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PreK Bits - "O" is for Only One

by ryanikoglu

One is where you begin.
O is for one.
Ms. Rachel began with ONCE AROUND The BLOCK … a story about what to do while waiting … because waiting is hard to do ... for Beatrice.
Ms. Sara and Ms. Rachel led the action song "Walk, Walk, Walk ... Until We stop" which is sung by Raffi on the CD RISE & SHINE and by the Bartkowiak's on the CD HONK HONK RATTLE RATTLE.
SOUP FOR ONE … is perfect for one bug, ... at least until one (and one, and one ...) more arrive.

For more stories that begin with one, try the following favorites:
ONE BIG BUILDING ... begins with one big machine.
ONE DUCK STUCK … who will help?
ONE TWO THAT’S MY SHOE … counting one to ten with a puppy.
ONCE UPON A TIME, THE END … one imaginative bedtime story.
ONCE UPON AN ALPHABET … where every letter gets its own story.
YOU ARE (NOT) SMALL …. settling a bet once and for all.
ONCE UPON A MEMORY … a gentle journey of growth.
ONE WORD FROM SOPHIA ... sophia uses too many words until she finds the perfect "one".

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PreK Bits - "N" is for Noisy

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel did noisy stories in storytime.
There are so many ways to make noise!
The NOISY COUNTING BOOK … has lots of pond noises. Let's count with them.
WHOSE NOSE? is a guessing game book.
We played “Whoops! I dropped my nose!” to get some body action going.
We heard the noisy story “The Princess, The Frog, and the Little Bird”. This story has been passed from storyteller to storyteller, and uses sound effects to tell the story. Did you see the princess?

If you like to make noises and you want more noisy tales, try these favorites:
WHERE The WILD THINGS ARE … the night Max wears his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another…
TICK-TOCK DRIP DROP: a bedtime story
HAROLD FINDS A VOICE.
NOISES ... the STORIES To GO set of books and activities for fun with preschool concepts.
The LOUD BOOK ... poetic descriptions of "what is loud?"
TIPTOE JOE … shhhh …. On tippytoes ….
For older preschool kids who enjoy a bigger story, try The CABOOSE WHO GOT LOOSE a Bill Peet classic. My boys loved poring over the book and talking about it when they were in preschool. We couldn’t have grown up without Bill Peet in our bedtime stories.

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PreK Bits - "M" is for Monkeys

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel and Ms. Sara played with monkeys in Preschool Storytime.
The CAPS FOR SALE Peddler brought the hats and monkeys.
You can play the activity game “Monkey See, Monkey Do” with the DVD JAMARAMA LIVE! KIDFEST.
FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS JUMPING ON The BED were put to sleep. You can hear the song in the CD + Book Kit.
MONKEY FACE has no circulating copies. There is a copy on the Downtown Story Shelf you can read in the Youth Department. You may borrow a copy through Melcat interlibrary loan.

If you like monkeys and you want more stories try these favorites:
The HATSELLER And The MONKEYS … an African version of CAPS FOR SALE.
Eileen Christelow’s series of monkey books.
COUNT The MONKEYS … that run off the page.
The MONKEY And The BEE ... sequel to MONKEY GOES BANANAS.
BE QUIET MIKE!.
MONKEY WITH A TOOL BELT.
ZARAFA: The Giraffe Who Walked To The King.
WARNING: Do Not Open This Book!. 'Nuf said!

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PreK Bits - "L" is for Lions

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel introduced a famous French lion in Preschool Storytime.
The HAPPY LION had a beautiful home in the center of Paris. A fire truck was called for the rescue, and Francois arrived first.
Ms. Sara and Ms. Rachel led "Tommy Thumb Is Up" from the CD TICKLES And TUNES and "Jump Josie" from the CD DANCE PARTY.
SITTING IN MY BOX begins with “Just Me” inside the box, dreaming about lions.
The rest of the "friends" are all characters whose names begin with “l”, ... including one lion, of course!

