2020 - Fondulac District Library | East Peoria, IL

Make Your Own Bullet Journal

This month I’ll be showing how to make your own exposed spine bullet journal! Bullet journaling is a type of shorthand journaling, designed to help set intentions and increase mindfulness and creativity. There is a lot of information out there about bullet journaling, so I am not going to go into very much of it here. I have included some examples of bullet journal templates provided by plannerloveandprintables.com.

The pages I have included in this kit are dot pages. Whether you want to bullet journal or not, these pages are really useful for things like working on your handwriting, drawing up new designs, or creating your own spreads for your journal. Just follow these instructions and you’ll have created your own bullet journal. This activity is best suited for kids ages 8+. Kits are available from the Youth Services Department or the drive-up window while supplies last.

Included materials:

32 pieces of dot paper
2 yards of colored string
3 ribbons 10” long
1 cardstock punching template
1 plastic needle
2 pieces of cardstock (cover)

Materials NOT included:

Push pin (for punching holes)
Ruler
Scissors

Instructions:

Put 8 sheets of dot paper together and fold in half.
Do that 3 more times, so you have 4 sets of folded paper.
Fold the template in half, so the fold runs through the hole punches.
Open 1 set of pages to the center, place template in center.
Use a push pin (NOT included) to punch 6 holes into the crease of the pages.
Punch holes in the 3 remaining sets of paper.
Thread needle with the string
Open first set of papers to center, pull needle through bottom hole from inside to the outside.
Leave a small tail, thread needle through the next hole from outside to inside.
Continue until the thread is through all the holes.
Place the next set of papers next to first set.
The thread is coming out of the middle of the papers, so you will loop the thread over the tops of the two sets of papers, then from the inside of the top hole, thread the needle to the outside.
Thread needle through each hole just like in the first set of papers.
Loop thread over the bottom pages of the second and third set of pages, like in step 12.
Do this for the third and last set of papers.
Thread should be coming out of the bottom from the first set and the last set of papers and spine should have three sets of threads visible, where the ribbons will go.
Slide each ribbon through the exposed threads until the center of each ribbon is under the threads.
Take the cardstock covers, align the template so the holes are a ¼ inch away from the edge and punch a hole through the top two and bottom two holes. There should be four holes in your covers.
Line one of the covers up to the fourth set of papers.
Pick up your needle and thread, loop over the pages, under the cover and bring needle through the bottom hole, from the inside to the outside.
Pass the needle back through the same hole, creating a loop coming out of the bottom hole of the cover. (you will need to hold onto the loop)
Loop the needle under the first set of stitches in the closest set of pages, pulling up towards the cover.
Thread the needle through the loop and pull tight. (Be careful not to rip the cardstock.)
Loop the thread back under the first stitch and pull tight, through the loop from the remaining thread.
Loop the thread under the next stitch in the second set of pages the same way.
Repeat for the third and fourth set of pages.
Take the other cover and place it on the fourth set of pages, aligning the holes.
From under the cover, pull the needle through the bottom hole.
Create a loop and thread needle back through the same hole.
Go over and under the stitching, pulling needle back up through the loop you created above the cover.
Pull tight.
Go over and under the first stitch again, then thread the needle through the hole in the cover, next to the hole you just attached.
Create the loop and pull tight, just like the first two loops.
Work your way back to the first cover just as you did in steps 24 – 26.
Create the loop the same way as the first three.
Now take the needle up towards the closest hole in the cover, loop over the stitch and up to the hole in the cover.
Create the loop as before.
Continue by following steps 24-35.
Once you have attached the last loop to the pages, tie a knot at both ends.
Tie each ribbon into a knot or a bow to finish tightening the spine.

– Cassie, Youth Services Assistant

Beth Weimer2020-11-11T18:03:48-06:00November 11th, 2020|

FDL Reads: The Legend of the Cherry Tree that Blossoms Every Ten Years

In honor of International Games Week, we decided to post a game review instead of a book review.

The Legend of the Cherry Tree that Blossoms Every Ten Years

Reviewed by: Isaac Jacobs, Reference Assistant

Genre: Luck, strategy, set collection

Suggested Age: 8+

What is the Game About?: What you do in this game is “collect” blossoms from a mystical cherry tree that blooms once every ten years. The goal is to collect as many as you can without failing a turn. There’s a condition that causes you to mess up a turn. If you collect three of one color blossom, the cherry tree will deem you too greedy, and fail to grant you a wish.

