Blog Post
"A" is for ANGELS and ANIMALS ... in the snow!
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel brought stories about things that can happen in the SNOW.
A PERFECT DAY tells what happens when the first perfect snow falls.
We sang/acted-out “This Is The Way …” we get dressed for snow … musically accompanied by Ms. Banjo Betsy.
The HAT by Jan Brett … tells a newer version of a very old Ukranian folktale The MITTEN. The forest animals find a cozy hat in the snow and squeeze inside for warmth.
For more of Ms. Rachel’s favorite winter stories try the following:
The SNOW BEARS … Mama Bear can’t find her cubs. She does find three adorable “snow bears” however.
IF IT’S SNOWY And YOU KNOW IT CLAP YOUR PAWS! … an action song and picture book.
SNOW ... animals prepare for winter snow.
WAITING For SNOW ... anticipation !
WINTER IS For SNOW ... and a brother ... and a sister.
TWELVE DAYS Of WINTER ... a school counting book.
ANNIE And The WILD ANIMALS ... See what Annie sees as she looks for her cat.
WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND ... the words to the song and pictures. Can you sing along?
Blog Post
PreK BITS - “W” is for WINTER Wonderland
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel presented stories of WINTER outdoor PLAY at Storytime this week.
UNDER MY HOOD I WEAR A HAT … a dressing story of sequence.
“Hat, Jacket, Pants and Boots” … an action song that speeds up. It is sung to the tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees And Toes” recorded on the CD SINGIN’ And GROOVIN’: 25 Best Sing-Along Songs
10 On The SLED … a sledding story to count on.
For more stories of WINTER try these favorites:
KATY And The BIG SNOW … a classic by Virginia Lee Burton.
NANUK The ICE BEAR … a polar bear family story.
The WINTER TRAIN … all aboard!
WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND … you can sing while you read.
LEMONADE IN WINTER: A Book About two Kids Counting Money …
OVER And UNDER The SNOW … secret worlds can be found.
IF IT’S SNOWY And YOU KNOW IT CLAP YOUR PAWS … another sing-along book.
RED SLED ... an almost wordless adventure in pictures! YOU tell the story.
SUPER SNOW DAY SEEK And FIND … a picture puzzle book of snow day fun.
Be sure to wear two pairs of mittens and two pairs of pants!
The more it snows tiddley-pom, the more it goes tiddley-pom,... the more it goes tiddley-pom on snowing.
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "R" is for ROBOTS
by ryanikoglu
It was Robot time in Ms. Rachel’s Storytime this week.
HELLO ROBOTS … the robots do the work at home until … POP!
“COLOR ROBOTS” … we moved like robots with this rap & rhythm from Harry Kindergarten on youtube.
We danced the "Robo-POkey" with Banjo Betsy.
And in the ... BIRTHDAY BOX … we found a perfect present for a birthday kid.
For more ROBOT reads try these favorites:
ZOE And ROBOT: Let’s Pretend … do robots pretend?
DOUG UNPLUGGED … a robot adventure.
BABY BRAINS And ROBOMOM … an invention to give parents a rest.
NANOBOTS … an accidental discovery.
RALPH MASIELLO’S ROBOT DRAWING BOOK … get out the paper and pencils!
IF I HAD A ROBOT … Oh, the things I would do.
FRANKY … an almost wordless picture book. YOU help with telling the story.
BEEP! BEEP! GO TO SLEEP! … even robots need to sleep.
TWELVE BOTS OF CHRISTMAS … with two turbo doves and a cartridge in a gear tree.
La la la!
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "T" is for Toys
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel brought Toy Stories to Storytime @ Malletts Creek Library.
“I Can Take Care Of My Bear” … I’ll show you how.
"A Tooty-Tah" was our action rhythm AND it practices the "T" sound too!
PLAYTIME? … Nope! “Bedtime!" for Gorilla.
For more toy stories try these favorites:
The LINE UP BOOK … when Sam wants to line up his toys from his room to Mom.
TOY BOAT … takes a solo adventure on the high seas.
The MARVELOUS TOY … a boy gets a toy that his father got when he was young.
The "Marvelous Toy" is a song by Tom Paxton and is recorded on the CD GOOD MISCHIEF by Gemini.
The TOY FAIRY … where did the toys go?
HENRY And LEO … a Boy and his toy get separated.
