December New Releases

Here's some great new books that have just been released this month!  (Click on the title to place a hold via InfoSoup.)

  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever, by Jeff Kinney

  Locked On, by Tom Clancy

  Death Comes to Pembereley, by P.D. James

  Then Again, by Diane Keaton

  Clockwork Prince, by Cassandra Clare

  Being George Washington, by Glenn Beck

  Explosive Eighteen, by Janet Evanovich

  Red Mist, by Patricia Cornwell

Happy Reading!

December: Special Dates

December is upon us!  Here's some of the special dates we have coming up this month:
(Click on the book titles to place a hold via InfoSoup)


December 5th: Walt Disney's Birthday--  Read about it in the book Walt Disney.

December 6th: St. Nicholas Day-- Read about it in the book A Bakers Dozen: a Saint Nicholas Tale.

December 7th: Pearl Harbor Day-- Read about it in the book Pearl Harbor.

December 16th: Boston Tea Party Anniversary-- Read about it in the book The Boston Tea Party.

December 20th: Hannukah Begins-- Read about it in the book Hannukah, oh Hannukah.

December 22nd: First Day of Winter-- Read about it in the book The Shortest Day.

December 25th: Christmas Day-- Read about it in the book The Story of Christmas.

December 26th: Boxing Day-- Read about it in the book World Holidays.

December 31st: New Year's Eve-- Read about it in the book P. Bear's New Year's Party.

Have a wonderful December!

Thankful for some great books!

It is once again time for Thanksgiving.  Have you done your planning yet?  Here's some great books that can help you enjoy this wonderful holiday:  (Click on the title to place a hold via InfoSoup.)

  The Thanksgiving book:   a companion to the holiday covering its history, lore, traditions, foods, and symbols, including primary sources, poems, prayers, songs, hymns, and recipes, supplemented by a chronology, bibliography with web sites, and index.

  Thanksgiving 101:  celebrate America's favorite holiday with America's Thanksgiving expert.

  Thanksgiving Entertaining

  Betty Crocker's Complete Thanksgiving cookbook: All you need to cook a memorable meal.

  The Book of Thanksgiving:  Stories, poems and recipes for sharing one of America's greatest holidays.

  Tried and True Thanksgiving: Top 200 recipes.

  The Thanksgiving Table: recipes and ideas to create your own holiday tradition.  

  Thanksgiving: festive recipes for the holiday table

  Crafts for Thanksgiving

  Beyond the Turkey:  a Thanksgiving feast of fun, facts, and activities.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

November New Releases

Looking for a new book to read?  Here's some new releases for the month of November:
(Click on the title to place a hold via InfoSoup)

FICTION:

  11/22/63, by Stephen King

  The Wedding Quilt, by Jennifer Chiaverini

  Proof of Heaven, by Mary Curran-Hackett

  Love and Shame and Love, by Peter Orner

  The Angel Esmeralda, Nine Stories, by Don DeLillo

NON-FICTION:

  Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?  by Mindy Kaling

  I Didn't Ask to be Born, by Bill Cosby

  The Ecstasy of Influence, by Jonathan Lethem

  Brewed Awakening, by Joshua M. Bernstein

Happy Reading!  

November: Special Dates

Welcome to November!  Here's a list of some special dates this month, with books to read right along with them.  Click on the title to place a hold via InfoSoup.

November 1st: All Saints Day.  Read about it in the book All Saints, All Souls, and Halloween.

November 2nd: Daniel Boone's Birthday.  Read about him in the book Daniel Boone.

November 6th: Daylight Savings Time Ends.  Read about it in the book Spring Forward, Fall Back.

November 8th: US Voting Day.  Read about it in the book Eyewitness Vote.

November 11th: Veteran's Day.  Read about it in the book Veteran's Day.

November 24th: Thanksgiving Day.  Read about it in the book Thanksgiving Then and Now.

Have a great month- we'll see you in the library!

Friends of the Marion Public Library update

The Friends of the Marion Public Library has been busy this year! Wondering what they've been up to? Here's a bulletin of what's going on:

Increase in circulation – circulation has increased from 38, 411 items in 2008 to 50, 980 in 2009 and set to go over 50,000 again in 2011.

