Summer Camp Story Time, 7/10/15

When I was visiting my family recently, I volunteered to do a story time for my mom's summer camp kids. This audience included 20-25 "pee wees", all between the ages of 4 and 6, and my theme was nature. I haven't done a story time for this age group since I left the library, so this was a special treat, and the kids were one of the best groups I've ever had! Here is what I shared with them. 

Opening Song with Ukulele: Hello, how are you? 

I spent the morning before this performance playing every hello song I know on the ukulele and trying to choose one other than my usual. And then  I went with the usual. As basic as it is, it really works, and the kids happily participated.

Book: Who Was Here? by Mia Posada 

I received a digital ARC of this book when it came out last year, and it was the first book I chose for this story time. It is a guessing game which shows animal footprints, provides some rhyming clues, and then asks the reader, "Who was here?" The only issue I had was that some of the pages provided clues for two animals, and I had to manage guesses for both at the same time. (It helped that the kids just naturally raised their hands instead of just calling out, which is not something I usually enforce.) Otherwise, this book was a much better choice than either How to Be a Nature Detective or Around the Pond: Who's Been Here? which I used when I did this theme three years ago. 

Book: Birdsongs by Betsy Franco and Steve Jenkins 

I love this book, which focuses on birds and their calls. The text counts down from ten to one by asking the reader to make the sound of the first bird mentioned ten times, the next one nine times, and so on. It can sometimes be difficult to get the kids to count all the calls together, but this group was amazing. I think there was only one time where we had an extra "tweet" or "chirp" after the count was finished. Otherwise, they were perfect. (Incidentally, I read this book to Little Miss Muffet so many times in preparation for the story time, that any time we mention a chickadee now, she pretends to count six "dees" on her fingers.) 

Song: Visor, Tee Shirt, Shorts and Shoes 

This song (which is one of my favorite extension activities for school-age kids) continues to be my secret weapon. I used the summer version, since this is a summer camp, and the kids laughed on cue when I introduced each silly element. I could probably have done more verses, but kids were starting to call out suggestions and I didn't want us to run out of time, so we just did moose antlers, bat wings, squirrel tail, and tiger claws. 

Book with Ukulele: Over in the Ocean in a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes 

I have never been able to do this book with the ukulele because I don't usually have help. This time, though, I enlisted my mom to do the hand motions, and a camp counselor to hold the book, and we turned it into a multimedia presentation. We were not that well-rehearsed, but the kids were into it anyway, and they enjoyed seeing some of their fish friends from Finding Nemo. 

Song: Taba Naba 

It has been a long time since I did this song with a group, and I had a harder time modeling the motions than I thought I would. The kids didn't mind at all, and seemed to enjoy the challenge, but I know I could have explained it a lot more clearly. I will work on the presentation if I ever have an opportunity like this again. 

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
I didn't even bother trying to come up with a different goodbye song. This one worked fine, as always. 

10 Picture Books About Alligators and Crocodiles

There are a lot more picture books about alligators and crocodiles than you might expect. This post highlights ten. (Not sure of the difference between gators and crocs? Click here for an explanation.)

Alligators

• Alligators All Around by Maurice Sendak
  This classic book from the Nutshell Library is one of the most fun and kid-friendly alphabet books available. Follow the alligators as they do dishes, make macaroni, and never nap. 
• There’s an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer
  When a young boy suspects there is an alligator under his bed, he takes many extra precautions at bedtime.
• Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator by Mo Willems
  In a series of six short illustrated stories, Amanda and her stuffed alligator exchange surprises, read books, and welcome a new friend. 
• The Lady with the Alligator Purse by Nadine Bernard Westcott
  When the baby drinks up the bathwater, it is the lady with the alligator purse, not the nurse or doctor, who has just the right cure. 
• Snip Snap What’s That? by Mara Bergman, illustrated by Nick Maland
  Who is making that snip, snap sound? The kids are scared, but they still want to find out! 

Crocodiles 

• The House on East 88th Street by Bernard Waber
  The Primm family of East 88th Street have a very unusual pet living in their bathtub - Lyle the crocodile! 
• Open Very Carefully by Nick Bromley, illustrated by Nicola O'Byrne
  It's hard to read any story when a crocodile has found its way into your book! Read this "book with bite" at your own risk! 
• The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
  When a crocodile swallows a watermelon seed, he begins to wonder what might happen to him. (This book was the 2014 Geisel Award Winner!)
• Cornelius by Leo Lionni
  Unlike other crocodiles, Cornelius walks on two legs and performs silly tricks. 
• What Time Is It, Mr. Crocodile? by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Doug Cushman
  Try as he might, Mr. Crocodile just can't catch the five pesky monkeys, but before the day is over, he will learn a lesson or two from them! 

5 Things I Love About The Bear and the Books

On our way north to New York last week, my husband and I and Little Miss Muffet made a stop at a lovely little bookstore in Hopewell, New Jersey called The Bear and the Books. We really enjoyed our visit, and I want to recommend stopping by if you happen to be in the area. Here are the five things I loved most about the store.

