Summer Reading!

It's so many people's favorite library time of the year--Summer Reading time!

If you haven't done it yet, get yourself down to your public library and sign up! Most libraries have a program of some sort for every age to participate, including adults. Signing up shows your support for the library, which is more important than ever! And as you probably know, reading over the Summer is especially important for youth so that they continue to move forward with their reading skills and prevent the Summer Slide.

As a library worker, planning the Summer Library Program is a lot of fun, but it can also be a challenge. It has to be done on top of all the regular things we do to keep the library running. Plus, we get so many more people at Storytimes over the summer--all ages from babies to adults. We do our best to have something engaging for everyone who comes. At my library we do a lot of crafts and games to go along with stories. It really keeps our patrons engaged and learning. The amounts of books we check out on Storytime days is tremendous and we absolutely love to see kids and families enjoying reading!

I'm certain there are many, many librarians who already have their entire summer program planned. But, if you are a little behind like some of us may be (ahem), Unicorn and Yeti are here to help with a couple of themed ideas. I do love a good theme. It adds a focus base to planning that I think is a lot of fun!

iRead

Level Up at Your Library is the theme the library system I work at is using. It's all about games--from board games to video games, and everything in between. So of course, UNICORN AND YETI: FUN AND GAMES is a perfect read!

In case you don't know, Unicorn and Yeti books each have three separate, themed stories. FUN AND GAMES has:

GAME ON - A story about sharing favorite games. Unicorn and Yeti combine their favorite games to create a new one that they can play together. As a bonus, in the back of the book, illustrator Hazel Quintanilla teaches us how to draw the game board. Sharing the story and then having each participant draw the game board could be great fun. I would love to see how each game board drawing comes out differently. And, of course, they can create game pieces and make up the game they play on the board as well. Then play!

Supplies needed: Paper, pencils, and crayons. colored pencils, or markers, and any other things you want to add if you want to get fancy.

HIDE AND SEEK - In this story about the classic game, Yeti helps Unicorn learn how to be a better hider. Not only does the story help children think about spatial awareness, it also models patience. It can take longer for some kids to figure out how to play games than others and Unicorn and Yeti show that that is okay! While we may not want to play hide and seek in a library setting, the story could easily fit into an outside game day where the kids learn to play a game like red light green light. Of course, you could always make the classic Yeti, since Yeti is really good at hiding. Yeti might even like to hide around the library or the kid's stacks of books at home this summer! He's always up for doing something cool!

Supplies needed: Paper, glue, cotton balls, pens or colored pencils. See the instructions here.

PUZZLED - Unicorn and Yeti have different ways of putting a puzzle together. They figure out that things can be done in different ways and playing, well, it should be fun! I know that librarians are crafty, so I don't feel like I need to tell you how to create a puzzle with kids. It is a great craft to make use of recycled items.

Supplies needed: Paper, cardstock, or cardboard, colored pencils or pens or glue and magazines, comics, etc., and scissors. Of course, you can also purchase cheap puzzle blanks.

Bonus: In UNICORN AND YETI: A GOOD TEAM, Unicorn and Yeti create a race in the story titled... (you guessed it!)... A RACE. Creating a race could be a fun interactive project for the kids to do together! I think I might do that one too!

Whether you read the entire FUN AND GAMES book for one Storytime or use one story, it is definitely ready to fit into this year's iRead theme!

CSLP

Color Our World is the Collaborative Summer Library Program theme this year. The classic theme has lots of possibilities. Unicorn is always coloring the world! I do love the stories where Unicorn changes Yeti's appearance in SPARKLY NEW FRIENDS second story, AN AMAZING FRIEND and the third story in TOGETHER, TEA PARTY.

Of course, painting is a perfect activity for the Color Your World theme, and Unicorn and Yeti do just that in FAIR AND SQUARE, NO FAIR! The story reminds readers that each of us is unique as are our creations, and that painting is supposed to be fun, no matter how our paintings turn out.

So there you have it, a few quick and easy ideas to go with the 2025 iRead and CSLP Summer Reading themes. Thank you librarians for all you do to get kids excited about reading!

 

Make a Yeti of Your Own

As a parent, librarian, and children's book author I absolutely love book-related crafts. They're a great way to extend a story (and the learning) plus they're just plain fun! I put together a Yeti craft that I totally adore. It doesn't take many supplies, is cheap, and can come out looking like Yeti who was designed by Hazel Quintanilla for our Unicorn and Yeti series. And, of course, it can be a unique creation with any face design and as much (or as little) fur as the maker wants!

If you're a librarian you're probably already thinking about Summer... because Summer Reading is coming! This year's theme of the Collaborative Summer Library Program is Imagine Your Story. I love this theme because it encompasses so, so much. Just as with imagination, the possibilities are endless! I personally am hoping to fill my library with rainbows and unicorns, yetis and dragons, and as much fantasy fun as I can find the time to put together!

Below I have photos, a list of materials, and instructions for a Yeti craft. I hope I've made it easy to follow. It's a great craft to do with just one child or a whole group. I plan on doing this craft at my library this summer and I cannot wait!

If you do the craft I hope you have fun with it! And if you have time to share a photo with me, I'd love to see it!

Yeti Craft Instructions are below or if you'd like to download the instructions along with the body, face, and feet templates just click here: Yeti Craft PDF.

Yeti Craft Instructions

To make one Yeti you will need:

• ½ Sheet of White Cardstock
• Colored Paper
• Approximately 12 Cotton Balls
• Glue
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Tape
• Fine tip markers
• Glue Stick (optional)
• Construction paper, sequins, glitter glue, feathers, chenille stems, etc. (Optional for accessories)

Directions:

1. Use the Yeti craft template, a toilet paper tube, or cut a strip of cardstock about 4" wide. 
   
2. If you used cardstock, roll it into a tube and tape it together.
   
   

1. Use the Yeti craft template or cut two strips of white cardstock or stiff paper approximately 3” long and ¾” wide for arms. Tape one on each side of the tube at arm height, about ¼ of the way down the tube.
   
2. Use the Yeti craft template or cut an oval out of colored paper. Draw your Yeti face onto the oval, then glue your face onto the tube. (A glue stick works well for this but liquid glue will do as well!)
   
3. Stretch and tear cotton balls to use as fur. Glue them onto your Yeti body and arms. Keep gluing on cotton balls until your Yeti has as much fur as you want.
   
4. Fill in the top of your Yeti's head by gluing in cotton. (*Tip - If you fold and glue some of the cotton balls over the top (head) hole it will help hold the other cotton balls on when you fill in the top of the head.)
5. Use the template or lightly trace around the bottom of the Yeti onto card stock and add feet to the traced circle. Cut out. Put glue on the bottom of the Yeti and press feet on.
   

Now you have your very own Yeti! In SPARKLY NEW FRIENDS, Unicorn makes Yeti a fancy hat to wear. You can make your Yeti a fancy hat too! Make a top hat out of construction paper and decorate it. Make a crown out of chenille stems! What other accessories can you make?

Do you want the downloadable pdf now that you saw how easy and fun it is to make your own Yeti? Just click here: Yeti Craft PDF (Note that the Yeti arms are supposed to meet the top edge of the paper when you print out the template so cut them straight across.)

If you make a Yeti I'd love to see it! You can post a photo as a comment on this post or tag me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook!