Grace Lin

On Thursday, August 8 we hosted the awesome author/illustrator Grace Lin for our Family Summer Reading Event!  Her presentation was awesome and my daughter was so excited to get her favorite book (Dumpling Days) signed by the author!

On the day of the event Grace was going to read aloud to our kids at Camp Read-A-Rama before lunch, however, her plane was delayed.  So I got the opportunity to read aloud from Grace Lin's books!  I have read all of her books so it was hard to choose but I finally decided to read a few of her Chinese Folklore stories.  Here is what I choose:

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

The Story of the Old Man of the Moon

The Story of the Paper of Happiness

Starry River of the Sky

The Story of the Old Sage

When the Sea Turned to Silver

The Story of the Ginseng Boy

Jez Alborough Storytime

I was introduced to Jez Alborough at storytime in Idaho when my first daughter was just two years old.  The theme was Teddy Bears and the children's librarian read Where's My Teddy?  My little girl absolutely loved the book and we read it many, many times.  My second daughter loved the book too...I read it so often I had it memorized (and 10 years later I still have it memorized!)  We absolutely feel in love with Bobo the little monkey in Hug.  The facial expression are so powerful in that simple, sweet book!

   

I was excited to find in our collection Watch Out! Big Bro's Coming!  My last library didn't have this book, so I'd nearly forgotten about it.  But the illustrations were unforgettable and I knew I wanted to share that book at storytime!

Books

Watch Out! Big Bro's Coming!

Duck in the Truck

Songs
I decided to go with an opposite theme so we could talk about big and small with the book "Big Bro".

Sing a Song of Opposites
(tune: Mary had a Little Lamb; actions to suit words)

This is big and this is small
This is big
This is small
This is big and this this is small
Sing along with me!

Additional verses:
Tall/Short
Happy/Sad
Yes/No
Fast/Slow

Parachute Opposites
(tune: Farmer in the Dell)
Words by Tammy Henry

The parachute goes up
The parachute goes down
Up! Down! Up! Down!
The parachute goes up...and down!

Additional verses
Fast/Slow
In/Out
Round and round (it's too difficult for young ones to switch directions left/right, but older kids would enjoy it)
Fast/Slow again
End with up and down...and under!

Play and Learn

Heart Sort from PreKinders since it was Valentine's week

Opposite Matching Game

Super Duck Coloring Page

Blocks

Baby Storytime--Karen Katz

A baby storytime featuring author Karen Katz

Songs/Rhymes/Bounces
(words found at this post)

Hello Song
Good Morning to You
Little Bear
Mother, Father and Uncle John
Mix and Stir
Humpty Dumpty
Roly-Poly
Toast
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Two Little Hands

Read (Sing) Aloud

I wasn't sure how this would go...it was a TON of fun!!  We only did these verse:
Wheels
Doors
Wipers
Bounce
Horn
Cry
Shhh!
Bye-bye
(We skipped 5 "verses"...the length was perfect without them)

Shared Reading

Board books written by Karen Katz including these...

Play and Learn

In addition to a "regular" toys we pulled out the tunnel and I brought a few new balls (that light up!)

Martin Waddell Storytime

A favorite book I used to read to my children--Owl Babies...so I just had to share it and other books by Martin Waddell.

Books

The Super Hungry Dinosaur

Owl Babies

Songs/Rhymes/Flannel Board

Din-o-saur!

(Tune: Five Little Ducks)

1 little dinosaur went out to play

On a bright and sunny day

He had such e-mor-mus fun

He called another dinosaur to come:

"Din-o-saur!"

2 little dinosaurs went out to play

On a bright and sunny day

They had such e-nor-mus fun

They called another dinosaur to come:

"Din-o-saur!"

Continue counting up through 5.

Last verse (spoken)

But another dinosaur didn't come.

Instead they heard their mommies calling

"Dinner!"

5 little dinosaurs went home to eat!

Dinosaurs All Around (adapted from PreschoolExpress)

(Tune: If you’re happy and you know it)

There are dinosaurs stomping, stomping all around

There are dinosaurs stomping, stomping all around

There are dinosaurs all around, stomping round and round

There are dinosaurs stomping, stomping all around.

There are dinosaurs flying, flying all around x2

There are dinosaurs all around, flying round and round.

