Lap Sit Week of 9/28/2015

And just like that, it's October! I tend not to do full themes for lap sit but will probably try to sneak in a couple fall themed songs in the next few weeks. As always, some songs and stories got rearranged depending on the crowd, but here's the full outline:

If You're Ready For a Story (to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It)

Clap your hands, stomp your feet, wave hello

Big Big Big

This is big big big- 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

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open/shut them, open/shut them- give a little clap clap clap

Open/shut them, open/shut them- put them in your lap lap lap

Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them

Right up to your chinny chin chin

Open wide your little mouth- but do not let them in!

Return of the Jedi by Jack and Holman Wang

What Shall We Do with Lazy Baby?

(feel free to substitute your baby's name and bounce, rock, or move however else your baby likes)

What shall we do with lazy baby?

What shall we do with lazy baby?

What shall we do with lazy baby?

Early in the morning

Roll her on the bed and tickle all over

Roll her on the bed and tickle all over

Roll her on the bed and tickle all over

Early in the morning

Heave ho and up she rises

Heave ho and up she rises

Heave ho and up she rises

Early in the morning

Wheels on the Bus

Wheels on the bus go round and round, kids on the bus go up and down, grownups in the bus go beep beep beep

Bouncing We Will Go

A bouncing we will go, a bouncing we will go

Hi-ho the derry-o a bouncing we will go

A rocking we will go, a rocking we will go

Hi-ho the derry-o a rocking we will go

A tickling we will go, a tickling we will go

Hi-ho the derry-o a tickling we will go

Grr Grr Went the Big Brown Bear

Grr grr went the big brown bear one day

Grr grr went the big brown bear

Grr grr went the big brown bear one day

And the bear went grr grr grr

But! We know bears go- huggy huggy hug

huggy huggy hug, huggy huggy hug

We know bears go- huggy huggy hug

They don't go grr grr grr

Do Crocs Kiss? by Salina Yoon

Hands Are Clapping (to the tune of "Skip 

Hands are clapping, clap clap clap

Hands are clapping, clap clap clap

Hands are clapping, clap clap clap

Clap your hands my darling

Toes are tapping, tap tap tap

Toes are tapping, tap tap tap

Toes are tapping, tap tap tap

Tap your toes my darling

Eyes are hiding, peekaboo!

Eyes are hiding, peekaboo!

Eyes are hiding, peekaboo!

Eyes are hiding my darling

Baby Put Your Pants On

Baby put your pants on, pants on, pants on

Baby put your pants on, 1, 2, 3
Baby put your pants on, pants on, pants on
Baby put your pants on, 1, 2, 3
Leg to the left, leg to the right
Wiggle and jiggle and pull 'em up tight.

Baby put your shirt on, shirt on, shirt on

Baby put your shirt on, 1, 2, 3
Baby put your shirt on, shirt on,shirt on
Baby put your shirt on, 1, 2, 3
Arm to the left, arm to the right
Wiggle and jiggle and pull it down tight.

I Know a Chicken + Egg Shakers

Laurie Berkner is a lot of fun and her songs are so catchy. This one is from her album Whaddaya Think of That?

We've All Got Bellybuttons! by David Martin

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Story time is over now, over now, over now

Story time is over now- see you next time!

What I Read This Week 9/25

Duncan the Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll

This is a really cute story about a dragon who loves books but gets so excited when he reads that he can't seem to hold in his fire! Kids will like the silliness of all the other animals being scared of Duncan until he finds someone who loves books as much as he does. This would be a great story for story time as well as bed time.

My Mouth Is a Volcano! by Julia Cook

This is a great book for getting kids to think about interrupting without being too preachy. I think kids who have a lot to say could really relate to the main character. And even if the child in question doesn't struggle with waiting his or her turn to speak, it's still an entertaining story.

Hello Goodbye and a Very Little Lie by Christianne Jones

I didn't intend to pick two "lesson books" this week, but this one had really cute illustrations so I couldn't resist. Making up stories is a totally normal phase for toddler, but I'm sure parents would agree that kids should learn why it's important to tell the truth. This would be a great story for kids trying to learn that lesson but also for kids who just like silly animal stories.

Lost For Words by Natalie Russell

Not a new book, but I came across it again today and remembered how much I love it. The main character, Tapir, has wonderfully talented friends but cannot figure out what makes him special. His journey has bright, unique illustrations and a great ending. This would be a wonderful bed time story especially for any kids who love unusual animals.

Billy and Goat at the State Fair by Dan Yaccarino

This is a really cute and unusual friendship story. It's a little long for story times, but would make a great bed time story. I think it would appeal to kids who love their pets (or are begging for a pet) but really any kid would enjoy it.

