LOVE Storytime

  

STORYTIME FOR: Dowagiac District Library (In-House)

Hello/Goodbye Song

We Say Hello/Goodbye Like This (with ukulele)
(Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)
D                                                          A7
We wave hello like this… with our friends in storytime, we wave hello like this.
D                                                         A7
We clap hello like this…with our friends in storytime, we clap hello like this.
D                                                           A7
We stomp hello like this… with our friends in storytime, we stomp hello like this.

Why These Books?

Hug Machine by Scott Campbell.  One of the things that drew me to this story is how it tries to defy stereotypes, putting a boy in a pink book.  And did I mention he loves giving hugs?  He hugs his parents, his pets, and even random objects on the street.  I think that’s what made this book such a big hit, even with the little boys (correction: ESPECIALLY with the little boys).  It’s silly, and it also makes you feel great.  This is a great book for valentine’s day…or any day, because it’s all about sharing love and joy!

Love Monster by Rachel Bright.  This is another book that puts two opposing ideas together.  Love and monsters?  Monster lives in a world filled with cute things, which makes him stand out, and not in a good way.  So he goes searching for someone to love him.  This worked well for storytime, because we did actions with monster (he looked high, he looked low), and also, even though the author tells you differently, monster is adorable.  He really tugs at your heart strings.  He even wears a little purple heart.  This is sure to be a storytime favorite.

My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall.  We ended storytime by getting back to basics.  Who doesn’t love the zoo?  Animal books are always a hit with my storytime kids, and all the animals in this book are made up of heart shapes!  The text is simple, so we spend more time enjoying the illustrations and talking about sounds that animals make.

Extensions

The More We Get Together (sign language song)
The more we get together, together, together,
the more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
When your friends are my friends, and my friends are your friens.
The more we get together the happier we’ll be!

See my awesome mentor for Skokie Public Library, Holly Jin, teach this song in sign langauge.

Skinnamarink (ukulele song)
Skinnamarink-y-dink-y-dink, skinnamarink-y-doo, I love you.
Skinnamarink-y-dink-y-dink, skinnamarink-y-doo, I love you.
I love you in the morning, and in the afternoon,
I love you in the evening, underneath the moon,
Skinnamarink-y-dink-y-dink, skinnamarink-y-doo, I love you.

If You’re Happy and You Know It (Egg shakers)
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your egg.
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your egg.
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really wanna show it,
If you’re happy and you knot it, shake your egg.

How It Went

We had a good balance of boys and girls today, who really got into the books and songs.  I was a little wary of using Hug Machine, because I thought it might be too long or too pink, especially for the boys, but they really engaged with it.  We talked a little before storytime started about what you do on Valentine’s Day, like giving presents or hugs, which lead nicely into Hug Machine.  The shaker eggs were a hit, and the parents and kids also loved the sign language song.  I did it once at the beginning and once at the end, and the kids picked it up quickly.  Those who didn’t just clapped their hands, which was totally ok!

Halloween for Picture Books

It’s been a while since of blogged, and Halloween feels like the perfect time to start back up. There are plenty of things to love about Halloween (candy, monsters, scary stories), but since I became a storytime librarian two years ago Halloween picture book ranks at the top. Just take a look at this list and you’ll see why. Stop back soon for a blog post on my favorite Halloweens for tweens and teens.

 

Crankenstein.  Samantha Berger, illus. Dan Santat.

Crankenstein doesn’t like to get up in the morning, or go to school, or do a lot of other things.  And all he has to say is, “Mehhhhh.”  Until one day…he meets another Crankenstein?  Dan Santat’s dramatic and colorful illustrations perfectly encapsulate the mindset of a cranky preschooler.  The tie to Halloween is obvious, but this is also a book that will help children talk about feelings, make connections to their every day lives, and laugh out loud.

 

Skeleton Hiccups.  Margery Cuyler, illus. S.D. Schindler.

Skeletons does the same things as everyone else–he even has the hiccups.  How can he get rid of them?  This is an active story that will engage young readers and a storytime crowd with its friendly illustrations and funny storyline.  Schindler depicts Skeleton’s R.I.P headboard and everyday things with bright, contrasting color.  Skeleton’s face never changes, and yet somehow manages to convey his emotion at not being able to get rid of his hiccups.  Children will enjoy playing along with the story and guessing how Skeleton will get rid of his hiccups!

