Hi everybody! We were really sad to have to cancel the Big Rig Petting Zoo again this year due to Covid-19. Since we couldn’t have a big event, we have a surprise for you! We collaborated with the Fon du Lac Park District Police and East Side Community Media (Channel 22), to make a video that highlights the rescue equipment they use, including 4 big vehicles that are always favorites at the FDL Big Rig Petting Zoo. So cool!

We want to send out a huge THANK YOU to Chief Johnson and Sergeant Keil from the Fon du Lac Park District Police and Deral and Susan Dixon and Paul Coussens from East Side Community Media for making this video possible!!

But wait, there’s more Big Rig fun at the library! After you watch the video:

2. Pick up a Take & Make craft from the Youth Services department or drive-up window.
3. Enjoy the StoryWalk in the Reading Garden: Alphabeep: A Zipping, Zooming ABC written by Debora Pearson and illustrated by Edward Miller. In this book, you’ll see pictures of lots of the same vehicles that you would have seen at our real Big Rig Petting Zoo.
4. Next, take a walk around the Civic Plaza building (Library and City Hall) and check out the Big Rig Scavenger Hunt. We’ve put pictures of the vehicles from previous Big Rig Petting Zoos in the windows. You can pick up the Scavenger Hunt Vehicle List in the Youth Services department or at the drive-up window. (You will need to get out of your car to walk around the building.) Return your completed Scavenger Hunt List to the Youth Services department or drive-up window for a prize.

While you’re in the Youth Services department check out some of the great Big Rig books, in the Nonfiction Section, Board Books, and the GO Section in the Picture Books. Don’t forget online resources like Libby, Axis 360, and Hoopla. You can also browse our catalog, put books on hold, and pick them in person or at the drive-up window.

Here are just a few of the many books Big Rig books you can find at FDL:

Nonfiction

Fire Trucks: Racing to the Scene by Molly Aloian

The Usborne Big Book of Big Trucks by Megan Cullis

Humvees by John Hamilton

Trucks: The Ins and Outs of Monster Trucks, Semis, Pickups, and Other Trucks by Jeff Young

Tractor Trailers by Lola Schaefer

GO Section

Five Trucks by Brian Floca

Dump Trucks by Judith Jango-Cohen

Trucks Galore by Peter Stein

Grandma Drove the Snowplow by Katie Clark

I Stink! By Kate McMullan

Board Books

Construction Zoo by Jennifer Thorne

Busy Builders, Busy Week! By Jean Reidy

B is for Bulldozer by June Sobel

Colorful World: Construction Site by Nastja Holtfreter

Colorful World: Vehicles by Nastja Holtfreter

eBooks

Police Cars Machines with Power! by Amy McDonald (Libby)

Heavy-Duty Trucks by Joyce Milton (Axis 360)

Snowplows by Rebecca Pettiford (Hoopla)

Coast Guard Boats by B. J. Best (Hoopla)

– Kris, Youth Services Specialist

No time to browse? Our Book Bundles for kids are a great way to quickly pick up books for your child, or discover new books by specific subjects, read-alikes, or reading level. Each bundle contains 5 curated books centered around a theme and grade level, and each includes a corresponding craft or activity. Bundles can be requested through the online form, by email, or by phone. Choose from more than 20 topics, including adventure, mysteries, own voices, science, and more! Additional Bonus Bundles are available to check out monthly in Youth Services on a first-come, first-serve basis. Learn more at fondulaclibrary.org/book-bundles/.

Miss Alice thinks you’ll love learning all kinds of cool facts in the fun Who Would Win? series that pits two different types of animals against each other to see what might happen if they were to meet face-to-face! Head to our catalog to place one on hold!

When you mention “reading to children,” lots of people envision curling up in the rocking chair with little kids sitting quietly and listening to the story from beginning to end. Those day are wonderful and make lots of happy memories! However, there are also the times when kids are flipping the pages, crawling down off the chair, or crying because they have better things to do.

This happens occasionally during story time at the library, too. Kids are just finding their feet and going on adventures as they learn to move around. Children are often very busy! There is so much to explore, who can sit down?

On days when your children don’t want to sit down and listen to a story, interactive books may just be the ticket! Not only do interactive books let the child participate in the reading, there are also developmental benefits.

Touch and feel books offer sensory experiences. Pushing, pulling, turning, and lifting tabs help with the development of fine motor skills, as do touching and tracing the images on the pages. Tracing the words, starting at the top, moving left to right, down to the bottom of the page also gives children a very important beginning skill for learning to read.

Movement books help with the development of gross motor skills. Children learning how to walk, dance, run, jump, and wiggle will have lots of fun acting out the stories in these books. Interactive books make it easy to take a break from reading and ask some questions. Taking time to ask children questions throughout the story can help develop critical thinking skills. A great question is “What do you think will happen next?” This will help children make predictions, a skill that is very important throughout life.

Here are some fun books and activities that you and your child can interact with.