My Review: First of all, the art for the game is beautiful with warm golds and vibrant pinks. The pieces are just as nice, with an ornate faux-leather bag and thick cardboard screens with their own unique designs. The blossoms themselves come in six colors and are very tactile. Second, I’m not a very competitive person but my girlfriend is. Despite us having polar opposite attitudes towards multiplayer games, it turned out to be fun for the both of us and we played it quite a few times (it’s also a quick game). While the push-your-luck element isn’t very intense, it’s still enjoyable. The rules look complex, but the game is a simple one with options to increase the difficulty if needed. The instructions offer examples and don’t overload the reader with too much to read on a page.

I’d recommend it for those who are just venturing into board games, or for those who aren’t super competitive.

Three Words That Describe This Game: Aesthetic, simple, gentle

Give This a Try if You Like… A Feast for Odin, Kangawa

Find it at the Library!

Rating: 3/5

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Susie Rivera2020-11-20T15:01:26-06:00November 11th, 2020|

FDL Reads: Notorious RBG

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon Shana Knizhnik

Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Assistant

Genre: Biography

Suggested Age: Teen, Adult

What is the Book About? Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second female confirmed as a Justice of the Supreme Court, was not only a pioneer as a female lawyer, she was also a cunning advocate for women’s rights. This book explores the relationships and events in her life that led her to become a powerful voice for the “equal citizenship stature” of men and women.

My Review: I listened to the e-audiobook available on Hoopla and really enjoyed it. The audio version is only about 5 hours and while is was a quick listen, there’s enough detail to follow RBG’s progression from law student to Supreme Court Justice to public icon. The book is not a chronological account, but is laid out with more of a topical structure to the storytelling. While that might be a bit confusing for some, I think it helps since there are several legal cases and concepts that need to be explained together. With current events, I felt this was a timely subject to learn more about and encourage others to do the same. RBG was an instrumental part of the evolution of the current status of women’s rights today. I think we all can benefit from knowing more about her. There is even a young readers edition of this title on Hoopla for middle-school aged kids to listen to, as well.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Inspiring, Empowering, Bittersweet

Give This a Try if You Like…My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sisters in Law by Linda R. Hirshman, My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor

Rating: 4.5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Susie Rivera2020-11-11T14:27:30-06:00November 6th, 2020|

5 Children’s Books about Wearing Glasses

Getting your first pair of glasses can be rough. Some kids may be embarrassed by how glasses make them look or uncomfortable with how they feel on their face, but hearing about other people’s experiences, even if they’re fictional, can help kids realize that it’s really not so bad. There are lots of books that explain why glasses are an important health tool, and there are also books that just make them look fun. We’ve picked out a few classics and new favorites for you to share with any kid who’s struggling to get used to wearing glasses. Check them out below:

Mia Mayhem Gets X-Ray Specs by Kara West

Who Needs Glasses by Fran Manushkin

Arthur’s Eyes by Marc Tolon Brown

Linus Gets Glasses by Charles M. Schulz

Douglas, You Need Glasses! by Ged Adamson

– Cindy, Youth Services Assistant

Beth Weimer2020-11-05T17:05:15-06:00November 5th, 2020|

Bilingual Story Time (Online) – Fish and Friends! / ¡Peces y amigos!

Hi, everyone! My name is Miss Haley, and I’m so happy you’re joining me for story time today. This story time will be bilingual, which means in more than one language. So that means today I’ll be reading and singing songs in both English and Spanish.

Today’s story time is all about animals that live in water for most of their lives, like fish, whales, and turtles. For our first story, I’m going to need your help to count all the fish swimming around in the book, and along the way we’ll get to learn some new words that will help us describe the fish by size, shape, and more. Our second book is an Elephant & Piggie book where we discover that a big swimmer has taken Piggie’s ball away! Do you think Gerald the elephant is big enough to get the ball back for his friend? We’ll have to read and find out!

Before we get started, let’s get ready for story time by singing our welcome song, called “Buenos dias (Good Morning).” This song has some hand movements that go along with it, and I would love if you would do them along with me. Are you ready? Let’s sing it in English first and then in Spanish.

**Song: “Good Morning / Buenos dias”**

(Tune: “Frère Jacques” or “Are You Sleeping?”)

