Cover to Cover: A Storytime for Read Across America Day

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I was originally planning to do this storytime last week, in observance of Read Across America Day on March 2, but it was too rainy for our outdoor venue, so I did it yesterday instead.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier and Suzy Lee

This is a really simple book, but it always gets a great response. The book instructs you to “Open this little red book and read about ladybug, who opens her little green book and reads about frog…” etc. Each time the “book” you are opening gets smaller and smaller, until finally you get to Giant’s little rainbow book, which is too small for her to read, so her friends read it to her, and then close up each book. The kids enjoyed calling out the colors of the book covers, and I had them say, “Shoop!” every time we closed a book.

We Are in a Book by Mo Willems

This is one of my favorite Elephant and Piggie Books. My coworker Charlotte read the part of Piggie and I read Gerald, and it got a lot of laughs. In this one, the two friends realize that they are in a book, and have fun getting the reader to say the word “Banana.” It reminds me a lot of The Book With No Pictures by B. J. Novak, which is one of my all-time favorite books to read aloud.

Hooray for Books by Brian Won

This one worked really well for the theme, because it has a lot of different animals and colorful illustrations, and ends with a storytime (Yay!). The story is about a turtle who can’t find his favorite book, because it keeps getting borrowed by one of his friends. In the end, the animals all decide to share their books with each other. The kids enjoyed calling out, “Hooray for Books!” on every other page.

Songs:

Rainbow Round Me by Ruth Pelham

This one was especially appropriate because there was a big, beautiful rainbow in town earlier that morning. We sang it after reading Open This Little Book, and I asked the kids to suggest things they might see outside their window. We had a purple butterfly, an orange butterfly, a yellow cat and a pink cat:

When I [C] look outside my [G7] window,
There’s a world of color I [C] see.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
There’s a [G7] world of color I [C] see.

CHORUS:
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 

And the [C] butterfly outside my [G7] window,
Is as purple as purple can [C] be.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
It’s as [G7] purple as purple can [C] be.

CHORUS:
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 

And the [C] cat outside my [G7] window,
Is as yellow as yellow can [C] be.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
It’s as [G7] yellow as yellow can [C] be.
And the butterfly is [G7] purple as purple can [C] be.

These Are My Glasses by Laurie Berkner

This song is so much fun to sing, and it fit perfectly with the theme. Laurie Berkner has a great YouTube video where you can see the motions.

The lyrics are:

These are my glasses,

This is my book.

I put on my glasses,

And open up my book.

Then I read, read, read,

And I look, look, look.

I put down my glasses and whoop! close up the book.

If You’d Like to Read a Book

I got this one from Miss Katie’s Story Time Wiki. It’s to the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It:

[C] If you’d like to read a book, clap your [G7] hands (clap, clap)

If you’d like to read a book, clap your [C] hands (clap, clap)

If you’d [F] like to read a book, listen up [C] and take a look,

If you’d [G7] like to read a book, clap your [C] hands! (clap, clap)

Reading Rainbow Theme Song by Steve Horelick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir

I couldn’t resist doing this song as our instrument play-along, if only for the nostalgia factor. Plus, it’s so catchy!

[G] Butterfly in the sky,
[G] I can go twice as high.
[C] Take a [D] look, it’s
[C] In a [D] book, a
[C] Reading [D] Rain-[G]bow!

[C] I [D] can go [G] anywhere!
[C] Friends to [D] know, and
[C] Ways to [D] grow, a
[C] Reading [D] Rain-[G]bow

[C] I [D] can be [G] anything!
[C] Take a [D] look, it’s
[C] In a [D] book, a
[C] Reading [D] Rain-[G]bow!
[C] Reading [D] Rain-[G]bow!

Stay & Play: Handmade Books

I was looking for an easy way to make a paper book for the kids to decorate that didn’t involve staples, and I found this really fun one from Teach Beside Me.

Before the storytime, I folded together three pieces of 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper in half width-wise, and punched two holes along the folded edge about three inches apart. Then I folded different colors of paper in half for the covers, and punched two holes in the same place.

For the Stay & Play, I put out the folded paper, the folded covers, some rubber bands, some popsicle sticks (I used the wide kind, but the thinner ones work really well too), some stamps and stamp pads, and some stickers. I meant to bring markers, but forgot to get them from the library when I was packing up to go to the park.

I showed the kids (and really the parents) how to choose a cover that they liked, fold it over a pack of blank paper, and then feed each end of the rubber band through each of the holes and wrap it around either end of the popsicle stick to hold the book together. The kids had a great time decorating their books with stickers and stamps.

What are your favorite books and songs about reading? Please share them in the comments below.

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Birds of a Feather: A Storytime About Birds

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We’ve had so many birds flying around for the past few weeks that I wanted to do a storytime in honor of the Great Backyard Bird Count (February 17-20), but with a focus on nonfiction, in honor of National Science Day on February 28.

I love nonfiction picture books, but don’t usually get to read them at storytime, since they tend to be geared towards older kids. Luckily, there are some fairly simple books about birds, eggs, and nests that worked really well for our storytime families, especially since the schools are out this week, and we had some older siblings in attendance.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward and Steve Jenkins

Short rhymes describe the nests of a wide range of birds (woodpeckers, flamingos, hummingbirds, etc.), with large illustrations of each one. This book was longer than the ones I typically read for my storytime audience, but the families really seemed intrigued by all of the different types of nests, especially the cowbird (who lays its eggs in other birds’ nests) and the hornbill (who gets sealed inside a hollow tree with her eggs until they hatch).

Tiny Dino by Deborah Freedman

When a hummingbird insists that he is a “tiny dino,” the other animals don’t believe him. But he gives several arguments to prove that birds share many characteristics with dinosaurs, including scales, hollow bones, and feathers. Claire read the part of the hummingbird, and I read the other animals. A cute way to use a story (and beautiful illustrations) to explain the connection between dinosaurs and birds.

