Dragon Storytime

Book suggestions:

• Loveabye Dragon by Barbara Joose, Illus. by Randy Cecil
• Young Henry and the Dragon by Jeanne Kaufman, Illus. Daria Tessler
• Who Wants a Dragon by James Mayhew, Illus. by Lindsey Gardiner
• The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle, Illus. by Hanako Wakiyama
• One Drowsy Dragon by Ethan Long
• When a Dragon Moves In by Jodi Moore, Illus. by Howard McWilliam
• The Pet Dragon: a Story About Adventure, Friendship & Chinese Characters by Christopher Niemann
• Goodnight, Dragons by Judith L. Roth, Illus. by Pascal Lemaitre
• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, Illus. by Daniel Salmieri
• Get Well, Good Knight by Shelly Moore Thomas, Illus. by Jennifer Plecas (an early reader, but so good!)

Such a cute craft idea:

Dragon fire from Pomfret Library



From my favorite Sunflower Storytime Blog :

 Dragon, Dragon Turn Around

Dragon, dragon, turn around
Dragon, dragon, touch the ground
Dragon, dragon, fly up high
Dragon, dragon, touch the sky
Dragon, dragon, swing your tail
Dragon, dragon, shake your scales
Dragon, dragon, give a ROAR
Dragon, dragon, sit on the floor

From my file box:

Did You Ever Find a Dragon?

sung to "Did You Ever See a Lassie?"

Did you ever find a dragon?
A dragon? A dragon? (Walk in a circle)
Did you ever find a dragon? All scaly & green?
With blazing eyes and fiery breath, (Point to eyes & mouth)
And swishy tail & green toes? (Wiggle behind & toes)
Did you ever find a dragon? All scaly & green?
(Walk in a circle)

Two Holiday Treats

Christmas Parade by Sandra Boynton.

 I have loved Sandra Boynton's illustrations since she made gift cards in the 1980s. Surely you are familiar with her fantastic Board Books such as Moo, Baa, La La, La! or Barnyard Dance! Christmas Parade is just as fun, but it is a small hardcover picture book geared to 3-6 year olds. Boynton's incomparable animals march across the pages lead by a serious looking elephant and concluding with the "tiniest bird with the loudest tuba you ever have heard." After the parade, a bunny slipper shod piglet gets the merriest surprise. This is another bouncy winner from Boynton!

Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko

This sweet picture book fills a gap for families who celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah and want to see their traditions reflected in their holiday reading.When they began their family, author Alko and her husband shared traditions from their different religious backgrounds and in this book, young Sadie happily tells readers all the special things that her family does together during the winter holidays. From leaving out latkes and milk for Santa, to hanging candy canes on the menorah, to sharing both Jewish and Christian stories at the extended family gathering, this family wastes no opportunity for joyous celebration. The illustrations are a pleasant mix of collage and colored pencil and well convey the energetic holiday spirit. A recipe for Cranberry Kugel Dressing follows the story.

First Baby Storytime of the season

This fall I will be swapping my Family/Preschool storytime for a Baby laptime program. It is hard to give up my preschoolers, but I have to share with my lovely co-worker, Miss Carol. Babytime will be a new adventure for me. Today was my first one, and I had four babies and caregivers come. Two grandmas, a nanny and a mom brought their little ones. The actual storytime is scheduled for 15 minutes, with playtime following. This was ample material for that time frame.

What follows is the format that I used today. I borrowed heavily from the wonderful blog Library Noise .

Welcome Song:

 To the tune of "Where is Thumbkin" and gets sung to each child. If a child is late, we sing it to him or her when they come in.

Where is [insert name here?] Where is [insert name here?] (cover eyes with hands)
There (s)he is! There (s)he is! (point to the child)
I'm so glad to see you! I'm so glad to see you!
Peek-a-boo! Peek-a-boo! (play peek-a-boo with the child)

3-4 Mother Goose Rhymes/Songs/more subtle action rhymes:

I showed pictures from the beautifully illustrated Pocket Full of Posies: a Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Salley Mavor as we recited the rhymes.

 

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 my dame,

And one for the little boy (girl)

Who lives down the lane,

Baa baa black sheep,

Have you any wool?

Yes, sir, yes sir,

Three bags full.

