Story Window Storytime Blog: February 2008

Peek inside for storytime ideas! Wilmette Librarians share suggestions for age-appropriate books, rhymes, songs, and crafts.

February 26, 2008

Truck Driver Storytime
(For 2.5-3.5 Year Olds)

Trucks are a perennially popular topic with the preschool set, but lately I've been impressed by the number of high-quality picture books focusing specifically on big rigs and their drivers. To name just two more in addition to the books listed below, there's Jonathan London's My Big Rig and Nancy Coffelt's Pug in a Truck.

Truck Driver Tom, by Monica Wellington. Yet another terrific slice-of-life picture book from Wellington, focusing on the work of a truck driver. Included in the cheery illustrations are pictures of dozens of other trucks Tom encounters on the road, from work machines to farm machines to firetrucks.

Trucks Roll!, by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Craig Frazier. A rhyming look at trucker life, different enough from Truck Driver Tom to warrant reading it in the same storytime. The illustrations are big and bright, and the trucks carry items of interest to the little ones (e.g., giant chocolate chip cookies!).

Duck in a Truck, by Jez Alborough. I keep coming back to this simple story of a duck whose truck gets stuck in the muck and the other animals (and their vehicles) who help get him unstuck. As you might have guessed, it's full of rhyming words and is predictable enough that the kids can finish many of the lines.

We also sang "Wheels on the Bus", during which I learned a new verse (did you know the sharks on the bus go "glurp glurp glurp"?), and the "Green Light, Red Light" action song from Tempo for Tots.

Posted by Lisa at 11:14 AM | TrackBack

February 18, 2008

Transportation
(For 1.5-2.5 Year Olds)

We all had fun singing Wheels on the Bus by Paul Zelinsky. We did the movements to this classic bus song as well. Upon lifting the flaps, we discovered cute animals and made the sounds in, Peek-A-Moo! by Marie Cimarusti. The comical book called Silly Sally by Audrey Wood, in which everyone walks to town upside down, was enjoyed by all. The children guessed what shapes the clouds look like in the flannel board story "It Looked Like Spilt Milk".

Posted by Sue at 8:39 PM | TrackBack

February 15, 2008

Valentine Storytime Redux
(For 2.5-3.5 Year Olds)

I'm always lamenting the relative lack of good Valentine's Day stories for this age group, so this year I changed my focus more generally to friendship. And it worked out pretty well!

Mouse's First Valentine, by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Buket Erdogan. I've done this one the past couple years, and it's been well-received. This series is very formulaic; Little Mouse encounters things new to him and wonders what they are, and his questions are answered on the next page. It's basic, but very concrete, in a reassuring way.

Hi Harry!, by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth. Harry Tortoise has trouble finding someone to play with until he meets Sam Snail. I feel weird about the possible message that "slow" individuals should play with other slow folks, but if you take it more as a common-interests thing, it's not bad.

Bear Snores On, by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman. This is a cute rhyming story about animals interrupting bear's hibernation with a party. Kids like the different animals, and the moment when the bear finally wakes up grabs everyone's attention!

We counted different-colored felt hearts and sang "Ten Little Valentines" (to the traditional tune). We also did this counting/colors rhyme with the hearts:

Five Big Valentines

Five big valentines from the corner store
I gave the [have kids fill in the color] one to my friend and then there were [count 'em out] four

Four big valentines, lovely ones to see
I gave the ______ one to Mommy and then there were three

Three big valentines, shiny and new
I gave the ______ one to Daddy and then there were two

Two big valentines, the best is yet to come
I gave the ______ one to Grandma and then there was one

One big valentine, the giving's almost done
I gave the ______ one to Grandpa and then there was none

Posted by Lisa at 2:42 PM | TrackBack

February 12, 2008

Making Music Storytime
(For 2.5-3.5 Year Olds)

Music is always a significant part of my storytimes with this age group, but last week we focused on stories about music-making, too. We started off the session by identifying various musical instruments by sight (I showed pictures). I was very impressed with the kids' knowledge!

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, by Al Perkins, illustrated by Eric Gurney. This old easy reader was a childhood favorite of mine. It's a highly rhythmic book about percussive monkeys. You can encourage the audience to slap their thighs in rhythm with the text.

Punk Farm, by Jarret Krosoczka. Farm animals with guitars and keyboards -- need I say more? This is one of the more clever picture book plays on "Old McDonald." The sequel, Punk Farm on Tour, takes on "Wheels on the Bus."

Boom, Baby, Boom, Boom!, by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy. Another percussive book. Mommy drums while the baby feeds her lunch to various animals who scramble in the door.

We sang "If You're Happy and You Know It" (hand and foot percussion!) and also had a little marching band parade around the room with the musical instruments while "Frosty the Snowman" played on the boombox.

For craft time, we made simple shakers. To prepare, I stapled paper plates in half, with a small handful (about 10) dried beans inside. The kids colored the shakers and glued on colored streamers. It was (no pun intended) a hit!

Posted by Lisa at 10:15 AM | TrackBack

February 11, 2008

Be My Valentine
(For 1.5-2.5 Year Olds)

Valentine's Day is a big favorite of mine because I love beautiful valentines, candy and flowers. With a decorated box and valentine to demonstrate this holiday, I explained to the storytime kids that they could make and receive valentines from their family on Valentine's Day. Making and giving valentines was the motif of the following three stories. In Sweet Hearts by Jan Carr, a panda family gives pretty home made valentines to each other. Giving presents is a fun Valentine activity, and animals give each other funny gifts like an animal bone in
Be Mine, Be Mine, Sweet Valentine by Sarah Weeks. A mouse gives his friend an artistic valentine in Mouse's First Valentine by Lauren Thompson. We all enjoyed counting along on our fingers to the flannel "Five Little Squirrels."

Posted by Sue at 8:31 PM | TrackBack

February 4, 2008

Noisy Sounds
(For 1.5-2.5 Year Olds)

We had noisy fun in storytime today! We made various sounds to mimic the animal noises from John Butler's Can You Growl Like a Bear? We sang together the classic song with the big book version of Down By the Station, in which trucks, buses, cars, and fire engines make their merry sounds. We noticed many adorable breeds of dogs and watched them move about in Dog, by Matthew Van Fleet. We sang together and counted on our fingers pretending they were frogs with the flannel story "Five Green and Speckled Frogs."

Posted by Sue at 7:23 PM | TrackBack

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