An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston; illustrated by Sylvia Long

This book, describing the different colors, textures, and shapes of different types of eggs, is absolutely stunning, and includes a wide variety of birds, as well as turtles, and insects. Before we read the book, we gave each child a plastic egg with a picture of a local bird inside (see file below. It’s a double-sided document with a picture of the adult bird on one side, and the egg and nest on the other). As I read, I asked the kids about the shape and texture of their plastic eggs.

birds-of-san-pedro-valley-parkDownload

Songs:

Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill, (Hold up both thumbs)
One named Jack, and the other named Jill.
Fly away, Jack! (Put one thumb behind your back)
Fly away, Jill! (Put the other thumb behind your back)
Come back, Jack! (Bring the first thumb out in front).
Come back, Jill! (Bring the second thumb out in the front).

Two little blackbirds sitting on a cloud,
One was quiet, and the other was loud (I make my voice as loud and obnoxious as possible each time I sing the word “Loud!”)
Fly away, Quiet!
Fly away, Loud!
Come back, Quiet!
Come back, Loud!

Two little blackbirds sitting in the snow.
One flew fast!
And the other flew slow!…

Two little blackbirds sitting on a gate.
One was early,
And the other was…late!…  (I like to drag the pauses out as long as possible before saying “Late!” until the kids are all yelling it out.)

This Is the Way We Flap Our Wings

To the tune of The Wheels on the Bus. I told the kids we were going to pretend to be birds, and then we sang the song, acting out the different motions. I asked the families to suggest things that birds do. We ended up pecking the ground, standing on one foot, swimming around (we talked about the types of birds that swim, like ducks and penguins), and shaking our tails.

This is the way we flap our wings,

Flap our wings, flap our wings,

This is the way we flap our wings,

All day long!

This is the way we peck the ground… (peck ground with your fingers in a “beak” shape)

We Bounce and We Bounce

I was originally planning to sing Six Little Ducks, but it was so chilly at the park that I did this one instead, just to give the kids a chance to move around. This is one of my very favorite storytime songs, and the kids love it. I like to do different motions for each verse, and vary the speed as we go.

C

We bounce and we bounce and we stop!

C

We bounce and we bounce and we stop!

C

We bounce and we bounce and we bounce and we bounce,

C                                          G7                       C

And we bounce and we bounce and we stop!

We clap and we clap and we stop!…

We run and we run and we stop!…

We lean and we lean and we stop!…

I’m a Little Bird

To the tune of I’m a Little Teapot:

I’m a little bird inside an egg, (crouch down into a ball)

Here is my head (point to your head)

And here is my leg (point to your leg).

While I’m in the egg, I’ll grow and sleep (close your eyes),

Then I’ll POP right out (jump up)

And go, “Peep! Peep! Peep!”

When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along by Harry Woods

This is an old song from 1926 that my Dad sang a lot when I was a kid. Here’s the version sung by Bing Crosby:

When the [C] red, red robin comes
[G7] Bob, bob, bobbin’ [C] along, along.
There’ll be no more sobbin’ when
[G7] He starts throbbin’ his [C] old sweet [C7] song:

[F] Wake up, wake up you sleepy head!
[C] Get up, get up get out of bed!
[D7] Cheer up, cheer up the sun is red!
[G7] Live, love, laugh and be happy.

[C] What if I’ve been [G7] blue,
Now I’m walking through
[C] Fields of flowers.
Rain may glisten but
Still I [G7] listen for [C] hours and [C7] hours.
[F] I’m just a kid again [Fm6] doing what I did again,
[C] Singing a [Am] song.
When the [C] red, red robin comes
[G7] Bob, bob, bobbin’ a-[C]long.

Stay & Play: Paper Bowl Nests

This was a fun tie-in with the plastic eggs we handed out earlier in the storytime.

Before storytime, I shredded brown construction paper in our library shredder. For the Stay & Play, I put out paper bowls for each kid, along with bowls full of the shredded paper, glue sticks, and feathers. The kids had fun putting glue all around the bowl, and lining their nests with the shredded paper, feathers, and also some leaves and grasses from around the park. They put their plastic eggs in their nests at the end.

What are your favorite nonfiction books for younger kids? Please share them in the comments below.

Love Somebody: A Storytime for Valentine’s Day

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It was a chilly day in the park today for our Outdoor Musical Storytime, but we still had a great time celebrating Valentine’s Day with stories and songs.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

If You’ll Be My Valentine by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Fumi Kosaka

Short poems describe what a little boy will do for different loved ones if they will be his Valentine: scratch his cat behind her ears, take his little sister for a ride in a wagon, make a special letter for Grandma, etc. Most other books that are explicitly about Valentine’s Day are a bit too long for my storytime toddlers and young preschoolers, but this one worked well. A sweet book that celebrates shared experiences with family.

If Animals Said I Love You by Ann Whitford Paul; illustrated by David Walker

Adorable book that imagines how different animals might say, “I love you.” The kids loved calling out the names of the animals and mimicking their motions: beating their chests like gorillas; stomping their feet like secretary birds, etc.

Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Very simple, rhymed story about a girl who plants a kiss, which grows into a glittery treasure she shares with the world. We had handed out play scarves for a song before we read this one, so I had the kids hide the scarves in their hands and then pull them out slowly to mimic the sprouting kiss. Claire threw small paper hearts out into the crowd at the end.

Songs:

There’s A Little Wheel a’Turnin’ in My Heart

This is a traditional song with lots of versions, but I used a variation of the one by Laurie Berkner in the video below.

There’s a [C] little wheel a-[G] turnin’ in my [C] heart, (rotate your hands around each other)

There’s a [C] little wheel a-[G] turnin’ in my [C] heart.

In my [F] hea-a-[C] art, in my [G] hea-a-[C] art, (put your hand on your heart)

There’s a [C] little wheel a-[G] turnin’ in my [C] heart.

