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!