There are dinosaurs swimming, swimming all around x2

There are dinosaurs all around, swimming round and round.

There are dinosaurs eating, eating all around x2

There are dinosaurs all around, eating round and round.

Dinosaur Stomp

(Tune: Row, row, row your boat)

Stomp, stomp, stomp around

On your great big feet!

Swish your tail and turn around

Now let's take a seat!

Five Little Owls
Five little owls learning to say, “Who”.

They flap their wings and then say ___________. 
(words that rhyme with who--shoe, zoo, glue, blue)

Mama owl cried, “No, no, not _____________!”

“Please, oh, please say ‘Who, who-who’!”

Enrichment Activities

Owl Craft (similar to this one)

Dinosaur Sorting

Dinosaur Matching (from PreschoolMom)
Instead of the spinner, I made dice to roll

Dinosaur Bowling (from Lakeshore)

Rosemary Wells Storytime

Another author storytime that I was very excited to do...as I have meet Rosemary Wells in person and have a signed copy of "Read To Your Bunny"!  She is a great advocate of the importance of reading everyday.  Her analogy--you brush your teeth every day, so read every day.  If you miss one day you don't stop, you get right back at it! I have fond memories of sharing Max and Ruby books with my own children.

Books

Noisy Nora

I edited the language of the sister--I just don't like the "Why are you so dumb?"  Instead I said,
"Quiet!", said her father.
"Hush!", said her mom.
"Nora!", said her sister,
"Why can't you stay calm?"

Max and Ruby's Treasure Hunt

Songs/Rhymes/Fingerplays

Sing a Song of Opposites (from The complete Daily Curriculum for Early Childhood, Revised (2011), Pam Schiller and Pat Phipps, p. 292)
(tune: Mary had a little lamb)
Actions to suit words

This is big and this is small
This is big, this is small
This is big and this is small
Sing along with me!

Tall and short
Happy and sad
Fast and slow
Loud and quiet

Hey Diddle Diddle
Hey diddle, diddle
The cat and the fiddle
The cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed to see such sport
And the dish ran away with the spoon!

Activities

Treasure Hunt

I copied all the rhymes from Max and Ruby's Treasure Hunt.  I found clipart of all the things Max and Ruby had found in the book.  I put the clipart around the children's area and the children searched for each item.

When they finished the treasure hunt they received a gold coin--just like Max and Ruby!

I used Microsoft Word to make this fill in the blank rebus of Hey Diddle Diddle nursery rhyme.  I chose this rhyme because 1. it was in Max and Ruby's Treasure Hunt and 2. it had a lot of nouns!

The pictures are from PreKinders.  I printed four sheets to a page to make them small enough to fit onto one page.  The picture cues help children to retell the nursery rhyme.  They also enjoyed cutting and pasting!

To honor Noisy Nora we made our own noise makers with paper plates and pony beads.  Very simple, but very fun (and noisy!!)

The children also got to explore a variety of musical insturments!

Coloring sheet from Rosemary Wells' website

Karma Wilson Storytime

The 2nd in my author series for storytime--this time featuring  Karma Wilson!  I was able to present this storytime to two different groups.

Books

Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson; illustrated by Jane Chapman

The Cow Loves Cookies  by Karma Wilson; illustrated by Marcellus Hall 

Songs/Rhymes/Fingerplays

Parachute Opposites

(tune: Farmer in the Dell)

The parachute goes up
The parachute goes down
Up, down; up, down
The parachute goes up and down!

Fast-slow
'Round-and 'round
In--out

Repeat fast and slow, then up and down.  On the last up have kids go under the parachute,

Baa, Baa Black Sheep

Baa, baa, black sheep have you any wool
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Three bags full.
One for my master, one for the dame
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.

Five Little Cookies
Down on the corner in the bakery shop
Were 5 little cookies with frosting on top
Along came a ____________(animal puppet) with a nickel to pay
He took the __________ (color) cookie and took it away.

I used a variety of animal puppets to come take the cookies away.  The kids loved to play with this during our play and learn time!

Play and Learn Activities

Playdough--make cookies for the cow

Make a colorful beaded bracelet

Cookie Matching Game (from Oriental Trading)

Wooden Train

Coloring Pages

Author Storytimes

Here is my latest post to fellow storytime presenters in my library district.