 

Pumpkin Eye.  Denise Fleming.

Setting the mood for children about to experience Halloween, Denise Fleming sweetly describes all the objects that come along with the spooky holiday in simple rhyme.  Fleming’s illustrations of colored cotton fiber and hand-cut stencils give a uniquely hazy, yet playful, impression of Halloween night.  The book will help children talk about the different things they might see on Halloween night and make connections to their own Halloween plans.

 

Ghosts in the House!  Kazuno Kohara.

In striking black, orange, and white illustrations, Kazuno Kohara tells a story of a little witch, whose house is haunted.  Not to be daunted, however, the witch and her cat set about catching the ghosts and putting them to good use (as tableclothes and curtains).  The contrast of the white ghosts on the dark pages give a textured, almost three-dimensional look.  Though the storyline sets itself up to be spooky and dramatic, the witch’s sweetness and cleverness will delight young readers in unexpected ways!

Good Feelings (sensory storytime)

  

STORYTIME FOR: Berwyn Public Library (Outreach)

Hello/Goodbye Song

We Say Hello/Goodbye Like This (with ukulele)
(Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)
D                                                          A7
We wave hello like this… with our friends in storytime, we wave hello like this.
D                                                         A7
We clap hello like this…with our friends in storytime, we clap hello like this.
D                                                           A7
We stomp hello like this… with our friends in storytime, we stomp hello like this.

Why These Books?

Sad Monster, Glad Monster by Ed Emberly and Anne Miranda.  This book is mainly conceptual, good for both young and special needs readers because it’s about what makes us feel different things.  It’s especially great for sensory storytimes because it is tactile; you can put your nose through the holes in the book and pretend to be each monster.  I also have the kids act out each emotion.

A Good Day by Kevin Henkes.  This is a good follow up, because it’s such a sweet book (and short, too!).  The sad parts are simple and not too dramatized, and the end leaves kids feeling good.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean.  I love this book because it is so versatile.  I usually use it for colors, but it has a great message for kids who are having bad days, “just keeping walking along and singing your song.”  Plus, I never pass up the opportunity to sing.  It is so rhythmic that the kids never get bored of it…they just sing along.

Stretchers

Big Green Monster (Flannel)

Talk about the body parts on the green monster puppet.  Then, start taking each piece off and tell the “scary” monster to “go away!”

The More We Get Together (ukulele)

G                            D           G
The more we get together, to-gether, to-gether,
G                 D           G
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
G     D                    G
When your friends are my friends,
G   D              G
And my friends are your friends,
G                  D           G
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.

If You’re Happy and You Know It (Action Song, with ukulele)

C
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your
G             G
hands.  If you’re happy and you know it, clap
C                       F
your hands.  If you’re happy and you know it,
C                                  G
and you really want to show it, if you’re happy
C
and you know it, clap your hands.

Bean Bag Boogie (Greg & Steve #7)

This is a great song to get kids moving.  We also talk about sharing the bean bags.

Fun Magic Coloring Book

Ask kids to help create pictures with the magic book.

How It Went

The storytime went really well, and I’m sure that had something to do with the fact that there were only four kids so I got to pay each one special attention.  Despite the fact that two of them were non-verbal, they all really engaged with the storytime.  In the middle of Sad Monster, Glad Monster one of them started to cry, which I felt was actually a good reaction.  He was reacting to the emotions in the book.  They teacher agreed, saying that it was a good thing for him to experience. She also shared that he loved music.  To try to cheer him up after the story, I used the Monster flannel puppet (showing him there was nothing to be afraid of) which I immediately followed with “The More We Get Together” (a feel good song) on my ukulele.  I was especially pleased when one of the kids starting singing Pete the Cat’s song with me, and one of the non-verbal kids vocally identified the blueberries.  Overall, the pairing of feeling books and music worked out really well for this storytime; the music was almost therapeutic.

