Bats at the Library
Dear Friends,
This week's book perfectly captures the sense adventure that a book can inspire in a reader. No matter what library we visit, the moment we walk in the door we have the anticipation of discoveries to be made. Are we bookaholics? Maybe. We do have a countdown until the next used book sale at our local historic home, and we do have the release of Jan Brett's next book
It's October, and this week marks the first of our Halloween books. Our picks this year, we feel, illustrate the best of Halloween, with just a bit of spooky, but never scary. Please join us throughout October as we continue with Ghosts in the House!
Bats at the Library
by Brian Lies
Despite the Halloween air to the illustrations done in dark colors and, of course, pages filled with bats, Bats at the Library
Adding to the appeal of this book is the unlikely choice of ambassadors of reading the author has chosen. We generally do not think of bats for this lofty title, but a colony of bats make the perfect choice to show readers what happens when a window is accidentally left open at the local library allowing the flying creatures of the night to take over.
Making shadow puppets on the overhead projector, turning the drinking fountain into a batty swimming pool, and turning the photocopier into their own personal portrait studio are just of a few of the comical games the bats play until the magic of story time and becoming lost in a book take over.
Notice anyone familiar?
How about here? For more about the numerous picture book references, check out this post from the Carle Museum!
In this Issue
A Batty Good Snack
We saw this batty snack and thought it would be the perfect snack for munching while enjoying Bats at the Library!
A Batty Good Snack
Ingredients and Supplies
- Cheese cubes
- Purple grapes (oval shape is best)
- Blue corn chips
- Toothpicks
- Using a small knife, a parent should cut two slits in a grape, on opposite sides.
- Insert 2 chips in each grape, one on each side. Stick a toothpick in bottom of grape.
- Insert other side of toothpick in cheese cube.
Storytime Flying Bat
Young readers can make their own storytime flying bat to read books and share adventures with. If the bat isn't busy reading, it makes a wonderful Halloween decoration... until the next book opens, that is!
Why We Like It
- Fun way to combine science and art
- Using a variety of materials helps to inspire creativity
Storytime Flying Bat
Supplies
- Waxed Paper (we used natural waxed paper for the opaque brown color, but you can use construction or kraft paper too)
- 2 light brown pipe cleaners
- Glue
- Paper tube
- Brown construction paper
- Crayons
- Stapler
- Cut wings from a piece of waxed paper, roughly 14 by 7 inches.
- Cut 2 pieces of pipe cleaner (about 6 inches each) and twist around each end of a second pipe cleaner. This will mimic the bones of a bat's wings; use the book's illustrations for reference.
- Glue pipe cleaner bones to waxed paper wings and let dry (see picture below).
- When dry, staple wings to paper tube. Be sure to align the top of the body to the top of the wings, so the head can easily be attached.
- Cut head and ears from construction paper. Glue ears to head. Use crayons or makers to draw face. Glue or tape head to body.
More from Off the Shelf
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