Story Time Smiles

Sesame Street:Song: I Love My Hair

2010-10-21T20:25:00.003-04:00

Sesame Street is something most of us grew up with, and yet again they have come up with an AMAZING video to help kids love themselves and everything about themselves. I absolutely love this video. The little girl is so adorable!

I'm Not Sleepy. . . Bedtime Stories

2010-04-09T14:30:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite themes is Bedtime/Sleeping. There is something magical in a book about bedtime that after I've read them, I'm ready to go take a nap. :O)
Here are a few bedtime stories that I Love to read. . .
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In Mo Williems Pigeon books, we meet a bird who really doesn't want to abide by "normal" rules. In the first book, he wanted to drive a bus. In the second one, he refused to share his hotdog. In this book, he won't go to sleep. We meet the bus driver from the first book and he gives us another "impossible" task-- Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!

I love this book because kids can say "NO!" as loud and often as they want. It's a great book for audience participation.

Hush Little Baby by Sylvia Long takes a classic nursery lullaby and changes it a little bit. Instead of things breaking, she has made things in nature do what things in nature do. It's a nice refreshing change and the pictures are delightful.

Shhhhh! Everybody's Sleeping by Julie Markes, illustrated by David Parkins is a cute little story about what our communitiy helpers are doing at night-- SLEEPING. Each community helper is sleeping in his/her domain -- the Librarian is sleeping in the library, the doctor is sleeping in the hospital, etc. There is a couple of sentences on each page so even a small child can sit through it. :O)

Time for Bed, Baby Ted by Debra Sartell, illustrated by Kay Chorao is the story of a little boy named Ted who does everything he can to stall going to sleep-- even while he gets himself ready for bed. What I love about this book is that it's Ted's FATHER who is getting the little boy ready for bed. Most of the bedtime books I find, it's the Mom getting everything done, so I love the newer take on it.

Mother, Mother, I Want Another by Maria Polushkin Robbins, illustrated by Jon Goodell is the delightful tale of a little mouse you really wants another bedtime kiss, but when he tells his mother that he wants another, she thinks he wants another MOM, not a kiss. Trying to please her baby mouse, Mrs. Mouse goes to all her friends to see if any of them can please her little one. By the end of the tale, it seems that every mom in the area has song little mouse to sleep, and we finally find that he only wants another bedtime kiss.

One More Hug for Madison by Caroline Jayne Church is similar to Mother, Mother, I Want Another in the simple fact they both deal with little mice who wants additional bedtime affection before submitting to sleep. Madison really wants another hug, but she asks for other things first before she gets that final bedtime hug.

Where's my crayon box? Stories about Colors

2010-01-20T10:07:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite storytimes to do is colors. I love teaching children about the different colors they can use to make their artwork beautiful. (Plus color signs are really easy to teach the kids)

In My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss, we discover that some days can be defined by colors. Yellow can mean a really happy day while blue can be a really sad day. Since our days can be different colors, so can our moods. I like this book because it gives children a different way to describe how they are feeling, especially when they don't know the proper words.

In What Does Bunny See by Linda Sue Park (with pictures by Maggie Smith), Bunny travels through the garden identifying different flowers by name and color. I like this book because not only does it give the children a beautiful way to learn colors, they can also begin the task of flower recognition.

In A Day with No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch (pictures by Chad Cameron), we meet Liza, a budding artist. Liza loves her crayons and she loves to color. She loved coloring so much that one day she ran out of paper. Instead of being devistated, Liza looked up and saw the blank canvas in front of her-- her bedroom WALL. As a punishment, Liza's mother takes her crayons away for the rest of the day and poor little Liza's day turns very gray. As she pouts the day away, Liza starts to see colors all around her and realizes she can use more that her crayons to make colorful art.
I love this book because when Liza misbehaves, there is a consequence, but she is able to turn it into a positive and find another way to express her art.

In Red is a Dragon: a Book of Colors by Tosanne Thong (pictures by Grace Lin), we meet a little girl in China who finds colors all around her. I like how the author throws in things that Americans might not know and then at the end, she added a glossary so we can learn them. The pictures are beautiful.

