A list of middle grade and young adult fairy tale retellings for the 2020 summer reading theme Imagine Your Story.

CENTREVILLE — The Queen Anne’s County Library is excited to kick off its 2020 Summer Reading Program on June 15. This year’s summer reading theme is “Imagine Your Story” and while it may feel a little different than previous years due to COVID-19, the Library is planning to make this year’s Summer Reading one to remember. As in the past, Summer Reading has programs available for children, teens and adults.

We are having a great summer reading program called IMAGINE YOUR STORY! We have people writing us book reports, creating in their homes, trying out the take it & make it kits, walking the story walk outside our building, earning fairy tale prizes, reading with pets and so much more. Please enjoy these pictures of what has happened so far! It is NOT too late to participate. The place to start is: muehlpubliclibrary.beanstack.org or pick up the packet by ringing the library doorbell. Thanks to my amazing staff who are helping with EVERYTHING: Angie, Colette, Debby, Jill, Kaarina, and Leslie and volunteer/neighbor extraordinaire Dan Jach. Keep reading, making art, learning about science, taking care of one another!

Do you want to encourage summer reading for your students or your own kids? Try out this fun summer reading pack. The pack includes two different challenges. In one challenge, students must complete a specified number of challenges. In the other challenge, students will complete a scavenger hunt wit...

Encourage reading all summer long with our simple reading challenge for kids! This free bundle includes reading lists, book marks, & goal sheets!

This classic paper fortune teller can also be a cool paper story idea generator. You can also use our free online story idea generator.

This classic paper fortune teller can also be a cool paper story idea generator. You can also use our free online story idea generator.

Free for Happythought CraftClub members – Make storytelling fun and inspiring with over 35 images to choose from let your child's imagination run wild!

Time: 10 minutes Age: Big kids Difficulty to make: Easy peasy Skill: Literacy, story telling

I love that something as natural as a rock can been turned into something magical with just a little paint. Story stones and painted rocks are a great way to foster storytelling, creative play and

"Superhero" is the word this summer, what with the collaborative library summer reading program theme of "Every Hero Has a Story." At our library, we've been making all sorts of preparation, the most basic being book lists! Here are eight of my favorite superhero picture books... SuperHero ABC Written and illustrated by Bob McLeod (ISBN: 978-0061914621) Bubble-man blowing big bubbles and Goo Girl shooting gobs of goo? Danger man doing daring deeds and Odor Officer objecting to offensive odors? These heroes, silly and zany though they may be, have the unusual skills to conquer villains—one letter at a time! With renowned comic-book illustrator Bob McLeod behind it, it's really no wonder that this book is just fantastic. The heroes are classic, yet so silly at the same time—I was giggling throughout. It may just be my favorite favorite. The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man Written by Michael Chabon, illustrated by Jake Parker (ISBN: 978-0061914621) Awesome Man can shoot positronic rays out of his eyeballs, fly as straight as an arrow, and hug mutant Jell-O! Villains like Professor Von Evil and the Flaming Eyeball are no match for this caped crusader! But Awesome Man has a secret... Can you guess it? Really, any superhero named Awesome Man is just, you know, totally awesome. The illustrations are fantastic in a classic, mid-century-modern sort of way. And of course, there's a secret to discover! A secret all superheroes have... The Day I Lost My Superpowers Written by Michaël Escoffier, illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo (ISBN: 978-1592701445) Every hero goes through the same process of discovering one's powers. This little girl has all sorts! Flying and making things disappear and going invisible. But sometimes, it doesn't always work. And on a day where things go really wrong, she just may discover she's not the only one with superpowers. This book is adorable and perfectly simple. The illustrations are basic, but convey just the right emotion. With just a touch of humor, it tells the story of childhood in a super way. So fantastic! Super Red Riding Hood Written and illustrated by Claudia Davila (ISBN: 978-0061914621) Ruby loves all things red—especially the red cloak her grandmother made her. When she puts it on, she becomes SUPER RED RIDING HOOD! So when her mother sends her to the forest to pick some delicious red raspberries, she dons her cloak and fearlessly begins her quest. Not even the darkness, mysterious sounds, or snapping twigs will scare her! But what about a large, hungry wolf? This isn't your standard fairy tale! But it is one of those books that's great for empowering kids to help them work through their fears and problems. The illustrations and story are action-packed and it has a great ending. My Dad, My Hero Written and illustrated by Ethan Long (ISBN: 978-1402242397) Okay, so maybe Dad isn't a superhero—he sure can't fly or leap buildings in a single bound. He doesn't have super strength or x-ray vision or a force field. But he's still super and he is my hero! The illustrations are what make this book utterly hilarious and adorable. It has just the right amount of sentimentality with some jokes thrown in to keep it light (the ending, especially, is just perfect). So, while I guess it's not about a superhero, it's still a super book. Ten Rules of Being a Superhero Written and illustrated by Deb Pilutti (ISBN: 978-0805097597) Real superheroes follow some very important rules. For instance, a superhero must always respond to a call for help, save innocent victims, be brave, and—sometimes—be really loud or messy. Even if some people don't understand. Another book to celebrate the imagination of children and how every kid can be a hero! The illustrations are cute, which matches the cuteness of the story. It's in a similar category to The Day I Lost My Superpowers in that it focuses more on the child and less on the superhero aspect of the story. Supertruck Written and illustrated by Stephen Savage (ISBN: 978-1596438217) The firetruck puts out fires. The tow truck saves stranded cars. But the garbage truck? He just gets the trash. But what happens when a powerful blizzard hits the city? Well, here comes SUPERTRUCK, ready to save the day! This is just a great book all around. It has super simple text and illustrations, so it reaches the youngest readers, but has enough intrigue to keep older reader's attention. Trucks can be heroes, too! Batman: The Story of the Dark Knight Written and illustrated by Ralph Cosentino (ISBN: 978-0670062553) Before he was the hero, he was a kid named Bruce Wayne. He trained and educated himself to become the hero we all know today. Now he fights villains, saves victims, and stops monsters. He is...Batman! If you want to raise your children on the classic, beloved superheroes, this is your beginner book. Besides Batman, Cosentino has also done Superman and Wonder Woman. There's simple, but with just the right amount of detail to be truly educational. It's the training wheels of a future comic-book lover. ............. Of course, even without the big push this summer, superhero books are good at anytime and for any age. Give these ones a try. Any other favorites I've missed?