Touch and Feel

That’s Not My Giraffe … by Fiona Watt

P is for Puppy by Ellie Boultwood

Happy Thanksgiving Day! by Jill Roman Lord

Lift the Flap

What is Poop? by Katie Daynes

Jonny Lambert’s Construction Site by Jonathon Lambert

Peek-a-Boo Little Dinosaur by Yu-Hsuan Huang

Rapid Responders by Finn Coyle

Movement Books

From Head to Toe by Eric Carle

Boogie Monster by Josie Bissett

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig

Wiggle by Doreen Cronin

You are a Lion! by Tae-Eun Yoo

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas

Clap Your Hands by Lorinda Bryan Cauley

Move by Robin Page

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

Rhymes

If You’re Happy and You Know It by Jane Cabrera

The Itsy-Bitsy Spider by Iza Trapani

Teddy Bear Teddy Bear by Timothy Bush

The Wheels on the Bus by Annie Kubler

We are the Dinosaurs by Laurie Berkner

Baby Shark by John John Bajet

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

Games

Simon Says

Freeze Dance

Activity Cube

– Kris, Youth Services Specialist

Life can feel so much harder when food allergies and intolerances stop you from safely enjoying food, especially when you’re a little kid. Children don’t always understand why their friends at school or their family members can eat certain foods and they can’t, which can be socially isolating.

Many allergies can also be life-threatening, so it is important to teach children about them at an early age so they can understand just how careful they need to be, whether they themselves have an allergy or someone they know does. Food allergies can sound scary, but learning about how to live with them doesn’t have to be.

If you’re looking for materials that will help your child understand food allergies and how to feel about them, allow them to see themselves represented in a book, or teach you safe recipes and tips for helping your child navigate their allergies, check out these helpful books and online resources below.

Picture Books on Gluten Intolerance:

A Gluten-Free Birthday for Me! By Sue Fliess

I’m a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog by Michal Babay

The Gluten Glitch by Stasie John

Eating Gluten-Free with Emily: A Story for Children with Celiac Disease by Bonnie J. Kruszka

Picture Books on Peanut Allergies:

The Peanut-Free Café by Gloria Koster

The Princess and the Peanut Allergy by Wendy McClure

No Peanuts for Pete by Christina Roderick

Picture Books on Other Food Allergies:

Daniel Has an Allergy by Angela C. Santomero

The Bugabees: Friends with Food Allergies by Amy Recob

Books for Parents of Children With Food Allergies

Guides:

Kid’s Guide to Life with Food Allergies by Kai Brown

My Kids Can’t Eat That! (EBK): How to Deal with Allergies & Intolerances in Children by Christine Bailey

Safe Recipes:

Allergies, Away!: Creative Eats and Mouthwatering Treats for Kids Allergic to Nuts, Dairy, and Eggs by Frances Park

Eat Like a Dinosaur: Recipe & Guidebook for Gluten-free Kids by Paleo Parents

The Food Allergy Mama’s Easy, Fast Family Meals: Dairy, Egg, and Nut Free Recipes for Every Day by Kelly Rudnicki

Fearless Food: Allergy-Free Recipes for Kids by Katrina Jorgensen

Online Resources:

Kids With Food Allergies

Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)

My Food Allergy Friends

AllergyHome

“Best Food Allergy Online Support” – MyKidsFoodAllergies

– Haley, Youth Services Assistant

If you’ve been thinking about trying out yoga with your family, but aren’t sure where to start, this is for you! Yoga can be intimidating, especially for kids. The library’s new Yoga for Mindfulness STEAM Kit is the perfect way to introduce yoga in a playful setting with no pressure! (Check out the other new STEAM Kits for kids here.)

Yoga for Mindfulness STEAM Kit

The kit includes two games: Yoga Dice and the Yoga Spinner game. Yoga Dice is a collaborative game where the players race against a token of focus stones to complete the poses on the dice. The instructions are clear and simple – no yoga experience necessary! My 5-year-old and 8-year-old, who generally refuse to practice yoga with me, LOVED this game!

The Yoga Spinner game involves completing the poses on the spinner to collect a card of each of the four colors. As of the writing of this, my family hasn’t fully played this game, but they were both very excited to play it and disappointed when we had to stop. This game involves partner poses – which can be a little tricky!

Yoga for Kids by Susannah Hoffman is the book included in the kit with lots of awesome pictures and instructions for both parents and kids!

Other books on yoga for kids at our library include:

I am Yoga by Susan Verde Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Good Morning, Yoga by Mariam Gates illustrated by Sarah Jane Hinder

Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey

Sitting Still Like a Frog Activity Book: 75 Mindfulness Games for Kids by Eline Snel

– Cassie, Youth Services Assistant

Enjoy our last Bilingual Story Time with Miss Haley with some fun lucha libre stories! Pick up a craft kit while supplies last, and find more Spanish-language picture books through our online catalog!