| Just For Kids |
SEQUATCHIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
| During summer reading the children enjoyed decorating masks with "jewels," feathers, and all sorts of other embellishments. |
| Kids' search engines and helpful sites Kids Click BJ Pinch Beck Ask Kids |
| Story hour began in September 2009 and will continue until May 2010. |
| Kids of all ages love a good story. |
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| More than 40 Children attended the winter story event based upon The Stranger in the Woods! |
On December 8, 2009, the library and the Friends of the LIbrary hosted an after-hours winter story event for
Sequatchie County children. Instead of cartoon characters, typical of many children’s books, Stranger in the
Woods displays actual photographs and heartfelt words by noted wildlife photographers and authors Carl
Sams and his wife, Jean Stoick. The photography in the book is beautiful. The camera is placed in a
clearing of the woods near a snowman. The snowman is complete with hat, gloves and a carrot nose.
Forest animals, awakened by warnings from birds that there is a stranger in the woods, set out to discover
if there is danger and find, instead, a wonderful surprise. The book teaches respect for all living things. It is
a great choice for children or for adults, a book to become part of a beloved collection.
The children loved the winter story event, and several children have come to the library asking to attend
another story event. Plans are underway to host another one in April 2010, to coincide with National Library
Week. The winter story event was possible through the generosity of the Target Foundation, and that grant
will also pay for activities and materials for the April Event.
Sequatchie County children. Instead of cartoon characters, typical of many children’s books, Stranger in the
Woods displays actual photographs and heartfelt words by noted wildlife photographers and authors Carl
Sams and his wife, Jean Stoick. The photography in the book is beautiful. The camera is placed in a
clearing of the woods near a snowman. The snowman is complete with hat, gloves and a carrot nose.
Forest animals, awakened by warnings from birds that there is a stranger in the woods, set out to discover
if there is danger and find, instead, a wonderful surprise. The book teaches respect for all living things. It is
a great choice for children or for adults, a book to become part of a beloved collection.
The children loved the winter story event, and several children have come to the library asking to attend
another story event. Plans are underway to host another one in April 2010, to coincide with National Library
Week. The winter story event was possible through the generosity of the Target Foundation, and that grant
will also pay for activities and materials for the April Event.
Story hour is for children three to five years old. When the children reach their fifth year
and are about to enter kindergarten, they graduate from story hour. Library staff members,
Friends volunteers, parents, and other relatives make that graduation memorable each
year, and there are never any long speeches. The children wear mortar boards and are
individually recognized. Although story hour is intended to promote a love for reading, it
also helps children develop social skills and longer attention spans. When some of the
three year olds begin story hour, they are very shy, and attending without their mothers is a
big challenge for many of them. When they graduate, they feel right at home in the library.
Story hour may benefit the children, but it benefits the library, as well. Since the children
learn to love the library, many become big supporters of the library as adults.
Young children really enjoy the Preschool Story Hour. The library staff and volunteers want everyone to
have a good time and to develop and to nurture the children’s love of books and reading. To be certain it
works well for everyone, here is how it operates and what is expected of parents and children.
• This service is usually provided during the school year each Wednesday, beginning at 10:00 am, and
it lasts for about 50 minutes. Please check with the library for the latest schedule.
• This service is for children three to five years old only. To participate your child must have become
three years old by September 1, 2007, and must not be older than five years by September 1, 2007. Your
child must be pre-registered to attend.
• The story hour seeks to introduce your child to good books and to listening. Your child will also
experience group behavior.
• Please be on time. Arrive early enough to get out of coats and for your child to visit the bathroom. A
young child is easily distracted, and latecomers are a distraction.
• Parents do not attend story hour with their children. The children form a line and enter the story hour
room together. Parents should wait in the main library room but within calling distance, at least for the first
week or two. (If they remain right outside the story hour room, the children may hear them talking.) Young
children placed in a group of strangers may become frightened, and it may be necessary to call a parent to
return for a child.
• We expect a certain level of behavior and maturity from the children. To participate a child must be
able to learn to listen to a story and to sit quietly while it is in progress. The storyteller provides
opportunities for finger play and other activities. A child who is not ready should attend later when he or
she is more mature.
