LeVar Burton Videochat with LA Times

I'm a fan of Reading Rainbow. I discovered a few of my favorite books through the show such as Tar Beach by Faith Ringold, Barn Dance by Bill Martin Jr. and Galimoto by Karen Lynne Williams. I used to watch and enjoy it as a child, but it especially helped me when I started out at a children's librarian. I would record episodes and while watching them, I learned a bit about how to bring books to life and how to get kids to want to read. Then... POOF! It was gone from my DVR. It was cancelled due to funding issues and a emphasis on the "mechanics of reading" as opposed to fostering a love of reading.

Well, now it seems, RR is back as an app. Listen/watch this interview to hear Levar Burton talk about the app and some other interesting tidbits.
Also check out the RR blog to read about good books, book pairings, and of course, insight from LeVar: readingrainbowblog.wordpress.com

Fun Robot+ Themed Storytime

I've been slacking on my posting. I just haven't had time to type things up like I used to. And if I don't type up my storytimes the same day, I forget how I really felt about things and how the kids reacted, etc. I sigh.
Well, here's a storytime I did at a local preschool. The kids really liked all three books and they love the songs I use with them, too. This was my last storytime with this group as my assignments will soon be changing, so it was a little sad. I didn't tell them until the end because I didn't know how the kids would react the that news.

Opening song: Hello Song by Ella Jenkins. We sing it twice then we just say a big "hello" and wave.
Literacy: Bot + Boy by Amy Dyckman. The kids and I really like this friendship story. They also really liked it when I talked like a robot.

Child: "How did you learn to talk robot, Ms. Camille?"
Me: " How do you know I'm not a robot?"

Literacy: Robot Zombie Frankenstein! by Annette Simon. This is a non-story about two robots and their costume antics. This book was fun. I mean really a fun book. From yelling out the text, to getting the kids to guess what's next this is a great book with simple block illustrations and bright colors. I can totally see having some kids acting this out.

Second story stretch: Put Your Finger In the Air (Love this guy!)
I like to add and change lyrics with this song so here are the verses I sang today:
Put your finger in the air... Leave it there about a year...
Put your finger on your head... Tell me is it green or red...
Put your finger on your nose... Feel the cold wind blow...
Put your finger on your finger... Leave it there, let it linger...
Put your finger on your leg... Ask them if they'd like some eggs...
Put your finger on your shoe... Let them walk a mile or two...

Literacy: Don't Squish the Sasquatch! by Kent Redeker. One of the teachers had already read this book to the kids so they already knew it, but that made it more fun because then they knew where to yell "Don't squish the sasquatch!" and it worked out fine. I like this book because its interactive and gave me lots opportunities to ask the kids questions and to spur their imagination.

Literacy: In the Small Small Pond by Denise Fleming. Speaking of interactive books, this is one of my favorites. In front of them, I call it a stand-up book and I make them stand up. Then we act out all the things the creatures are doing in the book: Swooping like swallows, whirling like whirligigs, snapping like crawfish.

I always end with the Hokey Pokey because its fun and give kids an opportunity to shake it out after being good listeners through a few books.
Don't forget to teach them how to say "yes" in robot: Affirmative!

Concept Storytime

The library where I've been doing baby-toddler storytime has hired their own children's librarian, so I've been playing second fiddle there, while training the new chibrarian (Ha!). She has decided that instead of either of us reading all the stories, that we'll split up storytime, meaning I'll do two stories and two songs/fingerplays.
For my half, I focused on concepts. 

Below by Nina Crews
The Crews family make really photo-picture books and this one might be my favorite. Below is the story of Jack a boy and his toy figurine, Guy, who falls down a hole while they're playing together. Jack rescues his friend, but only after some thought about what Guy might be going through. I like books that offer pauses for thought, and this one does it well, illustrating Jack's imagination's and all the possibilities of below. Great for toddler and preschool storytimes, but probably too simple for older children.

Action song: This Is Big (Have the kids get up or stay seated and use their arms and legs to indicate each of the opposite words.)
This is big big big.

