elbows, and WASH THOSE HANDS!

Have a terrific weekend! See you on Monday, November 7th at 11:30 am for Storytime! All ages welcome! No registration necessary for Monday/Friday storytimes!

xoxo Miss Katie

Good Times at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library!

2011-11-04T13:48:00.009-04:00

Fun! Fun! Fun this week at Nancy Kay Holmes!

Making SCARECROWS during "Drop-in Craft"on Wednesday:

And creating TURKEY RIBBON MAGNETS at "Arts & Crafts Club" on Thursday evening:

Arts & Crafts Club today: Ribbon Turkey Magnets!

2011-11-03T13:51:00.004-04:00

We will be making these ribbon turkey magnets just in time for your Thanksgiving decorating! Arts & Crafts Club this evening, 5:30 - 6:30pm. 1st - 4th grades. $2 fee. Please call (570) 207-0764 to Register!

Scarecrow Drop-in Craft

2011-11-02T11:56:00.004-04:00

Drop in for a visit today to make-and-take a cute little Scarecrow fellow! Wouldn't he look adorable at your Thanksgiving dinner table?!

While you're here, be sure to check out some of these fantastic Fall and Thankgiving books!
Drop-in Craft today, from 2:00-4:00pm. All ages welcome! Can't wait to see you here!

Miss Katie

Show & Tell & Hermit Crabs!

2011-11-02T11:34:00.007-04:00

Check out these pictures from last night's Show & Tell Storytime!

Hermit crabs "Eric" and "Carle" are hiding inside their shells!

Decorating our shells:

Our completed hermit crabs:

We had lots of fun last night! Such a GREAT group of friends! Our next Show & Tell Storytime will be right after the holidays so we can show and tell all about our FAVORITE PRESENTS! I can't wait!

Miss Katie

Tom Turkey in Disguise - November's Family Challenge

2011-11-02T10:58:00.002-04:00

“I’m Tom Turkey and I’m scared as can be. I’m dressed in a disguise so you can’t catch me!”

Tom Turkey in Disguise Challenge!

Nancy Kay Holmes Families are invited to pick up a turkey picture/entry form during your next visit to our library. At home, your family can disguise Tom Turkey as a different animal or character in hopes of avoiding being caught for Thanksgiving Day dinner! You may use any items you find in your home to create your turkey's disguise. Some suggestions for disguising the turkey include: a snowman, a Santa, a peacock, etc. If you need some ideas to get you started, creative examples of Tom Turkey disguises can be found online (try Google image search: “turkey disguise”). Please return your family’s turkey anytime before 5 pm Wednesday, November 23^rd so it may be put on display at our library throughout November.

Please note: there is only one turkey entry permitted per family; however, ALL children age 11 and under will receive a special prize for simply for participating. If you have questions about this family project, please contact me at KWalshKeenan@albright.com I’m so excited to see your completed turkey disguises, and I hope your family enjoys working on this challenge together!

Miss Katie

A new face at Story Time

2011-11-02T10:55:00.006-04:00

The next time you visit our library, you may notice a new face. "Miss Katie" recently joined the Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library as Children's Program Coordinator. Miss Katie earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Elizabethtown College, and she plans to soon begin pursuing a Masters degree in Library Sciences. For the past seven years, Miss Katie valued her experiences as a local PreSchool/PreKindergarten teacher and school administrator. Prior to teaching, Miss Katie spent as many years as a stay-at-home mom for her family: son, John (age 13), daughter, Meghan (age 11), and dog, Molly (Black Lab). Miss Katie loves to spend time playing Bookopoly, Scrabble, and Othello with her kids, baking, collecting antiques, watching Notre Dame/NCAA football and Duke/NCAAB-Mens basketball games, and reading, of course!
One of her greatest experiences was meeting author/illustrator Eric Carle, and she loves ALL of his works! This is her favorite photo of her son, daughter, and Mr. Eric Carle!
Miss Katie's all-time favorite books are Corduroy, A Chair For My Mother, Go Away Big Green Monster, The Velveteen Rabbit, and her autographed copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. She laughs when she reads No David! and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and she cries when she reads City Dog, Country Frog, and The Kissing Hand (did you notice how that story's raccoon, "Chester", jumped into the photo with her?) Now that you know her most-loved books, please stop in to say "Hello", introduce yourself, and be sure to tell her the titles of all your favorite stories! Miss Katie is excited to begin her library adventures at Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library, and she can't wait to meet YOU! Please feel free to offer your preferences and recommendations for books and themes for story times, and additional thoughts and suggestions you may have for Children's Programs at the Nancy Kay Holmes Library. See you soon!

Shhhh! A sneak peak at today's "Brag Bag" Show & Tell Storytime

2011-11-01T15:46:00.007-04:00

"I don't mean to brag, but there's something in my bag.
And if you listen to this clue, maybe you can guess it too!
It rhymes with... termit trab!"
Come to Show & Tell Storytime this evening to find out what is crawling around inside Miss Katie's Brag Bag! 5:30 - 6:30, ages 3 & up. Don't forget to bring YOUR Show & Tell item too!

Okay, okay, just two more clues:

But that's all! See you soon!

Paint Coats

2011-10-28T16:16:00.005-04:00

Art smocks are now available for all our paint-related projects and crafts! Check out my friends (above) as they model our library's new "paint coats"! The smocks are long-sleeved and have Velcro closures in the back to ensure protection against messy stains. The next time you're here for Story Time, Arts-n-Crafts, or other painting projects, be sure to try one out!

xoxo, Miss Katie

"Haunted Houseguests"

2011-10-28T13:26:00.010-04:00

You know that Halloween is almost here, but do you know that Haunted Houses aren't the only places where creeping spiders like to hide? Look who we found lurking in our library! EEK!

Today, we read not-very-scary stories of Haunting Houseguests - spiders, bats, black cats, mummies, monsters, and more... My friends did a wonderful job "reading" these stories aloud with me - thank you for your help!

We're not afraid of these spiders! No tricks here - only treats! Check out these spider treat pouches and Tootsie Pop spiders:
Oooo, these girls are every bit as sweet as their lollipops!
Our friends danced like skeletons, floated like ghosts, crawled like black cats, and stomped like monsters. We also sang about "A Funny Little Lady with a Pointed Hat". Then we voted for and graphed our favorite Tootsie Pop flavor/color.

We noticed examples of camouflage in our Winnie the Witch book, and we strengthened our rhyming, counting, and subtraction skills in this fun ghost story!

See you on Monday, October 31st, at 11:30 am at the Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library for fun stories about an odd-shaped pumpkin, an old lady with a strange appetite, and a friendly monster. Happy Friday!

xoxo, Miss Katie