The Importance of Music for Children

Library Notes

Erika Kosin

            Have you ever noticed how much young children gravitate to music?  Did you know that by listening to music with your child at an early age you are helping them develop essential pre-literacy skills?  

 Researchers have found that music is linked to increased phonological awareness, language development, vocabulary, problem solving, reasoning and recall which enables your child to develop  the basic skills necessary to become better readers and learners.

            Early on, children learn from listening to their parents talk to each other or other adults.  When they listen to music they are listening to new words and vocabulary that they might not hear from their parents.  Toddler music, such as “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”, fosters the ability for children to actively listen and follow instructions, an important skill needed when they start school.  The benefits of music at this age extends to math as well.  Many toddler songs feature numbers and counting, such as “The Ants Go Marching” or “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”.  The rhythm and beat of the music invites a child to clap hands, stamp feet and use rhythm instruments while encouraging the development of pre-math skills. 

            The art of music is very similar to story telling.   Songs follows a story line and usually have a chorus and/or repetitive phrases  that encourage children to sing along and become active participants.   Singing is one of the best ways for children to play with sounds and develop phonological awareness.  Singing provides an opportunity for children to manipulate sounds by blending them together and breaking them apart.  Hearing and understanding sound is a crucial component of becoming a good reader.  These are just a few reasons why music is such an integral part of story time at the Rowan Public Library.  We  incorporate fun and exciting ways to sing our favorite books.  It is amazing how many stories can be sung to the tune  of the “Farmer in the Dell” or “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”.   Did you realize that the tune for the  “Alphabet Song” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” are one and the same?

            Here at the Rowan Public Library, we encourage parents to develop a routine of reading books and singing songs with their child on a daily basis.    The Children’s Room offers a small collection of toddler and baby music for checkout.  Bottom line, pop-in one of your child’s favorite music CD’s while driving down the road and bask in the assurance that you are helping your child in their journey to become a reader and a life long learner. 

“Dig Into Reading” at Rowan Public Library

Library Notes

August 18, 2013

Dara L. Cain

    Preschoolers had the opportunity to watch some fantastic picture books come to life at Rowan Public Library (RPL) this summer! Amazing stories, props, and music entertained the children as they got to “Dig Into Reading” with underground themed titles.  Here is a brief review of some of the great books that they got to see performed by RPL staff.
     
One of the first things that come to mind when we think of the word “underground” are animals that reside below the surface.  Mouse Count written by Ellen Stoll Walsh is a silly book about ten mice that one-by-one get captured by a hungry snake.  Don’t worry though, the mice are very smart and just might come up with a clever idea to outwit the snake. 

In the story Magic Rabbit by Richard Jesse Watson a rabbit jumps out of a magic hat and performs some pretty amazing tricks. But what fun is conjuring up a car to drive, juggling balls, and a picnic if there is no one to share in the fun.  Can the magic hat provide the most amazing trick of all? 

It’s springtime in the story 999 Frogs Wake Up by Ken Kimura and the frogs are surprised to learn that the other animals living in the swamp are still sleeping.  The frogs take matters into their own hands by waking the biggest frog first, followed by the tortoise, the lizard, and the ladybugs.  Everything is going well until they hop down a hole and encounter someone they don’t want to wake - a big, long snake.

    Speaking of hopping down holes, in the story Oh, No! by Candice Fleming a Tiger chases a frog through the forest until he falls into a deep, deep hole.  Young children will have fun repeating the refrain “OH, NO!” as one animal after another falls into the hole as they try to rescue Frog.  While Tiger is slumped over eyeing his tasty feast “the ground bumble-rumbled and began to shake” and Elephant comes to help them escape. Meanwhile, Tiger ends up falling into the hole and asks for help.  What do you think the animals will do?
In search of treasure, a young red headed boy in Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck explores the depths of the sea.  He spies an octopus waving at him, hitches a ride with a dolphin, and fences a swordfish until at last he finds buried treasure.  But as soon as he finds it he must say goodbye to the treasure and his sea friends when he sees a smiling shark. 
   