BETTY BUNNY WANTS EVERYTHING … and the rule is “You can get one thing.”
LIVING WITH MOM And LIVING WITH DAD … a sweet reassuring story with precious toys in both homes.
TOO MANY TOYS … and which one to keep? By David Shannon.
TOO MANY TOYS! … with an action plan. By Heide Deedman.
Blog Post
PreK BITS - "F" is for Fabulous FEAST
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel brought stories of fabulous food to Storytime this week.
Bear found the right ingredients to make his favorite recipe ... UGLY PIE by Lisa Wheeler.
“Five Plum Buns In A Bakery Shop” is a counting rhythm/rhyme that we clapped out together as the rhyme was called out.
GREGORY The TERRIBLE EATER ... his parents found a way to solve his picky-eater issues. Now all are happy.
For a Feast of more Favorite Food Fables try the following:
STREGA NONA: An Old Tale by Tomie DePaola.
WOODPECKER WANTS A WAFFLE by Steve Breen.
WHO PUT The COOKIES In The COOKIE JAR? by George Shannon.
ELLA TAKES The CAKE by Carmela D’Amico.
MORE PIES! by Robert Munsch.
DRAGONS LOVE TACOS by Adam Rubin.
Happy Feast Day!
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "G" is for Grandparents !
by ryanikoglu
“We are ThankFull for Grandparents!” was the Storytime theme @ Malletts Creek Branch this week.
HERE COMES GRANDMA is the story of all the transportation Grandma used to get to her Grandson … including sound effects for each mode.
“Walk, Walk, Walk Around The Block” was our activity song. We traveled in many modes as we sang.
You can find a recorded version of this song on the CD RISE And SHINE by Raffi and HONK HONK RATTLE RATTLE by Richele Bartkowiak.
In A FAR-FETCHED STORY … Grandma makes a “Story Quilt” out of the rags and stories the family brings home.
For more stories with GrandParents in them ... try these favorites:
The HELLO GOODBYE WINDOW … the window is at Grandpa and Grandma’s house.
TWO IS ENOUGH … to have family fun together.
GRANDPA’S GIRLS … love to visit his farm … and share memories.
HOW To TAKE YOUR GRANDMOTHER To The MUSEUM ... a guide book that can also relate to Grandfathers!
MR FRANK ... grandfather moves in with the family and he has a special talent!
The LINES ON NANA’S FACE … each set of wrinkles reminds a child of favorite things they have done together.
OUR GRANDPARENTS: A Global Album … a beautiful multi-cultural photo essay of grandparents with grandchildren around the world.
OR … choose stories from this PUBLIC LIST.
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "S" is for sumptuous SOUP
by ryanikoglu
Harvest is coming in. Weather is turning cold.
'Tis the season for SOUP!
Ms. Rachel brought sumptuous Soup tales to Storytime at Malletts Creek Branch Library this week.
We pulled and pulled … The TURNIP ... and made soup enough for All.
We chopped the vegetables in “Chop, Chop, Choppity Chop” Gari Stein's SING WITH ME - WINTER FUN and threw what’s left into the pot!
The REAL STORY Of STONE SOUP … is a Chinese folk tale of how to make soup from finding the right stones.
For more SOUP tales, try these favorites:
STONE SOUP WITH MATZOH BALLS: a Chelm tale of Passover … a Russian Jewish version of stone soup.
FOX TALE SOUP … so many ways to tell a tale!
SOUP DAY … a nice snowy day spent making soup … recipe included.
SOUP For ONE … a silly tale of imagined ownership.
DUCK SOUP … Duck. Soup. Silly! ... All good!
GAZPACHO For NACHO … it’s the only soup Nacho wants to eat.
CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE … a book of months with a song to sing, by Maurice Sendak. You can listen to the recording in this Book + CD Kit set.
THERE’S A GIRAFFE IN MY SOUP … uh-oh!
MARTHA SPEAKS … because she ate the alphabet soup …
For FUN in the KITCHEN (including SOUP), here are great cook books for children:
PRETEND SOUP And Other REAL RECIPES … Author from from Moosewood Cookbok fame.
COOL THANKSGIVING DINNER.
MAKE And EAT VEGETARIAN FOOD.
CHILDREN’S COOKBOOK … from Usborne Farmyard Tales.
