Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s almost that time of year again!
Sign up for the Children’s Holiday programs beginning November 14 @ 9:00 am!
The programs offered are:
-Baby & Me Holiday Story Time @ Home
-Holiday 2s & 3s Story Time @ Home
-Holiday Craft Festival (Craft pick up)
-Holidays From Around the World
-Holiday Movin’ with Books & Music
-River Readers Holiday Edition
-Tween Creative Club: Winter Decorations
We look forward to seeing you (virtually) soon!
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Please share your Book-o-Lantern pumpkin pictures with us!
Your vote is your voice, your choice. Voting gives you an opportunity for change and can make a difference how things are done in the country, in your community and even in your school. Please go to our Mock Election page to vote for your favorite book character. We will announce the winner next week here in the blog.
Please check out Cleveland’s City Club 5 Days for Democracy for more information.
Kids Can Make a Difference https://kidscanmakeadifference.org/what-kids-can-do/
Check out these titles on Advocacy
Protest happen around the world in countries with different types of government. What makes protest special in our democracy? The right to protest is protected by the Constitution in the first amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/
What does that mean in plain English? The government must allow protesters to gather together peacefully, speak their ideas, and ask for change when they believe something is unfair.
Check out these books about protest, both real and fictional!
5 Days of Democracy- Meet Rocky River Councilwoman Christine Morris!
What kind of work does City Council do for the city of Rocky River?
City Council in Rocky River researches and votes on legislation. Most of that legislation is about how the city spends money and what projects that the city would like to do. One of us is usually given a proposal by one of the departments in the city about how they suggest we spend money or projects they deem we need. We question and research alongside said department, present to all council members, and take a vote.
What kind of experience or skill requirements are there to run for council?
The only requirement to run for council is that you be a resident of Rocky River for one year. It’s helpful though if you like talking to people and can speak in front of people. I’m still working on public speaking!!
Why did you decide it was important to run for council?
I wanted the council to be representative. There were no women on council, nor were there any Democrats.
Sometimes people feel like their vote doesn’t count. Do you feel that every vote was important in your election?
YES!! I won the race by around 16 votes. That’s very few in a town of 20,000.
How can citizens be involved in city council?
Citizens can come to meetings, they can present ideas to the council or to the mayor, they can work with the city in other groups like the Green Team or the Beautification Committee. They can serve on other city boards and organizations, like the Building and Zoning Appeals Board or the Parks and Recreation Commission. It takes a lot of people working together to make a city run well.
What do you like most about your job?
I like that I get to advocate for things I believe in. I brought an idea to the city to get a charging station installed on the city hall campus. I worked with the services department to write a grant and get a plan in place. Fingers crossed it goes through! I am working to embrace other types of technology and tools that will make our city footprint less carbon reliant.
Why should kids and their families care about their local government?
People should care because it affects their everyday life. We vote and or oversee things that you would take for granted: on whether to fund parks, what the rec center can offer, the garbage pickup, the roads, and also what is allowed in buildings and remodeling, the businesses, the list goes on. It’s not glamorous but it’s important!
Is there anything else you would like to share about your job, the importance of participating in democracy, or citizenship?
Mostly, it makes me feel good that I can participate in my community. It has also made me think more about what it takes to make a city or a group get and stay organized and what it takes to make those cities or groups run smoothly for everyone.
The word Democracy describes a form of government. The word comes from two Greek words that mean “rule by the people.” In a democracy the people have a say in how the government is run. They do this by voting. Source: kids.britannica.com
The time is now for students to learn about the election process, understand the power of their vote, and become active participants in our constitutional democracy. iCivics encourages teachers, administrators, and families to help facilitate learning with these curated, non-partisan election teaching resources.
More activities you can do to learn about Democracy
Books about Democracy
Grace Goes to Washington. By: Kelly DiPucchio
When Penny Met POTUS. By: Rachel Ruiz
Vote: The Theory, Practice, and Destructive Properties of Politics. By: Gary Paulsen
When You Grow Up to Vote; How Our Government Works for You. By: Eleanor Roosevelt & Michelle Markell
This Fall, RRPL is challenging families to read more diverse books. We Read Together, We Stand Together is a Beanstack challenge for kids and their families. We challenge our young patrons to read five diverse books. Below are some of our favorite picture books that teach and celebrate what makes us different and what brings us together. The We Read Together, We Stand Together Challenge goes from September 1 – December 20.
When five-year-old Sulwe’s classmates make fun of her dark skin, she tries lightening herself to no avail, but her encounter with a shooting star helps her understand there is beauty in every shade.
A little girl’s daddy steps in to help her arrange her curly, coiling, wild hair into styles that allow her to be her natural, beautiful self.
The Skin You Live In. By: Michael Tyler
Rhyming text and illustrations celebrate being content with the skin in which one lives, whatever that skin might be.
All Are Welcome. By: Alexandra Penfold
Rhyming text introduce a school where diversity is celebrated and songs, stories, and talents are shared.
The Day You Begin. By: Jacqueline Woodson
Other students laugh when Rigoberto, an immigrant from Venezuela, introduces himself but later, he meets Angelina and discovers that he is not the only one who feels like an outsider.
I Like Myself. By: Karen Beaumont
In rhyming text, a little girl expresses confidence and joy in her uniqueness, no matter her outward appearance.
Ways to Welcome. By: Linda Ashman
A sweet timely picture book about kindness and connection, ideal for schools and classrooms.
Elmore & Pinky. By: Holly Hobbie
Elmore the porcupine feels warm and comfortable in his neighborhood and has many friends. But lately he has been feeling that he is missing someone, someone who will always be there — a best friend.
Where are You From? By: Yamile Saied Mendez
When a young girl is asked where she’s from–where she’s really from–she’s no longer as she was. She decides to turn to her dear abuelo for some help with this ever-persistent question. But he doesn’t quite give her the answer she expects.
Youth and their families participated in Rocky River Public Library’s first virtual cooking class this summer. Guests were treated to a live zoom visit from Erin Gleeson, the author of the best selling “Forest Feast” cookbook series. She shared with the group her passion for cooking and why she chose to write a children’s cookbook. As a young mother herself, she said that she loves to create colorful recipes for kids to make, because who doesn’t love a rainbow?
The class also learned that she came to cooking as a second career, after art school. Her exceptional artistic talents are evident in her beautiful cookbooks for sure! Readers will love to eat up her beautiful artwork just as much as her scrumptious recipes! She has the world’s most amazing blog that you won’t want to skip out on. Check it out here https://www.theforestfeast.com/
The class started off with learning how to make fancy fizzy drinks every kid and kid at heart will love!
Erin Gleeson encourages experimentation and improvisation with her recipes. This recipe of Grape Fizz lends itself to a variety of delicious drinks just perfect for making your family’s next outdoor meal special.
Grape Fizz can be made easily from ingredients you have from home. No seltzer water? No problem! Any Sprite or 7-Up type soda will do. Don’t have white grape juice? Try your favorite juice you have on hand. Student chef Ella made Pineapple Fizz (featured at top). Ms. Heather’s favorite is orange fizz made with orange juice. The recipe works great with everything from juice, to lemonade, to fruit punch. Want to create a fancy topper but don’t have skewers? You can dazzle your family just as easily with fruit on a toothpick.
The group ended class with the best way to end all things, dessert! Everyone did a wonderful job safely learning how to cut and fry a banana. They then topped it off with ice cream, nuts, and cinnamon. Soooo delicious!
The entire cookbook series is available through our digital library service Hoopla! http://www.hoopla.com
