chrisholliman

It’s a beautiful day.
The sun is shining.
I feel good.
And no one’s gonna stop me now.

  • ‘The Labors Of Hercules Beal’ By Gary D. Schmidt

    Publication Info: 2023 by Clarion Books (imprint of Harper Collins) Author: Gary D. Schmidt Title: The Labors Of Hercules Beal The Plot In Five Sentences Or Less: Hercules Beal is a 7th grader living on Cape Cod whose parents died the previous year in an auto accident. At school, his eccentric teacher Mr. Hupfer assigns…

  • Harold And The Purple Crayon Party

    Synopsis: Preschool aged program based on Crockett Johnson’s 1955 book Harold And The Purple Crayon. Budget: Less than $50 Supplies: Basic craft supplies including: Construction paper, toilet paper tubes, googly eyes, large roll of white paper Directions: We set up several stations in our Children’s Department. We opened the program with a reading of Harold…

  • “The Last Mapmaker” by Christina Soontornvat

    Title: The Last Mapmaker Author: Christina Soontornvat Publication Info: 2022 Candlewick Press The Plot: Sai lives in the kingdom of Mangkon and works as an assistant to the famous mapmaker Paiyoon Wongyai.  Unbeknownst to her master, Sai comes from the troubled underclass of Mangkon society and has little room for advancement in life.  When the…

  • Boats That Float Program

    Synopsis: Using basic materials, children crafted small boats that actually float. Prep Time: If you have the materials on hand, prep time is pretty negligible. Budget: Around $20 – $40 depending on how many materials you would like to include Supplies Needed: Styrofoam toothpicks or popsicle sticks or some type of small wooden dowels (these…

  • Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

    Title: Hello, Universe Author: Erin Entrada Kelly Publication Information: 2017 by Greenwillow Books/Harper Collins The Plot: Virgil Salinas is a shy boy who is overshadowed by his older brothers and pushed around by the neighborhood bully Chet. He longs to talk to the pretty girl in school Valencia Somerset. To overcome his shyness, he seeks…

  • LEGO Car Program

    Synopsis: We built motorized LEGO cars powered by small DC motors and 9 volt batteries. Age Group: Elementary Aged Prep time: several hours Budget: around $50 for a program with 12 children attending Supplies needed: small DC motors with gear boxes 9 volt batteries small switches 9 volt battery clip connectors 3D printed axels (to…

  • Dead End In Norvelt By Jack Gantos

    Title: Dead End In Norvelt Author: Jack Gantos Publication Info: Square Fish 2013 Plot: Norvelt is a small town in western Pennsylvania that has seen its best days, but the long time residents are too stubborn to let it die. With the arrival of summer, Norvelt resident Jack Gantos (the character, not the author) is…

  • The Sea In Winter By Christine Day

    Title: The Sea In Winter Author: Christine Day Publication Info: 2021 by Harper Collins Children’s Books The Plot: 12 year old Maisie has done ballet for as long as she can remember. Her free time and social life all revolve around ballet and she dreams of one day becoming a famous dancer. When she tears…

  • “Pony” by R. J. Palacio

    Title: Pony Author: R. J. Palacio The Plot: 12 year old Silas lives with his father and a ghostly friend named Mittenwool, whom only Silas can see, on a farm in the west. Their peaceful life together is shattered when a gang of counterfeiters kidnaps the father in the middle of the night. Silas and…

  • “Ophie’s Ghosts” by Justina Ireland

    Title: Ophie’s Ghosts Author: Justina Ireland Publication Info: 2021 by Balzer + Bray (Harper Collins0 The Plot: In 1920’s Georgia, Ophie and her mother experience traumatic racial violence and decide to start a new life up north. Ophie realizes along the journey that she is able to see and interact with ghosts. After arriving in…

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