English Lyrics:

Good morning

How are you?

Very well, thank you

Very well thank you

And you?

Spanish Lyrics:

Buenos dias

¿Como estas?

Muy bien, gracias

¿Y usted?

Credit: Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel

Book: 10 little fish = 10 pececitos

Written by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Elliot Kreloff, and read with the permission of Blue Apple Books.

Thanks for helping me count all those fish! We’re getting much better at counting to ten in English and Spanish. And now we know all sorts of words we can use to describe different fish, like short (corto), long (largo), big (grando), small (pequeño), spotted (manchado), and striped (rayado). Caregivers, simple books like this one are great for widening your children’s descriptive vocabulary, which will help them be able to communicate better about the world around them.

Flannel Board: Three Little Fish / Tres pececitos

(Tune: “Three Blind Mice”)

English Lyrics:

Three little fish, three little fish

(hold up three fingers)

See how they swim, see how they swim

(make swimming motion with arms)

Round and round and fast they go,

Ellos van rapidos

(“swim” fast — sing fast)

Now they are going very slow

(“swim” slow — also sing slow)

Three little fish, three little fish

(hold up three fingers again)

Spanish Lyrics:

Tres pececitos, tres pececitos

(levanta tres dedos)

Mira cómo nadan, mira cómo nadan

(finge nadar moviendo los brazos)

Están nadando rápido

(“nadar” rápido — cantar rápido)

Ahora van muy despacio

(“nadar” despacio — también cantar despacio)

Tres pececitos, tres pececitos

(levantar tres dedos de nuevo)

Credit: Miss Meg’s Storytime

Muy bien, great counting! Have you ever wondered how fish can breathe underwater? Humans have lungs that let us breathe air, but fish have special organs called gills that filter air out of the water so they can breathe. Isn’t that crazy? The big guy in our next story is an animal called a whale, and even though he lives in the ocean and looks like a giant fish, he has lungs like a human and has to come up for air to breathe just like we do. Let’s see if we can help Piggie get her ball back from this great, big whale.

Book: A Big Guy Took My Ball! / ¡Un tipo grande se llevó mi pelota!

Written and illustrated by Mo Willems and read with the permission of The Wernick & Pratt Agency.

Wow, I was really surprised by that ending! The big guy seemed scary at first, but it turns out he just wanted to play with someone! I’m so happy Piggie and Gerald realized they were wrong about the whale being mean and scary and asked him to play.

Caregivers, whenever you’re reading with your kids, it’s a great idea to ask them what they think will happen next in the story. This will help them make meaningful connections while they read, understand the story better, and learn to ask themselves questions when they read other books.

**Take-and-Make Craft: Pom-pom Turtle (Tortuga pompón)**

Pick up a craft kit at the library, available in the Youth Services Department or from the drive-up window while supplies last.

Supplies needed at home:

Liquid glue
Scissors
Pencil
Black washable marker

Included in library supply kit:

12 pom-poms
1 googly eye
Green cardstock

Instructions:

Use a pencil to trace the child’s RIGHT hand on the piece of green cardstock.
Cut out the tracing of the hand, and also cut out the outline of the turtle’s head printed on the paper.
Flip the hand cut-out upside down and glue the pom-poms everywhere but the fingers to create the turtle shell.
Glue the neck of the turtle’s head to the back of the turtle shell on the side with the pinky finger.
Glue the googly eye to the turtle’s face.
Use the black marker to draw toes on your turtle’s feet (the four fingers of the hand cut-out are the feet, and the thumb is the tail). You’re all done!

Credit: RedTedArt.com

More Spanish-English Books about Aquatic Animals:

Bilingual Books:

Tiburón toro = Bull Shark written by Deborah Nuzzolo

Turtles Up Close = Las tortugas written by Katie Franks and Ma Pilar Sanz

A Dolphin Is Not a Fish = Un delfín no es un pez written by Betsey Chessen

Pairs of Books in English & Spanish:

At the Aquarium / De visita en el acuario written by Kerrigan King and translated by María Cristina Brusca

The Pout-Pout Fish / El pez pucheros written by Deborah Diesen and illustrated by Dan Hanna

Don’t Worry, Little Crab / No tengas miedo, cangrejita written and illustrated by Chris Haughton and translated by Salvador Figueirido and Luis Amavisca

The Foolish Turtle / La tortuga tonta written by Anna Wilson and illustrated by Mike Gordon

I hope I’ll see you at our next bilingual story time on Thursday, December 3rd. And you can join us next week for another fun story time with Miss Sharon! We’re just about done now, so thank you all for joining me today! Let’s sing one more song together to say goodbye for now. This one is a call and response song, so when I point to you, repeat after me, okay? Here we go! ¡Ahí vamos!

