Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Building Blocks Toys Bustling With Great Events This Week

Building Blocks
Toy Store & Chicago's local leaders support Jumpstart's "Read for the Record"
Join us for favorite books read by special people in our community.  Building Blocks Toy Store will donate $15 to Jumpstart on behalf of each child that participates in our reading time.
All reading events will be held at their Wicker Park shop location:
2130 W. Division St, 773-235-1888 
RSVP not required, but appreciated

Yesterday, Miss Ann, one of ChiIL Mama's favorite Windy Kindie artists kicked things off with a guitar & vocal performance and reading from one of our favorite early childhood authors, Mo Willems.   Check out ChiIL Mama's 2 interviews with Little Miss Ann and lots of live show footage from Beat Kitchen on ChiIL Mama's YouTube and Vimeo channels
This cherry themed adaptation of an American folk song is dedicated to the people of Japan.   The video features The Little Miss Ann Band live at Beat Kitchen, Chicago. The band is headed up by Ann and her drummer/ husband, Patrick.   They have a 9 year old daughter, Olivia, and still manage to find the time to rock out together.

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog , by Mo Willems (with a bonus vocal & guitar performance)

Little Miss Ann is a mother, first generation Filipina-American, veteran Old Town School of Folk Music instructor, former Chicago Public School teacher and one of Chicago's "Most Influential Kids Musicians" as voted by  Time Out Chicago. She was also voted "One of the Best Things to Happen to Chicago Kids." Before beconing a Chicago kindie favorite, Little Miss Ann received her Master's in Special education and was a Learning Disabilities teacher. As a teacher and a mother, she has spent everyday inspiring kids to love reading and writing. She is excited for this opportunity to support reading and the Jumpstart program as she truly believes "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader" (Margaret Fuller)

We also have Mo Willems stills from his book signing at Bookamania, another of ChiIL Mama's favorite annual events!    He's shown here with our favorite punk rock librarian, local mom, Lisa, who's a rockin' guitar player whose band opened for X at The Metro!   You can check out the full post HERE.

photo by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara    ChiILMama.com

Bookamania 2008--Here's Mo Willems, kooky creative author and illustrator of kids' favorites like "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus" Next to him is our favorite punk rock librarian.  She's Logan Square's Children's librarian extraordinaire, Lisa.   And her alter ego is punk/metal guitar player fromCoCoComa and Headache City, who opened for X at Metro.  By the way--Exene, lead singer for X was a librarian, too.     So go check out your local branch and tell 'em librarians ROCK!

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio

Alderman Waguespack sits on seven City Council Committees: Finance; Budget and Government Operations; Committees, Rules, and Ethics; Education and Child Development; Housing and Real Estate; Human Relations; and Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation. Scott is working with citizens, neighborhood and business organizations, our neighboring aldermen and the mayor to improve the 32nd Ward and the City of Chicago by finding solutions to the issues we all face and by providing the best city services possible. Alderman Waguespack has participated in the Jumpstart program and looks forward every year to it.

Wednesday Oct 5th, 10:30am: Sarah Cobb of Neighborhood Parents Network
The Family Book by Todd Parr

Sarah is the Executive Director of Neighborhood Parents Network (NPN). After her daughter was born in 2007, Sarah immediately became an NPN member and volunteer.  The importance of NPN to so many expectant, new, and seasoned parents across Chicago is what makes each day so rewarding and fun. She is absolutely sure she would not have survived the sleepless nights, endless spit up, and pacifier addiction without her New Moms Group and NPN connections!  She started reading to her pregnant belly and hasn't stopped. Story time is on her everyday to do list. Her favorite time of day is curling up in bed with Avery and a few great books. There is no doubt with each new book there is remarkable learning happening. 

Thursday Oct 6th, 12noon: Judy Oliva, Divisional VP of Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool
LLama, LLama Red Pajama, by Anna Dewdney

Judy Oliva is the Divisional Vice President for Bright Horizons Early Education and Preschool, where language and literacy are a vital part of every interaction, every aspect of curriculum, every day.  Judy leads the operations of the Midwest Division serving clients and overseeing center operations for 7 states.  She has been involved in the Early Childhood Education field for over 35 years.  Her experience includes teaching in the elementary grades and preschool level, as well as directing community based, corporate sponsored, and not for profit head start programs. 

This event is co-hosted by ChicagoKids.com.  It's a pajama party! Come in your pajamas for some fun festivities & a very special surprise.  All kids will go home with a party favor & a balloon.

 Friday Oct 7th, 11am: Brenna Woodley, Founder of Bundle of Joy (Bring diapers if you wish to donate)

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, by Sherri Duskey Rinker 
Bundle of Joy is a not-for-profit Diaper Bank serving families in Chicago’s most economically depressed neighborhoods. We organize diaper collections with local businesses, civic organizations, churches, and schools, and distribute diapers to families who need them via our partnerships with several of Chicago’s leading food pantries. We want to make sure that babies and toddlers throughout Chicago have access to clean diapers—a costly essential 
for families cannot purchase with food stamps and other public assistance.

Check out ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   We're a blog that explores adventures in urban-odd ball-off the wall-alternative-eco-punk parenting in Chi, IL. Live vicariously through a long haired Chicago boy and his feisty little sister. We're a photo and video filled, arts lovin', celebration of urban life.

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