• Prepare your child to attend by telling him or her about story hour. Tell the child there will be stories
read or told, finger plays, songs, crafts, and other activities. Explain you will not attend with the child, but
that you will be close, if needed.
• If public schools are on vacation or not in session on a particular Wednesday, there will be no story
hour that Wednesday.
• If at all possible, please let the library know no later than Tuesday afternoon, if your child will not be
attending on Wednesday. If a child misses three consecutive Wednesdays without a legitimate excuse,
that child will be replaced by another on our waiting list.
• We will provide a little party and refreshments for the children on Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s
Day, and Easter. We will ask the parents to provide refreshments. We will serve appropriate food so the
party will serve as lunch on these days. We do not celebrate birthday parties, and we ask parents not to
bring refreshments on any other days, as the activity ends so close to lunch time.
• After story hour we hope you and your child will choose books to check out so that the story hour
participation will be enhanced at home, and we encourage parents to select books they will enjoy reading
to their children.
and are about to enter kindergarten, they graduate from story hour. Library staff members,
Friends volunteers, parents, and other relatives make that graduation memorable each
year, and there are never any long speeches. The children wear mortar boards and are
individually recognized. Although story hour is intended to promote a love for reading, it
also helps children develop social skills and longer attention spans. When some of the
three year olds begin story hour, they are very shy, and attending without their mothers is a
big challenge for many of them. When they graduate, they feel right at home in the library.
Story hour may benefit the children, but it benefits the library, as well. Since the children
learn to love the library, many become big supporters of the library as adults.
Young children really enjoy the Preschool Story Hour. The library staff and volunteers want everyone to
have a good time and to develop and to nurture the children’s love of books and reading. To be certain it
works well for everyone, here is how it operates and what is expected of parents and children.
• This service is usually provided during the school year each Wednesday, beginning at 10:00 am, and
it lasts for about 50 minutes. Please check with the library for the latest schedule.
• This service is for children three to five years old only. To participate your child must have become
three years old by September 1, 2007, and must not be older than five years by September 1, 2007. Your
child must be pre-registered to attend.
• The story hour seeks to introduce your child to good books and to listening. Your child will also
experience group behavior.
• Please be on time. Arrive early enough to get out of coats and for your child to visit the bathroom. A
young child is easily distracted, and latecomers are a distraction.
• Parents do not attend story hour with their children. The children form a line and enter the story hour
room together. Parents should wait in the main library room but within calling distance, at least for the first
week or two. (If they remain right outside the story hour room, the children may hear them talking.) Young
children placed in a group of strangers may become frightened, and it may be necessary to call a parent to
return for a child.
• We expect a certain level of behavior and maturity from the children. To participate a child must be
able to learn to listen to a story and to sit quietly while it is in progress. The storyteller provides
opportunities for finger play and other activities. A child who is not ready should attend later when he or
she is more mature.
• Prepare your child to attend by telling him or her about story hour. Tell the child there will be stories
read or told, finger plays, songs, crafts, and other activities. Explain you will not attend with the child, but
that you will be close, if needed.
• If public schools are on vacation or not in session on a particular Wednesday, there will be no story
hour that Wednesday.
• If at all possible, please let the library know no later than Tuesday afternoon, if your child will not be
attending on Wednesday. If a child misses three consecutive Wednesdays without a legitimate excuse,
that child will be replaced by another on our waiting list.
• We will provide a little party and refreshments for the children on Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s
Day, and Easter. We will ask the parents to provide refreshments. We will serve appropriate food so the
party will serve as lunch on these days. We do not celebrate birthday parties, and we ask parents not to
bring refreshments on any other days, as the activity ends so close to lunch time.
• After story hour we hope you and your child will choose books to check out so that the story hour
participation will be enhanced at home, and we encourage parents to select books they will enjoy reading
to their children.
| The 2009 story hour "graduates" at their graduation party. |
| Stranger in the Woods is a story a reader of any age will enjoy. |
| The 2009 story hour "graduates" at their graduation party. |
| The book's cover demonstrates the beauty to be found within it. |