A story hour book report for Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast libraries

By AMY ROYSTER

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Saturday, February 07, 2009

If you think librarians are a quiet bunch, then you haven't been to a story hour.

With a crowd of little faces watching intently, area children's librarians overflow with emotion, gesture wildly, and sometimes, they even raise their voices!


Loudest roar
This behavior isn't really out of character for professionals charged with inspiring a love of reading. Susan Harris of the children's library at the Society of the Four Arts says her best advice to parents on how to get kids excited about books is to read aloud to your children "and enjoy the book you are reading."

Not feeling fully committed to voicing Wilbur in Charlotte's Web? Take your children to a story hour (it's free) and let everyone have some fun!


LIBRARY: Palm Beach County Main Library; 3650 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach; (561) 233-2600

STORY TELLER: Melissa Sunshine, youth services librarian

FAVORITE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Green Eggs and Ham' by Dr. Seuss

FAVORITE NEW CHILDREN'S STORY: Any from the 'Harry Potter' series by J.K. Rowling.

FAVORITE BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS: 'Tangerine' by Edward Bloor

HOW TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING: 'Read your kids books on a topic they are already really excited about. If they like what they hear, they will want to read more.'

CUTEST STORY HOUR MOMENT: A room full of little kids all doing the chicken dance in unison


LIBRARY: North County Regional; 11303 Campus Drive, Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 626-6133

STORY TELLER: Bea Ceruti, youth services librarian

FAVORITE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?' by Bill Martin

FAVORITE NEW CHILDREN'S STORY: 'I'm Not Cute!' by Jonathan Allen

FAVORITE BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS: 'Twilight' by Stephanie Meyer

HOW TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING: 'Parents can get their children interested in reading by reading to them every day. Gradually they will start to develop a connection between the pictures they see in the books with the words.'

CUTEST STORY HOUR MOMENT: 'One of our librarians was reading Circus 1-2-3 during circus week. When she pointed to a tiger pictured in the book, she asked 'What is this animal's name?' A toddler in the 13-to-23-months class shouted out "Tiger Woods!" '


LIBRARY: Story in the Garden series; Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach; (561) 233-1757 (registration required)

STORY TELLER: Stacey Burford, Palm Beach County youth services librarian

FAVORITE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Betsy-Tacy and Tib' by Maud Hart Lovelace

FAVORITE NEW CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Clementine' by Sara Pennypacker

FAVORITE BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS: 'Stargirl' by Jerry Spinelli

HOW TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING: 'Introduce children to a good series. I love getting to know characters and following them as they age and have adventures.'

CUTEST STORY HOUR MOMENT: 'I entered a preschool classroom and the teacher said, "Boys and girls, it's time to clean up and come to circle time. The library lady is here." One of the boys was not ready to pick up the trucks he was playing with, so he said, "I don't see any library lady." The teacher pointed in my direction and said, "She's right here." The boy said, "Well, that looks like a teenager to me." '


LIBRARY: Wellington branch; 1951 Royal Fern Drive; (561) 790-6070

STORY TELLER: Amanda Bosky, librarian trainee, and University of South Florida School of Library and Information Science student

FAVORITE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Through the Looking-Glass' by Lewis Carroll

FAVORITE NEW CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Rules' by Cynthia Lord

FAVORITE BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS: 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak

HOW TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING: 'Model the behavior you want to see. Read in front of your children. Talk about books you enjoy.'

CUTEST STORY HOUR MOMENT: 'Once my co-storyteller Myrtle Leone and I were doing a stick puppet version of Little Red Riding Hood. When the 5-inch-tall, very unassuming and unintimidating wolf puppet showed up, one little girl dramatically threw her hands in the air and gasped as if a real wolf had appeared in the room!'


LIBRARY: Southwest County Regional; 20701 95th Ave. S., Boca Raton; (561) 482-4554

STORY TELLER: Andrea Rubin, teen librarian

FAVORITE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Madeline' by Ludwig Bemelmans

FAVORITE NEW CHILDREN'S STORY: 'The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane' by Kate DiCamillo

FAVORITE BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS: 'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian' by Sherman Alexie

HOW TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING: 'If your child is a reluctant reader, try setting aside a specific time a couple of times a week when you can read together. By creating a special reading time for just you and your child, you may be able to pique their interest in reading.'

CUTEST STORY HOUR MOMENT: 'A toddler once pulled down his pants exposing his Winnie- the-Pooh diaper to the whole audience. He completely stole the show!'


LIBRARY: Bilingual story hour, Palm Beach County Main Library; 3650 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach; (561) 233-2600

STORY TELLER: Maribel de Jesus, children's librarian

FAVORITE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Where the Red Fern Grows' by Wilson Rawls

FAVORITE NEW CHILDREN'S STORY: 'El mejor es mi papa' by Georgina Lazaro Leon

FAVORITE BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS: 'Anne of Green Gables' by Lucy Maud Montgomery

HOW TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING: 'Always have reading materials such as children's magazines, fiction books and newspapers around the house.'

CUTEST STORY HOUR MOMENT: 'There was a little girl who came to my Tuesday bilingual story time regularly. As I was greeting the parents at the door she sat down in front of the room and selected a book and started our story time. She sang the welcome song and made up a story as she turned the pages of the book.'


LIBRARY: Blake Library, Martin County Library System; 2351 S.E. Monterey Road, Stuart; (772) 288-5702

STORY TELLER: June Overholt, children's librarian

FAVORITE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Round Trip' by Ann Jonas

FAVORITE NEW CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Lilly's Big Day' by Kevin Henkes

FAVORITE BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS: 'Seedfolks' by Paul Fleischman

HOW TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING: 'Attend story times with your children. Story times introduce books in a fun and relaxed environment.'

CUTEST STORY HOUR MOMENT: 'I always end my (baby sign language) story hour with a group activity such as the bubble machine. A few weeks ago, a little girl left the room with her mother to go to the restroom. When she returned, the bubble machine was empty of bubble solution. ... The little girl ran up to the front of the room signing "more," her tiny hands brought together in the appropriate baby sign. The expression on her face was so precious!'


LIBRARY: Society of the Four Arts; 2 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach, (561) 655-2776

STORY TELLER: Susan R. Harris

FAVORITE CLASSIC CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Make Way for Ducklings' by Robert McCloskey

FAVORITE NEW CHILDREN'S STORY: 'Whittington' by Alan W. Armstrong

FAVORITE BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS: 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee

HOW TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING: 'Take the time on a daily basis and make the books interesting by using creative facial expressions, changing the pitch and tone of your voice, and enjoying the book you are reading.'

CUTEST STORY HOUR MOMENT: 'Guest author Robert L. Forbes came to our program and read a selection of poems from his new book, Beastly Feasts! We sing songs between story readings ... On this occasion Old MacDonald became 'Old MacForbes Had a Farm.'"