Halloween Storytime

STORYTIME FOR: Berwyn Public Library (Outreach)

Hello/Goodbye Song

We Say Hello/Goodbye Like This (with ukulele)
(Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)
D                                                          A7
We wave hello like this… with our friends in storytime, we wave hello like this.
D                                                         A7
We clap hello like this…with our friends in storytime, we clap hello like this.
D                                                           A7
We stomp hello like this… with our friends in storytime, we stomp hello like this.

Why These Books?

Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette, illustrated by Adam Record.  This is a sweet book about a haunted house, great for easing kids into Halloween stories.  A ghost wanders a house hears all sort of strange noises–which turn out to be his friends.  A mummy, a monster, a skeleton, and a witch.  But when they run into a boy, all the monster run away.  Kids like to try guessing which monsters will appear next.  This is a great book to show kids that they are the scariest things around on Halloween.

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown.  A creepier story, this might be better suited for slightly older preschoolers.  I had some students who said they were afraid.  Jasper Rabbit loves to munch on carrots until he notices carrots creeping after him.  Though this is a little long, the suspense keeps kids’ attention.  There’s a lot to talk about on each page, especially when the illustrations point out objects that Jasper may have thought were creeping carrots.  Overall, this counts as a good “scary” story without bringing on nightmares.

Crankenstein by Samantha Berger and Dan Santat.  Crankenstein hates a lot of things and can’t bring himself to say much more than “Mehhhhhhhr!”  That is, until he meets another Crankenstein.  Though this fits with the Halloween theme, it’s a great book to talk about feelings.  I’ve had a lot of kids giggle as I groan like Crankenstein, and there’s a positive ending that leaves the audience smiling.  Dan Santat’s illustrations really help sell this book.  I love to put this book in the middle of my storytime because it’s short, yet highly entertaining.

Ghosts in the House by Kazuno Kohara.  Upon discovering her house is haunted, a little witch sets about catching all the ghosts in her house, putting them to better use.  This is a soft, sweet book, perfect to end a storytime.  I encourage the kids to help me count the ghosts on the page.  It’s also fun to see if they catch the weirdness of the little witch going to the kitchen to use the washing machine.  All the ghosts are smiling–no reason for young readers to be afraid.

Stretchers

The Ghost in the House (tune: wheels on the bus, w/ puppets)
The ghost in the house goes “Boo, boo, boo…”
The cat in the house goes “Meow, meow, meow…”
The mouse in the house goes “Squeak, squeak, squeak…”
The monsters in the house go “Roar, roar, roar…”
The kids in the house go “Eek, eek, eek…”

Pull puppets out of a pumpkin, asking kids what each animal is and what sounds they make. Then encourage them to sing along.

Five Little Pumpkins (flannel)
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate
The first one said, “Oh my, it’s getting late.”
The second one said, “There are witches in the air.”
The third one said, “But we don’t care.”
The fourth one said, “Let’s run and run and run.”
The fifth one said, “We’re ready for some fun.”
Then “oooooh” went the witch and out went the lights,
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

Monster Hokey Pokey
D
You put your claws in you put your claws out,
D A7
You put your claws in, and you shake them all about.
A7
You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around.
A7 D
That’s what it’s all about.
Repeat: horns, feet, teeth, tail.

Open Shut Them (with motions)
Open shut them, open shut them, give a little clap, clap, clap.
Open shut them, open shut them, put them in your lap, lap, lap.
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.
Open wide your little mouth, but do not let them in.
Shake them, skake them, shake them, shake them,
Shake them just like this, this, this.
Roll them, roll them, roll them, roll them, blow a little kiss!

How It Went

For the most part, each group I visited seemed to enjoy this storytime.  Whenever I shuffled or stomped my feet (as part of the story), the kids responded by shuffling and stomping with me.  Creepy Carrots was a BIG hit.  Some of the girls said they were scared at the beginning, but I think a lot of that was just acting for attention because everyone was rapt as I told the story and turned the pages.  I was able to get through four books with most classes.  Almost all the kids sang the ghost in the house song with me, and a lot of them were able to recite 5 little pumpkins.  I brought my ukulele again, which the teachers loved!  I’m glad the kids seemed to have fun, even as they were getting excited for Halloween.