This fall I am starting something new with my storytimes.  I have noticed that as I am selecting books for storytime I often come back to my favorite authors.  So about once or month (or so) instead of doing a “themed” storytime I am going to do an “author” storytime. 

Songs, rhymes, fingerplays, flannels, etc. will connect loosely with one of the books I read.  My first author storytime, featuring Eric Carle, was a great success!  Here is my outline to give you a “feel” for what an author stoytime might look like.

Book—Ten Little Rubber Ducks

Song—Five Little Ducks

(Book) Stretch:  From Head to Toe

Book—The Very Busy Spider

Nursery Rhyme:  Little Miss Muffet

Song: Itsy-bitsy spider

One of play and learn activities was the water “table” with rubber ducks.

I also created an Eric Carle Toddler Storytime!

This is a great way to introduce parents to a variety of authors that have many quality children’s books.  I have plans to develop a storytime around these authors: Mo Wilems, Karma Wilson, Anne Rockwell, Margaret Wise Brown, Ed Emberley, Martin Waddell, Laura Numeroff, and Jane Yolen.  The hardest part about doing author storytimes is choosing just a few of their books to read aloud! 

Here is my Pinterest board with some ideas I have gathered. 

Eric Carle Storytime--Toddler Edition

Had such a great time doing Eric Carle I used his books again when I had to fill in for a Toddler Storytime.  Made some adaptations...but another very fun storytime!

Books

The Very Busy Spider  by Eric Carle

From Head to Toe  by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar  by Eric Carle (flannel board)

Songs/Rhymes/Fingerplays

Welcome Song

(Tune: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)

This is the way we wave hello, wave hello, wave hello

This is the way we wave hello - hello, hello, hello!

This is the way we clap hello...

This is the way we tap hello...

Itsy, Bitsy Spider

The itsy, bitsy spider went up the waterspout

Down came the rain and washed the spider out!

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain

So the itsy, bitsy spider climbed up the spout again!

Goodbye Song

(Tune: The Farm in the Dell )
(follow actions)
We wave goodbye like this,
We wave goodbye like this,
We clap our hands for all our friends,
We wave goodbye like this.

Play and Learn Activities

Tissue paper butterflies

Train Set

Coloring pages

Retell "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" with felt pieces

Eric Carle Storytime

This year I have several "author" storytimes planned.  So instead of a theme I will read several books by one particular author.  I am excited to start with one of my favorite children's authors and illustrators:  Eric Carle.  To learn more about him visit his website.

Books

Songs/Rhymes/Fingerplays

5 Little Ducks
5 little ducks went out to play
Over the hills and far away
When Mother duck said,
"Quack, quack, quack, quack"
4 little ducks come waddling back!

Continue counting down to zero

But when the Daddy Duck said,
"QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!"
5 little ducks came waddling back!

Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on her tuffet
Eating her curds and whey
Along came a spider
And sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away!

Play and Learn

Water "table" with matching duck game from Oriental Trading

Make a web for the spider using a paper plate with slits cut around the edge and pull yarn through criss-crossing.

"Feed" the ducks

Retell the Very Busy Spider using flannel board pieces.

Happy Birthday, Kevin Henkes!

Today is author/illustrator, Kevin Henkes', birthday!  You may know him best for his books about little mice, such as Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse.

He is also the winner of the 2005 Caldecott Medal (awarded to the most distinguished artist of a children's book) with his book, Kitten's First Full Moon.

I became a fan of Henkes when I read Jessica aloud to my young daughter several years ago.  I think this book resonated with me because my daughter also had an imaginary friend...and she was starting school.

Henkes has a way of developing rich characters with few words and being able to identify with children's thoughts, ideas, and concerns and address them in sensitive ways. 

Owen--How can Owen start school when he still carries around his favorite blanket, fuzzy?

Wembley Worried--The titles says it all.  Wembley worried about everything, but especially about starting school.

Julius, The Baby of the World--Lilly has to confront her feelings of sibling rivalry.

Just this year Henkes has written early reader books about a little mouse named Penny.  These have been well received, so I'm sure more will be coming!

Henkes has also written nine "chapter" books for older children.  His newest one is Junonia--a sensitive story about change.  This book is now on the top of my "to read" list!