Schools
Yosi Brings International Flavor To Monmouth County Library
Children of preschool age and higher participated in a program performed by Yosi that took them around the world at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library.
The Friends Around The World Summer Reading Club Concert featuring Yosi made a stop on Wednesday, June 29th, at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library. Located at 1001 Route 35 in Shrewsbury, this branch, as well as the Oceanport branch, handled the free tickets to this event, which was part of the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s promotion entitled “One World, Many Stories.”
According to Dawna McClendon, the Children’s Librarian, “surveys have shown that children who read during the summer get back into the swing of things quicker when school starts back up.”
A librarian for over 20 years, Ocean Township resident McClendon explained how New Jersey tried doing a statewide program in 2002. In 2003, New Jersey joined the nation-wide Collaborative Summer Library Program, which also gives the Monmouth County Library system access to nationally-known artists that assist with the development of the promotional material.
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Island Heights resident Yosi Levin has been entertaining children for 14 years. With 4 kids of his own, it all started for Yosi when he brought his guitar into his daughter’s nursery school.
Yosi commanded the children’s attention from the first note strummed on his guitar. He started by having the audience sing “Hello” in different languages. Clapping their hands, the children soon found themselves counting to three in Spanish.
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The scene later switched to almost something out of a punk rock nightclub, as the children were jumping up and down, as if they were monkeys on a bed.
The parents were asked to join their children on the dance floor, arranged by McClendon, for “Hava Nagila” and “Ring Around The Rosie.”
Keeping with the international theme, Yosi introduced the audience to musical instruments that originated in other countries. These included the Zambezi River Guitar (Africa), the Pan Flute (Peru), the Doumbek (Egypt), the Harmonica (Germany), the Rain Stick (South America), the Bulbul Tarang (India) and the Didgeridoo (Australia). The children were enthralled as each instrument was demonstrated.
The program ended with a song (“Thank You For Being My Friend”) that probably had the “doo-das” etched in the parents’ heads as they drove home. Mixing education and fun appears to come naturally for Yosi.
For more information about Yosi, visit www.yosimusic.com . To find out more about what your local library may be offering, visit www.monmouthcountylib.org.