Song: Goodbye Song

English Lyrics:

Goodbye

So long

To you

My friend

Stay well

And fine

Til we meet

Again

Spanish Lyrics:

Adios

A ti

Mi amigo

Cuídate

Muy bien

Nos vemos

Otra vez

Credit: Burlington Specials

– Haley, Youth Services Assistant

Beth Weimer2020-11-05T12:56:45-06:00November 5th, 2020|

#FDL: Overdrive Big Library Read

Fondulac District Library provides access to a large collection of eBooks and audiobooks through the Overdrive or Libby app. Several times during the year, Overdrive hosts a Big Library Read, an online book club for readers around the world. Featured books are chosen by librarians and announced shortly before the Big Library Read begins. Our library is provided with unlimited copies of the eBook or audiobook, and our patrons can read without wait time through the Overdrive or Libby app until November 16. A library card number and PIN are required to access the book. This fall, the Big Library Read has chosen Reverie by Ryan La Sal. Below is a little about the book from The Big Library Read’s website:

Inception meets The Magicians in this wildly imaginative story about what happens when the secret worlds people hide within themselves come to light.

All Kane Montgomery knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. He can’t remember anything since an accident robbed him of his memories a few weeks ago. And the world feels different—reality itself seems different.

So when three of his classmates claim to be his friends and the only people who can tell him what’s truly going on, he doesn’t know what to believe or who he can trust. But as he and the others are dragged into unimaginable worlds that materialize out of nowhere—the gym warps into a subterranean temple, a historical home nearby blooms into a Victorian romance rife with scandal and sorcery—Kane realizes that nothing in his life is an accident, and only he can stop their world from unraveling.

Post by Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.

Susie Rivera2020-11-04T16:24:51-06:00November 4th, 2020|

Pour Painting Terracotta Pots

Pour painting is a fascinating fluid painting technique that produces unique, eye-catching works of art. This technique can be used to create decorative useful items, as well as unique gifts. As an introduction into this medium, we’ll use this technique to decorate terracotta pots using two pouring options: dirty pour and clean pour. The dirty pour technique involves adding multiples colors to one cup prior to pouring out on your pot. In the clean pour method, colors are poured over the pot one at a time. This process is as mesmerizing as it is beautiful.

Supplies:

Terracotta Pot

Plastic Cups (16 oz. shown)

Acrylic Pouring Medium

Acrylic Paint (various colors)

Craft Sticks (for stirring)

Gloves

Plastic (to protect cover works surface)

Optional:

11” cake turntable

Painter’s tape

Both Methods

Step 1: Cover work surface. If using a turntable, you can cover that as well.

Step 2: Cover the bottom of the pot with painter’s tape. This is an optional step that I did so I didn’t lose paint down into the inside of the pot.

Add a folded over piece of tape to cover the hole.
Place pieces of tape across the pot of bottom.
Trim the excess tape around the bottom edge.

Step 3: Place one of the plastic cups inside the pot. This allows for ease of moving the pot before it is dry.

Step 4: Mix paint with pouring medium and stir.

The ratio of pouring medium to paint depends on the thickness of the paint.
Thinner paint may only need 1 part pouring medium to 1 part paint.
Thicker paint may need 3 or 4 parts pouring medium to 1 part paint.
The pouring consistency you want is about the same as thin salad dressing.

Dirty Pour Method

Step 5: Pour colors together into one cup and then cover the pot with that combination. There is a lot of variation that can happen here. You can push paint over the edge with the craft stick if it is pooling on the painter’s tape. You can also add more paint to the pouring cup and pour again.

Clean Pour Method

Step 5: Pour each color separately onto the bottom of the pot. Again, there are lots of variations. It all depends on how much you want colors mixing.

Both Methods

Step 6: Allow to dry completely.

Step 7: Carefully remove painter’s tape, if needed.