If you would like more stories with lions try these:
ANDY And The LION: A tale of kindness remembered or the power of gratitude this book won the 1939 Caldecott Medal for picture books.
WE’RE GOING ON A LION HUNT … the same concept as WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT.
LITTLE LIONS a story of the real nature of lion cubs.
The LION’S SHARE and the same story on DVD … a story of dividing and multiplying cake.
A LION NAMED SHIRLEY WILLIAMSON
The LIBRARY LION and the same story printed in Spanish language.
What if there really was a Happy Lion living in a park in France?
Remember to say, "Bonjour!"

Ppurrrr !

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PreK Bits - "K" is for kangaroos and Katy

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel brought baby kangaroos to Storytime.
POUCH! has two baby kangaroos who are uncertain whether ‘tis better to be inside or outside mama's pouch.
Mr. Beau DeLoach played guitar while Ms. Rachel led the music & motion to "Walk, walk, walk ... until we stop!".
You can do this song with Raffi from the CD RISE And SHINE
KATY NO-POCKET was born without a pouch. Her baby Freddy keeps getting left behind. Katy sets out to solve the problem.

For more famous kangaroo stories try these favorites:
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A KANGAROO?
BIG RED KANGAROO
A KANGAROO MOB and on DVD KANGAROO MOB
POCKET BABIES And OTHER AMAZING MARSUPIALS
WEIRD And WILD ANIMAL FACTS
Boing ... boing ... boing ... boing.

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PreK Bits - "J" is for Jungle stories

by ryanikoglu

“We Were In Deepest Africa” and Ms. Rachel rumbled with jungle stories in Storytime.

HEAD, BODY, LEGS: A Story From Liberia by the story team Won-Ldy Paye & Margaret Lippert is a story of how the final body design came to be.
We did a rousing rendition of "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" ... a version can be heard on the CD SINGIN' and GROOVIN'.
Ms. Sara sang "The Rainbow Song" while Ms. Rachel led the motions.
LEOPARD’S DRUM: An Asanti Tale From West Africa is a story of jealousy, sharing and problem-solving ... in the jungle.

Keep on rumbling in the jungle with more of Ms. Rachel’s favorite tales (and music) from Africa:
The HATSELLER And The MONKEYS with wonderful illustrations by Baba Wague Diakite.
ANANSI And The TALKING MELON and more by Janet Stevens.
WHY MOSQUITOES BUZZ IN PEOPLE’S EARS in book format. Here is the same story on DVD narrated by James Earl Jones.
MUFARO’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS in book format. Here is the same story on DVD by Reading Rainbow.
Putumayo recordings like the CD KID’S WORLD PARTY add wonderful African soundtracks to listen and dance.
The CD GIFT Of The TORTOISE offers more wonderful African music by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

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PreK Bits - "I" is for ice cream

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel brought ice cream and cake stories to Storytime .... because she likes ice cream and cake so much !!
“15 Flavors” is a story by Rob Reid. AADL staff created the felt pieces.
“Five Plum Buns” is a nursery rhyme.
WEMBERLY’S ICE CREAM STAR is a board book story by Kevin Henkes.

If you want more stories on this theme try the following favorites:
SHOULD I SHARE MY ICE CREAM? ... another ice cream dilemma.
ICE CREAM SUMMER
BABY HAPPY BABY SAD
ICE CREAM CONES FOR SALE and who invented the cone.
THINGS THAT SOMETIMES HAPPEN.
BECAUSE YOUR DADDY LOVES YOU. Yup! There's ice cream in this one too.
MAX’S DRAGON SHIRT a story of where ice cream sometimes ends up.
BACKWARDS BIRTHDAY PARTY which definitely has ice cream in it!
ICE CREAM a story of how ice cream is made.
The SUNDAE SCOOP, a book of ice cream math.
And Laurie Berkner sings "Ice Cream Cone" on her BUZZ BUZZ recording. She also sings, "I'm A Mess" for whenever it may be appropriate.
This should be enough inspiration for singing all the way to the ice cream shop... and back again.

