Summer Reading presentations, 2026 edition

This was another light year on elementary school summer reading presentations.  Instead, we concentrted on tabling at end-of-school-year parties at our area elementary schools.  

I did go out to a couple of Early Learning Centers to talk about summer reading and then share a storytime book.  I tried out one new book while bringing along two other favorites.  The kindergarten and preschool classes loved these books!  

  

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer 

Crash, Splash, or Moo! by Bob Shea 

Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka 

Passive Craft Table: Pufferfish Stick Puppet

 Last summer, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of this passive table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft.  

 

At this craft table we made simple stick puppets that looked like a pufferfish.  I was inspired to make this craft after seeing it on the Kids Craft Room blog at https://kidscraftroom.com/cupcake-liner-puffer-fish-craft/.  My library had all of the supplies on hand except for the cupcake liners and googly eyes, so it was a rather inexpensive craft project.  

 Supplies:

• Craft sticks (I used the larger ones)
• Paper circles (I used a die cutting machine to make these)
• Cupcake liners
• Scissors
• Coloring pens
• Glue sticks
• Googly eyes

 While this craft table was not busy, the creations that came from it were fabulous!  

Passive Craft Table: Colorful Crocs

 This past summer, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of this passive table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft.  

 

Inspired by something I saw online, these easy to make crocodiles were made with supplies already on my craft supply shelves.  

Supplies:

• Large craft sticks
• Pipe cleaners 
• Coloring pens
• Googly eyes
• White scratch paper
• Serrated scissors (for cutting teeth)
• Glue sticks 

Staff and children had lots of fun creating these crocs!    

Paper Hoop Glider - Passive Craft Table

 

What do you do when you find tons of plastic straws in your craft supply storage?  You create a craft table to use them up!  I created this passive craft table last summer to help use up all the straws I found.  This was a supper cheap craft table since I already had the paper, tape and coloring pens already on hand.  I found super easy instructions for this activity on the Instructables site at https://www.instructables.com/Hoop-Gliders-Galore/.  On another page they even explained the science of lift for these fun to make gliders at https://www.instructables.com/Hoop-GliderAirplane-STEAM-Activity/.  

Summer Reading presentations, 2025 edition

This year was a little light on elementary school summer reading presentations.  But that is alright by me because my summer looks very busy!  I tried out a new book with the kindergarten classes and they loved it.  Seriously, you should not trust fish...

  

Charlie Chick: A Pop-up Book by Nich Denchfield and Ant Parker This Book Is Magic by Ashley Evanson

Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat

Passive Craft Table: Paper Plate Snakes

 

This past summer, I had a live animal presentation planned for my library that got cancelled at the last moment.  Since we knew many people would be coming for the event, I was asked to put out a craft table to give those who showed up something to do. With less than one hour to plan, I looked at our craft supplies and decided to create a paper plate snake craft activity.  I relied heavily on the MomBrite website (at https://www.mombrite.com/paper-plate-snake-craft/) to write the craft directions.  I put out the supplies, the branch staff quickly made a few examples, and then I left the table out for the rest of the day.  The intention was to treat this as a passive table where children walk up and help themselves to the intended craft.  

Supplies:

-         Paper plates

-         Googly eyes and eye stickers

-         Coloring pens

-         Bingo dabber pens

-         Small pieces of scrap construction paper (for the tongue)

-         White glue and scissors 

 

Everyone was happy with the results of this craft table.  Families who showed up expecting a program still had something to do.  The activity was not a strain on the staff.  Plus, there were some adorable snakes created!  

Passive Craft Table: Peacock Paper Craft

This past summer, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of this passive table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft.  

 

This craft table was put up to create a paper peacock.  I found it online at Krokotak (https://krokotak.com/2016/08/glue-less-printable-peacock/ ).

 Supplies:

-         Printed template from the website

-         Coloring pens, including some metallic ones

-         Feathers

-         White glue

 

It turns out, folding these peacocks was a little tricky, but the results were beautiful.  They were a low cost, low staff intensive activity with fun results!  

Passive Craft Table: Pinwheels

This past summer, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of this passive table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft.  

