Library Pets and Winter Books

A while back during one of my online classes, a topic was generated about Library Pets.  Since I only work part time a large animal would not be in the cards (although a Library cat would be wonderful- I doubt I would get away with it).  Therefore, setting my sights smaller, a fellow Librarian suggested Stick Bugs as a great easy to care for pet.  I googled stick bugs in my area and a young fellow came up who only charged me $5 for 6 baby bugs.  When I say baby- I mean baby! They were very difficult to find so I let all the students see the bugs up close before I put them in their large enclosure.  They were an instant hit!! The kids LOVED them and still do as I took them home for the Christmas holidays and the students are breathing down my neck to get them back.

I took an aquarium I had laying around in the garage and turned it on its side.  Then I hot glue guned some velcro to a sheet of bug netting that was also laying around in the garage.  I added a black ribbon bow because that's how I roll.  On the bottom went some moss and then put in a few twigs and Voila! A stick bug house.  They eat ivy which I throw in every month or so and you mist them with a water bottle everyday.  That's. It.  Easiest pet I have ever had. Here is the display in the Library, I put a bunch of insect books surrounding the enclosure.

Here is a picture of them close up.  There are two munching on the leaf.  They have grown a bunch since I first got them.  They are supposed to grow to approximately 6 inches in length.

I ran a contest for name suggestions with the students.  The names chosen by random draw were: Crash, Marco, Leafy, Buddy and Peanut Butter Jelly Time.  (We have 5 bugs after one died a day after getting them)

In other news, with the onset of a blizzard today I was inspired to create a 'snowy' felt board story for the Kindergarten classes.  Based on the book The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel and Illustrated by Nancy Winslow Parker I created the following felt board.  The story is a great read aloud and the kids should have a lot of fun with it!