    When we think of “underground” we also think about gardens and planting. My Garden by Kevin Henkes is about a young girl who loves to help her mother tend to the garden and dreams of what her very own garden would look like.  She imagines a garden that doesn’t have weeds and the flowers always bloom.  In her garden she would be able to change the colors and patterns of the flowers just by thinking it, rabbits would be made of chocolate, and jelly beans would grow on bushes.  To find out what other extraordinary ideas this young girl has in store for her garden you will have to read this delightful story by Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes. 

In Tops and Bottoms, a Caldecott Honor book adapted and illustrated by Janet Stevens we meet Bear a wealthy but lazy landowner who enjoys sleeping all day and smart Hare who is broke and needs to feed his large family.  Hare uses his wits and convinces Bear to donate his land and in return Hare will do all the work and they can split the crops.  In this trickster tale Bear must choose tops or bottoms but since Hare is in control he plants his crops accordingly.  If Bear selects tops Hare plants root crops leaving Bear with a useless harvest.  If Bear chooses bottoms Hare plants corn, leaving empty stalks.  Will Bear ever learn about the importance of having a good work ethic?

A farmer plants a potato eye that grows into “the biggest potato in the world” in the story Enormous Potato by Dusan Petricic. Come harvest time the farmer can not uproot the potato by himself and seeks the help of his wife, followed by his daughter, the dog, and the cat but to no evail they can not set free the root from the ground.  The real surprise comes at the end when help from a tiny mouse finally frees the potato.  

If you didn’t have a chance to “Dig Into Reading” this summer with your children at the preschool storytime program you can still get your hands on these wonderful children’s picture books at RPL. 

Eco-thrillers pique our interest in crime and the environment

Edward Hirst
Library Notes

Eco-thrillers explore the issue of environmental crime, and nature is central to the story. The novels usually involve a single underdog hero who faces down a large, corrupt corporation for the highest stakes imaginable: the future of our planet as we know it.

“The Monkey Wrench Gang,” by Edward Abbey, is a classic environmental novel from 1975 that revolves around George Washington Hayduke III, a Vietnam veteran, who, upon returning home to the desert of southern Utah, finds the canyons and rivers under attack from industrial development. On a rafting trip, Hayduke joins forces with saboteur Bonnie Abbzug, wilderness guide Seldom Seen Smith and billboard torcher Doc Sarvis, and together they wage war on dam builders, road builders and strip miners.

In “Don’t Cry, Tai Lake,” by Qiu Xiaolong, Chief Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai Police Department is offered a week’s vacation at a resort near Lake Tai where he can relax, undisturbed by outside demands or disruptions. Unfortunately, the once beautiful Lake Tai, renowned for its clear waters, is now covered by algae and the water is polluted by toxic runoff from local manufacturing plants. Then the director of one of the manufacturing plants responsible for the pollution is murdered and the leader of the local ecological group is the primary suspect of the local police. Chen must tread carefully if he is to uncover the truth behind the brutal murder and find a measure of justice for both the victim and the accused.

In the book “About Face,” by Donna Leon, set in Venice, environmental concerns become significant in Inspector Brunetti’s work when an investigator from the Carabiniere, looking into the illegal hauling of garbage, asks for a favor. But the investigator is not the only one with a special request. His father-in-law needs help and a mysterious woman comes into the picture. Brunetti soon finds himself in the middle of an investigation into murder and corruption more dangerous than anything he’s seen before.

On one of Florida’s private islands, a notorious Russian black marketer is hosting a reception for a group of poachers and smugglers interested in exporting caviar and pushing the fish that provides it closer to extinction. In the book “Chasing Midnight,” by Randy Wayne White, Doc Ford only wanted to get an underwater look at the billionaire’s yacht, but when he surfaces, he gets a look at something he’d rather not see. A group of violent, eco-terrorists have taken control of the island, their true identity unknown. Whatever the motive, they threaten to kill the hostages one by one unless their demands are met — after which they might kill everyone anyway.