This particular craft was to create and decorate a pinwheel.  It was a craft kit that I got from another librarian who had a whole bunch of extras she did not want anymore.      

Extra supplies I added to the kit:

-         Jewel stickers

-         Coloring pens

 

This was a low cost, low staff intensive activity with fun results!  

Passive Craft Table - Donut Magnets

 

 

For this passive program, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of the table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft on the last day of the school year.  

This craft was to create a donut magnet (a craft kit I found at https://www.bakerross.com/doughnut-mix-match-magnet-kits-1).    

 

Extra supplies I added to the kit:

-         Glitter glue

-         Pompoms

 

This was a low cost, low staff intensive activity with some interesting results!  

Summer reading presentations 2024 edition

The world feels much more normal this year!  Summer reading presentations were back in full swing the last few weeks.  Man, it feels good, even if my schedule was a little crazy!  It was wonderful to feel supported by my branch staff and coworkers at other branches.  

This year I tried out a new filler for when my presentation does not fill up the entire class period.  I brought the trivia cards from my new Disney trivia game.  I learned which Disney movies and TV series are well known by the students, which are somewhat known and/or remembered, and which movies and series the kids really haven't seen.  

I also got to share a new book (to me) with the Kindergartners, first graders, and second graders.  They totally enjoyed the silly interactions of this book.  

Dandelion Magic: Go Ahead Make Your Wish! by Darren Farrell, illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa 

Summer Outreach 2022

 I visited a few summer camps and daycare centers this past summer.  Here are some of my favorite books that I shared with them:

Buddy and the Bunnies In Don't Play With Your Food by Bob Shea 

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Kevin Cornell

Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups by Tadgh Bentley 

More Bears by Kenn Nesbitt, illustrated by Troy Cummings

Pups and Pie

This past summer my library experimented with a new idea for a program.  (At least it was new for us!)  We partnered with Sunny Sky's Animal Rescue, a local animal shelter and rescue organization, to create a program that highlighted the many good things this organization is doing for animals in our community as well as make special dog toys to donate. 

Sunny Sky's brought a small number of small dogs to the library for children to pet.  The library provided pre-cut strips of fleece that can be braided into dog toys.  The library also provided apple pie as a special treat. 

While the good people from Sunny Sky's explained what they did and helped the children touch the dogs in a friendly manner, the library staff and volunteers handed out pie and gave directions on the fleece dog toys.  The fleece could be braided into a simple 3 strip weave (like most people do with hair).  But for a sturdier toy, a four strip weave is more appropriate (and more complex to explain).  The Mary Martha Mama blog has excellent directions, with pictures, on how to create this dog toy.  Most of the attendees chose to give the dog toys they made to Sunny Sky's. 

This event was overwhelmingly successful!  We had over 100 people show up in the first 20 minutes.  A program that offered real dogs and a chance to give something back to an organization that saves so many lives, made for a popular summer program. 

Blanket Forts After Hours

This past summer my library hosted its third after hour blanket fort event.  I love this event because of its simplicity.  The costs are staff time, snacks, and some duct tape.  Families are encouraged to bring their own blankets.  The family enjoyment of the library is priceless!

During the first 20-30 minutes, one staff member is at the front door while another staff member is reading or telling stories in the children's area.  (We conduct this event after the library is closed so that we can utilize the entire "public" area of the library.)  After stories, we go over the rules and demonstrate how easy it is to make a blanket fort.  Forts can be made with tables or shelves or chairs.  The rules are in place for safety and to help the staff clean up.

1. Walking feet only
2. If you move furniture or books, put them back at the end of the event.  
3. If you use duct tape, you are responsible for carefully removing it.  
4. Once you leave the building, there is no coming back in.  No in and out privileges.  
5. Children must leave with the adult they came in with.  

Then we let everybody loose to create, read books, and enjoy snacks.  One favorite thing to do is to create a fort and then read a few picture books inside the fort.  This was a fun way to integrate building/engineering and reading into one fun family program!!

June Books to Share with Library Field Trips

June has been full of lots of field trips to the library.  I have seen many kindergartners, first graders, and second graders this month.  I usually do a quick 25 minute tour followed by a book reading, and this time of year, some information about our summer reading program.  Here are the two books I used this month.