Additional verses:

I hear two hands a clapping in my heart…

I hear two feet a stomping in my heart…

Oh, I feel so very happy in my heart… (make the ASL sign for Happy)

There’s a little wheel a-turnin’ in my heart.

Love Somebody, Yes I Do!

There are several different versions of this song, but the one I used was closest to the one in this video from Musicaliti:

Love somebody, yes I do! (ASL sign for LOVE, ASL sign for YES)

Love somebody, yes I do!

Love somebody, yes I do!

Love somebody and it’s you, you, you! (point to different people)

You, you, you!

Old MacDonald

We sang this after If Animals Said I Love You. I asked the kids for animal suggestions for each verse. We sang about a cow, a duck, a pig, a chicken, and a goat.

C] Old MacDonald [F] had a [C] farm,

E-I- [G7] E-I- [C] O!

And on that farm he [F] had a [C] pig,

E-I- [G7] E-I- [C] O!

With an oink-oink here, and an oink-oink there,

Here an oink, there an oink,

Everywhere an oink-oink.

[C] Old MacDonald [F] had a [C] farm,

E-I- [G7] E-I- [C] O!

You’ll Sing a Song by Ella Jenkins

We sang this song with play scarves, and I added verses so the kids could move the scarves in different ways: you wave a scarf; you throw a scarf, etc. It’s a wonderful song for storytime, because you can add in whatever motions suit your group best: jumping up and down, clapping your hands, etc. Plus, it is incredibly catchy!

[C] You’ll sing a song, and [Am] I’ll sing a song,

And [C] we’ll sing a [Dm] song toge-[G]ther.

[C] You’ll sing a song, and [Am] I’ll sing a song,

In [G] warm or [C] wintry [G] wea-[C]ther.

You’ll wave a scarf, and I’ll wave a scarf, and we’ll wave our scarves together…

You’ll peek-a-boo, and I’ll peek-a-boo… (put the scarf over your face, then pull it away)

You’ll throw a scarf, and I’ll throw a scarf…

Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton

I’ve always loved this song from Sandra Boynton’s Philadelphia Chickens book and album. There is also a stand-alone board book version of the song. We did it as our instrument play-along, and Claire carried around a dog puppet to “lick” the kids.

Well, [G] I have a thing to tell you
And it [C] won’t take long.
The [D] way I feel about you
Is a [G] kind of a song.
[G] It starts with an ooh and [C] ends with a kiss,
And [A] all along the middle it goes [D] something like [D7] this:

CHORUS
We go, [G] ooh, Snuggle [C] Puppy of mine,
[D] Everything about you is [G] especially fine.
[C] I love what you are, [G] I love what you do,
[A] Fuzzy little Snuggle Puppy, [D] I love [D7] you!

I say, [G] ooh, Snuggle [C] puppy of mine,
[D] Everything about you is [G7] especially fine,
[C] I love what you are, [G] I love what you do,
[D] Ooh, I love [G] you!

Well, I [G] wanted just to tell you
And it [C] didn’t take long,
The [D] way I feel about you
Is a [G] kind of a song.
[G] It started with ooh, [C] I gave you a kiss.
I [A] hope you like the middle now we’ll [D] end like [D7] this:

CHORUS

We go, [G] ooh, Snuggle [C] Puppy of mine,
[D] Everything about you is [G] especially fine.
[C] I love what you are, [G] I love what you do,
[A] Fuzzy little snuggle puppy, [D] I love [D7] you!

I say, [G] ooh, Snuggle [C] Puppy of mine,
[D] Everything about you is [G7] especially fine,
[C] I love what you are, [G] I love what you do,
[D] Ooh, I love [G] you!

Stay & Play: Tissue Paper Painted Hearts

The kids had a great time with this process art (or process heart?) activity, and several of the parents commented on how engaging it was.

Before the storytime, I cut large hearts out of white card stock, along with lots of squares of different colored tissue paper. For the Stay & Play, I put out the paper hearts, tissue paper squares in bowls, small cups of water, and paintbrushes. The kids arranged the tissue paper squares on the paper hearts and then painted them with the water. I told them they could peel the tissue paper off immediately or let it dry first. Either way, it makes cool, colorful patterns.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Local Color: A Storytime About Bay Area Children’s Authors & Illustrators

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Last week was Children’s Authors and Ilustrator’s Week, so for Outdoor Musical Storytime, I decided to highlight some local (or formerly local) children’s book authors and illustrators. (If you’re interested in doing a similar theme, here’s a list of some children’s authors from each state on http://authorbystate.blogspot.com/).

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff

I discovered too late that Ashley Wolff has moved back to her native Vermont, but she used to live in San Francisco. The kids really enjoyed this story about from the Baby Bear series, describing the different things that Baby Bear sees for the first time (leaves, the sun, butterflies, etc.) to introduce him to different colors.

A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris

Both Mac Barnett (who lives in Oakland) and Shawn Harris (who lives in Half Moon Bay) have done author programs for our libraries. This is a really simple book that follows a polar bear, who starts out invisible against the snow and then emerges to go on a trek down to the water to play with friends. The families all enjoyed the illustrations, and it was a lot of fun to read aloud.

Lion Lessons by Jon Agee

Jon Agee, a San Francisco author/illustrator, has also done author visits at our libraries and local schools. This story follows a little boy as he tries to learn his Lion Diploma in seven easy steps. The kids had fun roaring, stretching, and showing their claws along with the book.

Songs & Rhymes:

Rainbow Round Me by Ruth Pelham

We sang this one after reading Baby Bear Sees Blue. I asked the kids to suggest things they might see outside their window. We had a green tree, a blue jay, a red pizza, a pink bird, and a blue dog:

When I [C] look outside my [G7] window,
There’s a world of color I [C] see.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
There’s a [G7] world of color I [C] see.

