What I Read This Week 12/21

Bad Pirate by Kari-Lynn Winters

I really liked the dogs as pirates in this story. The illustrations with all the different dog breeds are extremely detailed. I think dog and pirate lovers alike will enjoy this one. Plus, pirate sound effects are always fun.

The Wonder by Faye Hanson

I love the contrast between regular illustrations and the boy’s daydreams and it would make a great bedtime story. It is perfect for imaginative kids and daydreamers but the detail on the wordless pages is so amazing that I think all kids would enjoy it.

Big Rig by Jamie A. Swenson

This book is perfect for kids who have worn out the I Stink! books. I thought it was just a regular truck book but I love how many sound effects you can throw in and I especially love the truck-tionary in the back.

Simon’s New Bed by Christian Trimmer

This book is similar to a series by Carter Goodrich which began with Say Hello to Zorro! It has really fun illustrations and dog and cat lovers will both enjoy it.

That’s How! by Christoph Niemann

This book is so wonderful and imaginative. It is probably better in small groups or one-on-one but I think every child will find this book hilarious. When reading out loud, you can ask kids how they think the things in the story work and I bet you'll get some pretty funny answers.

How to Catch Santa by Jean Reagan

This is a very silly book, perfect for December storytimes or bedtime stories. Kids will love coming up with their own Santa trap plans and laughing at the goofy illustrations.

Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein by Amanda Peet and Andrea Troyer

This is a wonderful story for kids of any faith who don’t celebrate Christmas. It normalizes the difficult feelings of being left out and could help parents explain why their family does things differently.

Lap Sit Week of 12/14

I'm so sad our Fall/Winter storytime session is over! I feel like I get more confident and have more and more fun with every session, and this one was no exception. This week, we had a "Baby's Choice" storytime-- for the last few weeks families have submitted their favorite songs and stories to make a great big storytime of everyone's favorites. Here's what we did:

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

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

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: Group reading of Where Is Baby's Belly Button? by Karen Katz or Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. (depending how many of us were at storytime that day)

Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout

Down came the rain and washed the spider out

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain

And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again

Acka Backa

Acka backa soda cracker

Acka backa boo

Acka backa soda cracker

I love you!

Acka backa soda cracker

Acka backa boo

Acka backa soda cracker

Up goes you!

Old MacDonald

Old MacDonald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o

And on that farm he had a cow, e-i-e-i-o

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there

Here a moo there a moo everywhere a moo moo

Old MacDonald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o

Old MacDonald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o

And on that farm he had a pig, e-i-e-i-o

With an oink oink here and an oink oink there

Here an oink there an oink everywhere an oink oink

Old MacDonald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o

Book #2: That's Not My Snowman by Fiona Watt

Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round,

round and round, round and round

The wheels on the bus go round and round

All through the town

The kids on the bus go up and down

up and down, up and down

The kids on the bus go up and down

All through the town

The grownups on the bus go shh shh shh

shh shh shh, shh shh shh

The grownups on the bus go shh shh shh

All through the town

Elevator Song

The city is great and the city is grand

There's a whole lot of people on a little piece of land

And we live way up on the 57th floor

So here's what we do when go out the door-

We take the elevator up, take the elevator down

Take the elevator up, take the elevator down

Take the elevator up, take the elevator down

And we turn around

Roly Poly

Roly poly, roly poly

Up up up, up up up

Roly roly poly, roly roly poly

Down down down, down down down

Roly poly, roly poly

Fast fast fast, fast fast fast

Roly roly poly, roly roly poly

Slow slow slow, slow slow slow

Jingle Bells (with bells from the Library Fairy)

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh- hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh

Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh

Over the fields we go, laughing all the way- ha ha ha

Bells on bobtail ring, making spirits bright

Oh what fun it is to sing a sleighing song tonight

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh- hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Story time is over now, over now, over now

Story time is over now- see you next time!