 

Crash, Splash, or Moo! by Bob Shea (I had one group of kindergartners come with their sixth grade buddies.  Even the sixth graders were having fun with this book.  I consider this high praise!)

What's Next Door? by Nicola O'Byrne

Summer Reading School Visits: A Silly Game

I find 4th through 6th graders a hard group to entertain for 30 minutes or more.  Yet, this year I was bestowed with this task for a few classes while also promoting summer reading.  Once again, I brought along my silly game to share summer reading program information while also challenging the students to think. 

After a short introduction about me, my library, and the summer reading program, I then I broke the class up into two groups (usually down the middle of the room).  I asked the teacher to choose one student from each group to be my scorekeeper. I kept score by giving each scorekeeper a card from a handy-dandy deck of cards (left over from summer reading a few years back).  Each time their group won a challenge or answered a trivia question the scorekeeper got a card.  At the end of our class time we would add up the face values of the cards and the group with the highest count won the game.  This added a fun random element to the game.  Not every group who answered the most questions had the highest value in cards. 

To play the game, I would pick random students from each group to pick a card from a stack of index cards containing a trivia question or a silly challenge written on it. The card would have a summer event for me to describe followed by a question or challenge.

Here is a sampling of the trivia questions and silly challenges I presented to the students:

The theme for this year's summer reading program is "Libraries Rock!"  Name ten musical instruments.  

What is the official start date of the summer reading program?  What is the first day you can start receiving prizes?

One week in June we are having a Blanket Fort Night event (nothing to do with the Fort Night video game).  Build a miniature fort with a piece of cloth, craft sticks, and pipe cleaners in the time allotted.  

You can earn points by posting two types of books reviews.  What are these two types?  (A written review is worth 25 points and a picture/video review is worth 50 points.)

There are six badges you can earn by completing activities.  Each activity is worth how many points?  (25 points)

One week in July there will be a Lego Mindstorm event.  Build a robot with your bag of Legos.  

How many points do the children of city need to earn for an ice cream party?

How many points do you need to receive a virtual ticket into the grand prize drawing at the end of summer?

One week in July we will be creating with Roominate Village kits.  Build the tallest structure with the Straw Connectors in your bag.  

How many points do you need to get your free book and other goodies?

In July there will be five sessions of Paint to Learn at the library.  Use the Playdough to create the most imaginative animal.  

One week in August we will be playing with Cubelets, a mini robotic toy that are made up of a bunch of small cubes.  Make a rectangle out of Pentominoe pieces.  

One week in August there will be a Minecraft Build Competition.  Ask several Minecraft trivia questions found at FunTrivia.Com.  

REFLECTION:  This game is an easy way to fill up time while still giving out information.  It can get a little chaotic, but mostly runs smoothly.  

Summer Reading School Visits: Books

School visits and field trips to promote summer reading are done and now summer reading is in full swing.  This is such a busy, but fun, time of year!  Here are the books I used with my visits to the K-3rd grade classes. 

  

Chu's Day by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Adam Rex
The Black and White Factory by Eric Telchin, illustrated by Diego Funck
Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj

 

Guess Again! by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex
Grandma's Tiny House: A Counting Story! by JaNay Brown-Wood, illustrated by Priscilla Burris

Cup Cup Clap Clap

This summer I had fun learning the cup song for our "Cup Cup Clap Clap" library program.  This was a super easy and inexpensive event to put on. We did it just before the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Event description: Get moving with some fun musical clapping games! Learn how to do the popular "cup song" game as seen in the movies. How long can you keep up the rhythm? For grades 1st through 6th.

First, I started with a somewhat easy clapping game called "Bim Bum" with the assistance of this YouTube video.  This got everyone loosened up.  It also did a wonderful job of taking away any shyness that some children had about doing the clapping in front of others.

Next, we moved onto the cup game.  I used this other YouTube video to show the children how to do it.  We had to watch it and then copy it several times.  We started off doing it at the table and chairs and then moved to a circle on the floor.

It was fun watching the children persevere and do the cup game faster and faster.

