Center Point Large Print’s BRUTUS, THE LIBRARY DOG
is the inspiration for this contest

Regional Librarian, Mary King, and Research & Database Specialist, Shirley Keech, give BRUTUS a tour of the WMRLS Bookmobile.  Brutus selects the Center Point Large Print publication The Spirit of The Great Pumpkin Roll:  The Town Center Library Project Covington by Joan Medlicott and the CD  by Jim Armenti

A BIG THANK YOU TO Center Point Large Print Books AND  Brutus
Our Friends at Center Point Large Print Books sent the very special canine library mascot BRUTUS (a cute little stuffed dog) to visit our WMRLS Power Workshop on April 10.  Brutus enjoyed his visit with our western Massachusetts Power Workshop librarians so much that he will be visiting a number of WMRLS member libraries this summer. Brutus is the inspiration for our WMRLS CANINE CHORUS CONTEST.

Contest Rules:
* Select a dog related song.
* Write down the theme that your song inspires.
* Recommend one book (any age level – child, teen, adult) that complements this theme.
* Recommend one activity (example: game, dance, craft, your choice) that complements this theme.

Examples:
Dog Song: B*I*N*G*O [I know a man who had a dog and BINGO was his name-o ….]
Book: (unusual pets) Hieronymus Betts And His Unusual Pets by M P Robertson
Activity: Play B*I*N*G*O

Dog Song: You Ain’t Nothin Like A Hound Dog, Crying All the Time
Books: (sad stories) Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli.
Activity: Give each participant a Kleenex and ask them to share a story that is sure to make one cry!

AND THE WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM WINNING LIBRARIES ARE ….

 SING Dog And Butterfly by Heart       
 (Fathers and Daughters Relationships) READ Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (Graphic Novel) Older Ya or Adult.
BRUTUS SAYS Tell a family story through creating a mini comic.
SUBMITTED BY Sarah Hodge-Wetherbe, Springfield, Library

SING Kanine Krunchies from 101 Dalmatians movie and soundtrack
(Confessions of naughty, humorous deeds) READ Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan   
BRUTUS SAYS Produce a Kanine Krunchie commercial. Kids create their own commercial for the yummy dog biscuits in the song using stuffed animals and a Kanine Krunchie box that they design. Give them a disposable camera to take still commercial shots.  To make Kanine Krunchie boxes, Give kids boxes wrapped in white or brown paper (cracker, cereal boxes…) with paints, markers, glue, magazines to cut from… and have them design their own Kanine Krunchie box.   Snack -serve dog bone shaped sugar cookies, or pretzel rods in a brand new clean dog dish. 
SUBMITTED BY Janice McArdle, Granby Public Library

SING This Old Man (Give a dog a bone)
READ Move Over Rover by Karen Beaumont
BRUTUS SAYS Dance the "Puppy Pokey" You put your puppy paws in, you put your puppy paws out, you put your puppy paws in & shake them all about, you do the puppy pokey and you turn yourself around and that's what it's all about. Wuff, wuff. (tail, ears, nose...)  Or Create a Paperbag puppy puppet craft.
SUBMITTED BY Cynthia Sutter, Agawam Library

SING How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?
READ Bow Wow- A Day In The Life Of Dogs by Judy Reinen
BRUTUS SAYS Make dog bookmarks and/or collages.  Kids can decorate them with ink stamps and pictures cut out of pet supply catalogs and old dog magazines.  Vet offices and dog breeders are a great source of supply catalogs and dog magazines.
SUBMITTED BY Linda Hickman, Montague Public Libraries

SING  Fooba Wooba John
READ Widget by Lyn Rossiter McFarland
BRUTUS SAYS Play Knick-knack Paddywhack rhyming game.  Children get a paper dog bone with a word and picture to feed a red puppet dog (with hole in the mouth) when he says a word that Rhymes.  For a craft, children will decorate a strip of paper and two large ears then adults will measure and tape the strip around the child's head and tape on hanging ears.  For children who would like it, a spot of black paint could be added their nose.
SUBMITTED BY Jennifer Whitehead, Clapp Memorial Library

