A Little This and That from Andie

Money Matters for Kids

Have you ever bought your child that candy bar or comic at the checkout counter to calm a tantrum?
Most parents experience moments that tempt them to keep their children happy and behaving well—and often this involves money. But as the old saying goes, “money doesn’t always buy happiness,” especially when it comes to kids.
“Parents should be open about money with their children,” said Charlotte Baechur, editor of Zillions, the Consumer’s Union magazine for kids. “If they’re going to make a purchase that’s visible to the child such as a car or a TV, they should talk about the expense and say things like, ‘Well, if we buy this, we can’t buy that, or we will have to cut back on that.”
In this economic climate, many parents are teaching their children at an early age about how to manage and budget their money. We have several books that address these issues and make the subject matter easier to grasp for children. Additionally several wonderful websites have sprung up devoted to helping kids of all ages learn about money and investing. It is never too early to teach children how to make smart money decisions that will last a lifetime. Here is a compilation of both books and websites that will help in the education about money and finances for children.

Try one of these websites:

H.I.P. Pocket Change from the US Mint

ChangeMaker from FunBrain

Cash Puzzler from Visa’s Practical Money Skills for Life

These and other books about money and saving for kids are available in Marple Public Library:

Rancic, Bill.  Beyond the lemonade stand : starting small to make it BIG!  J 658.1 RAN  
Business advice from the winner of the television show The apprentice.

Harman, Hollis Page.  Barron’s money sense for kids  J 332.024 HAR  
Explains the nature of money, the different ways in which it can be represented, and how it can be saved or invested. Includes games and activities.

Gill, Shelley.  The big buck adventure  J 513 GIL
Rhyming account of a little girl’s quandary as she tries to decide what she can get with her dollar in a candy shop, toy store, deli, and pet department.

Leedy, Loreen.  Follow the money!  J 332.4 LEE  
A quarter describes all the ways it is used from the time it is minted until it is taken back to a bank.

Adler, David A.  Money madness  J 332.4 ADL  
From bartering, early forms of currency, credit cards, and digital payment, here is a clear and thorough introduction to money.

Bateman, Katherine Roberta.  The young investor : projects and activities for making your money grow  J 332.6 BAT  
Suggests how to make your money grow, discussing savings, investing, stocks, and the economy.

A Little This and That from Andie

Kung Hei Fat Choy! 

February 14, 2010 marks the start of the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Chinese New Year is a very old celebration, a time for repaying debts, enjoying feasts, giving “red envelopes” of lucky money to friends and relatives, and remembering ancestors.

My first Chinese New Year / Karen Katz. JE KATZ, KAREN HOLIDAY-VARIOUS Bright/vibrant collages illustrate this simple introduction to Chinese New Year.

Celebrating Chinese New Year / Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith J 394.2 HOY HOLIDAY – VARIOUS Go along with Ryan as he and his family prepare to celebrate Chinese New Year in their home and community.

Chinese New Year / Catherine Chambers. J 394.261 CHA

Lion dancer : Ernie Wan’s Chinese New Year / Kate Waters and Madeline Slovenz-Low. On the Chinese New Year, six-year-old Ernie will perform his first Lion Dance. An intimate look at a Chinese household as the family shares a proud moment with Ernie. J 394.2 WAT

A gift / Yong Chen. Amy receives a gift for the Chinese New Year from her aunt and uncles who live far away in China. JE CHEN, YONG HOLIDAY – VARIOUS

Bringing in the New Year / Grace Lin. JE LIN, GRACE Tells a colorful story on how each member of the family participates in welcoming the Lunar New Year.

Happy New Year, Julie / by Megan McDonald. The first Christmas since Julie’s parents’ divorce is difficult for the whole family, but Julie finds comfort sharing the Chinese New Year traditions of her best friend, Ivy Ling, and thinking about new beginnings. JFIC AMERICAN GIRL

D is for dragon dance / by Ying Chang Compestine. JE COMPESTINE, YING From firecrackers to noodles, from red envelopes to the zodiac, young readers are introduced to the exciting traditions of the Chinese New Year.

Moonbeams, dumplings & dragon boats : a treasury of Chinese holiday tales, activities & recipes / Nina Simonds, Leslie Swartz, and the Children’s Museum of Boston. J 394.26 SIM Filled with delectable recipes, hands-on family activities, and traditional tales to read aloud, this collection will inspire families everywhere to re-create the magic of Chinese holidays in their own homes.

http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/chinesenewyear.php Great collection of fun activities and instructional how to’s including dragon crafts, paper lanterns & garlands, scavenger hunt sheets, related lesson plans, plus links to clip art & history resources

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_new_year.htm Coloring pages, crafts and activities about the Chinese New Year for kids.

http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/festival/newyear/newyear.html Explains the customs and traditions associated with the holiday. From the Chinese Culture Center.

http://pbskids.org/sagwa/games/countdown/ Easy games to help children get ready for the Chinese New Year. From the PBS program, Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat

http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese_new_year/ To catch on to the right spirit of the Chinese New Year, here you will find greeting cards, history, wallpapers, history and traditions and more.

A little this and that from Andie

Winter Olympics – 2010 Vancouver

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well.” Olympic Creed

Every four years the world celebrates “In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams.” And so the games begin.