Kids Car Rally

After reading blog posts about cars from Libraryland and A Librarian Less Ordinary, my fellow children's librarian and I decided to try something similar.  This summer we proudly hosted our second library event where children bring in their own cars (Hot Wheels, Matchbox, etc.) to play with in the library. This was a fun, easy to create, and low cost library program for a wide range of ages.

 Before the kids arrive, we laid out two different set of roads on the floor of our library meeting room with masking tape.  One set was a square grid of city streets.  The other was an oval race track.  In the middle we set up two tubs of soapy water as car wash stations. We then let the kids into the room and the free play began.

Supplies:

• Masking tape
• Tubs of water
• Dish soap
• A few dollar store sponges and scrub brushes
• A cut up microfiber cleaning cloth
• Lots of towels from home (the kids get a little messy with the water)
• Some extra cars to have on hand in case a family does not realize they needed to bring their own cars

Summer Reading School Visits: A Silly Game

Last year I came up with a great plan to talk about summer reading and entertain students in grades 4 through 6, by playing a silly game with them.  This game was so successful for me that I tried it again this year.

I started my time with a class by talking about how to sign up and get prizes for about 5 minutes.  Then I broke the class up into two groups (usually down the middle of the room).  I asked the teacher to choose one student from each group to be my scorekeeper. I kept score by giving each scorekeeper a card from a mini deck of cards each time their group won a silly challenge or answered a trivia question.  Actually, the volunteers chose a card from the deck.  At the end of our time we would add up the face values of the cards and the group with the highest count won the game.  This added a fun random element to the game.  Not every group who answered the most questions had the highest value in cards.

To play the game, I would pick random students from each group to pick a card from a stack of index cards containing a trivia question or a silly challenge written on it. The card would have a summer event for me to describe followed by a question or challenge.

Here is a sampling of the trivia questions and silly challenges I presented to the students:

What is the official start date of the summer reading program?

One week in August, the Knights of Veritas are coming to my library.  Trivia - Name one knight of the Round Table.

How many hours do you need to read to get a free book and other goodies?

One week in August we are doing our own version of mini-golf in between the book shelves.  Silly challenge - Choose one student from each group to hit a toy golf ball with a toy golf club, on the floor, from one end of the room onto a piece of paper on the other end of the room.

Dice challenge! Each team rolls a die.  The highest roll wins.

One week in July we have some Environmental Educator from Pierce County Public Works coming to talk about Salmon (The Ultimate Champions). Silly challenge - Hit a badminton birdie (pretend fish) 10 times in a row with a badminton racket (pretend fishing net).

One week in July we have author Karen Cushman coming to talk about her new book.  Trivia - Name two historical fiction books.

One week in June we will be having a Makey Makey program. Trivia  - What is an electrical circuit?

One week in July we have an art teacher coming to do an art class about Brazilian pop artist Romero Britto. Trivia - What is happening in Brazil this summer?

One week in July we have a yoga teacher coming to introduce yoga to children. Silly challenge - Do a cobra pose.

One week in July we will be having a Minecraft competition. Silly challenge - I hand out a Ziploc bag full of miscellaneous Lego bricks to smaller groups of 4-6 students. The group who could build a tower using every brick in the bag with the help of every student in the group wins.

REFLECTION: All in all, this style program works really well for me. I made a big show about this being a "silly" game with "silly" challenges in it. A loud and obnoxious class did not finish as much as the quieter classes, but every class still got something out of it. The challenges along with the trivia questions allows for many students to participate while at the same time giving me a chance to get some information out.  This game easily fills up a half hour library visit.

Summer Reading School Visits: Books

Going out to the schools to talk about summer reading can be a lot of fun, but boy is it busy!  For the students in grades K-3, I like to read books to them.  It is always a challenge to find books that will entertain, make them laugh, and have it be one they haven't seen before.

 

For the second and third graders I went with one my stand by favorites and a new book:
I Will Chomp You by Jory John, illustrated by Bob Shea
Dirty Joe the Pirate: A True Story by Bill Harley, illustrated by Jack E. Davis

 

For the Kindergartners and first graders I went with two fun books:
Don't Push the Button! by Bill Cotter
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli

All four books were a lot of fun to share with the children.  Who knew that a little red circle on a page could make a whole room of first graders go crazy?