Increase in Patrons – In three years we have gone from 1800 patrons to 1953 patrons

Increase our Book and DVD purchases thanks to monies from Friends

Increase in programs (Tom Jolin, Magic, Science, Music, crafts monthly)

Increase in Year Round Reading Program – We have changed our summer reading program to a year round reading program. Reading never ends at the Library.

And this is just a few things that have been done! To hear more, please plan on attending the Friends Annual Meeting on Monday, November 14th at 5:30 pm. Items to be discussed are:

Election of officers

Hear about and ask questions about the library

Discuss MPL turning 90 years old

Your current executive board is as follows:

Jill Breitrick, President

Kathy Kraeger, Vice-president

Amy Bazile, Secretary

Esther Burns, Treasurer

Jan Mielke, Board Member

Diane Wojtech, Board Member

Arlene Mantsch, Board Member

We would be pleased to have you become more active with the friends, contact anyone on the executive board with ideas for fund raising, speakers, or any idea that would help draw interest to the library. We would be pleased to have you become more active with the friends. Contact anyone on the executive board with ideas for fund raising, speakers, or any idea that would help draw interest to the library. Contact information can be found on the sidebar of this website. Just click on Friends of the Library.

Not a part of The Friends of the Library, but want to become one? Our Annual Membership Drive is going on right now! Why do we do an Annual Membership Drive? Many times super programs or series of books/DVD come to our attention or projects that we would love to work on but there is no money in our budget for them. Thankfully because of Friends we are able to add in the extra programs, items or projects that are beyond our budget. Friends help us go that extra mile to make our library great. For more information or a membership sign up sheet, stop into the library.

See you at the Annual meeting!  

What is the library staff reading?

You see them in and around the library.

They work with books every day.

What are they reading?

In case you're curious, here's what a few of our library staff members have read lately. (Click on the title to place a hold via InfoSoup.)

  SHARON STUHR 

Sharon says:  

I have just gotten through reading two of Barbara Delinsky books.  The first one is titled The Carpenter's Lady. It's about a successful television writer, Debra Barry,  who went through a painful divorce. She leaves New York for the beautiful countryside of New Hampshire where she hopes to mend her broken heart. After buying a house, which needed much repair, she hires a master carpenter, Graham Reed, to fix up the house. Graham, who is hiding from his own bitter pass, reluctantly agrees to take the job. As the house begins to come together, Graham and Debra unexpectedly find themselves laying their own emotional groundwork.

The second book is titled An Accidental Woman.  Poppy Blake was injured in a long-ago snowmobile accident which took the use of her legs. She was having a hard time believing that handsome reporter, Griffin Hughes, could be interested in her. Griffin is afraid how Poppy will feel about him when she finds out that he inadvertently gave a tip that sent Poppy's good friend, Heather, to jail for a 15- year-old murder of her former lover. Now Griffin must uncover the truth about what really happened in Heather's past and try to clear her of any wrongdoing.

  GAIL KLEMANN 

Gail says:

I just recently finished The Godfather Returns, by Mark Winegardner.  It's a new novel, based on the Godfather series by Mario Puzo.  It's a great read, and I highly recommend it!

  BOB TOMCZYK

Tom says:

Right now, I'm reading The Whole Truth by David Baldacci.  The book is about Nicolas Creel.   He heads up the world's largest defense contractor, The Ares Corporation. Dick Pender is the man Creel retains to "perception manage" his company to even more riches by manipulating international conflicts. But Creel may have an even grander plan in mind.

  ESTHER BURNS

Esther says:

I just finished reading The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.  All three books are so exciting, and you absolutely won't be able to put them down until you're finished!  I also just started See You in a Hundred Years, by Logan Ward.  It's about a family that decides to live for a year exactly as people did in the year 1900.  It's very interesting!

How about you? What are you reading right now?

October: Special Dates

Welcome to October!  Here's some of the important dates for this month, and some books to accompany them. Click on the titles to place a hold via Info Soup.