SING How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?
READ Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
BRUTUS SAYS Play: "Red Rover, Red Rover, I dare you to come over"
SUBMITTED BY Georgia Massucco, Lee Library Association

SING There's A Doggy At The Door by Scott Smith
READ  Good Boy, Fergus by David Shannon
BRUTUS SAYS Make Dog Tags . Have the children choose dog names for themselves. Write the name on a construction shaped bone. Have children decorate their bones. Attach yarn and let them wear them.  ~ Idea developed by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
SUBMITTED BY Pat Leveille, Agawam Public library

SING Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone
READ The Pocket Dogs by Margaret Wild and Stephen Michael King
BRUTUS SAYS Play Hide and Seek and/or  Make small cut out dogs that will fit and hide in book pockets or envelopes.
SUBMITTED BY Jane Babachicos, Chicopee Public Library

SING Who Let the Dogs Out? by the Baha Men
READ  Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey
BRUTUS SAYS Make paper bag dog puppets.
SUBMITTED BY Meg Clancy , South Hadley Public Library

SING Who Let the Dogs Out? by Baha Men
 (Puppy love)  READ The Puppy Who Wanted A Boy by Jane Thayer
BRUTUS SAYS Kids will kneel on the back of a chair and drop dog bones into a can.  See how many bones land in the can.
SUBMITTED BY Beth Sorrell, Huntington Public Library

SING Walking the Dog by Rufus Thomas  (Theme:  taking care of a pet and everyone getting exercise)
READ  The New Puppy by Anne Civardi
BRUTUS SAYS Make a puppy/dog wind sock out of a paper bag
SUBMITTED BY Margaret L. Nareau, Huntington Public Library

SING Martha My Dear - a Beatles song written by Paul McCartney who had an Old English Sheepdog named Martha (though the song is not about a dog)
READ The Bookshop Dog by Cynthia Rylant (the dog is named Martha Jane)
BRUTUS SAYS Play Old Maid (Martha Jane's owner is an old maid until the end of the story) or Hearts (so many people love Martha Jane) or change the hand clapping game "Miss Mary Mack" to "Miss Martha Mack"
SUBMITTED BY Debby Cuthbert, Lenox Library Association

SING Me And You And A Dog Named Boo by Lobo   (Theme: Travel)
READ  Benny: An Adventure Story by Bob Graham
BRUTUS SAYS Play This Travel Game:  First player says the name of a city.  The next player says the name of a city that begins with the last letter of the previous city's name. And so on.  Stuck players drop out OR Teams compete until one team is stuck.  This could also be timed with two teams.  Each makes a list following the last letter rule.  The team with the most names on the list when time is up wins.
SUBMITTED BY Ruth LaFrance, Lenox Library Association

SING Do Your Ears Hang Low: A Love Story (Two long-eared dogs celebrate their love to the words of a familiar children's song)
READ  Wiggle by Doreen Cronin
BRUTUS SAYS Make bracelets and anklets out of metallic shred and then dance/wiggle around with them on.
SUBMITTED BY Holli Jayko, Adams Free Library

SING Waggy Tailed Dog (by Maria Muldaur, on the Big Blues CD)
READ  Walter's Tail by Lisa Campbell Ernst
BRUTUS SAYS First you must do a Waggy Tailed Dog dance!  Then you could make a craft:  Cut out fuzzy material in a dog shape, glue to a paper, attach a tail with a brad so it can wag back and forth.
SUBMITTED BY Elaine Wrubel, Wilbraham Public Library