MOMMY And ME START COOKING.
Or browse HERE for more more more ideas to make in the kitchen.
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "O" is for OWLS
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel brought Owl stories to Storytime @ Malletts Creek Branch this week.
Baby Owl was lost and the forest animals helped find Mama in … LITTLE OWL LOST by Chris Haughton
Ms. Rachel led the action rhyme "Dr. Knickerbocker" which can be found on the CD SINGING ALL The WAY HOME by Liz Buchanan.
Banjo Betsy led the song "If You're Happy And You Know It" which can be found on the CD LAURIE BERKNER'S FAVORITE CLASSIC KIDS' SONGS.
All the forest animals tell Baby Owl “You are SO So cute! And fluffy!” but ... Baby Owl knows he’s a “huge scary hunting machine” in … I’M NOT CUTE! by Jonathan Allen.
Here are more of Ms. Rachel’s favorite owl stories:
OWL BABIES by Martin Waddell … also In SPANISH language and in FRENCH language. The illustrations are among my all time favorites.
OWL MOON … 1988 Caldecott Award Winner.
OWL SEES OWL … a book regarding reflection.
HOOT OWL: Master Of Disguise … a book regarding dinner plans.
NIGHT OWL … a book of sound effects.
TOO TALL HOUSES … a competitive housing project between Owl and Rabbit.
WINTER’S COMING: A Story Of Seasonal Change … winter is coming.
I ENJOY Owls!
Blog Post
PreK BITS - "M" is for Mother ... and "moo", "mouse", "more" and "me" ....
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel's Storytime theme this week was bedtime on the Farm.
GOBBLE GOBBLE MOO TRACTOR ... Everyone is NOT asleep.
Banjo Betsy and Ms. Rachel's action song “Wake Up You Sleepy Heads!” is recorded on the CD SING IT! SAY IT! STAMP IT! SWAY IT! by Peter and Ellen Allard.
We also sang 'Skinnimarink" which is recorded on the CD ONE ELEPHANT DEUX ELEPHANTS by Sharon, Lois and Bram.
In the story MOTHER MOTHER I WANT ANOTHER ... Baby Mouse needs something more.
Can You find the Mama Mouse, the young Mouse, or the “Moo” in these stories?
WHERE’S MOMMY?
MOO!
HERMELIN The DETECTIVE MOUSE
The LITTLE MOUSE, The RED RIPE STRAWBERRY, and The HUNGRY BEAR
ALEXANDER And The WIND-UP MOUSE
LITTLE RABBIT WHO LIKED To SAY MOO
MOO! SAID MORRIS
A LITTLE BIT Of LOVE
MMMmmmmm Good!
Now everybody ... "Go to sleep!"
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "F" is for FARM Fix-It
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel took Storytime to the FARM this week.
OLD MacDONALD HAD A WOODSHOP on the farm … and we used all the tools to build something.
We sang with Banjo Betsy … “Johnny Works With 1 Hammer".
TOPS And BOTTOMS ... Which side of the crop does Bear want? “The tops”? Or … “The bottoms”?
Spoiler Alert!
Bear lost!
Here are more favorite stories from the farm:
DUCK On A TRACTOR or DUCK In The TRUCK … Anyway ... Duck has great ideas.
TURKEY TOT ... when animals use tools ...
The LOOPY COOP HENS LETTING GO ... when the apples are "letting go" on their heads.
JOB WANTED ... a dog appears on the farm.
FARMER'S MARKET DAY ... when the harvest comes in.
FARMER FALGU GOES ON A TRIP ... his farm is too noisy !
Or... choose more farm stories HERE.
For fun and information ... Here are just a few spin-offs from the "Old MacDonald" traditional song:
OLD MacDONALD HAD A TRUCK
OLD MacDONALD HAD A DRAGON
OLD MIKAMBA HAD A FARM ... in Africa.
E-I-E-I-O: How Old MacDonald Got His Farm (With A Little Help From Hen)
"Old MacDonald's Farm" on the CD BABY GENIUS PRESENTS FAVORITE NURSERY RHYMES
"Old MacDonald's Vowel Farm" on the CD LITTLE PEOPLE: ABC Sing-Along
"Old MacDonald Had A Farm" on the Kit CD OLD MacDONALD HAD A FARM which includes a book too.
EEE - I - EEE - I - OoOoOoh !