By Salley Mavor

 

Pease Porridge Hot

Pease Porridge Hot,

Pease Porridge Cold,

Pease Porridge in the Pot,

Nine Days Old.

 

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,

How I wonder what you are,

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky,

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,

How I wonder what you are.

 

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.

Detail from "Hey Diddle, Diddle" by Salley Mavor

 

Read 1st book: Bunny and Me by Adele Aron Greenspun and Joanie Schwarz

4-5 Action Rhymes/Tickle Rhymes/Knee Bounces:

Cuckoo clock 

            (swing baby from side to side)

Tick-tock, tick-tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.

Tick-tock, tick-tock,

Now I’m striking one o’clock.    

Cuckoo!         (lift baby up)

 

          Repeat first two lines….

Now I’m striking two o’clock. 

Cuckoo! Cuckoo!    (lift baby up two times)

 

Now I’m striking three o’clock. 

Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!    (lift baby up three times)

 

These Are Baby’s Fingers

 These are baby’s fingers (wiggle fingers)

And these are baby’s toes (wiggle toes)

This is baby’s belly button (circle finger on baby’s tummy)

Round and round it goes,

These are baby’s eyes (gently touch eyes)

And this is baby’s nose (touch nose)

This is baby’s belly button (tickle tummy)

Right where Mommy (Daddy, Grandma, etc.)blows!

(buzz lips on baby’s tummy)

 

Baby’s Hokey Pokey:

 

You put your arms up,  you put your arms down,

You put your arms up and wave them all around.

Then tickle tickle, wiggle wiggle

Everyone knows, that’s how the baby’s hokey pokey goes!

 

You put your legs up,  you put your legs down,

You put your legs up and kick them all around.

Then tickle tickle, wiggle wiggle

Everyone knows, that’s how the baby’s hokey pokey goes!

 

This is the Way the Ladies Ride

This is the way the ladies ride,

Bounce, bounce, bounce,

(Bounce baby on your knee)

This is the way the gentlemen ride,

Boom, boom, boom,

(Bounce baby faster)

This is the way the farmers ride,

Trot, trot, trot.

(Bounce one leg at a time)

This is the way the babies ride,

Whee!

(Lift baby high in the air)

 

The Kissing Rhyme

(Lift Baby up and down)

Up, up, up in the air like this

Down, down down for a great big kiss

(Give a kiss)

Up like this, down for a kiss,

(Give another kiss)

You’re a special baby!

(Give a big hug)

 

Next, I hand out egg shakers:

Shaker Song (to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down”)
Shake your shaker in the air
Shake it here, shake it there
Shake your shaker in the air,
Shake your shaker.

Shake it high and shake it low
Shake it yes, shake it no.
Shake it high and shake it low
Shake your shaker.

Shake it up and shake it down
Rub your shaker on the ground.
Shake it up and shake it down
Shaker your shaker.

“Shake Your Sillies Out” from More Singable Songs for the Very Young by Raffi

Read 2nd book : All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Tafuri

 

 Pat A Cake

Pat a cake pat a cake
Baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
(Clap baby’s hands together)
Pat it
(Pat baby’s tummy)
And roll it
(Roll baby’s hands over each other)
And mark it with B
(Trace the letter B on baby’s tummy)
And put it in the oven for Baby and me!
(Clap again!)

Sing the goodbye song:

Storytime is Done (sing to The Farmer in the Dell)

Storytime is done, storytime is done,
hi ho the derrio, storytime is done.
It’s time to play with toys, it’s time to play with toys,
hi ho the derrio, it’s time to play with toys.

 

It's a Tiger!

When I get back to doing Family or Preschool Storytimes, I'll be sure to include David LaRochelle's new book, It's a Tiger! It's just the kind of story that I like to share most, somewhat silly, and begging for audience participation. The child narrator is telling us a story about monkeys in the jungle, when a tiger barges in. He is big, stripey, and has sharp teeth. Run! Jeremy Tankard's colorful pictures provide clues to the observant reader, who will never be surprised by the tiger's next appearance. A fun surprise ending completes this great storytime share.

Summer Fun Storytime

This is our last storytime until fall. I will miss it!

