This Week's Storytime Books

You may have noticed (if you notice such things, that is) that I have changed my sidebar a bit recently. Because while I intend to continue to rant about anything I durn well please, there ARE librarians out there who have included this in their "library blogs" and I figure any poor soul who comes looking for some library info to steal  borrow should find it here.

Generally I do programs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, so I am going to try to put up an entry on this topic on Thursday evenings, and change the sidebars as well.

My book programs are primarily for 2 to 4 year olds, though my Thursday afternoon program includes 2 six year olds and a toddler sister. I also do "Mother Goose" lapsit programs for 1 year olds, but I DON'T do books in those programs. More about that when I get back to my "Read From the Start" entries...

Anyway, since Tuesday was Mardi Gras, our theme this week was "Down In the Swamp"--mostly alligator stories, but a few other things as well. It was a great chance to use the Cajun music albums I mentioned the other day--we especially liked dancing to "Laissez les bon temps roulez" and "Crawfish" on the "Cajun Fun" album.

 This book  from the  "Nutshell Library" is too small to use easily with a group, but it is wonderful to act out. Using props ranging from empty macaroni and oatmeal boxes to a "reindoor" headband from Christmas, I reenacted this story.  The music is on Carole King's "Really Rosie" and it's easy to sing it. If you play the music instead, you may find it a challenge keeping up--it moves VERY quickly!

I learned this song as some sort of clapping game when I was a kid in New York City. If you learned it that way, you already know the tune to this-- most of the moms at my programs this week did know this and sang along.

Most of the nannies didn't, but most of them are from other countries, so this probably wasn't one of their game growing up!

This is part of a whole series of song/game books by Mary Ann Hoberman and Nadine Westcott, who is one of the funniest children's books illustrators out there.

As a preschooler JR loved this book( which is also available as a board book), especial when we changed the names of the characters and had the lady offer "garlic!" as the cure for what ailed the baby!!

 This book is no longer in print, but it has a great version of an old tale known under various titles.Here it's called the "great big wide mouth toad-frog".  In all versions, the frog is curious about what other animals eat--and almost ends up being lunch himself when he encounters an ALLIGATOR. Lots of fun to tell.

 Janet Stevens' lively illustrations draw children into this "pourquoi" tale involving a greedy possum, a wiley rabbit ,an angry  bear and a whole lot of persimmons. I only did this for the oldest kids--it's a little too long for my two year old set.

 There's lots more bayou flavored stories out there. You might want to look for recordings and books by the late lamented JJ Reneaux. I was lucky enough to see her performing years ago at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, TN, and her stuff is just wonderful.

That's all for this week. But check this space next week when my theme will be: "Lions,& Tigers & Bears--Oh, My!"

links: digg this    del.icio.us    technorati    reddit