Off to Seattle

And I’m off to Seattle for the next few days!

Well, not quite yet. Tomorrow evening, I’m flying to Seattle for the 2013 ALA Midwinter Conference, one of the largest library conferences of the year. A day late. But I don’t care. I’m going, and I’m going TOMORROW!

What am I most looking forward to about this trip? Meeting industry people face-to-face that I’ve met and/or admire via the interweb. That’s number one. A very close second place is attending the Youth Media Awards, the ceremony where the American Library Association awards outstanding works of children’s and YA literature; awards which include (but which certainly are not limited to) the Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards. This will be on Monday, January 28th @ 8am PST. It’s kind of a big deal. It’s comparable to the Oscars for  librarians, educators, and children’s literature lovers. If you’re not going to be in Seattle, you can still get in on all the fun! Tune in to the free live broadcast of the ceremony HERE. You can also follow @ALAyma on Twitter, as well as follow the conversation using the hashtag #ALAyma.

I’ve been fervently reading books in anticipation of these awards via the KC Mock Awards list (even though I was unable to attend this year) and books discussed on Heavy Medal. Yesterday I finished Splendors and Glooms, a favorite Newbery candidate, and I hope to finish Bomb and Chickadee on the plane.

Last but not least, I’ll be snapping pics of librarian style for Librarian Wardrobe while at the conference with a few other stylish ladies. L predicts sophisticated eyewear will be a must this ALA Midwinter season.

 Have a great weekend and see you next week!

 

 

image source: seattle skyline print by karen young

Storytime Hiatus

As a heads up, there will be no storytime posts until early February. The Lawrence Public Library will be undergoing a $19 million dollar renovation starting this month, so we will be packing up all the books and moving to another location over the next couple of weeks before the construction starts. The library’s storytimes and children’s programs will start back up once we’re all settled in the temporary space, a few blocks away from the library’s current location. It’s a bittersweet situation. I’m going to miss the floor to ceiling windows in the children’s room, the brightest room in the building, and the Joyce Steiner storytime area where so many storytimes and events have taken place over the years.. Today is the last day the old library building will be open to the public, so I’m looking forward to assisting all the patrons who frequent the library today and at the end of today, say goodbye to the old and look forward to the new. Change is inevitable, and I can feel many great things ahead in 2013.

More information on the move and renovation can be found here.

Snowman Storytime

In light of the upcoming winter season, all the wonderful snowman stories our library houses, and my own daughter’s recent obsession with “Frosty the Snowman”, the last storytime theme of the year was “Snowman Storytime”.   We read a few popular snowman picture books and then made melt-proof snowmen/women/pets inspired by Lois Elhert’s collage art in Snowballs.

Snowman Storytime Line-up:

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert

The inspiration for the storytime craft and my personal favorite of the storytime book line-up. A story about children creating a snow family and what happens when the sun comes out.

The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming

A clever story about the first day of winter and each day atfer a child adding snowman accessories. I sang this book (if you can even call it that) to the classic holiday carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.

“The Snow is Falling Down” Flannel Board

I found this flannel board idea featured Miss Courtney Meets Bobo via Pinterest and thought it would be a excellent addition to Snowman Storytime. This little tune that builds up to making a snowman would also work well with hand signals. Here’s how it goes…

The Snow is Falling Down

Sung to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”

(Add one snowflake for each line)

The snow is falling down,

The snow is falling down,

It’s like a blanket on the ground

The snow is falling down.

 

(Add a snowballs to make snowman.)

We roll it in a ball,

We roll it in a ball,

We make a great big circle

When we roll it in a ball.

 

(Add snowman’s face during this next verse.)

W make a smiley face

We make a smiley face,

We add eyes, nose, and a mouth

To make a smiley face.

 

What did we make?

 

A snowman!

 

Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner

It makes you wonder when a snowman looks a little different than the day before. This book explores the activities of snowmen at night.

Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins, illustrated by Richard Cowdrey

Good ol’ Frosty! We ended storytime with a sing-a-long of  everyone’s favorite snowman, “Frosty the Snowman”.

Paper Plate Snowman Craft

I’ve seen a few paper plate snowmen crafts floating around the internet (like this one from Kaboose), all with the same concept of connecting paper plates to make a snowman. Fun and simple! Using that simple idea I also scrounged around the library’s basement and my own home to find collage supplies inspired by similar odds and ends used by Lois Ehlert for her snowpeople in Snowballs.