From I Can Fly by Mary Blair

This is small small small.
This is short short short.
This is tall tall tall.
This is fast fast fast.
This is slow slow slow.
This is yes yes yes.
This is no no no.
This is hot hot hot.
This is cold cold cold.
This is stop stop stop.
This is go go go. 

Mary Blair Treasury of Golden Books
I remember reading some of the books within when I was little, so I was very pleased to come across this book that holds many, if not all Blair's children's books. I read I Can Fly and The Up and Down Book at baby-toddler storytimes and they did well. I think the audience was entranced by the pretty illustrations.

Classics Gone Crazy Themed Storytime

These are three books that I thought would make a fun storytime for the spunky kids.  But they got too spunky yesterday afternoon. I had to stop in the middle of reading Waking Beauty and remind them that I choose to bring this program to them and I don't see why I should continue if I'm going to be met with rude behavior, especially when they're begging me for an art activity. They calmed down after our talk, but I was already upset. I skipped Waking Beauty and powered through Mary so we could get to the art activity (which I didn't think they deserved at that point) and I could go home.

The Eensy Weensy Spider FREAKS OUT! (Big time!) by Troy Cummings
Funny story about a spider who gives up on climbing after she is washed off a waterspout. But her friend ladybug encourages her to venture out again.

The lamp I would drag around.

Waking Beauty by Leah Wilcox
   Wilcox's stories that turn fairytales around for a different   perspective are quite funny and pleasantly silly. In this book, based on Sleeping Beauty, the prince doesn 't take the time to listen to the fairy godmothers and so tries every other way to wake Beauty, but with a kiss.

Mary Had a Little Lamp by Jack Lechner
This funny take on the classic nursery rhyme is about a girl obsessed with her lamp instead of a lamb obsessed and stalking a girl.

Fun Mom Stories Themed Family Storytime

I read these books to the spunky mixed-age group and it turned out to be a fun Mother's Day Storytime: 

Skateboard Mom by Barbara Odanaka

Written by an actual skateboarding mom, its a funny story about a boy who gets a skateboard for his birthday when his mom hops right on and began reliving her skateboard queen years. Primitive illustrations, but they work with the cheesy, but fun story.

A Boy Had a Mother Who Bought Him a Hat by Karla Kuski: This is one of those fun stacking rhymes (Cumulative structure to be exact) like I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly, where the more you add on, the more fun it is to read and there are opportunities for audience interaction.

My Mom Has X-Ray Vision by AngelaMcAllister 

From the title you can probably tell this is a funny, zany story about a kid with a very good imagination.... or is it TRUE?! 

We decorated flower pots as our art activity. 

Circular Stories

I find that I keep getting drawn in by the same type of stories lately. I was calling them domino-effect stories in my head, but the correct trope name is circular or chain stories and these are noted by how the ending leads the reader right back to where the story started.
I have two on my bookshelf now:
Mordant's Wish by Valerie Coursen is a prettily-illustrated book that I found in a donations pile somewhere. In it, a mole sees a turtle shaped cloud and makes a wish that that turtle was his friend. What do you think happens in the end? Of course there's a whole bunch in between and its quite entertaining.

The Scarecrow's Hat by Ken Brown is a beautifully illustrated book that I bought from a Friends sale. In it a chicken comes across a scarecrow who would like a new hat and knew just how to get one. Along the way she also helps a few other animals in order to achieve her goal.

Messy Mice Themed Family Storytime

Again with the kids who don't like to sing songs, etc. I read these books:
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Never read these books until a few days ago, and I don't like them. The kids I read them to had a hard time following the storyline and I saw their little attentions flitter away. 

Mouse Mess by Linnea Rily
This one brought their attentions back. I always hesitated to read this book because the illustrations look so dated to me, but the kids didn't mind and on their own started making really observant comparisons: The cornflakes look like a pile of leaves the mouse jumped into. The mouse looks like he's admiring a cityscape on the milk and cheese page. Turned out to be fun!