CHORUS:
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 

And the [C] tree outside my [G7] window,
Is as green as green can [C] be.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
It’s as [G7] green as green can [C] be.

CHORUS:
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 

And the [C] bird outside my [G7] window,
Is as blue as blue can [C] be.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
It’s as [G7] blue as blue can [C] be.
And the tree is [G7] green as green can [C] be.


Going on a Bear Hunt

This is a great way to give the kids a chance to move around in between books.  I like to ham it up by pretending to get a grasshopper stuck in my shirt, wiping the mud off my feet, and shaking myself dry from the lake.  There are lots of variations, but this the script I use, with the kids repeating every line:

We’re going on a bear hunt!
(We’re going on a bear hunt!)
It’s a beautiful day!
(It’s a beautiful day!)
We’re not scared!
(We’re not scared!)

We’re coming to some grass.
(We’re coming to some grass).
Can’t go over it.
(Can’t go over it.)
Can’t go under it.
(Can’t go under it.)
Have to go through it.
(Have to go through it.)
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! (Rubbing hands together)

We’re coming to some mud.
(We’re coming to some mud.)
Can’t go over it.
(Can’t go over it.)
Can’t go under it.
(Can’t go under it.)
Have to go through it.
(Have to go through it).
Squilch! Squelch! Squilch! Squelch! (Clapping hands together).

We’re coming to a lake.
(We’re coming to a lake.)
Can’t go over it.
(Can’t go over it.)
Can’t go under it.
(Can’t go under it.)
Have to swim across it.
(Have to swim across it.)
Splish! Splash! Splish! Splash!

We’re coming to a cave.
(We’re coming to a cave.)
Can’t go over it.
(Can’t go over it.)
Can’t go under it.
(Can’t go under it.)
Have to go inside.
(Have to go inside.)
Tiptoe…tiptoe…tiptoe…tiptoe…
It’s dark in here…
(It’s dark in here…)
It’s cold in here…
(It’s cold in here…)
Two big eyes…it’s a bear!

Run!
Swim across the lake!
Run through the mud!
Run through the grass!
Into the house!
Slam the door!
Lock it!
We’re never going on a bear hunt again!

The Lion Sleeps Tonight by Solomon Linda

We did this as our instrument play-along at the end. Here’s a YouTube link to the version by The Tokens if you’re not familiar with the tune (there are lots of variations):

[C] Wee-ee-ee-ee ee [F] ee-ee-ee-ee [C] wee-oh weem a-[G7]way.
[C] Wee-ee-ee-ee ee [F] ee-ee-ee-ee [C] wee-oh weem a-[G7]way.

[C] In the jungle, the [F] mighty jungle,
The [C] lion sleeps to- [G7]night.
In the [C] jungle the [F] quiet jungle,
The [C] lion sleeps to-[G7]night.

[C] Wee-ee-ee-ee ee [F] ee-ee-ee-ee [C] wee-oh weem a-[G7]way.
[C] Wee-ee-ee-ee ee [F] ee-ee-ee-ee [C] wee-oh weem a-[G7]way.

Near the [C] village, the [F] peaceful village,
The [C] lion sleeps tonight.
Near the [C] village, the [F] quiet village,
The [C] lion sleeps to-[G7]night.

[C] Wee-ee-ee-ee ee [F] ee-ee-ee-ee [C] wee-oh weem a-[G7]way.
[C] Wee-ee-ee-ee ee [F] ee-ee-ee-ee [C] wee-oh weem a-[G7]way.

Hush, my [C] darling, don’t [F] fear, my darling,
The [C] lion sleeps to-[G7]night.
Hush, my [C] darling, don’t [F] fear, my darling,
The [C] lion sleeps to-[G7]night.

[C] Wee-ee-ee-ee ee [F] ee-ee-ee-ee [C] wee-oh weem a-[G7]way.
[C] Wee-ee-ee-ee ee [F] ee-ee-ee-ee [C] wee-oh weem a-[G7]way.

Stay & Play: Salt and Paint Winter Scene

I got this idea from Stay At Home Educator. Before storytime, I printed and cut out polar bears from this page on Coloring Home.

For the Stay & Play, I put out white paper, sponge brushes, and bowls with a small amount of white, purple, and blue tempera paint. I also put out the polar bear pictures, and bowls of Epsom salt.

The kids painted their paper with the sponge brushes, then stuck their polar bears on while the paint was wet, and sprinkled the salt on top. A few kids also added the stickers we gave out at the end of storytime (like the snowman in the picture above). Anything with paint is always a bit hit (although also very messy!)

What are your favorite books by the local authors and illustrators in your area? Please share them in the comments below.

Valentine’s Day Books for Elementary School

Posted in Books for First Grade, Books for Kindergarten, Books for Second Graders by

Today I was invited to read Valentine’s Day books to a Kindergarten class, and since I always struggle to find holiday books I actually like, I thought I’d share the ones I read. Although none of them specifically mention Valentine’s Day, they all fit the theme of love and friendship. The kids seemed to enjoy all of them, and when I asked them to vote for their favorite at the end, all four books got at least a few votes.

Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox; illustrated by Lydia Monks

Hilarious rhyming story about a prince who calls up to Rapunzel to “let down her hair.” The problem: he’s too far away for Rapunzel to hear, so she tosses out underwear, dirty socks, a cantaloupe, pancake batter, and finally, her maid. I started out by asking the kids about the Rapunzel story, to make sure they would get the joke. The twist at the end got lots of “Ohhhh’s!”

Love Monster and the Last Chocolate by Rachel Bright

When Love Monster returns from vacation, he is surprised to find a box of chocolates on his doorstep. Although he is dying to open the box and eat them, he can’t decide if it would be better to share them with his friends or keep them for himself. Finally, he decides he has to share, only to discover that there’s only one chocolate in the box: the ones his friends have saved just for him as a welcome home present. The story is similar to Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems. This book works well for preschoolers too.