Finally, in The Crayon Box that Talked by Shane DeRolf (pictures by Michael Letzig), we meet a nameless little girl who walked into a toy store. As she goes through the aisles to find the toy she wants to bring home, she overhears a crayon box with crayons who don't like each other. The little girl takes the box of crayons home and uses them to show how each color can be used together to make an awesome picture.
The Crayon Box that Talked is one of my favorite books because it takes a simple crayon box to prove that everyone is special and everyone can eventually get along. What I like to do when I use this book is, I give each child a paper crayon and have them hold it up when each color is mentioned. I usally read it through twice, the first time without the children interacting and then with them playing their parts. It seems to work well. :O)

The Listeners by Gloria Whelan illustrated by Mike Benny

2010-01-19T15:32:00.000-05:00

In The Listeners, Gloria Whelan takes a look at slavery from a child's eyes. Bobby, Sue and Ella May have a very important job to do after they are done with the duties their master has given them. Every night, the three children sneak up to the plantation house and listen to what Master Thomas and Mistress Louise tell eachother. Somedays, the news they gather is very important. One night, the children hear that another slave master has offered to buy William (Ella May's daddy), but thankfully, their master wants to keep him. The stroy continues on until the election of President Abraham Lincoln, but the way it ends gives hope.
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I really like this book. It's not one that can be used in storytime, but one that an older child can listen to with a parent and they can discuss the book together.

The Scariest Monster in the World by Lee Weatherly and Algy Craig Hall

2010-01-19T15:10:00.001-05:00

The monster in this book is really scary. He doesn't brush his teeth so they are green and mossy, he doesn't bathe so his pillow is smelly and crusty, and he is really mean. Anytime the animals are near him, he yells at them to go away, or he tries to scare them off. But one day, as he is wandering in his mean moods, he gets the Hiccups!
After doing everything he can to get rid of them, but nothing he does works. Finally, the animals of the forest come to his aid and he learns how to get rid of his hiccups.

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This is adorable! I love how the other animals are finally able to get rid of monster's hiccups!

Woof: a Love Story by Sarah Weeks, Illustrated by Holly Berry

2010-01-19T14:59:00.000-05:00

Woof: a Love Story is the adorable story about a dog who lives to do doggy things. Everyday he does the same dog things until one day while doing his doggy business (not that kind of business) he smells an unusal smell and falls in LOVE with a beautiful white . . . CAT?! While the dog tries to tell the cat he loves her, they are met with a language barrier and dog has to find a new way to express himself.

In this delightful story we learn that love has no barriers if a dog and a cat can fall in love. . .

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This story is way too cute. I love it!

Peter, the Knight with Asthma by Janna Matthies illustrated by Anthony Lewis

2010-01-14T16:27:00.001-05:00

Young Peter is a brave knight who battles fire-breathing dragons, rescues tigers, builds igloos, but has to take breaks to use his rescue inhaler. His mother, realizing that Peter needs to use his inhaler far too often takes him to the doctor where he is diagnosed with asthma. During Peter's appointment with the doctor, he is introduced to some new items-- the peak-flow meter, and a nebulizer machine-- both which will help Peter get a hold on his asthma.
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I liked this book as a quick intro into asthma for a child because it shows Peter being allowed to do the same things he could do before his diagnosis. The hand-drawn nebulizer is a wonderful, non-scary introduction to treatment.

I'm Getting a Checkup Today by Marilyn Singer illustrated by David Milgrim

2010-01-14T14:33:00.000-05:00

I'm Getting a Checkup Today by Marilyn Singer is a delightful book about going to the doctor's office. I enjoyed the rhyming nature of the book and how in each picture a parent is visible as well. I like that the book uses two fonts to differentiate the story from the explanation of doctor tools and furniture. Some of the explanations are rather long though.

The Clock Struck One by Trudy Harris illustrated by Carrie Hartman

2010-01-11T16:24:00.000-05:00

The Clock Struck One by Trudy Harris is an adorable take on a classic rhyme. I enjoyed how the story started out the same with the mouse running up the clock, but loved how with each chime of the clock another animal would join the chase.

I would use this book with 2-3 year olds as an introduction to telling time. I would try to obtain a clock that makes noise so they can associate the chimes of the clock with time as well.

Bedtime for Buttons by Amber Stewart, illustrated by Layn Marlow

2009-10-02T17:20:00.004-04:00

Amber Stewart is quickly becoming one of my favorite picture book authors! I absolutely adore this book about keeping bad dreams away.

Button had a very busy day playing with his sisters that when bedtime comes he's eager to go to sleep. . . that is until he remembers the scary tree-bear he saw that day. With thoughts of the tree-bear in his head, Button searches for a way to keep the bad dreams away. Button's daddy, quickly come to the rescue and tells Button of one day when absolutely nothing scary happened-- the day Button was born.

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Amber Stewart consistantly brings an adorable idea to life in her books. I think this book is totally storytime worthy and also great for a parent-child bonding moment.