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood
A fun conversation piece. We ended up talking at length about where the bear was and who was narrating and why we couldn't see them. The mouse didn't come up, but everyone was hungry for a strawberry or two by the end.

We had a Lego playtime after stories.

Pigs! Preschool Storytime

Opening Song: Hello Song (Ella Jenkins)
Literacy: If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
Now that I've read a couple of these to a couple different groups, I don't see what the big appeal is. They're okay. I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for that, but the If You Give a... books are not for me. 
Literacy: Wolf Won't Bite by Emily Gravett
Song: Put Your Finger In the Air
Put your finger in the air, in the air.
Put your finger in the air, in the air.
Put your finger in the air, leave it there about a year!
Put your finger in the air, in the air.

Put your finger on your nose....and feel the cold wind blow!
Put your finger on your cheeks... and leave it there about a week!
Put your finger on your finger on your finger... leave it there let it linger!
Put your finger on your shoe, on your shoe... and leave it there a day or two!
Literacy: Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda 
A really awesome, fun and interactive take on the Three Little Pigs classic. I want to read it all the time and it works awesome with a restless crowd. 
Closing song: Hokey Pokey 


 

This was an outreach storytime I did at a school, so there was no  post-storytime activity.

Bears Theme Storytime

Opening song: Good Morning/ Buenos Días (See My Storytime Set for song lyrics)   
Opening fingerplay: One Little Finger 
Literacy: Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson
Song/movement break: Open Shut Them
Literacy: Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff

Feltboard: Ten Little Teddy Bears

There were 10 little teddy bears sleeping in the bed

This is the Artfelt set that I used.

Five at the foot, five at the head.

One little teddy said, “This bed is too full.”

So he grabbed the blanket and started to pull.

He pulled and he pulled and he pulled some more,

Until two little teddies fell BOOM to the floor!

There were 8 little teddy bears sleeping in the bed

Four at the foot, four at the head…

Now there were 6 little teddy bears sleeping in the bed

Three at the foot, three at the head…

Then there were 4 little teddy bears sleeping in the bed

Two at the foot, two at the head…

There were two little teddy bears sleeping in the bed

One at the foot, one at the head.

One little teddy said, “This feels just right.”

So the two little teddy bears said “Good night!"

Closing Fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds
Closing Movement: Hokey Pokey
Post storytime activity:Circle Bears
I had a plethora of die cut circles in different sizes. So we put them together to make bears: Two big circles for the head and torso; Two medium-small circles for the ears, two hole punch circles for the eyes and nose holes; two medium circles for the feet. Use crayon, marker or other circles for other details.
 

Farm Themed Storytime

Opening song: Good Morning/ Buenos Días (See My Storytime Set for song lyrics)   
Opening fingerplay: One Little Finger 
Literacy: Millie Wants to Play by Janet Pedersen
Song/movement break: Open Shut Them
Literacy: This Little Chick by John Lawrence
Interactive Book: Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
This book is so much fun to read aloud as you can tell by watching the dad and two boys. You can totally make up your own rhythm to read to and, I highly suggest you change it up each time you read it. Try samba!

New song: Old MacDonald (with puppets)
Closing Fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds
Closing Movement: Parachute play
Post storytime activity:
Farm stampers and/or farm foam sticker art. 

These are from Lakeshore, but there are lots of other brands.

Silly Themed Family Storytime

The group of kids I did this storytime with are very much anti-singing, dancing, rhymes, fingerplays... they'll have none of that. Just stories and an activity
So I read them:

• A Boy and His Bunny by Sean Bryan
• Ducks Don't Wear Socks by John Nedwidek
• A Bear and His Boy by Sean Bryan 

Then we made silly hand puppets. I just so happened to have these kits from Discount School Supply hanging around.