The Love Letter by Anika Aldamuy Denise; illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins

An unsigned love letter causes a misunderstanding, and lots of happy, helpful feelings, for three animal friends. Sweet story, with a nice message about the value of friendship.

Love, Z by Jessie Sima

When Z, the robot, finds a bottle with a message inside that says “Love, Beatrice,” he asks the other robots what “love” means. But none of them can explain, so he sets off to find the answer. Along the way, he hears lots of different descriptions of love, and, when the other robots worry and come looking for him, he discovers it’s a feeling he’s known all along. Very sweet book with adorable illustrations.

Other Recommended Books

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli; illustrated by Paul Yalowitz

Mr. Hatch is a lonely man who keeps to himself, until the postman delivers an enormous box of chocolates with a note that says “Somebody loves you.” Excited to find that somebody loves him, Mr. Hatch begins to open up and do kind things for the people around him. When he learns that the chocolates were meant for somebody else, he is sad, and goes back to his lonely ways, but all the people he has helped join together to let him know that everybody loves him. I love this book, and it’s perfect for elementary school. I would have read it today, but all of the copies in our library system were checked out.

Love, Splat by Rob Scotton

Splat has made a special Valentine for Kitten, even though she doesn’t seem to like him at all. Even worse, Spike, another cat in his class, also likes Kitten. But when Kitten finds the Valentine Splat has thrown away, he learns that she actually really likes him too. Cute story with adorable illustrations.

Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat; illustrated by Marc Simont

It’s Valentine’s Day and Nate the Great and his dog Sludge find themselves faced with two mysteries: who left the mystery Valentine on Sludge’s doghouse, and what happened to the Valentine his friend Annie made for her brother? His investigation reveals that the two mysteries are connected in a surprising way. Funny addition to the Nate the Great series of early chapter books, with jokes and activities at the end.

What are your favorite Valentine’s Day books (for elementary school or other age groups)? Please share them in the comments below. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Hoppy New Year: A Storytime for the Year of the Rabbit

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We had a great time celebrating the Year of the Rabbit yesterday at our Outdoor Musical Storytime! Here’s what we did:

Books:

Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin

This colorful story about a girl waiting for the New Year is a great introduction to Chinese New Year customs, like sweeping the house, getting a haircut, carrying lanterns, and watching the parade. We handed out small pieces of bubble wrap before we read the book, and told the kids to pop them on the firecracker page, and at the end when the dragon appears.

Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes

Sweet, simple story about a white rabbit who wonders what it would be like to be green, or tall as a tree, or as still as a stone. The kids enjoyed acting out the different motions, like fluttering like a butterfly or freezing in place. The ending got lots of “Awww’s!”

Everybunny Dance by Ellie Sandall

Adorable, simple story about bunnies dancing, playing, and singing together…until a fox appears. To their surprise, the fox likes to dance too, and is only looking for a friend. The kids had a great time pretending to be bunnies.

Songs & Rhymes

If You’re a Dragon and You Know It

To the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It. I held up pictures of Lion Dancers and Chinese Dragons.

[C] If you’re a dragon and you know it, breathe [G7] fire! (mime breathing fire)

If you’re a dragon and you know it, breathe [C] fire!

If you’re [F] a dragon and you know it, and you [C] really want to show it,

If you’re [G7] a dragon and you know it, breathe[C] fire! 

If you’re a lion and you know it, give a roar!…

If you’re a rabbit and you know it, hop around!….

If it’s the New Year and you know it, make some noise! (Yay!) …

Here is a Bunny

Simple fingerplay rhyme that the kids always enjoy:

Here is a bunny (hold up two fingers like bunny ears)

With ears so funny,

And here is his hole in the ground. (make a circle with the thumb and index finger of your other hand)

When a noise he hears,

He pricks up his ears, (move your bunny ears)

And jumps through the hole in the ground! (put your bunny ear fingers into the hole).

Hop, Little Bunnies!

I learned this one from a local daycare provider, who used it every day with her kids. The motions are pretty self-explanatory, but you can either have the kids physically pretend to sleep and then hop around, or you can have them make bunny ears with their fingers. There are different versions of the song, but the tune I used is the same as in this video by Little Baby Bums Nursery Rhymes for Babies:

See the little bunnies sleeping

‘Till it’s nearly noon.

Shall we wake them with a merry tune?

They’re so still.

Are they ill?

NO! Wake up little bunnies!

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!

Hop little bunnies, hop and stop!

The Bunny Hop by Ray Anthony

This is old line dance from 1952 (it actually started at Balboa High School in San Francisco). Traditionally, people stand in a line, holding on to the waist of the person in front of them, but for storytime, I just taught the kids how to tap their left foot two times, then their right foot two times, jump forward, jump back, and then hop three times. I played it on the ukulele, but it would have been nice to play the actual recording (especially because it’s hard to do the Bunny Hop while playing the ukulele!)

[C] Put your right foot forward,
[F7] Put your left foot out.
[C] Do the Bunny hop,
[C7] Hop, hop, hop!

[F7] Dance this new creation,
It’s the new sensation,
[C] Do the Bunny hop!
[C7] Hop, hop, hop!

[C] All join in the fun,
[F7] Father, mother, son,
[C] Do the Bunny hop!
[C7] Hop, hop, hop!

Stay & Play: Dot Marker Bunnies

This was a really simple activity, but the kids always LOVE the dot markers.

Before storytime, I printed out a bunny template, like this one from seekpng.com. For the Stay & Play, I put out the printed templates, along with dot markers, googly eyes, pom-poms, and gluesticks. After they colored their bunny with the markers, they enjoyed adding pom-poms for the tail, the nose, and even the insides of the ears.

Happy Lunar New Year! If you have favorite books for the New Year or about bunnies, please share them in the comments below.

