Children's Update: Brazoria

The children’s area has been busy with Christmas activities. Each week we made an ornament according to our theme including a reindeer, a Christmas tree, and a Santa Claus. The final week we read Clement Clarke Moore's "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and had a party. The children decorated cookies, sorted colored marshmallows and ate lots of cookies and punch. Each child received a snowman ornament to take home and put on his or her own tree. Carmen did preschool storytime on December 30, and she read about New Year’s. The children colored New Year’s pictures.

We had Bedtime Stories this month and six children attended. We read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and several other Christmas books. The evening was topped off with milk and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Carmen and I went to Parent’s Night at the Brazoria Head Start Center. We gave an overview of the library system and the services we provide to children and adults.

I am planning winter events at this time including Valentines for Vets, which I will take to the Veteran’s Hospital in Houston. Also in the works are plans for Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras and a Valentine’s Day party.

We are happy to be “un-decorating” for Christmas and reorganizing for next year. All of us are planning for an exciting winter, spring and summer. Lots of good ideas have been expressed.

Jo, children's specialist

Children's Update: Brazoria

More than 80 people came to preschool storytime in October. The first week we read about farm animals and made a little barn to fill with farm critters. We learned about firemen and fire safety the following week. Ghosts were our next theme. We made ghost lacing cards for our craft. The final week we had a fun Halloween party with cake, cookies, orange punch and, of course, treat bags. One of the mothers took a group picture of all our little trick-or-treaters and had it published in The Facts.

I am taking some online classes that will help me better serve our patrons.

Jo, children's specialist

Children's Update: Brazoria

We have begun a new series for preschool storytime, “All About …” The first week was apples, and we made an apple counting book. Next came bears with a bear lacing card. We celebrated Mexican Independence Day on September 16 by reading “Magda’s Tortillas” by Becky Chavarria-Chairez. Our clerk, Magda, helped the children make their own tortillas which was great fun. The adults enjoyed it as much as the children. PBS provided the DVD for our “Dinosaur Train” storytime. We watched one of the series’ episodes which is broadcast regularly on PBS. The children really enjoyed the show. The last theme was “All About Cats” presented by Carmen, our clerk, as Ms. Jo was on vacation in Colorado.

We have been having a lot of interaction with a new crop of teens now that the new school year has begun. We hope to have some great programming for them soon.

Headstart has moved it’s classrooms to Sweeny, so I no longer have the opportunity to read to them. I’ll miss the students.

We are looking forward to storytimes, bedtime stories, and movies about fall, harvest and Halloween. We are also planning a pumpkin decorating contest for October.

Jo, children's specialist

Children's Update: Brazoria

We finished up the summer with preschool storytimes about Texas and tall tales, beaches, and new school years. We made Texas flag fans that proved popular with the parents, a starfish craft, and decorated foam-lettered pictures.

Our final teen program was a You, Me and Wii event. Attendance was low, but the teens enjoyed playing Guitar Hero. We also served chips and drinks.

Dawn Grimes cooked “chuckwagon grub” for one of our programs. The children were treated to rattlesnake stew, trail mix, sarsaparilla and cow patties.

Our End-of-Summer Party was a blast. Domino’s Pizza came and showed us how to make pizza crust. They threw dough at the children and let them play. Of course, they also brought pizza to eat. We served root beer floats. Popcorn was provided by the Brazoria Heritage Foundation.

The Barrow Elementary fifth graders visited the library with about 90 people. I read them a book which they loved. I also answered questions about the library. We even discussed audio books as a great way for students to earn their Accelerated Reader points. Jerry, the branch manager, took them on a tour of the library. His wife showed the students the mural of historic Brazoria in our meeting room. Two of our clerks, Magda and Melissa, gave the students a tutorial on computer use and databases. We all agreed it was a wonderful morning, and we hope that other classes will come to visit us soon.

We are looking forward to a new season of storytimes, bedtime stories and movies. We are also looking into new and different activities for all ages.

Jo, children's specialist

Children's Update: Brazoria

The hermit crabs are coming back to the library! We can’t wait for everyone to come say “hi” to our favorite summer creatures. Along with the hermit crabs, we’ll also have all kinds of Texas decorations and a June bride display.

Summer reading club arrives June 8! We have events scheduled every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday through August 15, so you have plenty of opportunities to enjoy yourself at the library.

We’re kicking summer off with our variety show, Texas Three Step: The Good, the Bad and the Funny. We’ll also have live animals, rope making, and fun science and math. Learn to line dance or eat grub from a cattle drive.

I visited Career Day at Wild Peach Elementary. I spoke to kindergarteners, first graders and second graders about how I became a children’s specialist. I read a book to each class and told them about summer reading club, too.

Jo, children's specialist

Children's Update: Brazoria

March has been a great month for preschool storytime. We've read stories about cowboys and rodeos, St. Patrick's Day, spring, and Easter bunnies. For crafts, we made leprechauns and rainbows. We learned the song "Little Bunny Foo Foo" from our clerk, Melissa. We've even had a special guest - Tania Tolbert, membership manager of the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council - who read a story and talked about the Girl Scouts. Thank you to Tania for visiting our storytime! We are planning an Easter Egg Hunt in April.

At Bedtime Stories in March, we read stories about trying NOT to go to sleep. When everyone was wide awake, we enjoyed milk and cookies.

I visited Head Start this month and read to the students. They enjoyed stories about leprechauns, spring and bunnies.

Summer reading club is planned. We're working on decorations, practicing for the variety show and preparing for all the fun and chaos.

Throughout April we will have book displays of Native American interest to celebrate "We Shall Remain," the documentary series airing on PBS.

Jo, children's specialist

Children's Update: Brazoria

We can’t believe how fast the year is passing! We finished our Let’s Go storytimes with books about airplanes. We talked about machines that fly and our own flying experiences. Many of our storytime attendees are frequent flyers.

Other storytimes featured celebrations for Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras. We made cards and masks, respectively. We finished up the month with stories about birds and made 3-D birds for our craft.

Bedtime Stories featured monsters under the bed. Everyone had a wonderful time and enjoyed the milk and cookies, too.

I went to Head Start two Fridays in February and read to the students. I have noticed their listening skills and their ability to sit through more stories has improved greatly since they began school in September.

March 7 is Heritage Days in Brazoria, and the branch library will have a float in the parade. Melissa and I are organizing this, and we’ll have children on the float.

We love being open on Fridays! Our displays look great, and we hope you come out to see them.

Jo, children's specialist

Children's Update: Brazoria

December was exciting. We read many Christmas stories during storytime. We made snowman ornaments, greeting cards and angel T-shirts. We had a fun Christmas party on Christmas Eve with punch and cookies. And we made fireworks pictures with glitter for New Year’s Eve.

Christmas in Brazoria was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Brazoria Historical Foundation. We participated by staffing the Kids Craft booth. The children painted plaster ornaments.

We made duct tape bags and wallets. At the suggestion of some patrons, we are planning this for adults in January.

Bedtime Stories is getting quite popular. We read several versions of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore. We also enjoyed hot cocoa and cookies.

A special Christmas Craft Day was held. Children made different kinds of ornaments and had a great time.

Storytimes will continue with stories about snow and various forms of transportation. Bedtime Stories will be held January 15.

We are fully staffed and open on Fridays! Our new clerk, Melissa, has been a patron for years. We are thrilled to have her join us. Welcome aboard, Melissa!

Jo, children's specialist