SING Dog Train (Sandra Boynton CD, sung by Blues Traveller)
READ  Dog Train, or 1,2, 3 to the Zoo by Eric Carle, or My Puffer Train by Mary Murphy
BRUTUS SAYS Make a "train" using your storytime chairs, so you are sitting lined up as you sing; then craft an animal (or zoo) train (using Ellison die cuts?).
SUBMITTED BY Elaine Wrubel, Wilbraham Public Library

SING Six Little Dogs. Original Author Unknown. (Theme Doggy actions)
READ  My Father the Dog. by Elizabeth Bluemle   
BRUTUS SAYS Play This Game.  Doggy, Doggy, Where's Your Bone?  Children make a circle.  One child closes his or her eyes. We hide the Bone behind the back of one child. Child opens his or her eyes after hearing everyone say a little poem.  Doggy, doggy, where's your bone?  Somebody stole it from your home. Guess Who! Maybe you.....   Maybe the monkeys from the zoo.  Wake up doggy, find your bone. Then the child guesses who has the bone.   
SUBMITTED BY Patti D'Amario, Indian Orchard Branch, Springfield City Library

SING R * I * N* G* O* - like BINGO but with a different dog's name - mine is especially happy to be present and to participate in the singing too.  He's a musician after all!
READ   RINGO by Diana Norman... YES! I really wrote this book  and illustrated it with photos and graphics featuring my dog, RINGO, and my daughter, Emma.  I read it at story times with great results!
BRUTUS SAYS Here's a story hour classic ~ we talked about pets and then played several parachute games where we made "PIGS FLY" - and then had it "Raining cats and dogs" etc... with little stuffed animals on the parachute.
SUBMITTED BY Diana Norman, Emily Williston Memorial Library, Easthampton

SING How Much is That Doggie in the Window?
READ Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
BRUTUS SAYS Write a short poem about your favorite dog.
SUBMITTED BY Frances Rourke, Monson Free Library

SING How Much is that Doggie In the Window
READ Widget by Lyn McFarland
BRUTUS SAYS Have a Humane educator come in from a local animal shelter.  They bring dogs & teach about pet care and why no to buy pet shop dogs.
SUBMITTED BY Linda Hickman, Montague

SING Alphabet Song
READ Martha Calling by Martha Speaks
BRUTUS SAYS Make cup & string telephone & then play telephone - kids whisper around in a circle
SUBMITTED BY Lynne Fay, Otis Library

SING Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
READ Move Over rover or Hard Working Puppies
BRUTUS SAYS Make a Puppy Ears Headband
SUBMITTED BY Pat Lalli, Storrs Library, Longmeadow

SING Hard Day's Night 2. I've been working like a dog - Beatles 3. Who Let the Dogs Out...woof....woof...
READ Super Hero - Super Dog and Carl the Dog
BRUTUS SAYS Play Pin the tail on the Doggie or Book the Holly the Bloodhound Dog visit from the State Troopers K-9 Unit
SUBMITTED BY Maureen Tipton, Springfield City Library and the following branches:  East Forest Park/Forest Park Libraries

SING Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
READ Nobody's Diggier Than A Dog by Susan Bartoletti
BRUTUS SAYS Make Dog Ear Headbands - Headband made from strips of oaktag - decorate using crayons or markers.  Add long narrow ears (construction paper) either up or down by stapling to headbands
SUBMITTED BY Pat Lalli & Martha Richard, Richard Salter Storrs Library, Longmeadow

SING Ten in the Bed - There were ten in the bed and the little pup said: "roll over, roll over" ...,
READ Move Over Rover! by Karen Beaumont
BRUTUS SAYS Dog ear headbands: one piece of oaktag cut in three inch strips 18in. long.  Dog ear shaped long and narrow using white construction paper.  Kids color and parent staples to headband either up or down.
SUBMITTED BY Martha Richard & Pat Lalli, Storrs Library, Longmeadow

SING The Dog Went Out On A Warm Summer's day (Fox went out on a chilly night)
READ Great Gracie Chase
BRUTUS SAYS Play Ring around the town-o (rosy)
SUBMITTED BY Candy Cross, Wheeler Memorial Library, Orange