Pie in the Sky: A Storytime About Pizza

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I had planned to do this storytime right after New Year’s, in honor of National Pizza Week (January 8 through 14). But our area got hit by a series of atmospheric rivers, which turned our outdoor storytime area into a marsh for several weeks. Today was beautiful though, and we had a great time with this theme. I based it heavily on Storytime Kate’s Pizza storytime, with a few tweaks.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig

This is one of my all-time favorite storytime books. When Pete’s plans to play ball with his friends are cancelled by the rain, his father decides to cheer him up by turning him into a pizza: kneading the dough, tossing it in the air, applying toppings (which are really checkers and pieces of paper), and cooking him in the oven (the couch). It’s a sweet story about a shared family game. The kids always laugh when the pizza gets tickled.

Hi, Pizza Man! by Virginia Walter; illustrated by Ponder Goembel

This was a favorite of both of my kids’ when they were little, and the storytime crowd absolutely loved it! When a little girl is hungry and impatient for their pizza to be delivered, her mother asks her what she would say depending on who the delivery person is: a pizza snake, a pizza cow, a pizza cat, etc. The illustrations are hilarious and got lots of laughs from the grown-ups. The kids loved making the different animal noises.

Pizza at Sally’s by Monica Wellington

Simple, sweet story describing the different steps involved in making a pizza. We had passed out play scarves for our Pat-a-Cake rhyme before hand, and I had the kids pretend they were pizza dough as we read: stretching out the scarves, and twirling them in the air.

Songs & Rhymes:

Silly Pizza Song

This song by Rachel de Azevedo Coleman from her Signing Time series is one of my absolute favorites. Here’s a YouTube video with the tune and the signs.

I usually just teach the kids the sign for pizza (there are a lot of different variations in ASL, but I use the one she demonstrates in the video with the double Z) and the sign for cheese, and then I ask them for topping suggestions. Today we had pepperoni, sausage, olives, and mushrooms.

Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake, Pizza Man

I got this one from Storytime Katie. We handed out play scarves, and had the kids pretend the scarves were the dough.

Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake, Pizza Man!

Bake me a pizza as fast as you can!

Roll it,

And toss it,

And sprinkle it with cheese.

Then put it in the oven and bake it fast, please!

Since we had just read Hi, Pizza Man!, I asked the kids for other types of pizza creators and we made up new verses for them, including:

Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake, Pizza Cow,

Make me a pizza if you know how!…

Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake, Pizza Dinosaur,

Make me a pizza as fast as you can roar! R-O-A-R!…

Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake, Pizza Elephant,

Make me the kind of pizza I want!…

I Am a Pizza by Charlotte Diamond

This is a classic children’s song by Charlotte Diamond (there were some grandparents visiting from Winnepeg today, who were excited because Charlotte Diamond is from Canada too). We did it as our instrument play-along at the end. It’s also an echo song, which makes it perfect for storytime.

Here’s a video of the original song:

Oh, [C] I am a pizza (I am a pizza),
[G] With extra cheese (with extra cheese).
[G] From tomatoes (from tomatoes),
[C] Sauce is squeezed (sauce is squeezed).
[F] Onions and mushrooms (onions and mushrooms),
[G] Oregano (oregano).
[F] I am a [C] pizza,
[G] Ready to [C] go!

Oh, [C] I am a pizza (I am a pizza),
[G] Pepperoni (pepperoni),
[G] No anchovies (no anchovies),
[C] Or phony baloney (or phony baloney)!
[F] I am a pizza (I am a pizza),
[G] Order by phone (order by phone).
[F] I am a C] pizza,
[G] Please take me [C] home!

Oh, [C] I am a pizza (I am a pizza),
[G] Peppers on top (peppers on top),
[G] Out of the oven (out of the oven),
[C] Into the box (into the box).
[F] Into the car and (into the car and)
[G] Upside down (upside down)…
[F] I am a [C] pizza,
[G] Dropped on the [C] ground!

Oh, [C] I was a pizza (I was a pizza).
[G] I was the best (I was the best).
[F] I was a [C] pizza,
[G] Now I’m a [C] mess!

Stay & Play: Playdough Pizza

Before the storytime, I made playdough using this simple recipe from Jinxy kids, which just requires flour, salt, water, and oil.

For the storytime, I put out golf-ball sized balls of dough on small paper plates, along with playdough toys like plastic rollers and pizza cutters. I had also cut out some clip-art pizza toppings from My Cute Graphics. The kids had a great time rolling and slicing their dough, and adding toppings. Some of them even added extras, like their storytime stickers, and some of the gum nuts they found on the ground at the park.

What are your favorite pizza books or songs? Please share them in the comments below.

Making a Mark: Kindness Bookmarks

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Well, the craziness of our California weather has literally put a damper on my Outdoor Musical Storytimes for the past few weeks, but I wanted to share this sweet project from my daughter’s elementary school.

One of the unique things about the school has always been that every student (Kindergarten through Eighth Grade) is assigned to a school “Family,” with one student from each grade. They stay in the same family until they graduate from eighth grade, and once a month, on “Family Day,” they do an activity together. The activities are usually simple games, like Bingo, or a craft project, like decorating paper plates to become the scales of a Lunar New Year dragon in the hallway. But last month, for the first time, they decorated bookmarks.

The theme of the bookmarks was Kindness, so the kids were told to write and draw things to encourage other students, like “Keep Smiling,” or “You Can Do It!” The school’s Library/Media Specialist, Sue, who sent me the picture above, told me that her favorite bookmark said, “You are not annoying!”

After the kids decorated the bookmarks on Family Day, the middle schoolers added the premade tassels, and Sue sorted them into piles for each class. I happened to be in the library reading to second graders today when she was handing out the bookmarks. The kids were so excited to get them, and also to wonder which student might have gotten the one that they made.