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PreK Bits - "H" is for hudgins and hobgoblins

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel invited hobgoblins, hinky pinks and hudgins to tell stories in Preschool Storytime.
The HINKY PINK: an old tale retold by Megan McDonald is a current retell of a traditional storytelling favorite A BED JUST SO by Jeanne Hardendorff (out-of-print book).
Ms. Sara sang "If You're Happy And You Know It" while Ms. Rachel led the motion. This song can be found on these CDs for children:
BOB'S FAVORITE SING-A-LONG SONGS by Bob McGrath; ME, MY FAMILY And FRIENDS by Richele Bartkowiak and Patrick Brennan; and LET'S PLAY! by Raffi.
The “Goblin Story” is a story within the book LITTLE BEAR’S VISIT by Else Holmelund Minarik.

For more tales with miniature fantasy creatures, try the following:
JAMIE O’ROURKE And The POOKA
HERSHEL And The HANUKKAH GOBLINS
TIPTOE GUIDE TO TRACKING FAIRIES
The WOMAN WHO FLUMMOXED The FAIRIES
HORTON HEARS A WHO
The ELVES And The SHOEMAKER
The TOMTEN
CHILD'S BOOK Of FAERIES
GNOMES
BOOK OF LITTLE FOLK

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PreK Bits - "G" is for Girls, Goats and Gunniwolf

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel told stories that had names that started with the letter "G" ... as in "Grubb" and "Gunniwolf".

The THREE SILLY GIRLS GRUBB is a re-tell of The THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF. Three little girls skip over the bridge off to school. They missed the school bus. They had jelly donuts in their lunch boxes ... and someone is under the bridge.
Ms. Sara accompanied Ms. Rachel and the goat limberjack on a floating trip "Down The River" ... where you "can't jump", and you "can't turn around."
The "Jump Josie" song can be heard on the recording DANCE PARTY: movin' and groovin' songs for young children.
Then we went with a little girl to pick flowers for Mama ... until ... The GUNNIWOLF appeared !!

Here are a variety of re-tells. Be sure to get one of the traditional tells too:
The tale is told traditionally The THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF by Janet Stevens and by Paul Galdone.
Get Rabbit Ears: The THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF If you would like to watch the tale told on DVD.
The THREE CABRITOS is a Tex-Mex version told by by Eric Kimmel.
THREE SILLY BILLIES is a diverted version told by Margo Palatini.
THREE TRICERATOPS TUFF is a dinosaur version told by Stephen Shaskan.
You still need to deal with who is under the bridge !

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PreK Bits - "F" is for farm

by ryanikoglu

Ms. Rachel led folks all around the farm in Preschool Storytime.
First ... GOLLY GUMP SWALLOWED A FLY. This title is out of print. A staff story copy remains. Fortunately, you can use your AADL card to borrow from another library through melcat.
GOLLY GUMP is a retell of I KNOW AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY by Glen Rounds.
Ms. Sara played the banjo today. We sang OLD Mac DONALD HAD A WOODSHOP. We used tools (including all of the sounds!) to create a play farm.
During The THREE LITTLE PIGS, the pigs left the farm to build their own homes.
Remember how to handle the wolf !!

For more classic farm fun try the following titles:
MR GUMPY’S MOTOR CAR and MR GUMPY’S OUTING both by John Burnigham.
LITTLE APPLE GOAT … a story of sewing seeds.
ROSIE’S WALK by Pat Hutchins. Rosie sets out from the coop for a walk around the barnyard. Beware of the fox.
The TOMTEN And The FOX by Astrid Lindgren. A tomten protects the hen house from the night visits of the fox.
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOED A FLY another version of the song by Simms Taback.
Here is a DVD that includes the same book.
The BIG RED BARN by Margaret Wise Brown

For more silly tales and re-tells try the following:
The THREE LITTLE PIGS by James Marshall.
The DAY JIMMY’S BOA ATE The WASH by Trinka Hakes Noble.
CLICK CLACK MOO: Cows That Type a first story of collective cow disobedience by Doreen Cronin.
STORY COUNTY HERE WE COME!
BARNYARD SONG by Rhonda Gowler Greene.
The THREE LITTLE WOLVES And The BIG BAD PIG … a re-tell by Eugene Trivizas.
The TRUE STORY Of The THREE LITTLE PIGS as told from the wolf’s point of view. This is a modern classic by Jon Scieszka.
Try the 2002 Caldecott winner The THREE PIGS by David Wiesner, where the pigs escape the wolf by entering the fantasy world of nursery rhymes.