Story Time At Home with I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison

12 Feb

Develop your little ones early literacy skills with story time at home! Early literacy refers to the foundational skills that our little ones learn about reading and writing before they formally learn to read and write. By focusing on these  five aspects of early literacy – reading, writing, singing, talking, and playing – you can develop your little one’s early literacy skills.

I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison

On a trip to the park with her mother, a young girl hears a rhythm coming from the world around her and begins to move to the beat, finally beginning an impromptu dance in which other children join her.This is a highly interactive book and is a great way to introduce elements of movement and play into your story times at home.

When reading the book, ask the your little one to complete an action with each sequence of the story: 

THINK, THINK (find your head) – BEAT, BEAT (find your ears) – BLINK, BLINK (find your eyes) – SNIFF, SNIFF (find your nose) – CLAP, CLAP (clap hands along to the beat) – SNAP, SNAP (snap or wiggle your fingers) – SHAKE, SHAKE (shake your hips) – KNOCK, KNOCK (find your knees) – STOMP, STOMP (stomp your feet) -TIP, TAP (tap your toes)

Read each page more than once to encourage your little one to participate in the action. 

This book has limited text on each page. Ways to extend your reading can include describing the city scenes outlined on pages or asking questions about the illustrations. How many friends do we see playing in the park? 

Is one of our friends chewing bubble gum? 

Point out the radio, the skateboard, the bench. 

Talk about the blue skies and the green grass and trees.

Movement and action in story time increases your little ones engagement, attention, and comprehension.

If you’re reading this story to a baby you can show baby the action that goes along with the story and tickle the corresponding body part on baby.

Learn more about story times at the library here: https://hobokenlibrary.org/kids/ 

Written by:
Valerie Coughlin
Youth Services Librarian

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Resource Spotlight: Novelist – Find your Perfect Match Book

10 Feb

Ever watch a movie or read a book and think, “I love this vibe: the small-town setting with a flawed but theatrically endearing character. Oh, and the eerie undertone really has me hooked. I want more!”? I go through these phases all the time, latching to a specific theme or feeling and absolutely wanting more of it. 

Logo for EBSCOhost NoveList, showing the word “NoveList” in stylized lettering with the tagline “Your Guide to Reading.”

With your Hoboken Public Library card, you have access to Novelist, a book recommendation resource available through the New Jersey State Library. It’s a treasure trove of curated reading suggestions organized by theme, genre, author, tone, and so much more — helping you find stories that match exactly what you’re in the mood for.

Login here and click on Discover Novelist on the left.

The Appeals Index lets you search for books based on what kind of reading experience you want. Are you drawn to sarcastic narrators, offbeat humor, or characters wrestling with teenage angst? Maybe you’re on the lookout for a love story with gritty realism or on an isolated beach. How about a time-traveling superhero who plays God. 

You’ll be shown a list of titles that fit your selection. 

Prefer to explore by theme instead of character? The Theme Index breaks down stories into setups such as forbidden love, coping with death, witchcraft and the occult, exploring faith, or rural noir. These are blueprints of the story, or tropes – the fish out of water hero or the framed protagonist.

This index is your go-to when you say to yourself “I love story like this, but don’t know what to search for.

You can get lost in Novelist. It’s great. Sometimes, just browsing through categories like found footage horror or wistful coming-of-age helps you realize what truly draws you. Once you’ve found your match, head over to the BCCLS catalog to place your hold.

Which Index are you most enjoying in Novelist? Have you found any new themes or appeals that interest you? Comment below.

Novelist is linked above. You need your library card number to enter the site. The BCCLS catalog is linked as well. 

Hit subscribe to get Hoboken Public Library Staff Picks to your email!

Written by:
Sean Willey
Information and Digital Services Assistant

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