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.