Interesting and Odd Books for Teens-Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

This interesting novel, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs presents a collaboration of fiction and photographs. In this story a sixteen-year-old named Jacob comes across a remote island off the coast of Wales. He discovers a decaying building named Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Jacob explores the home of where children use to live and one of them was his grandfather. This is an interesting book for those who enjoy mysteries, horror and paranormal activities. The photographs add an interesting take to this novel.

Using Lois Ehlert and having fun with Shapes and Colors

There are lots of things you can do with shapes. Lois Ehlert is a children's book author and illustrator who uses different techniques for creating images to tell stories. One of her many skills are to use shapes and colors for some of her books. This past week I used her books as a resource for a storytime and craft project to show the children that they too can use their imagination to create beautiful masterpieces.

Color Zoo is an excellent book that includes shapes and colors. On each page are different animals and once the page is turned a cutout of a shape is revealed.









Circus is another book that incorporates shapes and colors. On each page a story is being told.

Color Farm, like Color Zoo is a wonderful book to present colors and shapes by using farm animals.











I've created this as an example to show the kids of what can be done with different shapes and colors. (I love turtles)!

Let's Build a Snowman

Winter is around the corner but where I live it is still a little warm. Strange weather these days and here I am preparing for a snow storytime! Anyways, it fits the theme for the season and the show must go on! 

One of my favorite books is The Snowy Day by Ezar Jack Keats. This is a story about a boy name Peter who goes outside to explore the snow. 

Another book I used was There was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow by Lucille Colandro. If you have a creation of the Old Lady who swallowed...you can use it and add more pieces to the activity.

To follow the story, There was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow, I 've created the snowman below.

                                 

Just to name a few...Here are more titles that can be used for a preschool Snow/Snowman storytime.

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs



Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner

 



 

Snowballs by Louis Ehlert



  

 

 S is for Snowman by Richard G. Johnson

    

   

The Biggest Snowman Ever by Steven Kroll



The Red Book by Barbara Lehman





Snow by Cynthia Rylant







  




Counting 1...2...3!

Storytime is filled with fun and counting can be number 1! Maybe not! Anyways, I really enjoy counting storytimes because preschoolers get so engaged with numbers. I enjoy hearing the little ones count. This week with my group I had the opportunity to get my toddlers to count backwards.This was their first time doing it.


One book that I used was Click Clack Splish Splash by Doreen Cronin. This book is so much fun and children can interact with counting. That poor farmer always gets it at the end! Also, what is so important about the book is that it allows the child to count backwards.

I also love Mem Fox's Let's Count Goats. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet her last year and she read this book. The book is so funny and children enjoy it as well. I incorporated felt goats with the story. I made ten goats  to count along with the story. However, at the end, it gets a little tricky because there isn't a tenth goat, there are only ten pricked up ears! But I managed to pull it off and the kids loved it.

Mem Fox and Me

Chicka Chicka 1.2.3 by Bill Martin is another book that is great to interact with children of all ages. There maybe a lot of numbers but the story holds the children's attention. I am working on my tree and numbers. Stay tune for that!

Turkey, Turkey--Gobble, Gobble!

Thanksgiving is around the corner. Time to prep foods and put up decorations for the festive day. Seeing family and friends would be lots of fun an giving time for thanks is what is due. For storytime next week I will be using the book, I know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson and illustrated by Judith Byron Schachner. I also created a felt, of course for the story. Don't stuff yourself or else you will...POP!!!!

Rhyming Dust Bunnies

 I used the book, Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas for my "Rhyming" storytime for the toddlers and preschoolers. I decided it would be cool to use props with the book and I am very pleased with the results, even though I destroyed my house in the process! This book is hilarious and even teachers and parents had a chuckle or a two. So let me introduce you to Ed, Ned, Ted and...Bob.

 

 

National Picture Book Month

November is National Picture Book Month and if you are like me then... you love picture books!  I am not sure how I came across this, but I am  glad I did. It was created by Dianne de Las Casas, who is an author & storyteller. Picture Book Month is a celebration to promote literacy with picture books. I am proud to say I am an ambassador for this cause.

Halloween Fun

I just love Halloween, but it is hard to celebrate it when you are working with different childcare centers who do not celebrate the holiday. However, I still displayed some Halloween books along with books about autumn. Anyway...I get excited over Halloween and I was sure I would need to create a felt activity for a storytime. I love the holiday so much, I even dressed up my storytime turtle, Thomas, as a pirate. (Arrrrrr!!!) He is a very bashful creature!



I wanted to do something with bats to work well with  my Night Winged Creatures and Halloween stortyime.

This is my bat felt prop that was used on a glove. It also can be used on a felt board. I used the "Bats are Sleeping" fingerplay with this creation.

Books I used for storytime.

Baby Bat’s Lullaby by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Bat Jamboree by Kathy Appelt
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat by Lucille Colandro
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

State and County Fair Storytime Theme

It is that time of year again for...State and County Fairs!!!
A lot of people get excited about state and county fairs. There is so much do like seeing many farm animals, exhibits, winning prizes, and all the wonderful rides. This year was my two-year-old son's first State Fair and he grew very excited when he won some prizes! Anyway, I've been searching online for state fair themes for storytimes and it was not as successful as I would like. A light build came on and I came up with an idea. So...every time I think of a state fair I think...Cotton Candy! Below I created an activity that consists of five felt cotton candies. They can be used two ways, one side has number and the other is bare.

Here are some titles that can be used for a State Fair Storytime theme. And of course, you can use any books that have farm animals in it.

Cows to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin
The Cow that was the Best Moo-ther by Andy Cutbill
County Fair by Elise Cooper
Does a Cow Say Boo? By Judy Hindley
Let’s Count Goats! By Mem Fox

Chickens!!!!

This is my very first blog and I decided to post my "creations" I used for storytime. I used these two different props for last month's theme, National Chicken Month. The first prop I used is titled, Five Little Chicks. I used the finger-play Five Little Ducks, just substituted it with baby chicks.

This prop can be used for all ages, birth to 5 years-old. I decided to use goggly eyes to create some type of sound/rhythm. As you can see, the baby chicks are on a glove. They can easily be detached from the glove and  used on a felt board.

My next activity is a hide and seek game. The children had fun counting the eggs and learning colors. I found it really cute when they were guessing which egg the chick was in.

Recommended Books: 

Here is a list of books that would be awesome to use with the props.

Chicky Chicky Chook Chook by Cathy MacLennan

The Cow That Laid an Egg by Andy Cutbill

Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Hoppity Skip Little Chick by Jo Brown

The Little Red Hen by Byron Barton

My Life as a Chicken by Ellen A. Kelly

New Socks by Bob Shea

Rosie Walk by Pat Hutchins