Children's Programs
This year's summer reading theme for children is "Catch the Reading Bug." Here you will find programming ideas and information about this year's artist, Harry Bliss. For more ideas, visit the CSLP website for an outline of this year's program manual and CSLP's programming suggestions.
Programming ideas
CSLP’s online resources for children’s programs include:
- Catch the Reading Bug Song – download and use with your program!
- A-Z Kids Stuff on Bugs
- Bug Crafts for Kids
- Fun insect websites
- Pest ecology for elementary-age students
- Ideas for bug food snacks
- ... and much more!
Find ideas for programs for the under-5’s on the summer reading discussion board. Check out the board to find out more about handprint butterflies, paper plate ladybug puppets, egg carton crickets and caterpillars, coffee filter butterflies, and lots of storytime outlines.
For themed quizzes, book lists, games, and coloring pages, visit the British Columbia Library Association’s website. The association sponsored a Catch the Reading Bug program last year, and their resources are organized under the following themes: Things That Bug You; Germy Bugs; Doodlebugs; Listening Bugs; Bug to Butterfly; Car Bugs; and Bug Bugs.
Hosting a bug party in the library? Check out the Domino Sugar website for ideas for buggy snacks, decorating, activities, games and party favors.
Bug info. The Smithsonian Institution has many many bug info sheets on its website, including Fun Facts About Bugs, Insects as Pets, and Science Fair Project suggestions. Did you know that 41 states in the United States have officially designated State Insects. California’s is the California Dogface Butterfly.
For storytime ideas, check out http://www.bayviews.org/storytime.html. This site features thematic storytime ideas compiled by Penny Peck of San Leandro Public Library. Penny will be featuring two different bugs per month until June 2008. The site includes suggested books, activities, and crafts.
Expand the bug theme to include nature, backyard adventures, camping, and general science. Penny Peck has put together a handout of great information including suggestions for entertainers, ideas for an insect/bug science party, book titles and discussion questions, a science explorers program, grossology programs, and a book list.
Glow worm and firefly arts and crafts, games, storytelling and snacks are perfect for this year’s theme. Pam Carlson has put together some great ideas for children, teens, and families, plus a booklist.
Who will be the next entomologist? Pam Carlson has put together tasks, games, trivia, and a powerpoint presentation to help you host this children’s challenge.
What’s in your backyard? Crafts, games, flannel-board stories, baking, and food decorating ideas, all based on bugs you can find in the backyard.
School visit script: Need ideas for promoting summer reading at your local school? Beth Jones has developed a script full of buggy songs and jokes.
Summer reading prizes for babies and toddlers were recently discussed on the CYAS section listserv. Here are some suggestions from CYAS section members:
- Upstart are selling bibs, sippy cups, and toddler t-shirts (although it was pointed out that many toddlers are very particular about which brand of sippy cup they prefer!). Order soon if you want to be sure to get hold of these items.
- Babies and toddlers love squirt animals!
- Collect and set aside donated board books featuring bugs of any kind.
- Have plenty of stickers on hand.
- Sassy, a maker of colorful baby toys, will sell their items at wholesale price to libraries. They have a variety of items for $2 or under, and even more in the $2-3 range. To fit the theme, they have a product called “bugs on board.” Call (616) 243-0767 and ask for the wholesale department. They will send you a catalog and price list. Thanks to Jennifer Lawson, San Diego County Library, for this information.
Movies at the Library. Movie Licensing USA has a list of movies relating to this year’s themes, summer reading activity suggestions, and information on public performance licenses for libraries.
About the Artist
Well known to adults as a regular cartoonist for the New Yorker magazine, Harry Bliss grew up in Upstate New York amidst a family of successful painters and illustrators. Mr. Bliss went on to study painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, illustration at the University of the Arts and Syracuse University. Mr. Bliss has illustrated numerous children's books, among them Doreen Cronin's Diary of a Worm, Marc Gellman's And God Cried, Too: A Kid's Book of Healing and Hope, Alison McGhee's Countdown to Kindergarten, and Which Would You Rather Be?, by award-winning children's author William Steig. A Publishers Weekly reviewer commented that the "droll watercolor illustrations" Bliss contributed to Diary of a Worm "are a marvel" because the artist "gives each worm an individual 
character with a few deft lines." He began his career as a freelance artist for magazines while he was still in college earning his undergraduate degree in illustration. His first book-illustration project, Sharon Creech's A Fine, Fine School, was an instant success, marking what a Publishers Weekly contributor dubbed an "impressive debut" for the cartoonist.
Visit the Harry Bliss website for more information.
The California Summer Reading Program is a project of the California Library Association, supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is the sponsoring organization for the 2008 Summer Library Program. Artwork is for use by CSLP members only. Copyright 2007-2008 by Highsmith Inc. All rights reserved. No images may be reproduced without written permission.