Now your unique pot is ready to be planted!

-Melissa, Reference Assistant

Beth Weimer2020-11-04T15:14:12-06:00November 4th, 2020|

FDL Reads: Mouse’s First Halloween

Mouse’s First Halloween by Lauren Thompson

Reviewed by: Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

Genre: Children’s picture book

Suggested Age: 2-4 years

What is This Book About? It’s Mouse’s first Halloween and he decides to creep around outside in the dark. He hears something rustling. What could it be? It’s nothing scary, just leaves! Laura Thompson’s rhyming prose leads mouse to discover many things that aren’t really scary such as flying bats, falling apples, a scarecrow, scampering kittens, and a glowing jack-0-lantern. In the end he meets a couple cute trick-or-treaters all dressed up in costumes. Finally he returns to his parents having had a fun Halloween night.

My Review: This is a great introductory book for preschoolers who are experiencing fall and Halloween for the first time. There are many things in the dark that can be scary to small children and the lesson here is to relax and look a little closer. Maybe things aren’t scary after all. I read this with my son who was terrified of our neighbor’s scarecrow and our jack-o-lantern. I think it helped him feel a little more at ease. Children will enjoy the rhyme, cadence, and repetitive language of this story.

Rating: 4.5/5

Three Words That Describe This Book: Cute, seasonal, discovery

Give This a Try if You Like: Rhyming picture books, books about first holiday experiences, non-scary Halloween reads

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Susie Rivera2020-10-31T11:20:53-05:00October 31st, 2020|

FDL Childhood Favorites Part 2

Some books you read as a child have a way of sticking with you. Haley shares some of her childhood favorites that you can check out from the library!

Beth Weimer2020-10-30T11:44:05-05:00October 30th, 2020|

Story Time (Online) – Fall Fun

Welcome to story time! My name is Miss Kris, and I am so happy you are watching at home today. Did you know that the fall or autumn season goes from September 22 to December 21? We’re going to be reading stories about fall for story time today, but let’s get started with a song!

Song: Clap and Sing Hello!

We clap and sing hello,
We clap and sing hello,
With our friends at story time,
We clap and sing hello!
(Wave and sing hello; stomp and sing hello.)

Movement: Open Shut Them

Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Give a little clap, clap, clap.
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Put them in your lap, lap, lap.

Creep them, crawl them,
Creep them, crawl them,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.
Open up your little mouth,
But do not put them in.

Source: (jbrary.com)

Book: The Busy Little Squirrel

Written by Nancy Tafuri

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Movement: Apple Tree

(Tune: “This Old Man”)

Way up high in the apple tree, (Point up.)

1 red apple smiled down at me. (Hold up 1 finger and then smile.)

So, I shook that tree as hard as I could. (Pretend to shake a tree.)

Down came an apple, (Bring down one hand.)

Mmm! Mmm! Good! (Pat tummy.)

2 yellow pears… (Hold up 2 fingers.)

3 purple plums… (Hold up 3 fingers.)

4 orange peaches… (Hold up 4 fingers.)

5 green limes… (Hold up 5 fingers.)

Source: Dr. Jean and Friends

Book: Fall Ball

Written by Peter McCarty

Published by Henry Holt and Company

Literacy Tip:

Fall is a great time to review colors and numbers. While you are walking through your neighborhood, you can look for 3 yellow leaves or one brown squirrel or 6 gray rocks.

Flannel Board: Five Little Squirrels

Five little squirrels, with acorns to store,

One went to sleep and then there were four.

Four little squirrels hunting acorns in a tree,

One fell down, and now there are three.

Three little squirrels wondering what to do,

One got lost, and then there are two.

Two little squirrels tossing acorns for fun,

One got tired, and now there is one

One little squirrel playing in the sun,

He ran away, and now there are none.

Source: King County Library System

Craft: Fall Hedgehog

The kit comes with all of the self-stick foam pieces, a magnet, and instructions. You just peal and stick to make your own hedgehog friend! Available from the Youth Services department or the drive-up window while supplies last.

Book: Full of Fall

Written by April Pulley Sayre

Published by Beach Lane Books

Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This

We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye like this.
We clap our hands for all our friends.
We wave goodbye like this.

(Repeat)

-Kris, Youth Services Specialist

Beth Weimer2020-10-29T11:45:28-05:00October 29th, 2020|