Materials used: Paper plates, hole punch, glue (white school glue or tacky glue), scissors, pipe cleaners, pom pom balls, glitter stones, popcorn kernels, buttons, ribbon, paper, felt, and fabric.

Other ideas: Noodles, yarn, dried beans, raisins, popped popcorn, shells, nuts, old gift tags, popsicle sticks, leaves; anything and everything is game.

Before storytime, to make things easier on the younger kids, I connected all the plates beforehand. I did this by punching holes in the paper plates like so.

Cutting 2-3 inch pieces of white pipe cleaners.

And twisting the white pipe cleaners to connect the paper plates together. I made various sizes of snowmen with whatever paper plates I had on hand from previous crafts. I also pre-cut a few top hats, boots, and carrots out of construction paper.

After storytime, the kids chose a snowman and decorated him or her any way they wanted to. Before I read Snowballs, I told the kids to pay extra close attention to the illustrations to get ideas for their own snowpeople.

I also left out a few hole-punchers for kids to use if they wanted to attach pipe cleaner arms.

Or if they wanted to make a hook on the top of their snowman’s head.

Each and every one turned out so well. There were snowmen, snow women, snow kids, and snow animals.

Here’s L’s snowman. His name is “Frosty”. Rightfully so.

If you’d like to see the snowmen/women/kids/cats the library kids made at yesterday’s storytime, be sure to check out the Lawrence Public Library’s Snowpeople Album on Facebook.

Happy Winter!

Winter Storytime

As I type this blog post it is a mere 25 degrees Fahrenheit in Lawrence, Kansas. Winter is coming. Even though winter officially begins on December 21st of this year, I thought the storytime kids and I would get a jump start on the season with Winter Storytime.

Winter Storytime Line-up:

Here Comes Jack Frost by Kazuno Kohara

It was only a little over a month ago when I read Kazuno Kohara’s Ghosts in the House for Halloween Storytime. This winter picture book of her’s is just as wonderful. A boy who hates winter, but finds a friend who helps change his mind.

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

A repeat favorite from last year’s Winter Storytime. This beautiful book takes the reader on an adventure through the woods, and gives them an inside look at mother nature above and below the snow.

A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke

Minerva Louise is a beloved children’s book character series and this title may be my favorite. Minerva Louise isn’t like the other chickens during wintertime. She likes to go outside and explore while the others huddle in their coop. But it’s very cold during the wintertime, so Minerva Louise sets off to find some warm weather wear.

After reading Minerva Louise, we did The Snowey Pokey…

Snowey Pokey

You put your right mitten in, You take your right mitten out,

You put your right mitten in and you shake it all about.

You do the Snowey Pokey and you turn yourself around.

That’s what it’s all about!

 

 Continue with additional verses:

You put your left mitten in

You put your scarf in

You put your right boot in

You put your hat in

you put your snowself in

Red Sled by Lita Judge

A very simple and fun read aloud. There is no dialog, only sounds depicting a group of forest animals and one adventurous night.

Winter is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer

Another winter picture book favorite. A child explains why he thinks winter is the warmest season.

Snow Globe Craft:

Last year’s craft was such a hit, I decided to do it again this year. My husband and I have been saving glass jars just for this wintery storytime craft.

If you’d like to make this craft at home, I did not take step-by-step pictures like I usually do but I did type up a few simple instructions below. If you’d like a pictorial guide for this craft, head on over to last year’s Winter Storytime.

Homemade Snow Globe Instructions

Materials used:
glass jar
floral clay (found in the floral department of a craft store)
miniature animals and/or miniature trees
glitter
glycerin (found at most drug stores)
water

1. Find a glass jar, wash it, and let it soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Remove the label.
2. Using the inside of your jar’s lid, take your object and mold the florist clay to the object to the lid until it is secure.
3. Fill glass jar with water, add two or three drops of glycerin, and glitter.
4. Seal lid to jar. Use as much muscle as you’ve got.
5. Turn over and let it snow!

