Pre-K Library Storytime

B oo k s Snappy Dinosaurs. Office lift-the-flap.  Fun intro, but this group could maybe have taken something a little more challenging. Tyson the Terrible  in storyhour reference. Our copy is much abused but I love the boom boom booming. Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? by Julie Middleton. Dead pan funny. As the (pompous) dad leads the boy through the dino museum, the boy notices them coming to life -- but the father ignores them until they pass by T. Rex.  Great, great pix and a short witty text. Many complaints from the scientist in the audience. Dinosaurs Love Underpants by Claire Freedman.  Forestall the remarks from the scientists in the audience about dinosaurs living with cavemen by reading the title of this funny book in a completely appalled voice.  Underpants?!!! Dinosaurs love.... UNDERPANTS?!!! How Do Dinosaurs Go to School by Jane Yolen. Another nice one in the series.     Note:  Usually I do a whole school theme, but this year with the early back to school start, the sched

Hark, hark the dogs will bark at Gulf Beaches storyhour this Friday!   B o o k s The Pigeon Wants a Puppy  by Mo Willems. Always a hit. Oh No, George!   by Chris Haughton .  I am a major fan of Chris Haughton even though he's only written three books. I invited the kids to chorus in on the "Oh No, George!" and the involvement really pretty them in.  Then we did "Well done, George!" with upraised power fist.  Is There a Dog In this Book? by Viviane Schwartz.  This is a very cute lapread, but I'm not all that sure about it for storytime. The lift the flaps might be a bit hard for a crowd to see.  Ivan the Terrier   by Peter Catalanotto .  As I turned each page to a familiar new story, 3 bears, 3 little pigs, etc., the children waited for Ivan to put in his appearance. Pictures and text bounce along. But the kids really don't seem to quite get the sarcasm of Ivan making his appearance.  Next year I might use my old favorite Widget .  Dog's Colorful Day

B o o k s :   The Mouse Who Ate the Moon  by Petr Horacek.  Adorable. It's not often kids laugh out loud over a book. We had an older group today, so instead of reading Roaring Rockets by Tony Mitton.  ( Watch the rhythm. It's not always there.) I picked If You Decide to Go to the Moon by Faith McNulty  j629.4 Space. The group was a bit older, and by skipping and summing up passages, I was able to get the great story of a real live trip to the moon across.   How to Catch a Star   by Oliver Jeffers.  So nice that I just happened to have a starfish (rubber) on hand for the ending. I know they liked this simple but appealing tale of a boy trying to catch a star. I heard one child say, "That was a good story." Cloudland by John Burningham. Isn't playing and living in the clouds everyone's fantasy? It should be. Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me  by the great Eric Carle. I made sure I had on hand the 9780887080265 copy, with its beautiful big pull out pages. "

Books: Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae.  One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree by Bernstrom.   Just a bit long, but the older kids here today really liked it -- maybe as a good starter, and its sing-song quality really appealed.  Don't hesitate to pause and ask how much longer this can go on and point out how fat the snake is getting -- DOES he have room for more? Oh, No!  by Denise Fleming Tiny Little Fly  by Michael Rosen. Love making that buzzing sound. Tried to get the kids to buzz in chorus. You Are a Lion by Yoon.  Very fun. Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo by Laura Murray. Boy, do we love that Gingerbread Man. Animal Boogie by Debbie Harter The Story of Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman OR   Jungle Drums  by Graeme Base. I USED my jungle drum, and shortened a couple of pages.  Giraffes Can't Dance Andreae Ananse's Feast by Tololwa M. Mollel. Songs:   5 Little Monkeys teasing Mr. Crocodile, of course Down in the Jungle (with the drum, so you can