This will be the last post of the West Palm Beach Public Library’s KidSpace blog. We will be streamlining our social media to make it easier for our customers to find information about each library department. I encourage everyone to visit our other social media sites!

*

Friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for the latest happenings!

 *

Read our Library Currents blog for information about all of our events!

Thank you for all for viewing the KidSpace blog and sending us your wonderful comments!

 *

Keep reading!

 *

Sincerely,

Your KidSpace Library Staff

Did you know….?

The City of West Palm Beach is a “Tree City!”

Yep; its official, find out for yourself by visiting the Arbor Day Foundation website: http://www.fufc.org/tree_city.html

BUT don’t get all giddy over that just yet…we are not exactly an “Urban Forest!”   

Did you know…that you and your family can make a positive step in creating our urban forest? 

Yep; you can help by planting at least one nativecanopy tree in your yard! 

Did you know…that trees can make you feel happy?

That’s right; they provide much cool shade from the heat and sun and in Florida that makes us smile!     

Did You know… that trees help keep you healthy? 

They sure do; they clean the air we breath!   

Did you know…that trees are a good investment!

Trees not only look beautiful but add $$$$$$ value to your property!  Something Mom & Dad can really smile about, too!

Did you know…that you can save $$$$$$$, too by planting a tree?

Yep; when you plant your tree on the east or west side of your home you will keep your house cooler and save $$$$ on your energy bill!   Can you figure out why the east & west side of your home is so important to have a shade tree planted there?

So what are you waiting for…?   Get planting! Make it a FUN family or neighborhood tree planting project!  Just think how wonderful your neighborhood would look and feel if everyone planted just one canopy tree!

If interested in learning more how your family can do their part check out the websites below and the recommended books from your “Tree City” Library!

Tree

    Standing tall and strong

    It waves to the fluffy clouds

    With its green fingers

By Young Naturalist C

Websites:    

http://www.floridasnature.com/florida%20trees3.htm

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/treesandpowerlines/

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/

http://meadowbeautynursery.com

http://floridanativegardening.com/dsp_articles_native_plants.php

http://davesgarden.com/guides

http://www.americanforests.org/planttrees/af_info.php?is_gift=N&tx_amount=%2415&campaign=Urban+Forests+Initiative

http://www.americanforests.org/resources/urbanforests/

http://www.epa.gov/heatisld/about/index.htm

Books:  

The trees of Florida : a reference and field guide / Gil Nelson ; drawings by R. Marvin Cook, Jr. ; photographs by the author.

Flowering trees of Florida

Florida’s fabulous trees : their stories

The trees of South Florida [by] Frank C. Craighead, Sr.

Stormscaping : landscaping to minimize wind damage in Florida / Pamela Crawford.

Trees

Eye Know Trees

CelebriTrees Historic and Famous Trees of the World

IT’S FAMILY STORYTIME!

Family storytime introduces children to books, reading, and the library.  Each storytime explores a different theme through books, songs, and fingerplays.  Your child will meet a new friend this summer and get to know all about Max, the friendly shaggy dog.  Miss Sarah will provide your child with stories as well as help them create a special project that enhances the theme of the week.  She will model ways to make stories come alive.

Since this is a summertime activity for families, all ages are invited to attend.  Miss Sarah will be sure to find something of interest for all children.  Plus you will have an opportunity to meet other parents and children and interact with them in a kid-friendly environment.

There is no registration required, so feel free to come to as many sessions as you are able.  There will be 16 weeks of fun in the large auditorium on the 3rd floor of the library.  It’s free, it’s fun, it’s beneficial, and it doesn’t require a lot of preparation time.  Just come and enjoy!

Family storytime will continue throughout the months of May, June, and July.  They are held on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10:30.  You may choose whichever day works best for your schedule. 

Get ready, get set, and join in the fun!

The National Institute of Health has named May Healthy Vision Month!

A lot of times we take our eyes for granted. This is a lovely poem by K.C. Bean that encourages kids to use and appreciate their eyes.

Take a look!

Your Eyes

 By KC Bean

Hey kids!

Have you noticed your eyes?

Squeeze them tight

Then open them wide!

What’s all around you?

What can you see?

The biggest sky,

The tiniest flea?

Your awesome eyes,

They see all around.

Look to the sides

Look up, look down.

Use them to read

Or watch TV.

In bright light or dark

What can you see?

The colors, the lights,

The patterns, the shapes

Wherever you look

Is a big see-scape!

Love them, enjoy them,

Take care of them too.

Your eyes are a wonderful

Part of you.

Visit K.C. Bean on Facebook!