Bunnies! Themed Storytime

Opening song: Good Morning/ Buenos Días (See My Storytime Set for song lyrics)   
Opening fingerplay: One Little Finger 
Literacy: The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown (Skip this if you think you might run long or lose their attention)
Song/movement break: Open Shut Them
Literacy: If You're Hoppy by April Pulley Sayre
New song/movement break: If You're Happy and You Know It
Literacy: Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
Interactive Book: In the Tall Tall Grass by Denise Fleming (We all got up and copied the movements and sounds of the creatures in the book) 
Closing Fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds
Closing Movement: Hokey Pokey 
Post storytime activity:
Cotton Ball Bunnies- I gave the kids multi-colored cotton balls, glue sticks, construction paper and crayons. They drew and/or glued cotton balls on for bunnies. It was fun and easy.

Use your imagination: That's totally a carrot!

Bunny-Carrot Die Cut Collage
Every once in a  while I take advantage of our Ellison machines. I used Ellison Rabbit #2.

TheRabbit/Bunny one looks a bit demented. And, instead of the carrot die, I used the Christmas Lights because there's more space on those. I gave a selection of pastel color dies, the die-cut negatives, tissue paper and glue sticks with pastel construction paper. That was easy and fun,too!

Piggies! Themed Storytime

Opening song: Good Morning/ Buenos Días (See My Storytime Set for song lyrics)   
Opening fingerplay: One Little Finger 
Literacy: Wolf Won't Bite by Emily Gravett 
Song/movement break: Open Shut Them
Literacy: Piggies by Audrey Wood (also available in bilingual version) 
Literacy: Huff and Puff by Claudia Rueda (This link is to cutest author reading ever!) 
New song/movement break: Five Little Piggies Rolled In the Mud (You can just chant or sing this to the tune of Six Little Ducks.) 
I did this as a felt board, but you can make it an action rhyme like in the video.

I used ArtFelt Pigs and farmer, 
and made my own mud and hay.

Five little pigs rolled in the mud.
Squishy, squashy, felt so good!
The farmer took one piggy out
“Oink! Oink! Oink!” that pig did shout!

Four little pigs rolled in the mud…

Three little pigs rolled in the mud…

Two little pigs rolled in the mud…

One little pig rolled in the mud…

No little pigs rolled in the mud.
They all looked so clean and good.
The farmer let those piggies play
But this time they played in the hay!

Closing Fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds  

Closing Movement: Hokey Pokey
Post storytime activity:Pink Piggy Plates
I had the kids and their parents decorate paper plates to look like pigs. Supplies I used:

• Different shades of pink tissue paper squares
• glue sticks
• Pink dot painters
• Pink foam shapes, especially circles and triangles
• Googly and sticker eyes
• Pink ribbon/lanyard string tails
• Black markers       

Spring Themed Storytime

Opening song: Good Morning/ Buenos Días (See My Storytime Set for song lyrics)   
Opening fingerplay: One Little Finger
Literacy: Spring Is Here by Will Hillenbrand 
Song/movement break: Open Shut Them
Literacy: Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Literacy:
Tweedle Dee Dee by Charlotte Voake
 

New song/movement break: The Green Grass Grows All Around (Everytime you say a word that is associated with a movement, do the movement.)
Here's a link to a YouTube that should help you get the tune
This link is to the fun Louis Jordan version

There was a hole (use arms to make a circle in front of your body)
In the middle of the ground (bend or crouch down with hands slapping knees)
The prettiest hole*
That you ever did see

Chorus: And the green grass grows (turn around in place)
all around and around
And the green grass grows all around

There was a tree (stand up straight with arms tightly down by your sides)
In the middle of the hole*…
The prettiest tree*
That you ever did see
Well the tree's *in the hole*
The hole* is in the ground*
Chorus 

And on that tree*
There was a branch (Hold out right arm straight from your body)
The prettiest  branch*
That you ever did see
Well the branch* is on the tree*
The tree* is in the hole*
The hole* is in the ground*
Chorus

And on that branch*
There was a nest (Cup both hands together as is trying to hold water)
The prettiest nest* 
That you ever did see
Well the nest* is on the branch*
The branch* is on the tree*
The tree* is in the hole*
The hole* is in the ground*
Chorus