And that's a wrap for another session of storytime! The baby's choice storytime worked out wonderfully- I never really do themes but this was still a great way to celebrate all the fun we have at the library. Plus, it was great to see how happy the babies were when they realized we were going to sing their favorite song! I had so much fun this fall and I can't wait for our next session to start in January.

Lap Sit Week of 12/7/2015

Just one more week to go in our Fall storytime season! I think we had a lot of fun this week. This is what we were up to:

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

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

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: Group reading of Where Is Baby's Belly Button? by Karen Katz

A 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

Bloop bloop went the little blue fish one day

Bloop bloop went the little blue fish

Bloop bloop went the little blue fish one day 

And the fish went bloop bloop bloop

But- we know fish go kissy kissy kiss

Kissy kissy kiss, kissy kissy kiss

We know fish go kissy kissy kiss

They don't go bloop bloop bloop

Lift One Foot

Lift one foot and then the other

Lift one foot and then the other

Lift one foot and then the other

Lift them both together

Lift one arm and then the other

Lift one arm and then the other

Lift one arm and then the other

Lift them both together

Book #2: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.

The Elevator Song

The city is great and the city is grand

There's a whole lot of people on a little piece of land

And we live way up on the 57th floor

So here's what we do when we go out the door-

We take the elevator up, take the elevator down

Take the elevator up, take the elevator down

Take the elevator up, take the elevator down

And we turn around

I Took a Walk

I took a walk to town one day

I met a lion along the way

And what do you think that lion did say?

Roar!

I took a walk to town one day

I met a cow along the way

And what do you think that cow did say?

Moo!

I took a walk to town one day

I met a horse along the way

And what do you think that horse did say?

Neigh!

Popcorn Kernels

Popcorn kernels, popcorn kernels

In the pot, in the pot

Shake them shake them shake them, shake them shake them shake them

'Til they pop! 'Til they pop!

This Is the Way We Wash Our Legs

This is the way we wash our legs, wash our legs, wash our legs

This is the way we wash our legs so early in the morning

This is the way we wash our arms, wash our arms, wash our arms

This is the way we wash our arms so early in the morning

This is the way we wash our head, wash our head, wash our head

This is the way we wash our head so early in the morning

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Story time is over now, over now, over now

Story time is over now- see you next time!

Lap Sit Week of 11/30/2015

Vacation is always great, but it was really nice to be back at storytime! Here's what we were up to this week:

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

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story

If you're ready for a story wave hello (wave)

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: Group Reading of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr.

Bumping Up and Down in My Little Red Wagon

Bumping up and down in my little red wagon

Bumping up and down in my little red wagon

Bumping up and down in my little red wagon

Won't you be my darling?

One wheel's off and the axel's broken

One wheel's off and the axel's broken

One wheel's off and the axel's broken

Won't you be my darling?

Little Snowflakes Falling Down

Little snowflakes falling down, falling down, falling down

Little snowflakes falling down- down to the ground.

Bigger snowflakes falling down, falling down, falling down

Bigger snowflakes falling down- down to the ground.

Giant snowflakes falling down, falling down, falling down

Giant snowflakes falling down- down to the ground.

Toast is in the Toaster

Toast is in the toaster

It's getting very hot

Tick tock, tick tock

Pop, pop, pop!

Book #2: Ten Tiny Tickles by Karen Katz

I Took a Walk to Town 

I took a walk to town one day

I met a lion along the way

And what do you think that lion did say?

Roar!

(repeat with as many animals and animal sounds as you'd like)

Popcorn Kernels

Popcorn kernels, popcorn kernels

In the pot, in the pot

Shake them shake them shake them, shake them shake them shake them

'Til they pop! 'Til they pop!

One Bright Scarf

One bright scarf waiting for the wind to blow

Wiggle it high and wiggle it low

Shake it fast and shake it slow

Where did it go?

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Storytime is over now, over now, over now

Storytime is over now- see you next time!