“When the Killing’s Done,” by T.C. Boyle, is principally set on the Channel Islands off the coast of California. Alma Boyd Takesue is a National Park Service biologist spearheading the efforts to save the islands’ native creatures from invasive species. Her antagonist, Dave LaJoy, is a local businessman who is fiercely opposed to the killing of any animals whatsoever and will go to any lengths to subvert her plans.

Check out these thrillers and others at Rowan Public Library.

Beyond Downton Abbey: Inquiry & Intrigue

Library Notes

by Pam Everhardt Bloom

I love PBS and I particularly love the variety of BBC and other British DVDs available at the Rowan Public Library. I’ve spent the last nine years perusing the collection and as much as I love Downton Abbey and Jane Austen, British mysteries are my continual favorites. There’s a mystery to suit every mood, from the light and amusing to the dark and dangerous.

Old favorites readily come to mind: Inspector Morse, a senior CID (Criminal Investigation Department) officer with the fictional Oxford City Police force is not to be missed and there are still a few videos of this old favorite available at the library for viewing. If like me, you no longer own a VCR, don’t despair. The Inspector Morse series continues in two new guises, Endeavor and Inspector Lewis. Endeavor is the first name of Colin Dexter’s immortalized detective and this newer show introduces the viewer to a young Detective Constable Endeavour Morse. The young constable is exceedingly bright and equally arrogant while totally oblivious of the effect his demeanor has on others. Although prior viewing of the original Inspector Morse adds to the experience, Endeavor is totally effective on its own accord. Inspector Lewis reintroduces Morse’s former Detective Sergeant, Robbie Lewis, now promoted and with his own side-kick, a charmingly brilliant and arrogant Cambridge-educated sergeant. The duo’s chemistry is excellent and I find these mysteries as complex as the original Inspector Morse.

Another re-take of an old favorite (however, don’t miss The Legendary Sherlock Holmes) is Sherlock, a series that brings Holmes and Watson back together in modern day London. Witty and fast paced, the actors timing is impeccable and the stories compelling.

Additionally, I never tire of Oliver’s Travels. Starring Alan Bates as a recently terminated humanities professor, the cold case mystery he becomes enmeshed in involves humor, intellect, wit, a search for Aristotle and unexpected romance. Other series that provide a lighter side to the usual murder include Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Rosemary and Thyme, Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Miss Marple, Lord Peter Wimsey, Campion, The Last Detective, A Touch of Frost, The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency and Midsomer Muders. The original Midsomer cast provides great entertainment; however, the new DCI John Barnaby introduced in Set 21 brings interesting changes I thoroughly enjoy.

For comedy-drama with a twist, Vexed is worth a look. Compared by some reviewers to Leslie Nielson’s “Naked Gun,” this detective duo delivers a British version of the somewhat absurd and irreverent. “New Tricks,” one of the most-watched shows on British TV, brings a fun crew of retired cops and some traditional and not so traditional sleuthing. It is not to be missed.

For WWII connections, look no further than Foyle’s War and The Bletchley Circle. Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle deals with crime on the home front and the intricacy of criminals taking advantage during and shortly after the war. The Bletchley Circle, set in the early 1950s, follows four women who were code breakers during WWII and now lead civilian lives. One of them starts following a police case and turns to her former friends to crack the case using their former skills.

Going to the darker side of detective mysteries, look for Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Heat of the Sun, Touching Evil, Second Sight, Ruth Rendall Mysteries, Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries, Cracker, Rebus, Prime Suspect and Wallender. For political intrigue, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and State of Play are joined by the futuristic The Last Enemy. This 5-part series convincingly explores political cover-ups and biological warfare with a different twist.