It was a room full of Kings and Queens of Hearts. To make it proper – each child made their own cape and crown. Oooo – the fun we had! (These would be so great for a birthday party!) To make the cape – all you need is a plastic table cloth from the dollar […]

This storytime was for a preschool-aged group at my library. Today's storytime was brought to you by the letter "K." So on the board when the kids walked in was: Read Aloud Books There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a KnightWritten by Penny Parker Klostermann, illustrated by Ben Mantle This brand new book follows the classic "there was an old lady who swallowed a fly," but this time: it's a dragon. He's got a whole kingdom to eat! But what happens when he gets a little too full? Well, the kids thought it was pretty darn hilarious. Especially the giant burp at the end that they got to help me with. King Bidgood's in the BathtubWritten by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood And no one can get him out. It's a classic. It's beloved. I really like spending some time with the illustrations, too. The Knight and the DragonWritten and illustrated by Tomie dePaola The knight and the dragon are preparing for their showdown, building armor and practicing fire breathing. But what happens when it's time for the actual fight? Maybe the palace librarian has an idea... I like it, but it does require a lot of explaining of the pictures (there's not a lot of text). Songs & Rhymes Hello Song Song: The Wings of the Dragon (Tune: The Wheels on the Bus) The wings of the dragon go up and down, Up and down, up and down. The wings of the dragon go up and down, All through the land. The princess in the tower says, “Please save me!” The knight scares the dragon far, far away The people in the kingdom jump and shout! Action Rhyme: Dragon, Dragon Dragon dragon turn around. Dragon dragon touch the ground. Dragon dragon fly up high. Dragon dragon float in the sky. Dragon dragon shake your tail. Dragon dragon move slow like a snail. Dragon Dragon give a roar. Dragon dragon sit back down on the floor. Goodbye Song Games & Activities Flannel Rhyme & Game: Five Little Knights A simple counting rhyme and our favorite "little mouse, little mouse" game. Flannel Song: There's a Castle in the Middle of the Moat I got the idea for this flannel from Mel's Desk, and adjusted the song only slightly for what I wanted. It turned out to be a lot of fun, once I learned that I should sing it slow so that the kids can sing along (it gets pretty hard by the last verse!). Song: In the Middle of the Moat There’s a castle in the middle of the moat There’s a castle in the middle of the moat There’s a castle, there’s a castle, There’s a castle in the moat. There’s a throne in the castle in the middle of the moat… There’s a king on the throne in the castle in the middle of the moat… There’s a crown on the king on the throne in the castle in the middle of the moat… Craft: Crowns Other Book Ideas The Kiss That MissedWritten and illustrated by David Melling Many MoonsWritten by James Thurber, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin Over at the CastleWritten by Boni Ashburn, illustrated by Kelly Murphy The Tiny KingWritten and illustrated by Taro Miura