Last week was National Library Week, and we had so much fun celebrating in the library on Saturday!  The theme for National Library Week was: Create Your Own Story. It was the perfect opportunity to have a family of authors come talk to us about how to make stories!  We loved seeing the pictures of West Palm Beach (and our library) in Where do My Shoes Go? as Julia, Emily and Ainsley Miller shared their picture books with us!  Thank you Julia, Emily, and Ainsley!  We love your stories! You inspired us to think about the stories we can tell!

 *

We also created our own very own stories too! Check out the stories we made!

Taylor is 4 and she showed us how she plays the flute when she visits the library.

After Julia took her picture she drew what her story was about.  Her dad helped her write down what she wanted the story to say.  Her story says “Taylor was playing the flute and Strawberry Strawberry was helping her.”  Hooray for Taylor!

Brianna is 6, and she thought of a story about a monkey in the jungle.

Here she is writing and illustrating her story!

Lila is 4, and she told a story about a tiger that was falling down! Watch out below!

Lennon, 5, said the name of his story is “Where is my telephone?”  Lennon likes stories superheroes.  He is a super guy!

Diana is 10 and called her story “Apple”

Sadie, 5, shows us her tiger.  He was looking at us from inside his fort.  This is the very same tiger from one of Julia, Emily and Ainsley’s stories!  He came to visit the library in his favorite shirt.

Sebastian, 9, said his story was about penguins watching him on the computer.  Sebastian writes in journals at home! Go for it Sebastian!  Keep those stories coming!

Quintin, 6, wanted this picture called “Double Trouble”.  Sounds suspenseful!

Joey, 5, told us that his story is about a boy who visits the library and likes to read about robots.

Joey’s brother, age 9, wanted his story to be about Percy Jackson.  Those two loved hanging out together!

Here’s a story about traveling to space!  Sounds like quite an adventure!

A big thank you to the Friends of the West Palm Beach Public Library for sponsoring the event!  We raffled 4 copies of the Where Do My Shoes Go? books and a digital camera!  The kids and families had a great time!

Long live stories!  Don’t be shy; it’s never too late to create your own story!

-Ms. Kathy

Beverly Cleary, beloved author of children’s books, is 95 today!

She has written series about Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins. She won the Newberry Medal for Dr. Mr. Henshaw.

Check out some Beverly Cleary books today!

Read a biography about Beverly Cleary from the Kids InfoBits Database!

Here is a school poem to lift your spirits during this FCAT week!

The Very Best Feeling
~by Betsy Franko

There’s excited,
delighted,

scared,
and mad.

There’s happy,
embarrased,

surprised,
and sad.

But the very best feeling
that we’ve ever had,

the one that we have every day,

is the feeling we get
when the final bell rings,
and there’s nothing to do but just PLAY!

From the book:

April 9th, 9:30am-12:30pm @

Standing Ovation Performing Arts presents a NEW Musical Theatre Production – our first at the BEAUTIFUL Mos’Art Theatre in Lake Park!  Auditions are free… rehearsals are Saturdays, 9:30am-12:30pm and performances will be at the beginning of August.  Come check out this beautiful 150 seat theatre, centrally located to Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, and West Palm Beach.  Ages 6-14

Learn from our amazing professionals!  Bring a song you love to sing and wear clothes and shoes you can move in!

Call Erin @ 561.707.5677 with questions… see you there!

The alliteration and repetition build important early literacy skills such as phonetic awareness and vocabulary. Read this to your babies, or help your older children recite this playful poem!

*

Nibble Nibble Nibble
~By Margaret Wise Brown

*

Nibble Nibble Nibble
Goes the mouse in my heart
Nibble Nibble Nibble
Goes the mouse in my heart
Nibble Nibble Nibble
Goes the mouse in my heart
And the mouse in my heart is
You.
*

Lippity Lippity Clip
Goes the rabbit in my heart
Lippity Lippity Clip
Goes the rabbit in my heart
Lippity Lippity Clip
Goes the rabbit in my heart
And the rabbit in my heart is
You.

*

Flippity Flippity Flop
Goes the fish in my heart
Flippity Flippity Flop
Goes the fish in my heart
Flippity Flippity Flop
Goes the fish in my heart
And the fish in my heart is
You.
*

Biff Bang Bang
Goes the hammer in my heart
Biff Bang Bang
Goes the hammer in my heart
Biff Bang Bang
Goes the hammer in my heart
And the hammer in my heart is
You.
*

Drum Drum Drum
Goes the drum in my heart
Drum Drum Drum
Goes the drum in my heart
Drum Drum Drum
Goes the drum in my heart
And the drum in my heart is
You.

*

Softly now beats the beat of my heart
Softly now beats the beat of my heart
Softly now beats the beat of my heart
All for the love of you.

*

From the book Nibble Nibble by Margaret Wise Brown. Paintings by Wendell Minor. HarperCollins. 1987.

Check this out to view the beautiful illustrations!