This article is sponsored by the Wichita Public Library.
We know too much screen time is not great for our children, but the Wichita Public Library’s Kansas Reads to Preschoolers program is encouraging just a few extra minutes of screen time in November in the name of literacy and early learning.
Groovy Joe: Ice Cream and Dinosaurs
Kansas Reads to Preschoolers is an annual event that promotes reading to all Kansas children age 0-5. Each year, a committee of early learning specialists works with the State Library of Kansas to select a book and encourages parents, librarians and educators to read the chosen title to their young learners in November. This year, the book is Groovy Joe: Ice Cream and Dinosaurs by Eric Litwin, a book about ice cream AND dinosaurs – what could be better?
All November long, the Wichita Public Library will encourage reading the book to children age 0-5. And guess what? If you have a library card, there are two ways you can read the book free:
- You can login to Scholastic BookFlix and read the book online. There is also a companion book to explore about the process of making ice cream. Use your library card to login, search “Groovy Joe” and click on the book cover. Bonus! There are some online activities included that explore reading comprehension skills.
- You can borrow a copy of the book from the Wichita Public Library in English and Spanish.
Special Virtual Story Time
Since the Library is not holding in-person programs right now due to the pandemic, librarians are missing their story times. In order to fix that, youth librarians have put together a special video program that will premiere on the Library’s YouTube channel at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15. This video, filmed in the style of a Sesame Street episode, will teach children about dinosaurs and ice cream using creative and interactive video segments. Don’t worry! If you miss the premiere, the Library will keep it on YouTube so you can watch later. Since it’s a premiere, you can connect with the Library!
On the YouTube video, you will be able to chat in real time with a youth librarian. Tell the Library your favorite parts of the video and let staff know what kind of content you want to see in the future.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab a bowl of tasty ice cream, find your favorite dinosaur action figure or stuffed animal and settle in for a month long celebration of the story of a guitar-strumming, ice cream-eating dog who wrangles three hungry dinosaurs into joining the musical fun!
To learn more about Kansas Reads to Preschoolers, visit our website!
About Scholastic BookFlix
Scholastic BookFlix pairs animated stories with bestselling nonfiction e-books for an interactive reading experience. BookFlix builds vocabulary, fluency and early literacy skills in your beginning and developing readers while cultivating real-world language.