Websites:

http://www.vancouver2010.com/ – Page for the 2010 Winter Olympics

http://teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/researchstarters/olympics/ – Scholastic Research Starter – Winter Olympics

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/specials/articles/0,28285,1963870,00.html - Time for Kids – Winter Olympics 2010

http://www.vancouver2010.com/mascot/en/meet.php – Meet the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic mascots, play games and explore!

http://abcteach.com/directory/theme_units/sports/olympics/ – A fun collection of Olympic resources and activities

http://www.printactivities.com/Theme-Printables/WinterOlympics-Printables.shtml – Whatever Winter Olympic printable you’re looking for, PrintActivities has it available for you. Mazes, word searches, coloring pages, connect the dots, and more await parents, teachers, and students.

Books:

The encyclopedia of the Winter Olympics / written by John Wukovits. J 796.98 WUK

Gus & Gertie and the lucky charms / by Joan Lowery Nixon ; pictures by Diane deGroat. Penguins Gus and Gertie take part in the Animals’ Winter Olympics. JER NIXON

Ancient Greece and the Olympics : a nonfiction companion to Hour of the Olympics / by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce ; illustrated by Sal Murdocca. SERIES: MAGIC TREE HOUSE RESEARCH

Hour of the Olympics / by Mary Pope Osborne ; illustrated by Sal Murdocca. EJF OSBORNE

The story of the Olympics / Dave Anderson. J 796.48 AND Traces the history of the Olympics from its beginning in 776 B.C. to the present and relates stories of particular events such as track and field, gymnastics, and speed skating.

Olympics! / by B.G. Hennessy ; pictures by Michael Chesworth. J 796.48
HEN Provides a simple overview of the history, preparations, training, and actual events that are part of the Olympic Games.

Figure skating for fun! / by Jen Jones. J 796.91 JON

Extreme snowboarding / by Pat Ryan. J 796.9 RYA

Hockey : a history of the fastest game on ice / Mark Stewart. J 796.962 STE

E is for extreme : an extreme sports alphabet / written by Brad Herzog ; illustrated by Melanie Rose. JE HERZOG, BRAD

Welcome to 2010

With the long uncertainty of State budget cuts, 2009 was a difficult and very long year.  The result overall was an $80,000 reduction to Marple Public Library from the State. It could have been worse without all the letters and advocacy from you, library supporters, and we appreciate the support and hard work.

In response to the cuts, the library reduced staff and hours in January 2010.  Our new hours are: Monday & Tuesday 10 to 9, Wednesday 1 to 9, Thursday & Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 10 to 5 and Sunday 1 to 5.  We had been open Wednesday morning and Thursday evening. 

The library also began charging for items that had previously been free.  TV Series are now $1.06 for 7 days, Children’s DVDS are now $1.06 for 7 days and Informational DVDS are now $1.06 for 21 days. 

While the library has reduced hours, we are still purchasing new books, DVDS and other items.  It is our goal to provide our users and the community the best possible library service.

Please plan to visit the Marple Library this year. We  look forward to serving you.

Fall Programs are Here

Marple has added new fall programs to our website. The Delaware County Library System’s Fit for Life series of programs brings us Pilates in September, Latin Dance in October, and A B T (Abs, Buns, Thighs) in November. We’ll be hosting a lunchtime Opera series beginning in October. Our celebration of all things Abraham Lincoln continues with two fall lectures and the exhibit, “Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America” in December. Book clubs begin again this month. Make plans to attend a library event soon!

Summer Reading is Going Strong!

If you haven’t signed up for one of our summer reading programs yet – there is still time! Young children can “Be Creative @ Your Library”, while teens may “Express Yourself @ Your Library”, and adults can “Master the Art of Reading”.
The adult program involves stopping by the reference desk and filling out a yellow book review form. Once turned in, you fill out a ticket and are eligible for the weekly drawing. Each winner gets to pick a book or audiobook from the prize bags. I’ve been drawing 2-3 names per week, so there are lots of chances you may win!

Marple Library Needs Your Help !

Pa Libraries are facing major funding cuts in the 2010 state budget. If the Marple Library is important to your, please contact your local legislator and tell them to maintain level funding for libraries.  For more details of countywide library cuts which would result from cuts, please check out the Delaware County Library System’s website at www.delcolibraries.org.  To find your local legislator, go to The Pennsylvania General Assembly – Find Your Legislator-www.legis.state.pa.us..   Proposed cuts, if passed, will result in fewer library hours, books and other material and programs.

Delaware County Summer Festival Concert Series

Rose Tree Park in Media is again hosting a Delaware County Summer Festival concert series. We’ve had questions at the library about the schedule and have some brochures available, so be sure to pick one up before we run out! Also, the concert schedule is available online at www.co.delaware.pa.us/summer/2009WebSchedule.pdf

Community Pride Day in Broomall

Join us Saturday May 16 at the Old Marple School. The Library is raffling off a Free DVD for Life card and you can have your picture taken with Abraham Lincoln. Come visit all the local businesses and groups. Food and kids games and activities.  11 to 3.

Gearing Up For Summer

The Children’s and Teen’s departments of the library are just about ready to print the 2009 Summer Reading Brochures! There will be a lot going on this summer. Marple is the only library in Delaware County with two weeks of Science in the Summer sessions – register now through June 1 in the library. The theme of this year’s Summer Reading program is “Be Creative @ Your Library”, so look for lots of arts and crafts, music and theater programs here. Make sure to check our website for all of our Summer Reading programs. Get Creative!