Pre-K Library Storytime

B o o k s Pop-Up Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae. Always works. Just long enough with a shark at the end. Animals Called Fish j597.4. I marked certain pages in this book with sticky notes, and used it to settle this question: Are you kids here fish?  Do you know how to swim? Yes. Then you might be fish. Do you eat meat and vegetables? Yes. They you might be fish. Do you have a backbone (or spine, as Ronan pointed out.) Yes, then you might be fish. Can you breathe underwater, with gills? No, you don't have gills? Well, how do you breathe? Oh, through your mouth and nose. Are you covered all over with mucus, you know, the same stuff that comes out your nose? No?  No? Hmmm, fish do.  Well, how about this: when you were a baby, were you born out of an egg your mama laid? Are there any baby pictures of you being a cute loveable egg? No? Then I guess you really aren't fish! The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark  by Geist.  Props: three fish fingerpuppets and shark pup

Pooh's tales are a bit long for the average bunch of three year olds, and the Berenstains are.... well, they aren't wearing well with me. But by all means take them off the shelf and let them take a bow today. B o o k s Polar Bear's Underwear by tupera tupera.  Quite perfect.  Don't forget, mouse and polar bear voices.  And then let the kids guess a little about the underwear.  They got the rabbit's carrot underwear right. (Not all are wearing underwear yet, so I didn't belabor that point, but I did mention it.) P l a y   Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin.  I used the figures from kizclub and strung them up on my storytime clothesline. The Bear Ate Your Sandwich   by Julia Sarcone-Roach. (Actually a supercute dog ate your sandwich -- surprise ending. VERY IMPORTANT: Read the book in a gruff dog's voice.  This is so important you should put a sticky on it to remind yourself.  Remember: lying dog voice. Where's My Teddy ?   by Jez Alborough . The  rh

Valentine's Day at my library is when we talk about feelings. I use it to bring up some of the many subjects that may be bothering young children. It's one of my favorites. B o o k s Prop: After the book, I drew a grid on the chalkboard and divided into four.  I drew a scared face in the 1st grid, and then showed the next book, A Good Day , and introduced it by drawing a sad face and then a happy face. A Good Day by Kevin Henkes. Short & sweet. Prop: The yellow feather! I'm Not Scared by Jonathan Allen. This one is actually a kind of thin read aloud about fear. Pass next time. My Heart Is Like a Zoo  by Michael Hall I finished  with this charmer, which was kind of perfect. The kids tried to recognize the creatures and call out their names. Some were very tough -- might want to use paperclips on some. It's Tough to Loose Your Balloon by Krosoczka .   Pitch perfect about the good and bad of very, very, authentic kids stuff. We had a nice chat about bandaids. Can You

February storytime? What would those kids want to hear about? Valentine's Day and romantic love? Groundhog Day & overgrown Pennsylvania rodents? Mardi Gras...dead presidents... How about an Asian New Year Storytime with DRAGONS!!!  Display Props The Oriental Trading crepe paper dragon stretches across the storytime clothesline, looping around and around very impressively.  He's folded up in the backroom in the red portfolio.  Sometimes but not every time I get out the Chinese good luck posters. B o o k s Dragon Was Terrible by Kelly Dipucchio. Cute and a big book promo! When I got to the page about knights, I did a quick aside on what a knight is. I used Sabuda's Castle pop-up, which has a gorgeous full page pop-up knight.  The Best Pet  by David LaRochelle.  Dragons may love toys, but they won't pick them up; they do not like to help with chores; and they make a mess in the kitchen. In fact, they are not very good pets at all, but when Mom asks the dragon nicely t