SING Dogs singing: Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer
READ  Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough
BRUTUS SAYS Dog balloons - Blow up a balloon, draw a face on it w/marker.  Add paper ears w/tape, and your dog flies.
SUBMITTED BY Cindy Bright, Ware Library

SING Who Let the Dogs Out
READ Detective Larue by Mark Teague
BRUTUS SAYS Invite the K-9 unit to visit the library and provide a demonstration
SUBMITTED BY Lisa Young, Westfield Athenaeum

SING Do Your Ears Hang Low (Bassett hound)
READ 44 Uses for a dog by Harriet Ziefert
BRUTUS SAYS Invite the local Vet to visit and discuss dog care
SUBMITTED BY Leanne Jaeger, Westfield Athenaeum

SING Are You Sleeping? Are You Sleeping? Brother John, Brother John, Little dogs are barking, little dogs are barking, Woof, Woof, Woof, Woof, Woof, Woof
READ The Napping House by Audrey Wood & (Don Wood?)
BRUTUS SAYS Make a collage with magazine pictures of animals piling on top of granny napping in the bed.  Ex: Start w/Granny & bed already printed on construction paper.  Maybe add cloth bits as blankets & quilts.
SUBMITTED BY Pat Richard & Elizabeth Kuzmech, Sandisfield Library

SING I'd like to be an Oscar Myer Weiner
READ The Hallo-weiner by Dav Pilkey
BRUTUS SAYS Have a "weenie" roast picnic (ask local food market for donations)
SUBMITTED BY Donna Colson, Westfield Athenaeum

SING  Puppy Love
READ Puppy Love by Jenny Dale and Puppy Love by Dick King Smith
BRUTUS SAYS Invite a Therapy dog to come in to library
SUBMITTED BY Patti Brose, Westfield Athenaeum

SING I Saw A Little Puppy By The Barnyard Gate and that little puppy was my playmate and that little puppy went - woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof
READ Sit Truman by Dan Harper
BRUTUS SAYS Create a Puppy Puppet 
SUBMITTED BY Julie Cavacco, Tilton Library, South Deerfield

SING Fox Went Out On A Chilly Night
(Wild dogs)  READ Southwestern coyote tales (have to email title and author)
BRUTUS SAYS Play Duck Duck Goose game (want to feel like prey?)
SUBMITTED BY Hilary Nolan, Westhampton Memorial Library

SING BINGO or How Much is that Doggy in the Window
READ Angus & The Ducks or Last Puppy by Frank Ashe
BRUTUS SAYS Play Bingo and make a paper bag puppy puppet
SUBMITTED BY Cindy MacNaught, East Longmeadow Public Library

SING Who Let the Dogs Out? by Baha Men
READ Because of Winn Dixie
BRUTUS SAYS Have a dog barking contest AND/OR Make a milk bone mobile w/doggie biscuits and wire hangers and yarn & construction paper - cut out dog shapes
SUBMITTED BY Stephanie Maher, Palmer Public Library

SING Cranky Poodle (to the tune of Yankee Doodle, from the book take me out of the bath tub by Alan Katz)
READ Hey Al by Arthur Yorinks & Richard Egielski
BRUTUS SAYS Make a tropical mobile, include parrots, monkeys, flowers and trees
SUBMITTED BY Josie Zgrodnik, Hatfield Public Library

SING Woof! Woof! Woof! (Christmas Carol with barking dogs)
(Fun music)  READ I Know And Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly AND Six Little Ducks Swam Out One Day....
BRUTUS SAYS Music fun ~ give everyone a comb, wax paper, and elastic band.  Wrap wax paper around comb and attach with elastic band. Have fun with a wax paper comb chorus
SUBMITTED BY Janet Eckert, WMRLS

Congratulations Winners!