And in that nest*
There were some eggs (Make two tights fists and wiggle!)
The prettiest eggs*
That you ever did see
Well the eggs* are in the nest*
The nest* is on the branch*
The branch* is on the tree*
The tree* is in the hole*
The hole* is in the ground*
Chorus

And from those eggs*
Out came some birds (Lobster claw finger movements)
The prettiest birds*
That you ever did see
Well the birds* were in the eggs*
The eggs* were in the nest*
The nest* is on the branch*
The branch* is on the tree*
The tree* is in the hole*
The hole* is in the ground*
Chorus

Closing Fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds  

Closing Movement: Parachute Play

Post storytime activity: Green Collage: In honor of the book and St. Patrick's Day, we made a green collage. I gathered foam shapes, pieces of yarn, feathers, stickers, markers and dot papers all in different shades of green, gave the kids some glue and a construction paper background. Amazing!

Spring Themed Preschool Storytime

I may end up deleting this because its so similar to the other spring themed ST, but this one I did with in a classroom of preschoolers.
Opening song: Hello Song (Keep in mind that I sing it much slower than the lady in this video)
Hello!
Hello!
Hello, how are you?
I'm fine!
I'm fine!
I hope that you're fine, too. (I repeat this three times, then have the kids say a big hello while waving at all the other kids they see.)
This is a song by Ella Jenkins on her Multicultural Children's Songs CD. 
Opening discussion: Spring
Literacy: Spring Is Here by Will Hillenbrand

Literacy: And Then It Is Spring by Julie Fogliano

Second Story Stretch: Put Your Finger In the Air (This is pretty good, but I usually stop at Put your finger on your shoe. This song can be real long if you let it!) 
Literacy: Green by  Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Interactive Book: In the Tall Tall Grass by Denise Fleming

Closing Song: Hokey Pokey (I like this video because its set in the late 80s/early 90s, their hats are bedazzled, some of the kids get their right and left mixed up, and you know you want to get up with those kids and show them what its all about! HOKEY POKEY!)

Baby & Me Time

I call my baby storytimes Baby & Me Times to make sure parents know that I may be at the front, but they're the real stars of the show. Here's my latest program outline:

Welcome patter: Welcome to baby storytime! Today we’re going to sing songs, do some tickles, bounces and fingerplays, read some nursery rhymes, and share books together. The activities we do today are ways that you can stimulate brain development especially, language development in your baby.

Your baby might not want to participate right now and that’s okay. If your baby doesn’t seem to be paying attention, their brain is still being stimulated by what they see and hear around them.

If your baby isn’t happy here please take them out until they calm down and come back when you think he or she is ready. Okay, let’s begin.

Welcome Song: Good Morning to You (Sing twice to the tune of Happy Birthday)

Good Morning to You! 
Good Morning to You! 
Good Morning Dear Babies (Or name)! 
Good Morning to You!

Patter: Do you recognize that tune? People who work with children call those piggyback songs. You can make up any words and sing them to a familiar tune. In this case we turned Happy Birthday into a morning song. These kinds of songs are good for helping young children deal with transitions. Sometimes they’re going to have to stop doing something they want to. Singing songs makes that part a little easier.

Itsy Bitsy Spider Fingerplay (Sing twice)

Baby may not be able to do the fingerplay, but you parents sure can! Either gently guide your child through the movements or turn him/her to face you while you do the movements for them to see. 

The itsy bitsy spider 

crawled up the water spout.

Down came the rain and

washed the spider out.

Out came the sun and 

dried up all the rain. 

And the itsy bitsy spider

crawled up the spout, again!

Body Identification Book: Counting Kisses by Karen Katz- encourage parents to kiss and point out baby’s parts along with the books.

Babies Fingers Tickle (Do twice)

These are baby’s fingers.
These are baby’s toes.
This is baby’s belly button,
Round and round it goes!
These are baby’s ears.
This is baby’s nose.
This is baby’s belly button,
Round and round it goes!