Lap Sit Week of 9/21

Another week of story time already come and gone! The repeated opening still seems to be going well and I love seeing babies start catching on to the hand motions of "Big Big Big", so we're going to stick with the same opening segment for now. Here is this week's tidbit:

I did add/drop a song or two here and there this week, but here is the plan I started with:

If You're Ready For a Story (to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It)

Clap your hands, stomp your feet, wave hello

Big Big Big

This is big big big- 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

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open/shut them, open/shut them- give a little clap clap clap

Open/shut them, open/shut them- put them in your lap lap lap

Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them

Right up to your chinny chin chin

Open wide your little mouth- but do not let them in!

Book #1: Can You Say It, Too? Quack! Quack! by Sebastien Braun

She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain

I borrowed a version of this song from a great YouTube channel called Jbrary. It's run by two children's librarians in Canada and their channel is a great resource for new songs.

Row Row Row Your Boat

What Shall We Do With Lazy Baby?

(feel free to substitute your baby's name and bounce, rock, or move however else your baby likes)

What shall we do with lazy baby?

What shall we do with lazy baby?

What shall we do with lazy baby?

Early in the morning

Roll her on the bed and tickle all over

Roll her on the bed and tickle all over

Roll her on the bed and tickle all over

Early in the morning

Heave ho and up she rises

Heave ho and up she rises

Heave ho and up she rises

Early in the morning

Book #2: Whose Ears? by  Fiona Munro

Love Somebody

Love somebody, yes I do

Love somebody, yes I do

Love somebody, yes I do

But I won't tell who!

Jiggle like jelly, yes I will

Jiggle like jelly, yes I will

Jiggle like jelly, yes I will

 Because I can't sit still

Climb a ladder oh so high

Climb a ladder oh so high

Climb a ladder oh so high

Til I touch the sky!

Slowly Slowly

Slowly slowly very slowly creeps the garden snail

Slowly slowly very slowly up the garden rail.

Quickly quickly very quickly runs the little mouse

Quickly quickly very quickly to his little house!

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Book #3: Puppies by Laura Ellen Anderson

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Story time is over now, over now, over now

Story time is over now- see you next time!

What I Read This Week 9/18

None of the picture books I read this week are especially new, but with the craziness leading up to our first week back to story times, I decided to revisit some of my favorites.

Warning: Do Not Open This Book! by Adam Lehrhaupt

The infants in my story times would probably not get the humor of this story, but I think it would be a huge hit for the 3-5 year old group. Any book with monkeys being silly and encouraging kids to shout at the book would be popular.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

One of personal favorites and this year's Halloween costume. I always love an off-beat fairy tale with an independent princess and this is perfect. I don't want to ruin the ending of this wonderful story, but the last two lines might be my favorite in any picture book I've ever read. It's a great one for story times or reading together and the princess lovers and princess-adverse will all love it.

3.8 (K-3rd)/K (K-2nd)/AD740L (5-9 years)

Flight School by Lita Judge

This is a great picture book because it can be read either as a silly book with fun illustrations, or it can be used to teach a lesson about achieving goals and helping others achieve their goals. It would help if kids know that penguins can't usually fly, but I think all kids would enjoy this one no matter what.

2.1 (K-3rd)/AD420L (5-7 years)

Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson

I honestly can't remember the last time I got this much amusement out of a picture book. Have you ever laughed at loud at work so much that your coworkers really start to wonder about you? That is me with this book every single time I read it. It would be great for kids who liked The Paper Bag Princess as it has the same anti-regular fairy tale them. This one in particular is about Cinderella's much more sensible neighbor, Cinder Edna. She rides the bus and buys her ball gown on layaway. I think kids and adults alike will love this one. Or I hope they do, because I recommend it to all the library patrons I can manage.

4.5 (K-3rd)/N (3rd-5th)/AD610L

Tea Rex by Molly Idle

My favorite part about this book is how the text is very matter of fact, never mentioning that the tea party guest is a dinosaur, but all the illustrations are so silly. I think it's great for tea party lovers as well as dinosaur lovers. And if this one is well received, the author has also written Camp Rex and Sea Rex.

3.0 (K-3rd)

Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

Just like Flight School above, this is one of those picture books that can be used to teach a lesson or it could just be a really fun picture book to read on its own. I love the unusual illustrations and the simple text makes it great for story times and bed time stories.

Flannel Friday: Calling All Fire Trucks!

I have a special firefighter-themed story time planned in a few weeks, so I got a head start by making this super fun felt board inspired by a blog post I saw on the Fun with Friends at Storytime blog. The idea is to hand out different firetrucks, repeat a rhyme, and have the kids bring up their firetruck when their color is called. It goes:

Fire! Fire! Emergency!

Someone is in trouble.

Calling all (purple) firetrucks

Come on the double!

Then repeat-

Fire! Fire! Emergency!

Someone is in trouble.