Sir Ryan's Quest by Jason Deeble

2009-08-05T09:10:00.003-04:00

In Sir Ryan's Quest we meet young Ryan who climbs into his kitchen cabinet and meets the King of pots. The King sends Ryan on some quest that leads him up mountains (stairs), an uncharted wilderness (closet) and into a deep scary cave (the basement). Through each new location, Ryan is given an object to help him on his quest until he finally finds his mom again.

This is too adorable for words! I love how Ryan's imagination takes him to far off places and I love how this story really does capture the essence of a child's imagination. I remember as a small girl, I could go anywhere with just my imagination. I Loved this book.

Ron's Big Mission by Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden

2009-05-12T18:01:00.006-04:00

Ron's Big Mission is a delightful story about the late astronaut Ronald McNair. The story takes place in the 1950's when Ron is a small boy. Through out the beginning of the book, Ron keeps saying he's off to do something important-- more important than eating a donut, or playing basketball. When Ron gets to the library, he waves hello to the librarian and goes to the aisle with books on aviation, then he does something he hasn't done before. He walks up to the counter to CHECK THE BOOKS OUT. Today, that might not be a big deal, but in Lake City, South Carolina in the 1950's, it was huge. As a black person, Ron wasn't allowed to check books out from the library. Only white people were allowed that privilege. Ron's bravery causes the police to be called, but in the end, he gets his wish, his books and his very own library card.
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I love this book! It's a great new look into the Civil Rights Movement. Not only is the main person a child, the location is a local library. When most people think of the Civil Rights movement, they think of buses, schools and water fountains. We rarely think of the children.
I also love that this book is a look into the life of Ronald McNair that most people wouldn't think about. I know I'm not one to think of astronauts as children, let alone mini-activist. :O)

"You can only be a winner if you are willing to walk over the edge. You're eagles. Spread your wings and fly to the sky." Ronald McNair

My Name is Not Isabella by Jennifer Fosberry

2009-03-17T19:28:00.004-04:00

My Name is Not Isabella is about a little girl whose name really is Isabella. When her mother wakes her up in the morning, she declarers "I am Sally, the greatest, toughest astronaut who ever was!" A little while later she decides she is Annie Oakley, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie, and other famous women in history.

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I love this book. I love books that bring history to life and that can empower the next generation of amazing girls. Jennifer Fosberry did a great job picking the women she chose for this book and Mike Litwin was amazing with his illustrations. I especially loved his work with the Rosa Parks page.

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

2009-02-17T19:28:00.004-05:00

Mo Willems takes his amazing wit and puts it to use with a completely new animal -- the naked mole rat. In Naked MOle Rat Gets Dressed, a little rat wasn't sure what to wear one day and his siblings were not impressed. All the others were content to be naked and they decided enough was enough and went to consult the eldest mole rat. What he had to say was suprising. . .

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I love Mo Willems!!! He uses the wit we've come to know and love and makes clothing cool again. :O) I enjoyed searching for the "hidden pigeon."

No Babysitters Allowed by Amber Stewart, illustrated by Laura Rankin

2009-01-30T17:51:00.004-05:00

Hopscotch was a very brave little bunny rabbit, most of the time. The only time he got butterflies in his tummy was when his mommy and daddy had to go away at night time. Then he got nervous and didn't want the babysitter to come. Mrs. Honeybunch, the babysitter, was a nice older bunny rabbit who tried to get Hopscotch to play, but it wasn't going to happen, until Mrs. Honeybunch did something very silly.

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How adorable is this common tale for small children. Most children are afraid of the babysitter at some point, but Mrs. Honeybunch has the perfect idea to make Hopscotch join her. I love this story. . .

The Worst Best Friend by Alexis O'Neill, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beth

2009-01-30T17:30:00.005-05:00

Mike and Conrad are the best of friends. They even had their own special handshake. The two boys did everything together until a new boy came to joining their class. Victor would brag about everything and Mike didn't like it so much. Conrad began to hand out with Victor instead of Mike and Mike felt left out. :O(
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I like this book because every child has a moment when they feel left out and even abandoned by their first best friend. I love the resolution of the book when Conrad realizes what a crummy friend he has been.

A Long Way from Home by Elizabeth Baguley illustrated by Jane Chapman

2009-01-27T18:34:00.003-05:00

Noah is a tiny bunny, the smallest bunny in his clutch to be exact. At night when he and his siblings go to sleep, he keeps getting squashed by his sister Ella. Until one night, Noah gets tired of always being squashed and used as a teddy bear that he decides to leave the nest and sleep outside. While outside, he meets up with Albatross and learns about the North Star. When Albatross takes Noah with him, Noah gets lost and realizes how much he misses his family.
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There truly is nothing cuter than a lost bunny book. I love the illustrations in the book and the overall message that home and family are really all you need, even when they annoy you, family will always be where your search will end.