This Little Piggy (Fingerplay or Tickle; Sing twice)- Parents can gently wiggle fingers or toes, or count limbs and tickle or wiggle at the end.

This little piggy went to the market.

This little piggy stayed home.

This little piggy had roast beef.

This little piggy had none.

And this little piggy ran Wee! Wee! Wee! 

All the way home.   

Peekaboo Book: Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora- Pass out color scarves and have parents play peekaboo with their hands or the scarves while reading the book. Then give them a minute to play after the book. You can also do peekaboo with a mirror.

Parent Patter: Playing peekaboo teaches your baby about object permanence: That although you can't see something it still exists. Peekaboo also prepares babies for those times when you will have to be away from them: You might go away, but you’ll always come back to them.

Read to Your Baby Time- Provide a selection of board books and encourage parents to to share a book with their baby. Play a 4-5 minute song in the background collect everybody's attention when the song stops.

Tiny Little Baby Bounce (Sing twice)

Tiny little baby loves bouncing, bouncing!

Tiny little baby loves bouncing so.

Tiny little baby loves bouncing, bouncing!

Tiny little baby loves bouncing so.

Bounce to the left!

Bounce to the right!
Now hug that baby nice and tight!

    

Animals Sounds Book: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr- With toddlers I just read the book, but with babies, I sing the words to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, then the parents and I make the corresponding animal sounds.

Parent Patter: Making animal sounds helps children identify animals, associate sounds with things, and learning the sounds from you helps them learn to talk. Let them see your mouth as you talk to them and say these animal sounds.

Animal Sound Song: Animals In the Morning (I use animal puppets and they sing to the babies. Four puppets should be enough)

When the duck gets up in the morning

You'll always hear him say

Quack! Quack!

He'll always say Quack!

  

Classic Nursery Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock (Sing/say twice)- Encourage parents to either bounce to the rhythm of the rhyme, or they can move up and down following the words.

Hickory dickory dock.

The mouse ran up the clock.

The clock struck one

The mouse ran down.

Hickory dickory dock.

Stand Up Bounces: Zoom Zoom Zoom! (Sing/say twice)

Zoom zoom zoom!

We're going to the moon.

Zoom zoom zoom!

We're going to the moon.

If you'd like to take a trip

Climb aboard my rocking ship.

Zoom zoom zoom, I'm going to the moon 

In 5...4...3...2...1!

Blast off! 

    

Fishies in the Water (Say twice)

Fishies in the water

Fishies in the sea.

We all jump up with a 1...2...3...!

Closing patter: Thank you for coming to baby storytime. Please stay and play for the next 20 minutes and meet other parents and babies and socialize.

Let's Vote for Caldecott Books! Preschool Storytime

Opening song: Hello Song (Keep in mind that I sing it much slower than the lady in this video)
Hello!
Hello!
Hello, how are you?
I'm fine!
I'm fine!
I hope that you're fine, too. (I repeat this three times, then have the kids say a big hello while waving at all the other kids they see.)
This is a song by Ella Jenkins on her Multicultural Children's Songs CD. 
Opening discussion: What is the Caldecott Medal?
Literacy: This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen  

The kids and I are puzzled as to how this book won. We disagree!

Literacy: One Cool Friend by Tony Buzzeo 

I don't even know about this one. The kids were bored with it a couple of pages through. Not a bad book, but not Caldecott material. 

Second Story Stretch: Put Your Finger In the Air (This is pretty good, but I usually stop at Put your finger on your shoe. This song can be real long if you let it!) 
Literacy: Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds 

In our humble opinions, Creepy Carrots was the real winner.

 This video is a really interesting behind-the-scenes with the illustrator. 

Closing Song: I tried a different song, at this storytime that just bombed terribly! What was I thinking?!!!
Library March (To the tune of Father Abraham)
The library
Has many books
Many books has the library
I like to read
And so do you
So let's just have some fun
Right arm!
Let's go!
Each round you add on another movement until you sit down at the end:
Left arm
Right foot
Left foot
Heads up
Turn around 
Sit down!