Calling all (red) firetrucks

Come on the double!

And so on until everybody has brought up a firetruck. Depending how many kids end up signing up for this program it might get a little nutty but they always get really into flannels so I'm going to try it no matter what. Happy (almost) Flannel Friday!

Lap Sit Week of 9/14

Story times are back! The last month has been book-ended by crazy busy Summer Reading Club and crazy busy story times. This session, my library is trying out some new age groupings: Lap Sit (infants 0-23 months), Terrific Two's, Fabulous Three's, Big Kids (4 years and up), and an all-ages Family Story Time. I think parents are really going to appreciate the less confusing naming of the different age groups and we'll be able to plan better for different development levels.  Since we have 17 story times a week this season, we're splitting duties and I do all of our Lap Sits.

I'm trying out a couple new things this session. First, repeating opening songs seems to be a popular idea among infant/toddler story times, so I'm trying out doing the same opener every week. Second, I want to make Lap Sits a little more informative for parents but I've never found it quite natural to interject early literacy tips during the story time, so I've decided to make what I'm calling "tidbits of the week". This week's tidbit:

On to the plan!

If You're Ready For a Story (to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It)

Clap your hands, stomp your feet, wave hello

Big Big Big

This is big big big- 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

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open/shut them, open/shut them- give a little clap clap clap

Open/shut them, open/shut them- put them in your lap lap lap

Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them

Right up to your chinny chin chin

Open wide your little mouth- but do not let them in!

Book # 1: Hide and Seek Ribbon Book 

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Slowly Slowly

Slowly slowly very slowly creeps the garden snail

Slowly slowly very slowly up the garden rail.

Quickly quickly very quickly runs the little mouse

Quickly quickly very quickly to his little house!

A Bouncing We Will Go (to the tune of Farmer in the Dell)

A bouncing we will go, a bouncing we will go 

Hi-ho the derry-o, a bouncing we will go.

(Repeat with a-rocking and a-tickling)

Book #2: Barnyard Baby by Elise Broach

Wheels On the Bus

(Wheels on the bus go round and round, kids on the bus go up and down, grown ups on the bus go shh shh shh)

Roly Poly

Roly poly, roly poly

Up up up, up up up 

Roly roly poly, roly roly poly

Down down down, down down down

(Repeat with out and in)

Hands Are Clapping (to the tune of Skip to the Lou My Darling)

Hands are clapping clap clap clap

Hands are clapping clap clap clap

Hands are clapping clap clap clap

Clap your hands my darling.

(repeat with toes are tapping/tap tap tap and eyes are hiding/peekaboo)

Book #3: Five Hungry Pandas

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Story time is over now, over now, over now

Story time is over now- see you next time!

I had so much fun being back at story time! It's great seeing returning faces and I also met a bunch of new friends this week. Even when it's sad having kids graduate to an older story time, there are always great new families to meet. Until next week!

Decorations: Don't Let the Pigeon Play With Paint!

I wanted to change up our back to school bulletin board today and the only book character I feel confident drawing is Mo Willems' pigeon so I planned to make a "Don't let the pigeon pick your books!" bulletin board. HOWEVER- I had no idea how to mix that special shade of pigeon greenish-blue. At the same time I was digging through our paint supply looking for enough blue, I thought, "why in the world do we have so much purple paint?" And a beautiful idea was born! (Plus I used the pictures of color-themed books to hide the holes from the school bus)

What I Read This Week 9/4

Terrible Typhoid Mary by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
I'm really enjoying this new wave of YA non-fiction including this title and The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming from last summer. It has much more accessible language than an adult non-fiction book so it's a lot less intimidating. Even as an adult who reads a lot of non-fiction, it was nice to give my brain a break with this one.
7.2 (4th-8th)/980L (11-13 years)

Orion and the Dark by Emma Yarlett
This would be a great book for kids who are afraid of anything, not just the dark, as well as kids who have no particular fears. The illustrations are so complex and lovely and I'm an especially big fan of the cut out type pages. I think you could skip the smaller asides on the pages and it would make a great read aloud but it would also make a great bed time story.

Anna Banana and the Chocolate Explosion! by Dominique Roques
Cut little story. I like that a lot of the illustrations look like a comic book or graphic novel. I think it would make a nice bedtime story but the illustrations might be too detailed for a storytime.

Pepper and Poe by Frann Preston-Gannon
This story reminds me a lot of Meet Zorro by Carter Goodrich, but for the cat lovers. The black background on the pages is really different. I think this would be good for reading aloud and alone as well as for soon-to-be or new older siblings.

Worst In Show by William Bee
Really cute for any kid, whether or not the have a pet. Kids will love the silly humor and imagination (not to mention the fart jokes). It illustrations are very detailed, but with some amendment I think it would make a great book for storytime.