• October 7- Yom Kippur: Read about it in the book Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
• October 9- Fire Prevention Day: Read about it in the book What if There is a Fire?
• October 10- Columbus Day:  Read about it in the book Columbus Day.
• October 18- Alaska Day: Read about it in the book Alaska.
• October 24- United Nations Day: Read about it in the book The United Nations.
• October 31- Halloween: Read about it in the book Halloween.

Have a great month, everyone!  Be sure to stop into the library--the fall reading program is up and running!

Welcome Fall!

Today is the first day of fall--have you noticed the leaves changing colors?  Some are already in full color, and some are just barely turning, but it looks like fall is going to be beautiful this year.

There's so many ways to enjoy this season--and of course, books to enjoy while you enjoy it!  Here's some great selections.  Just click on the title name to place a hold via InfoSoup.

1. Do get the cooking bug when the weather turns cool?  Try Homemade Harvest, published by Gooseberry Patch.  Inside you'll find inviting recipes, harvest crafts, and a bushel of ideas to cozy your harvest home.
2. Want to get your home spruced up for this beautiful season of color?  Try Autumn from the Heart of the Home, by Susan Branch.  She gives decorating suggestions, including an illustrated guide with tips on celebrating Halloween and Thanksgiving.
3. Everyone loves to look at the colorful fall leaves.  Check out The Great Wisconsin Touring Book, by Gary Knowles, for car trips to see the beautiful fall colors.
4. How about involving the kids?  Crafts to make in the Fall, by Kathy Ross, is a book with twenty nine easy to make craft projects with autumn themes.  
5. Having a hard time explaining why the leaves change?  Read Why Do Leaves Change Color, by Betsy Maestro.  Your kids will love the illustrations, and you'll learn something, too!
6. We can't forget football--one of the best parts of fall!  Read up on our Green Bay Packers in Green Bay Packers: A Complete Illustrated History, by Don Gulbrandsen.  
7. Have a hunter in the family?  Be sure to check out The Everything Wild Game Cookbook, by Karen Eagle.  You'll find everything from the basics to desserts in this cookbook--you'll be able to cook up everything your hunter brings home.
8. Do you love gardening?  Learn how to have a beautiful fall garden with the book Fallscaping, by Nancy Ondra.  
9. Halloween and Thanksgiving are the two biggest fall holidays.  Read about them with your kids in the books The Story of Halloween and Thanksgiving.
10. Don't forget to get your home ready for winter--with Home Maintenance for Dummies, you'll be ready for the long winter ahead.  

How do you celebrate fall?

Book Club

Book Clubs are very popular these days.  There's tons of people out there, meeting and discussing books.  But in these busy times, it's hard to meet together, isn't it?

That's why we'd like to start a Book Club right here on this blog.  After selecting a book, we'll meet here once a month.  We'll blog some questions for discussion, and then you can discuss the book in the comments.  Before we start, though, we have two questions:

1. Are you interested in participating in this book club?
2. What kind of book would you like to read?  Is there a book out there you've been dying to read and/or discuss with someone?

Let us know in the comments--we can't wait to get started!

Talking to your kids about 9/11

 The tenth anniversary of the day that changed America forever, September 11, 2001, is looming before us.  On Sunday, the country will take time to stop and remember.  Until then, the media is showing many images of that terrible day, images that your children may see and ask you questions about.  Here's how to talk to your kids about 9/11, taken from this website:

• Consider your child's point of view:  Young children tend to tie everything in to how it relates to them.  So it's likely that they could be afraid that something like this would happen to them in the future.  They may also be picking up on your sadness or anger, and it can be scary for them to know that parents have these feelings.
• Find the silver lining: Talk about the heroes that day--the policemen, firemen, doctors, nurses and other workers that did their best to help.
• Reassure your child's fears:  Above all else, your child wants to know that she (and her family) are going to be unharmed.  Let her know that is something you want as well.  Say something like,"Sometimes bad things happen to good people.  But not all the time and not to you. I will always do my best to keep you safe."
• Encourage your child to come to you:  If you suspect your child has questions that he isn't asking, seek him out instead.  Let him know that he can ask you anything and you will give him an honest answer.
• Limit what your child watches:  We see a report on the news about September 11 and we know that the newscaster is just talking about an event from years ago.  Your child won't necessarily understand that.  They may either think it is happening right now, or in the instance of something being shown repeatedly, that it is happening over and over again.
  