Get ready to don your armor and grab your sword – this year’s summer reading theme is “Choose Your Library Adventure!” When I think of adventure, I think of quests. This fla…

Hang out in castles, go on a magic carpet ride and head under the sea with these easy projects for kids of all ages.

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This idea came straight from my son. “What should we make today?” and he suggested a beanstalk and he made it very clear that he wanted to be Jack… so this is what we did. Gather your materials. You will need some craft paper ( you could use thick wrapping paper, just use the reverse […]

A lot of these ideas could also work for a Percy Jackson party!! For us, we decided not to call it that so we could also focus on telling the stories too. The idea behind this program was to repli…

Our second attempt - So much brighter!

Five free creative science and engineering activities to pair with summer reading to encourage imaginative play and storytelling.

Picture books has the incredible ability to capture and inspire your imagination. They bring to life new places and different experiences. The best make you temporarily get lost in their pages. Below are some of our favorites. This post was originally shared as part of our A Read A Day Challenge. affiliate links are included […]

Fairy tales are stories that every child can relate to. Each fairy tales stories teaches our kids values and helps imaginations grow. These easy crafts allow your child to express their creativity through the magic

Make some activity jars for busy kids this summer! No more “I’m bored!” or “what can I do now?”, these activity jars are packed full of simple, easy to prepare ideas to help kids make their own choices, direct their own play and keep busy throughout the school break. Yay! Before I write about this...Read More »

Fairy Tale STEM Activity - Goldilocks and the Three Bears Try a hands-on STEM challenge with Goldilocks and the Three Bears! This STEM activity is designed for lower elementary kids. I am so excited to share some details about it! STEM tales introduce the youngest budding engineers to STEM, by taking a familiar story and using it to walk through the engineering design process. Do you love telling and re-telling stories with your kids? Do you ever change the ending to spice it up a bit? That's exactly what STEM tales is all about! Integrate Literacy and STEM with Fairy Tales The 8-page book provides an alternative ending to this story. Your students need to help make a bed for Goldilocks. Goldilocks is simply a printed out figure, which you can add weigh to with either small masses, pennies, or washers. Using whatever crafting materials you have handy (index cards and tape are really all that is needed, but feel free to use other supplies as well), create a new bed for Goldilocks. The Testing Phase of the STEM Challenge Is the bed large enough? Will it hold the weight of the figure? You will be surprised at the designs your students come up with! Designing and creating a bed for Goldilocks is a way for students to bring the fairy tale alive. After you have tested out the beds, it's time to introduce the bear family to the challenge (mama, papa, and baby, who is the same size as Goldilocks). You will add heavier weights to mama and papa bear, and then test the designs again. This is a great way to demonstrate why it's important to know your design criteria before starting a STEM challenge! Mama bear may fit on some and not others, or papa bear may fit but weigh too much and collapse the bed. Get the Goldilocks Fairy Tale STEM Challenge Here is the link to the full resource. In addition to all the steps above, the 8-page story book guides students through the engineering design process and also includes a self-evaluation check list. Or pin the idea for later: How to Conduct a STEM Tale Challenge To read more about how to conduct a STEM challenge, visit this post: To see all posts in this series, click here:

When planning out our Tot School calendar I have to tell you that I was not really as excited for some themes as others… I mean pumpkins, apples and Valentines, YES! Bring it on! But space, cars and dinosaurs aren’t exactly my jam. I’m a girl mom to 2 little pink tutu wearing cutie pies. […]

Fairy Tales STEM Blog Series What are STEM Tales? STEM Tales are a way to integrate literacy and STEM/STEAM activities for kids in first through third grade. The stories engage the kids, and as they read through the story they are seamlessly lead through the Engineering Design Process. Click any of the images below to read more about the STEM challenge, read this post about how to run a STEM tale challenge, or visit my Teachers pay Teachers shop where you can purchase one STEM tale, sets of 3, or 12 altogether. Goldilocks and the Three Bears Robin Hood Rapunzel Hansel and Gretel Beauty and the Beast Jack and the Beanstalk The Ugly Duckling The 3 Billy Goats Gruff The 3 Little Pigs Snow White Little Red Riding Hood The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Check out this summer reading list for the best reads for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders!