1. Focus on kids' books. I haven't been to too many bookstores which are solely focused on children's books, so this was a real treat. There was no wandering around trying to find the children's section, and I didn't have to worry about Miss Muffet wandering off into adult romance and bothering customers who were trying to browse in peace. Being surrounded by children's books on all four walls made me feel very at home, and it made me feel comfortable coming into the store with a toddler.
   
   
2. Great selection. The shelves of the shop were filled with so many great titles, most of which I knew, but some of which were unfamiliar. I had the impression, just from browsing the shelves, that each book had been chosen very carefully and very specifically, with the hope that just the right reader would find it. Not every book was necessarily an award winner, or even a book I would suggest, but there was much less fluff than the average bookstore carries, and a real sense of respect for the child reader as someone who is worthy of great stories. (I was also thrilled to see one of William Bee's Stanley books!)
   
   
3. Friendly and knowledgeable owner. The owner of the store, Bobbie Fishman, was everything you'd want in a bookstore owner. She was welcoming, asking us about where we were from and wondering what Miss Muffet likes to read. We talked about Mr. Gumpy and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, as well as Richard Scarry and nursery rhymes. I could tell instantly that we were speaking the same language when it came to books, and that if I had needed a recommendation, she could have given me a great one (or ten!) It was obvious that she had a strong knowledge not just of the new and popular books, but of the tried and true favorites as well, and when she spoke of ordering books, I could tell she took great care with her work.
   
   
4. Interesting displays.The window displays were fabulous! Books faced out toward the street as well as in toward shopping customers, and they included many interesting titles, some of which were known to me, and others of which I did not recognize but was happy to discover. The books were grouped thematically (many were about elephants) and they caught my attention right away, and repeatedly throughout our visit. Unlike Barnes & Noble, where displays usually focus on the newest and most popular materials, this was a display that had clearly been put together by a thoughtful person who wanted to highlight great books, regardless of how well known they were.
   
   
5. Child-friendly environment. We take Miss Muffet to a lot of bookstores, and they vary in terms of how friendly they really are toward child visitors. This one is definitely one of the most welcoming toward kids. There were toys for Miss Muffet to play with, and board books were at her eye level so she could easily see what was available. The owner spoke to her as well as to us, treating her as her own little personality with unique interests and abilities. The only drawback to the welcoming environment is that Miss Muffet didn't want to leave and we had to drag her out in tears.
   
   

The Bear and the Books is located at 45 West Broad Street Hopewell, New Jersey. The store's hours are available on its website, along with contact information. You can also see a photo of the inside of the store, as well as an image of the sweet and simple sign which hangs outside the door. If you are passing through - or if you are lucky enough to live locally - this is a great place for children's book lover to visit with kids, or on their own.

12 Picture Books About Sheep & Goats

"Baa" and "maa" along as you share these picture books about sheep and goats with your little ones!

Sheep

• Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox, illustrated by Judy Horacek
  There are sheep of all colors and persuasions on the pages of this book, but the location of the green sheep remains a mystery until the very end. 
• Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw, illustrated by Margot Apple
  This silly rhyming story shows what happens when a herd of sheep try to drive a jeep. 
• When Sheep Sleep by Laura Joffe Numeroff, illustrated by David McPhail
  This story recommends other animals to call upon if you want to count sheep, but they have all fallen asleep! 
• Baa Baa Black Sheep by Iza Trapani
  In Iza Trapani's expansion of this favorite nursery rhyme, the black sheep is generous with her wool, even when her friends are somewhat ungrateful. 
• Mary Had a Little Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale, illustrated by Salley Mavor
  This illustrated version of the favorite nursery rhyme includes all of Sarah Josepha Hale's original words accompanied by Salley Mavor's signature hand-stitched scenes. 
• Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep by Mo Willems
  In this simple story, Cat the Cat must inform all of her friends - including Sheep the Sheep - that bedtime has arrived. 

Goats

• G is for Goat by Patricia Polacco
  There is a goat for every letter of the alphabet in this preschool-friendly book by Patricia Polacco.
• Oh, Look! by Patricia Polacco
  In a style similar to Michael Rosen's We're Going on a Bear Hunt, a herd of goats escapes from its pen and runs all the way to the county fair, where the goats are startled by an ogre! 
• Let’s Count Goats by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jan Thomas
  On each page of this silly book, the reader is invited to count goats who are distinguished by various clothing styles and specific actions. 
• The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone
  This classic adaptation of a favorite fairy tale features a trio of wide-eyed, realistic-looking goats and a scary (but not too scary!) troll. 
• Grumpy Goat by Brett Helquist
  The new goat on the farm wants to be left alone to eat in peace, until one day a dandelion changes how he sees the world. 
• Gregory, The Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat, illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey
  Gregory, a picky young goat, refuses to eat trash like the other goats and instead prefers fruits and vegetables.