Some parents decide to keep the television off on September 11 altogether, not wanting to expose them to images that they could find troubling.  No matter what your children may ask that day, it's important to listen and to reassure them that no matter what, as a parent, it's your job to keep them safe.

Some books to help in your September 11th discussions: (Click on the title to place a hold via InfoSoup)

  9-11:  the world's finest comic book writers and artists tell stories to remember.

  September 11, 2001

  The 9/11 Terror Attacks

God Bless America.

A month full of special dates...

It's the first day of September!  It's always fun to look forward on the calendar at the special dates coming up, so here's a list of some important dates in the month of September. (Click on the book titles to reserve via InfoSoup.)

• Labor Day- September 5th:  A day set aside to honor the American worker.  Read about it in the book Labor Day.
• Grandparent's Day and Patriot Day- September 11th: Honor your Grandparents on Grandparent's Day!  Read about it in the book Our Grandparents: A Global Album.  Patriot Day is the national remembrance of 9/11.  Read about it in the book The 9/11 Terror Attacks.
• Constitution Day- September 17th:  Commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution.  Read about it in the book Who Wrote the U.S. Constitution?.
• First Day of Autumn- September 23rd:  Read about it in the book A is for Autumn.
• Johnny Appleseed's Birthday- September 26th: Read about it in the book Johnny Appleseed.
• Rosh Hashanah- September 28th: The Jewish new year.  Read about it in the book Rosh Hashanah.

Have a wonderful September!  And look forward to this being a feature in the months yet to come...be sure to come back and read all about it!

Making the most of your time in the car

Once everyone is back in school, it's that season again--car season.  Not only are we taking kids back and forth to school, but there's those added activities like sports, dance, sleepovers, or music lessons.  Some days it feels like you spend your day in the car, just driving kids back and forth.

Why not make most of that time in the car, and read a book!  Of course you won't be able to read a book in the traditional sense, since you have to keep your eyes on the road, but there's many great books on tape, CD and Playaway (MP3 format) that you can listen to in the car.

Listening to books in the car makes that drive time seem so much faster.  Better yet, if you're listening to a book series, it's even more fun!  Here's some popular book series you can check out of the library to listen to:  (Click on the title to reserve a copy via InfoSoup.)

• The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis
• The Magic Treehouse, by Mary Pope Osborne
• A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket
• Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling
• Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney
• The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians, by Rick Riordan
• Junie B. Jones, by Barbara Park
• Great Classic Family Favorites (Includes Moni the goat boy, by Johanna Spyri -- An adventure on Island Rock, by L.M. Montgomery-- Torm Thumb, by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm -- The Tinman and the Scarecrow, by L. Frank Baum -- The emperor's new clothes, by Hans Christian Andersen -- How the rhinosceros got his skin, by Rudyard Kipling -- The mouse, by Saki -- Accidental magic, or, Don't tell all you know, by E. Nesbit -- Mermaids, by Louisa May Alcott -- Little Nell, by Charles Dickens-- The little mermaid, by Hans Christian Andersen -- The sun-dog trail, by Jack London.)

Start one of these series, and your next car ride will be the beginning of a wonderful adventure.  You'll find yourself actually looking forward to being in the car with your kids!

Going back to school--with books!

The backpacks have been purchased.

Crayons are ready, waiting, with fresh paper.

Folders are marked, waiting to be filled with papers.

Everything seems ready.

Are your children?

When you have a young child starting preschool or kindergarten, it can be hard to prepare them for that first day.  Most of the time, it's easier for the child to understand these things when it's told to them in the form of a story.  Here's a list of some great back-to-school stories to share with your child: (Click on the title to place a hold via InfoSoup.)

  Froggy Goes to School:  

 Froggy is nervous about his first day of school, but, even though it's hard to sit still, he has a wonderful time.

  Countdown to Kindergarten:

Ten days before the start of kindergarten, a preschooler cannot tie her shoes by herself and fears the worst.

  We Share Everything!

 On the first day of school, after their kindergarten teacher scolds them for not sharing, a boy and girl share their clothes and shoes.