I thought it was such a sweet idea, and I would love to find a way to incorporate it into the public libraries where I work. Coincidentally, a library patron had just brought in some handmade bookmarks over the weekend, and asked if we would be interested in putting them out for people to take. These were made of leftover fabric from her sewing projects, and they were a huge hit! All that day people, both kids and adults, exclaimed over the different patterns, and were happy to take some home for their friends and family.

Fabric bookmarks made by a library patron.

Coincidentally too, today my coworker, Claire, happened to be leading a bookmark-making program at the library after school. She was having the kids make woven Chevron Bookmarks, like the ones shown in this YouTube video from Crafter Rani. But she also put out some plain cardstock for the kids to decorate with markers and stamps, and different types of pinking shears to cut the edges. One patron even made a bookmark just for us!

What is your favorite bookmark, or bookmark project? Please share it in the comments below.

Happy reading!

Time for Bed: A Storytime About Sleep

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Today (January 3) is the Festival of Sleep, which I gather was created to encourage people to relax and recover after the hectic festivities of the holidays. Here in the Bay Area, we’re in a temporary lull between huge rain storms, and I wasn’t sure if anyone was going to brave our Outdoor Musical Storytime, but we did end up with a nice small group.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illustrated by LeUyem Pham

I hadn’t planned on reading this one, because the illustrations are a bit too small for my usual group, but with the smaller turnout, it worked perfectly. I love all of Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s books, and this is one of my favorites. A little girl patiently puts her mother to bed, guiding her through the nightly routine of toothbrushing, bath, picking out an outfit for the next day, and reading together. When she finally gets Mommy tucked in for the night, it’s time to put Daddy to bed too. Claire read the part of the mother, and I read the little girl. The kids and grown-ups all loved the role reversal.

Tuck Me In by Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt

Very simple but adorable book about baby animals asking to be “tucked in” by having the half page “blanket” flipped over to cover them. Our group was small enough that each child could take a turn tucking in an animal.

What! Cried Granny by Kate Lum; illustrated by Adrian Johnson

This is one of my favorite read-alouds, about a boy going to his first sleep-over at his grandmother’s house. But when Granny tells him it’s time to get into bed, he complains that he doesn’t have a bed at her house. “What!” she cries, before chopping down a tree and building him a bed. But then he complains he doesn’t have a pillow. The kids love chiming in on the repeated “What’s?!” and the punchline at the end always gets a laugh.

Songs:

Brush Your Teeth by Raffi

I did this one as a follow-up to Bedtime for Mommy. Here’s a link to the Raffi video:

When you wake up in the morning,
It’s a quarter to one,
And you want to have a little fun,
You brush your teeth,
Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch!
You brush your teeth,
Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch!

When you wake up in the morning,
It’s a quarter to two,
And you just can’t think of something to do,
You brush your teeth…

When you wake up in the morning,
It’s a quarter to three,
And your mind starts humming,
“Fiddle-dee-dee,”…

When you wake up in the morning,
It’s a quarter to four,
And you think you hear a knock on the door,
You get a little scared,
And then you brush your teeth…

When you wake up in the morning,
It’s a quarter to five,
And you just can’t wait to come alive!…

Hop, Little Bunnies

I learned this one from a local daycare provider, who used it every day with her kids. The motions are pretty self-explanatory, but you can either have the kids physically pretend to sleep and then hop around, or you can have them make bunny ears with their fingers. There are different versions of the song, but the tune I used is the same as in this video by Little Baby Bums Nursery Rhymes for Babies:

See the little bunnies sleeping

‘Till it’s nearly noon.

Shall we wake them with a merry tune?

They’re so still.

Are they ill?

NO! Wake up little bunnies!

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!

Hop little bunnies, hop and stop!

Five in the Bed

There were five in the bed (hold up five fingers)
And the little one said,
“I’m crowded! Roll over!” (roll hands around each other)
So they all rolled over,
And one fell out,
There were four in the bed
And the little one said…
(Repeat, counting down until one.)…

There was one in the bed,
And that little one said,
“I’ve got the whole bed to myself!
I’ve got the whole bed to myself!
I’ve got the whole bed to myself!
I’ve got the whole bed to myself!”

Grandma’s Feather Bed by John Denver

I loved this song when I was little, so it was fun to do it for our instrument play-along. Here’s a video of John Denver singing it:

[C] When I was a [F] little bitty boy
[C] Just up off the [G] floor,
We [C] used to go down to [F] Grandma’s house
[C] Every month [G] end or [C] so.
We’d have [C] chicken pie, [F] country ham,
[C] And homemade butter [G] on the bread.
But the [C] best darn thing about [F] Grandma’s house
Was the [G] great big feather [C] bed

CHORUS
It was [C] nine feet high, [F] six feet wide,
[C] Soft as a downy chick.
It was made from the feathers of [F] four-eleven geese,
[C] Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick.
It’d [C] hold eight kids, [F] four hound dogs,
And the [C] piggy we stole from the shed.
Didn’t get much sleep, but we [F] had a lot of fun
On [G] Grandma’s feather [C] bed!

After supper we’d sit around the fire,
The old folks’d spit and chew.
Pa would talk about the farm in the war,
And granny’d sing a ballad or two.
I’d sit and listen and watch the fire,
Till the cobwebs filled my head.
Next thing I’d know I’d wake up in the morn’
In the middle of the old feather bed.

CHORUS

Well, I love my ma, I love my pa,
I love granny and granpa too.
Been fishing with my uncle, wrestled with my cousin,
And I even kissed Aunt Lou, eww!
But if I ever had to make a choice,
I guess it oughta be said,
That I’d trade ’em all plus the gal down the road,
For Grandma’s feather bed!

CHORUS

Stay & Play: Bedtime Paper Dolls

I based this cute craft on one I found on Fun With Friends at Storytime. Before the storytime, I folded pieces of colored printer paper in half, and cut the top half off of the left side of each sheet. Then I printed out some blank paper dolls (like these from Printablee.com).

