This month I returned to public libraries and am really enjoying being a children’s librarian again, serving kids and their caregivers with book recommendations, weekly storytimes and rhyme times, arts and crafts, and all those “did you know…?” hidden gems that the library offers, like the OpenDyslexic font built into Libby.
I’m especially thrilled to be doing storytimes again. I’ve modeled my current program on the “Step Into Storytime” I did at the Winchester (MA) Public Library, which was aimed at two- and three-year-olds and their siblings and caregivers. I don’t intentionally choose themes (although three of today’s five books involved elephants), and I lead off with the longest book, as attention spans tend to wane over time.
Here’s my storytime format, with today’s books and activities as an example:
- Welcome, introduction
- Early literacy tip: the five ECRR practices (TALK, SING, READ, WRITE, PLAY) all support children’s early literacy skills
- “Hello Friends” (Jbrary) with ASL
- Teach/review signs for “hello” and “friends”
- There’s A Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins
- Oh, No! By Candace Fleming
- A Kiss Like This by Mary Murphy
- “Little Mouse” game with flannel board (“Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the [color] house?”)
- A Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes with flannel board (today it just so happened that there were five kids, and I have five elephants! So they each got to hold one the whole time, and stick them to the board at the end)
- Now by Antoinette Portis
- “Goodbye Friends” (Jbrary)
- Teach/review signs for “goodbye” and “friends”
- Craft: Rubber stamps and stamp pads on construction paper
Last week’s books were Mina by Matthew Forsythe, Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda, Pete’s A Pizza by William Steig, Matilda’s Cat by Emily Gravett, and Lots of Dots by Craig Frazier. Books that have interactive elements, like Huff & Puff, or can be made interactive (like pretending to roll out dough and sprinkle cheese for Pete’s A Pizza) are great for holding the attention of little ones and the engagement of adult caregivers as well, who can help the littles with the actions, improving large and fine motor skills.
Books we read the first week of September were The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson, Spots in a Box by Helen Ward, Triangle by Mac Barnett, and Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer. Both Jumperee and Triangle were checked out afterward, which I take as a mark of success; I always tell families that they are welcome to borrow anything I read aloud at storytime.
As it’s September, one batch of kids has just started preschool or kindergarten, so the storytime regulars are on the younger side; lots of them come to Rhyme Time also (more on that later). I’ve been pulling from my list of great books to share with two- and three-year-olds, as well as newer picture books (I made that list in 2019). I’ve also been keeping crafts basic and process-oriented: so far, we’ve used dobbers/dotters (“do-a-dot art sponge tip applicators”), glue sticks, and rubber stamps – all washable and nontoxic, of course.
What are your favorite read-aloud books to share with littles? Favorite arts and crafts?
What does my fall reading lineup look like? Well, in addition to my usual reading (whatever I hear about from friends, see on library displays, or discover via publisher or bookstore emails), I’ve been working my way through this year’s 
I’m serving on the SLJ Best Books committee for Graphic Novels, which means reading…wait for it…more graphic novels! There are over 20 on the list and each of us will read at least 18. I’d already read several when the editors gave us the list, and I’m catching up on the others.
Because this is a choose-your-own-adventure book, you can read it several times with the same group (and they will ask for it again and again!). Every time a choice comes up, I read both choices and ask them to vote. This works with upper elementary as well as with the younger grades.
The witch main character and the frogs she tries to add to her soup are perfect for around Halloween time, and “PUT the FROGS on the SPOON” may become a mantra.
This is great for the beginning of the year when everyone is learning each other’s name. Most kids can relate to the experience of having someone mispronounce your name or call you the wrong name, and they know the feeling; this book encourages them to insist on being called the right name the right way, and take the time to do the same for others.
This has strong appeal on three levels: first, there’s the seek-and-find element (a heart on each page); next, the cultural representation; and finally, the way it opens a discussion of how we show love in our own families. Every single class I read this book with (first through third grade) came up with a whole list, with nearly every kid contributing, and some adding more than one idea.
Pure good fun; the kids catch on quickly as the family’s to-do list gets more and more ridiculous. Great representation, too, of a mixed-race family with two dads.
Kids identify with Amy’s problem, and even if the word “bao” is unfamiliar, nearly every culinary tradition has a version of dumplings (knish, empanada, pierogies, etc.). Amy finally figures out the solution to her problem, and her loving, supportive family (including pink-haired grandma and adorable white kitten) is right there with her.
This Caldecott winner uses color effectively to show an (un)imaginary friend’s journey into the real world. (See also: Real to Me by Minh Lê and Raissa Figueroa)
The brilliant Liza, who insists she is not an expert on comics (but who is totally an expert on comics, and is also an excellent teacher) started us off with a variety of hands-on activities to choose from, as part of her presentation on how to teach comics/graphic novels in school, and how to get teachers, administrators, and parents on board (because GRAPHIC NOVELS ARE REAL BOOKS; this is supported by research).
Visual supports: The award is for illustration, after all, so I wanted to create a visual environment to support our Mock Caldecott. Here are a few ways I did that:
Jenny Arch 