Books:

• Duck Tents by Lynne Berry, Illus. by Hiroe Nakata
• Got to Dance by M.C. Helldorfer, Illus. by Hiroe Kakata
• Chilly Milly Moo by Fiona Ross (ice cream)
• Going to the Beach with Lily and Milo by Pauline Oud
• The Enormous Turnip a folktale Illus. by Kathy Parkinson (gardening)
• I Want to Do It Myself by Tony Ross (camping)
• Brownie & Pearl Take a Dip by Cynthia Rylant, Illus. by Brian Biggs
• Minerva Louise at the Fair by Janet Morgan Stoeke
• Oh My Gosh, Mrs. McNosh! by Sarah Weeks, Illus. by Nadine Bernard Westcott (fun in the park)
• Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems

Perfect Pets Storytime

Books:

• No Dogs Allowed! by Linda Ashman, Illus. by Kristin Sorra
• Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby
• Please Take Me For a Walk by Susan Gal
• One Moon, Two Cats by Laura Godwin, Illus. by Yoko Tanaka
• I Need a Snake by Lynne Jonell and Petra Mathers
• Dog Parade by Barbara Joose Illus. by Eugene Yelchin
• Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! by Leslea Newman, Illus. by Erika Olier
• The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle, Illus. by Hanako Wakiyama
• The Complete Adventures of Big Dog and Little Dog by Dav Pilkey
• Swim! Swim! by Lerch (James Proimos)
• There Are Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz

Action Songs:

Head, Whiskers Knees and Tail

Head, whiskers, knees and tail, knees and tail.
Head, whiskers, knees and tail, knees and tail.
And eyes, and ears, and mouth and nose.
Head, whiskers, knees and tail, knees and tail.

From: Jacksonville Public Library, Library Storytime

If You’re a Pet and You Know It

If you’re a doggie and you know it,

Say, “Woof, woof”.

If you’re a doggie and you know it,

Say, “Woof, woof”.

If you’re a doggie and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re a doggie and you know it,

Say, “Woof, woof”.

Repeat with kitty/meow, fishy/blub, hamster/run in place, bird/tweet.

--Miss Mollie

From: What Happens In Storytime

Everything Changes Storytime

This week's books:

• Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel, Pictures by Nick Bruel (friendship between a worm and a caterpillar)
• Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett
• One Little Seed by Elaine Greenstein
• Perfect Square by Michael Hall ( a square is happy, no matter what form he takes)
• The Caterpillar and the Polliwog by Jack Kent
• Tale of a Tadpole by Barbara Ann Porter, Illus. by Annie Cannon
• First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
• Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan A. Shea, Paintings by Tom Slaughter
• Dot and Jabber and the Great Acorn Mystery by Ellen Stoll Walsh (How did that Oak tree get there?)

This week's songs and rhymes:

The Life of a Butterfly

Tune: "Skip to My Lou"

I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,

I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,

I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,

What'll I be my darlin'?

A chrysalis, now sleep like me,

A chrysalis, now sleep like me,

A chrysalis, now sleep like me,

What'll I be my darlin'?

A butterfly, come fly with me,

A butterfly, come fly with me,

A butterfly, come fly with me,

What'll I be my darlin'?

Now all together, let's do all three,

A caterpillar, a chrysalis, a butterfly, three!

Move your body like this with me,

The life of a butterfly, darlin'!

Dig a Little Hole

Dig a little hole (Dig)

Plant a little seed (Drop seed)

Pour a little water (Pour)

Pull a little weed (Pull up and throw aaway)

Chase a little bug (Shoo)

Heigh-ho, there she goes (Shade eyes)

Give a little sunshine (Cup hands, Lift to the sun)

Grow a little rose. (Smell flower)

The Frog Life Cycle Song

(to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Tadpole hatched out from an egg,

From an egg, from an egg,

Tadpole hatched out from an egg,

And liked to swim around.

Tadpole grew his two hind legs,

Two hind legs, two hind legs,

Tadpole grew his two hind legs,

And still he swims around.

Tadpole grew his two front legs,

Two front legs, two front legs,

Tadpole grew his two front legs,

And still he swims around.

Tadpole lost his tail so fine,

Tail so fine, tail so fine,

Tadpole lost his tail so fine,

And still he swims around.

Tadpole has become a frog,

Become a frog, become a frog,

Tadpole has become a frog,

And now he jumps on land.

Froggie can both swim and jump.

Swim and jump, swim and jump,

Froggie can both swim and jump,

He’s an amphibian.

From: www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/gifted_ed/.../frog_song.doc