The Best Gift of All by Jonathan Emmett illustrated by Vannessa Cabban

2009-01-27T17:39:00.006-05:00

Mole really wants to see his friend Rabbit, but it won't stop raining. Instead of being stuck inside, Mole decides to dig his way to Rabbit's house. While he is digging, he accidentally comes across his friends (usually by digging underneath them). As mole keeps digging, his friends decided to follow him to visit Rabbit.

Rabbit has also been stuck inside, but she's suffering from a bad cold. She misses her friends and wishes she could see them. Rabbit is pleasantly surprised when her friends show up at her home.

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Very cute story. I love how Mole doesn't think he brought anything special to his sick friend until all the others point out that he brought the best thing of all-- friends.

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies

2009-01-16T16:20:00.002-05:00

Bats at the Library may very well be one of my favorite picture books. The bats are flying by the library one night when they notice a window was left open. As the bats fly in, they all find something to do-- from photocopying themselves to listening to storyhour, the bats enjoy their night in the library.

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This book is a companion for the book Bats at the Beach. I love both of these books. The meter of the book is relaxing and easy to fall into the rhythm.

Class Three at Sea by Julia Jarman illustrated by Lynne Chapman

2009-01-16T16:13:00.001-05:00

Class Three at Sea is a tale about a group of school children who are going on a boat ride and run into a little trouble along the way. While the children are paying attention to the many kinds of sea life and donkeys, they fail to notice a group of gross pirates coming their way. No one notices as the pirates board the ship and start grabbing children. Will the children prevail, or will the pirates win in the end?
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This book kind of freaked me out. I didn't like how the pirates literally threatened the captain of the boat with the lives of small children. I did like how the animals came to the children's rescue and the way the story ends. This book may be a little scary for small children, especially when one pirate threatens to kill the children.

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diessen illustrated by Dan Hanna

2009-01-16T16:02:00.000-05:00

The Pout-Pout Fish is a delightful story about a fish who would only pout. He thought pouting was his destiny. All of his ocean friends would try to make him smile, but he always refused. When it looks like hope is lost a stranger fish comes in and helps Mr. Fish realize that even if it looks like he can only frown, any frown can be turned upside down and a new purpose can be found.
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I love the illustrations by Dan Hanna! The pout-pout fish is adorable with his droopy frown and you really want to make him happy.

Go Home, Mrs. Beekman! by Ann Redisch Stampler and illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington

2009-01-16T12:19:00.001-05:00

Go Home, Mrs. Beekman! is a charming tale of a little girl who didn't want to go to kindergarten. Poor little Emily Beekman is so scared of going to school, her mother makes a promise to stay with her all day and everyday. Emily accepts her mommy's promise and goes to school. After a while at school, Emily is used to her new classmates and her teacher asks all the mommy's and daddy's to leave. Emily watches as all the parents head to the door . . . all except her mommy. Emily's mommy is the one who has trouble letting go.

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This is a really cute story about seperation anxiety told in a slightly different manner.

Jack's House by Karen Magnuson Beil

2009-01-15T08:54:00.001-05:00

Jack's House by Karen Magnuson Beil illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, is a delightful take on the poem The House that Jack Built. With a dog proudly displayed on the cover, you can tell this is not your typical House that Jack Built tale. Once you open the book, you know your assumptions are correct when the dog utters, "And this is the house Jack said he built. But here's the real story-- and the pictures to prove it."

I love this story so much, that I will probably end up buying my own copy. The illustrations are playful and entertaining and all of the dogs are drawn beautifully. I also love how Jack didn't build his house and his dog won't let him keep the credit. :O)

Read all about It by Laura and Jenna Bush

2009-01-14T17:37:00.000-05:00

Whoo Hoo! the first book to go on this new blog and as a Library Associate I felt it appropriate that the first book would be Laura and Jenna Bush's book Read all about It.

Tyrone is a math wiz, monkey bar climbing non-reader. He does not like reading at all and ignores his teacher during storyhour, even launching a paper airplane during a story about the moon landing. Until one day when the characters in the stories start to come to life and Tyrone and his classmates have to find one that escaped the classroom. Searching all over the school the children finally find the wayward character among all the others they have read about in the one room where they could co-exsist-- the library!

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I love this simple story and while it is a little long for storytime with toddlers, it would be great for an older school group. I would also read it to someone who's not too into reading. This story could also be used in a special program about libraries.