You're TREEmendous!

Our library butterflies are all in chrysalis!

 Pretty soon I will have butterfly pictures to share with you all. But in the meantime this week is all about TREES!

Did you know that trees could be fun? No? Well they most certainly can! All of the books in our library are made with paper, and paper is made from trees. So it only felt right that we paid tribute to them with a story time. I was also very inspired by these new books that joined our library collection this week:

 

I can't wait to share them with you in person but while we wait for that day, I hope you really enjoy the stories below!

A classic tree story is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It is all about generosity! The story both represents selfishness (the boy) and selflessness (the tree). It really serves as a great discussion starter about the contrast between the two.

Little Tree by Loren Long is a sweet story about change and transformation. I think we can all relate to going through some changes right now. Little Tree can teach us a lot about facing hard things while wanting to hold on to the familiar.  This story reminds us that there is a beauty in letting go.

Trees not only give us paper, but they release important oxygen into the environment. This is one of the main messages found in the book The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.  You can listen to that story here. 

Trees are also home to some really amazing creatures! Like this Bald Eagle family living in a nest in Florida and these cute Koalas at the San Diego Zoo. These live camera feeds give viewers a unique look at some of our animal friends who live in trees.

Still not convinced that trees are great?! Head on over to Wonderopolis to find out why we need trees.

The last thing I will leave you with are a few fun tree related activities to help keep you feeling inspired and creative:

Found Object Tree Art

Leaf Rubbings

Abstract Grid Tree Art

Stretch with the yoga pose "Tree Pose"

Metamorphasis

Having library butterflies was such a fun experience last year, I knew that I wanted to do it again this year. However with our library being closed, the caterpillars have been bunking with me and my family in our home. They came to us as wee little things, and spent their days eating and growing.

Once they were ready, they climbed to the top of the enclosure and attached themselves to the netting by their bottoms. They then hung upside down, curling just slightly into a "J" shape. They stayed like this until they are completely enclosed in their chrysalis. Having the larvae at home really gave me the opportunity to keep a close eye on them. From what I observed, it took the caterpillars about a day and a half to form a complete chrysalis. Soon they will be Painted Lady Butterflies!

In about 7-10 days they will emerge from their chrysalis, and their metamorphosis will be complete. I will be sure to share with you how many survive, and what happens when we release them.

Not only are butterfly books interesting, but they are often beautiful too. This is no surprise since butterflies themselves are quite beautiful. If we were together in the library I would have shared both non-fiction and fiction butterfly books with you while we watched the life cycle process. This is one topic we have many books about!

Here are some of my favourite butterfly/ caterpillar stories:

A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long is a non-fiction book that captivates like a storybook.  This story can be found on Tumblebooks, or listen below as Heather Herbay reads the story.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a classic that I just had to include here. Enjoy this video of author Eric Carle reading this sweet story.

The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach is silly, and fun. Especially when read by Ryan and Craig from Storytime with Ryan & Craig!

 Want to know more!? Here are some learning resources about life cycles and butterflies:

ScienceFlix: Life Cycles

The Blue Morpho: Costa Rica's Beautiful Blue Butterfly

Beginner Caterpillar Links: Usborne

Bug Links: Usborne


Follow the links below for fun butterfly and caterpillar related activities to keep you busy while we wait for the caterpillars to come out of chrysalis:

Butterfly Puzzle

How to Draw a Monarch Butterfly

Butterfly Origami

Guided Butterfly Yoga

Butterfly Art For Kids

Kindness Rocks!

The sun is out, and we have been too! During family walks in our neighbourhood and on hiking trails, I  have come across some beautifully painted rocks. These always make me smile, and I am so grateful to those who have hidden them as small acts of kindness. These kindness rocks inspired me to dig into our collection and find rock related books for this week.

Ishi: Simple Tips from a Solid Friend by Akiko Yabuki is such a lovely story about how to handle "stinky days", we all have them!

Only One You by Linda Kranz is a vibrant story book with some wonderful life advice for young and old.

If you're interested in learning more about rocks and minerals, here are some resources for you to check out:

Vancouver Rocks  learn about rocks and minerals with a geologist from the lower mainland.

Discover fun facts about rocks and minerals using Science Flix

Check out the non-fiction e-book Geology On the Move

We painted collected and painted some kindness rocks of our own, maybe you will be inspired to create some too! 

May 10th

On Sunday, May 10th some of us will be celebrating the amazing female caregivers in our lives. For me, that will be my Mom but for some that person may be their Grandma, their aunt, a neighbour, a mentor, a cousin, or an older sister. So with these lovely ladies in mind, I wanted to share with you some of my favourite stories that celebrate these unique and special relationships.


1. Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty (Illustrated by David Roberts)

Rosie is a brilliant and creative engineer all her own, but it is her great-great aunt Rose who helps her realize this by teaching her to be brave and by offering her unwavering support and encouragement.

2. Possum Magic by Mem Fox (Illustrated by Julie Vivas)

The special bond between Hush and Grandma Poss takes the pair on a delightful adventure to undo the magic that has kept Hush safe, but also has made her invisible much of her life.

3. Someday by Alison McGhee (Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds)

This story is about a mother's love, and all of her hopes and dreams for her child as they grow.

4. Miss Maple's Seeds by Eliza Wheeler 

Miss Maple takes exceptional care of little seeds, helping them grow and thrive. This book is a beautiful metaphor for a female caregiver who has nothing but patience, love and kindness for those in her care.

There are SO many great stories that celebrate caregivers and those who love us and help us grow, it was a challenge to choose just a few. I hope that this coming weekend you all can think of someone to be grateful for and that you are able to tell them what they mean to you.