For the storytime, I put out the blank paper dolls, some markers and crayons, and glue sticks. The kids enjoyed decorating their paper dolls, then gluing them onto the right side of the paper, and “tucking them in” by folding the left side of the paper on top.

Happy Festival of Sleep! If you have any favorite books or songs about Sleep or Bedtime, please share them in the comments below.

‘Tis the Season: A Holiday Storytime

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We’ve often cancelled storytime the last two weeks of December, but this year, we decided to keep it going. I’m always a little conflicted about how to approach the holidays. My storytime audiences include families from all different backgrounds, and while I want to acknowledge Christmas and Hanukkah for those who celebrate, I also want to be mindful of those who don’t, so those kids don’t end up feeling excluded. Also, it’s not always easy to find good holiday books (for any major holiday) that work well for very young kids. In the end, I decided to focus on the shared experiences of the holidays (decorations, food, gifts, and families), while sharing a Hanukkah song and a Christmas story.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

The Joyful Book by Todd Parr

I was so happy to discover this book, which does a wonderful job of describing all of the things people enjoying doing during the holidays, no matter which holiday they celebrate: storytelling, being with family, etc. Every page describes something that is “joyful,” like “Lighting candles is joyful,” “Playing outside is joyful,” etc. It includes imagery from Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, as well as the Lunar New Year, and we talked a little bit about those traditions as we read. I told the kids to cheer and clap whenever I said the word “Joyful,” and they got really into it. Plus, I always love Todd Parr’s bright, colorful, whimsical illustrations.

Llama Llama, Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney

Part of the adorable, rhyming Llama Llama series, this book captures the frustration of waiting for the holidays to come, while everyone is busy shopping, baking, and decorating. It describes Christmas and Hanukkah traditions like gingerbread cookies, latkes, dreidels, and Christmas lights. Plus, it’s a sweet reminder for families to slow down and enjoy being together. The ending got lots of “Awwww’s.”

Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear by Don & Audrey Wood

In this sequel to the Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, & the Big Hungry Bear, the little mouse is happily preparing for Christmas, when the narrator reminds him about the Big Hungry Bear, who loves Christmas presents more than anything, but never gets any. The mouse goes from being scared of the bear taking his presents, to feeling sorry for the bear, and trekking through the snow to leave a present outside the bear’s cave. Much to his surprise, the bear has left a present for him too. This book got lots of “Awww’s” at the end too.

Songs:

If You’re Joyful and You Know It

We did this version of If You’re Happy and You Know It as a follow-up to The Joyful Book:

[C] If you’re joyful and you know it, clap your [G7] hands (clap, clap)

If you’re joyful and you know it, clap your [C] hands (clap, clap)

If you’re [F] joyful and you know it, and you [C] really want to show it,

If you’re [G7] joyful and you know it, clap your [C] hands! (clap, clap)

If you’re joyful and you know it, do a dance…

If you’re joyful and you know it, spin around…

If you’re joyful and you know it, shout “Hooray!”…

I Have a Little Dreidel

For my preschool visits this month, I’ve been reading (or singing) the book I Have a Little Dreidel by Maxie Baum, which does a wonderful job of describing the celebration of Hanukkah using the classic Dreidel song. But someone asked to check out my copy of the book after Toddler Storytime yesterday, so I reluctantly let it go. Instead, I held up a paper dreidel and explained a little about how the game is played. Then we sang the song, and spun around like dreidels during the Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel part. We also fell down on the word “drop,” which the kids liked a lot. Here’s a Kiboomers video of the song, in case you don’t know the tune.

I have a little dreidel,

I made it out of clay.

And when it’s dry and ready,

Then dreidel I shall play.

Oh, Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, (spin around)

I made it out of clay,

Oh, Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel,

With dreidel I shall play!

It has a lovely body,

With leg so short and thin.

Oh, Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel,

It DROPS and then I win! (drop to the ground)

Oh, Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, (spin around)

With leg so short and thin,

Oh, Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel,

It DROPS and then I win! (drop to the ground)

In the Holidays

A holiday version of The Wheels on the Bus:

The lights on the house go blink, blink, blink, (open and close your hands)

Blink, blink, blink,

Blink, blink, blink,

The lights on the house, go blink, blink, blink,

In the holidays!

The candles in the house go flicker, flicker, flicker… (wiggle your fingers)

The presents in the house go rattle, rattle, rattle… (shake an imaginary present)…

The children in the house say, “Yay! Yay! Yay!”…

Jingle Bells by James Lord Pierpont

We sang this as our instrument play-along at the end:

[C] Dashing through the snow,
In a one-horse open [F] sleigh,
[Dm] O’er the fields we [G7] go,
Laughing all the [C] way.
[C] Bells on bobtails ring,
Making spirits[F] bright,
What [Dm] fun it is to [G] ride and sing
A [G7] sleighing song [C] tonight!

Oh! [C] Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle [F] all the [C] way.
[F] Oh! What fun it [C] is to ride
In a [D7] one-horse open [G7] sleigh, hey!
[C] Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle [F] all the [C] way.
Oh! [F] What fun it [C] is to ride
In a [G7] one-horse open [C] sleigh!

Stay & Play: Jingle Bell Bracelets

I had originally planned to do a paper box craft, where the kids could decorate a paper box template and then assemble the box with gluesticks. I was going to give them each a jingle bell to put inside the box. But I was afraid that the box assembly might be too complicated, so I decided to just have them make jingle bell bracelets instead.

I put out pipe cleaners, jingle bells, and also some red string with scissors, so they had a choice of what to string their bells on. I was worried that this might not give them much of an opportunity to be creative, but they all made different things: necklaces, bracelets, and even crowns. They were all different, and they were soon making jingle bell jewelry for other family members, and taking materials home to make more.

Happy Holidays! If you have favorite holiday books, please share them in the comments below.