  When An Elephant Comes to School:

With the help of his classmates, an elephant has a good first day of school.

  The Little School Bus:

An assortment of animals, including a goat in a coat, a quick chick, and a hairy bear, ride the bus to and from school.

  Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten

 Introduces the letters of the alphabet as Miss Bindergarten and her students get ready for kindergarten.

  My Kindergarten:

Join Emily, Roger, and all their classmates as they embark on their amazing journey through the kindergarten year.

  It's Back to School We Go!  First Day Stories from Around the World:

In easy-to-read text, describes what the first day of school might be like for a child in Kenya, Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia, Japan, China, Peru, Germany, India, Russia, and the United States. 

  Wemberly Worried:

A mouse named Wemberly, who worries about everything, finds that she has a whole list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of nursery school.

  I am Too Absolutely Small for School:

Describes all the fun experiences that the Peach twins have on their first day of school.

Have fun getting ready to go back to school with your child!

Social Networking for Readers

The internet is full of social networking sites these days.  Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Pinterest, they're all out there.  But did you know there's some great Reading social network sites?  Here's a list of some of the best:

• Goodreads: www.goodreads.com  A great place to get book recommendations from people you know.  You can also keep track of books you've already read, and books you'd like to read.  There's also fun ways to start a book club, answer book trivia, and collect your favorite book quotes.

• Shelfari:  www.shelfari.com   Shelfari is a community-powered encyclopedia for book lovers.  Create a virtual bookshelf, discover new books, connect with friends and learn more about your favorite books– all for free.

• Readernaut:  www.readernaut.com  Find the books you’ve read and rate them, store notes about them or review them.  Add books you’re reading and begin tracking your progress or write notes or comments.  Build your wishlist and see what others think of the books you want to read.  Or import your books from other services like Anobii, GoodReads, LibraryThing and Shelfari.

• Library Thing:  www.librarything.com  Join the world’s largest book club.  Catalog your books from Amazon, the Library of Congress and 690 other world libraries. Import from anywhere. Find people with eerily similar tastes.  Find new books to read.  Free Early Reviewer books from publishers and authors.  Enter 200 books for free, as many as you like for $10 (year) or $25 (life).

• Book Crossing:  www.bookcrossing.com  From the website:  "It's the World's Library. It's a smart social networking site. It's a celebration of literature and a place where books get new life. BookCrossing is the act of giving a book a unique identity so, as the book is passed from reader to reader, it can be tracked and thus connecting its readers. There are currently 948,137 BookCrossers and 8,147,968 books travelling throughout 132 countries. Our community is changing the world and touching lives one book at a time."  How does it work?  "Label. Share. Follow.  Breathe new life into books instead of letting your old favorites collect dust - pass them along to another reader. Our online archival and tracking system allows members to connect with other readers, journal and review literature and trade and follow their books as lives are changed through “reading and releasing”. Users are able to tag and track their individual books by marking them with BCIDs (BookCrossing Identity Numbers). Each BCID is unique to each book – once it’s registered on our site, the book can then be followed and journaled forever. BookCrossing is free to join and free to play. So don't be 'shelf'ish with your books!"

Did I miss any?  Do you have a favorite reading website?

I'm an adult. Is reading really that important?

We all know that our kids should be reading.  It helps them excel in school, and in their future lives as adults.

But why should we, as adults now, keep reading?

For one thing, it encourages our own children to keep reading.  Research has proven that when children see adults reading, they are more likely to read themselves.  Children model what they see adults do--they become interested in reading because they see adults in their lives enjoying and using books.  Even seeing an adult turning the pages teaches a young child how a book is used.  Plus, when you read with your kids, you're getting much-needed family time.  In these busy days, that can be hard to come by.

On another level, reading expands your own culture and understanding of the world.  I think of some of the books I've read this summer--taking in place in New York City, the lower banks of North Carolina, even in 1800's era England.  How else can I travel the world without spending a dime?  Are you going on a trip?  Head to the library and do some research on where you're going.  Reading those guide books can help you find the best--and worst--places to visit while you're there.