Since reading The Goblet of Fire, we've been inspired to create our own Harry Potter dragon's eggs!

This Foaming Dragon Science experiment is a fun way to teach kids about chemical reactions. Watch the Dragon foam over and over again.

So. Revamping the prizes for the Summer Reading Club. We're doing it this year and I'm really, really excited about the changes we've made. We typically have about 1000 PreK-5th grade kids finish the Summer Reading Club and earn prizes. This is in addition to our Daycare Summer Reading Club kids, who get a different prize for simplicity's sake. Our programming budget for the year is $5000 and out of that, we designate $3000 for Summer Reading Club. This includes hiring performers, ordering SRC supplies like book bags and reading logs, decorations, prizes, and supplies for all programs throughout the summer. For many years, we've offered a packet of coupons donated by local businesses (free ice cream, pizza, zoo passes, etc.), which we're still doing. I also like to give them a little something with the coupons because not everyone can use the coupons, and the idea of coupons is vague, especially for littles. BUT. I HATE the idea of giving them some cheap piece of plastic. So this year, we've put together a bunch of different Science Activity Packs. When kids complete the Summer Reading Club (for us, it's reading 30 books or reading for 10 hours), they'll get their freebie coupons and they'll select from a menu of science activities that they can take home and do. Here's our menu: Balloon Rocket Building Squares Exploding Stick Bomb Marshmallow Building Tangram Challenge Texture Book Each of these links will take you to more details about the activity, but basically we provide the supplies and a sheet with instructions, challenges, and/or ideas for additional activities they can do with the materials provided. Each of the packs we're providing cost 30 cents or less to put together, including the plastic bags. We made at least 100 of each to start with and they're costing WAY less than the plastic prizes we were giving away before. Yes, they were labor-intensive to put together, but it gave us a great project to utilize the volunteers we have at the library! And they have been very popular with the kids. They love choosing from our menu and we've not had one complaint about them not getting a toy. The other big change we made with prizes this year was to eliminate our "Grand Prize" drawings in favor of giving away a free book to every child who completes two levels of the program. In the past, kids could earn raffle tickets for every so many books or minutes they read. The prizes were high-appeal, but only a few kids would actually win them. This year, we've culled together prize books from donations and from review copies I receive for this blog. We may also supplement by ordering additional books through the Scholastic FACE (Family and Community Engagement) program, which provides books at a very low cost to organizations who will give those books away to children. I wondered if we'd have upset kids and parents when they didn't see all those prize drawing boxes on the back of our desk, but so far everyone's understood the need for a change. We only have to tell them that this way, EVERYONE has the potential to win something, not just 20-odd kids at the end of the summer. There are more reasons than that, of course. By giving away books, we're practicing intrinsic motivation (reading for the love of reading) rather than encouraging extrinsic motivation (reading because you might win Legos). Guess which kind of motivation is more effective in creating life-long readers? To go along with that, we've emphasized to kids throughout our school visits that we would love to help them pick out books that are AWESOME and will be fun to read this summer and we've been doing a LOT of readers' advisory. I'll have more information about our science activity packs in the coming days, but in the meantime I'd love to know what creative ideas you've had for Summer Reading prizes!

A lot of these ideas could also work for a Percy Jackson party!! For us, we decided not to call it that so we could also focus on telling the stories too. The idea behind this program was to repli…

This post is sponsored by Disney’s Aladdin. Aladdin is a classic story of magical wishes, an independent princess, and a prince who learns to be proud of his identity. I’ve teamed up with Disney to celebrate the release of the Aladdin film, now available on Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere, and on Blu-ray Oct […]

Storytelling games are so much fun. These 10 storytelling games are great for kids (and adults) of all ages! Have you ever played any of them?