Reading as an adult also keeps your brain moving.  Think of reading as a way to exercise your brain, and keep it moving.  The more you use it, the better!  Reading makes you think, and when you think, you become smarter.  What's better than that?  It's also been proven that reading improves your memory skills.  While you're reading, you're stretching your "memory muscles," and you probably didn't even realize it!

Along the same lines, reading improves your concentration.  Reading requires your concentration on the words on the page--if you're distracted, you can't concentrate.  As you're doing this, your improving your concentration skills.  Many of this can use these skills, especially in our work!

Reading gives you something to talk about, too.  Brad Isaac, author of a great article on the advantages of adult reading, says, "Have you ever run out of stuff to talk about with your best friend, wife or husband? This can be uncomfortable. It might even make married couples wonder if their marriage is in trouble. However, if you read a lot of books, you’ll always have something to talk about. You can discuss various plots in the novels you read, you can discuss the stuff you are learning in the business books you are reading as well. The possibilities of sharing are endless."


The best part of reading as an adult?  It's cheap entertainment!  If you think about it, a trip to the movies or out to dinner could easily cost $100.  Plus, it's not very good for your brain.  Think of all the books you can get from the library, and for FREE!  There's nothing better than free, right?


So what are you waiting for?  Head to the library today, and get reading!

It's that time of year...

Summer is trucking along.  It seems that it goes faster each year.  If you've walked into Wal-Mart or Target lately, you've noticed the school supplies that are out, ready for us to buy for the kids in our lives that are getting ready to go back to school.  There's only about a month of summer yet, so it's that time again!  Here's a helpful timeline to help you get your kids ready for the first day of school:

1 Month BeforeVisit the grounds. Ideally, you and your child had a chance to tour his future school last spring. Now is another good time to visit. "Being familiar with the school is the key to a successful first day," says Allana Elovson, Ph.D., author of TheKindergarten Survival Handbook. Walk around inside the building, if you're allowed. Peer at the classrooms, check out the bathrooms, and have him try out the playground. Also, make sure to show your child where you'll pick him up at the end of the day. 

Have a little class. To help her son, Nathan, get used to the idea of school and homework, Julie Baron, of Arlington Heights, Illinois, held mock classes in the summer. "We'd take turns being the teacher and student," Baron says. At the end of each week, Nathan received a reward, such as getting to pick out a video at the library or going to the pool. 

Buy-and try-a nap mat. Check to see whether your school has a scheduled rest period and how long it lasts, says Rafael Pelayo, M.D., head of pediatric services at Stanford University's Sleep Disorders Clinic. Settle your kid down at that hour each day at home so she gets used to the idea. Also find out what kinds of quiet activities teachers provide for kids who aren't sleepy, like looking at books or assembling puzzles, and do some of those too. (On the other hand, if your child takes a daily nap and her new school doesn't have naptime, get her used to doing without it.) 

Take your child for a checkup. Be sure to book your appointment right away. "There's often a huge backup in late August and early September," warns Judy Walker, R.N., of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. If your child will be entering preschool or kindergarten, he must be up-to-date on his immunizations.

3 Weeks BeforeVisit the pediatrician. Kids entering preschool or kindergarten need to be up-to-date on immunizations. So schedule a visit as early as possible. 

Make some memories. Celebrate the end of summer now by helping your kid craft a scrapbook of her favorite summertime memories and experiences. 

Stage a sneak peek. Play school together. Keep it light, but this is a great way for a newbie to practice raising his hand to share or sitting for circle time.

 2 Weeks Before 

Connect with classmates. Shortly before her twin daughters started kindergarten, Patty Eckman, of Greenwood, Indiana, hosted a class party, complete with a bus cake and school-related crafts. In University City, Missouri, Cindy Thierry organizes a summer picnic sponsored by the school's parent-teacher groups. "We especially try to include new students and their parents," she says. You can also invite one of your child's future classmates for a playdate. (Check to see whether a contact list is available.) 

Start your shopping. Nothing builds excitement like a new pair of shoes, a fresh outfit, or cool supplies. Even if you're determined to save the bulk of your bargain hunting for later, when the big clearance sales start, you can still splurge on a colorful pencil case and a notebook. 

Take a fun field trip. A great way to get your child into the learning spirit is to visit a place that's both entertaining and intellectually challenging, says Kenneth Haller, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Try your local children's museum, science center, zoo, or historical society. 

Practice school skills. Forget academics -- we're talking about the little tasks that make the day easier. Your child should know how to: 

Mark the days. Make a paper chain out of construction paper, and remove one link each day leading up to the start of school. Kids need time to get back into class mode.

• Fasten and unfasten his knapsack and open his lunch box.

• Undo his clothes so he can go to the bathroom.

• Hang his coat on a hook.

• Unscrew his thermos or any other container you pack food in.

• Spell his full name, and recite his telephone number. Of course, knowing the alphabet and how to count to ten or 20 doesn't hurt either!

  

1 Week Before 

Attend orientation. When you do, look all around-not just at your child's classroom, but also at the bathrooms, the playground, and the rooms for art, music, phys ed, and more. Point out special materials and equipment you don't have at home, such as a neat set of finger-paints or a big sandbox, so he has some specific activities to look forward to trying, says Stacy DeBroff, author of the upcoming The Mom Book Goes to School. 

Come up with a list of favorite lunches. Work with your child to decide what she wants-and start shopping for the ingredients you'll need. (For great snack recipes, click here.) 

Hop on the bus. Some kindergartens provide bus-safety instruction and practice rides as part of their orientation. If your school or preschool doesn't and your child will be bused, try taking a few trips on a public bus so she gets used to the idea. 

Run through your routine. Explain what's involved in getting ready for school, including when your child will wake up, how much time he'll have for breakfast, and what he'll need to gather before leaving. Hold several rehearsals. 

Get your child's sleep in sync with his school schedule. If your child has been staying up late and snoozing all morning, next week's new rules will come as a big shock. Luckily, young kids adapt quickly. Instead of tucking your child in earlier-he'll just toss and turn, Dr. Pelayo says-focus on a consistent wake-up time and get him out of bed no matter what. Discourage long naps (except for the one that corresponds to school naptime). In a few days, his internal clock will reset itself.

 The Day Before 

Pre-pack your child's knapsack. Doing it the night before will cut down on the morning rush. Also designate a special corner or basket where your child should always leave her knapsack when she returns home so it never gets misplaced. 

Choose a first-day outfit. Don't forget about socks, undies, and shoes. And leave nothing to chance: Check the forecast, and pick an alternate outfit, in case the weather turns. 

Get his lunch ready. Many parents do this as they make dinner so there's only one cleanup. Leave the lunch box open so you don't forget to add refrigerated items (like sandwiches and milk) in the morning. Pack a drawing of a smiley face too-it'll make your child's day. Click here for Parents.com's free lunchbox love notes to print and personalize. 

Keep the evening calm. Avoid noisy games and TV-but don't force your child to turn in early. In fact, if anything, send her to bed 15 minutes later than usual, Dr. Pelayo says. She'll fall asleep more easily and won't wake up cranky. 

Set the mood. Read a story about the joys of school. Some great choices for small kids: The Kissing Hand, I Love You All Day Long, and If You Take a Mouse to School.

  

The First Day 

Rise and shine. Get up 30 minutes before your child so you can shower and have your coffee before he wakes; you'll be cheerful, even if he isn't! 

Make it feel like a celebration. Show your child how happy you are that she's reached this major milestone. Serve a favorite breakfast and give her a surprise, like a colorful eraser or a funky pencil, that she can take with her. 

Budget time to take pictures. Years from now, you and your child will be glad you've captured this magic moment. Pick one special spot for photos, like the front porch or steps, and take a new shot at the start of each school year. 

Arrive early. Most kids like having a few moments to get settled into their new classroom, and if your child is on the shy side, it's less intimidating to walk in before the room is packed with other nervous new students. Plan to show up at least ten minutes before the bell rings. 

Welcome your hero home. At the end of the day, serve a special snack and ask how everything went. Plan to have dinner together as a family, if possible, and talk about it some more. Going over the highlights of the day -- plus encouraging your child to talk about his hopes and fears -- makes a terrific start to the year.

Source: Parents.Com