If you’d like to do this in a library or classroom setting, here’s what I did with my group: I pre-cut quarter-size pieces of florist clay and left it out for the kids to mold their animals to the lids. When they finished molding their animals to the lid, they got in line for the “Winter Wonderland-Maker” a.k.a my cart with pitchers of water, some glitter, and a bottle of glycerin. When a child approached me I gave them a choice of what color snow they would like (white or silver glitter). Using a pitcher of water, I poured the water in, put in a few drops of glycerin, and a few dashes of their preferred glitter color. I secured the lid and handed it to the child. It went very smoothly this way and the kids had a blast!

image source: seven impossible things before breakfast

Gingerbread Storytime

There was a lot of holiday activity going on in Lawrence last weekend! The Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade, The Ugly Sweater Run, and the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Annual Gingerbread Festival & Auction. To highlight the Gingerbread Festival (only a few blocks from the public library), I thought having a Gingerbread Storytime would be a great way to conribute awareness for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and support their event.

Gingerbread Storytime Lineup:

The Gingerbread Boy illustrated by Paul Galdone

I started off with one of the classic versions of the gingerbread boy. I grew up with a different version so I may have said “gingerbread man” instead of “gingerbread boy” when I was reading aloud. Out of all the books read it was clear the kids like this one the best.

Where is My Gingerbread Man?, song by author unknown

(To the tune of: “Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?”)

Oh where, oh where is my Gingerbread Man?

Oh where, oh where can he be?

He popped out the oven and ran out the door.

Oh where, oh where can he be?

 

Maisy Makes Gingerbread by Lucy Cousins

Maisy Mouse is always a storytime crowd-pleaser. This book was a simple and enjoyable introduction to how to make gingerbread.

Homemade Gingerbread, a fingerplay by author unknown

Stir a bowl of gingerbread, smooth and spicy brow.

(Hold a bowl and make a mixing motion with the other hand.)

Roll it with a rolling pin, up and up and down.

(Both hands out flat facing the floor, move back and forth like when using a rolling pin)

With a cookie cutter, make some little men.

(Pretend to hold a cookie cutter and move it up and down.)

Put them in the oven, till half past ten.

(Pretend to hold a tray and place it in the oven. Then point to wrist.)

 

Gingerbread Mouse by Katy Bratun

A story of a little mouse who is forced to find a new home in the middle of winter and finds the sweetest little house to occupy.

Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup, illustrated by Matt Tavres

I thought this story was hilarious. Pirates and cookies… You can’t go wrong! Captain Cookie sets off on an adventure on Christmas Eve night to find his crew. Little does he know, surprises are in store.

Gingerbread House Craft

To avoid sugar highs and food allergies, I opted for a pretend gingerbread house craft inspired by this gift bag craft. Materials used included: paper lunch bags, scissors, scrapbook paper (constructor paper or cardstock would also work), markers, school glue, glitter, and stickers.

First cut 2-3 inches off the top of the bag. I did this step to all the bags before storytime.

The kids colored and decorated their bags while they were still folded. We used markers…

glue and glitter….

….and stickers!

Once decorated, each child received a square of scrapbook paper. We had this fun holiday scrapbook paper leftover from a gift making program the week before. Again, if you don’t want to purchase scrapbook paper ($$!), construction paper or cardstock will do the trick.

Take the square (4in. x 4in.) and fold it in half.

Open the paper bag and place the folded scrapbook paper on top so that the opening of the bag is closed. We did not seal the top of the bag because we also made paper gingerbread cookie people that the kids kept in their paper bag gingerbread houses.

It turned out to be a really cute and inexpensive craft that the kids have a great time putting together. For kids they were a toy, but  I’d love to make a few a line them up on the fireplace mantel. They’d also be a unique way to wrap a holiday gift.

Speaking of the holidays, do you have any wintertime or holiday crafts you enjoy making? Books you enjoy sharing? Please share in the comments below!

Thanksgiving Storytime

It’s the week of Thanksgiving, which means Sunday’s storytime theme was devoted to just that: Thanksgiving and gratitude. I don’t think I’ve ever used the same storytime craft twice, but I couldn’t help but use last year’s “Thankful Turkey” craft. They turn out wonderfully and are a great way to celebrate all the things we are grateful for.

Thanksgiving Storytime Lineup:

‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

The famous “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas“ poem converted into a fun and colorful Thanksgiving story where everyone, even the turkeys, find themselves a reason to be thankful in the end. After I read this story we all sang the below song:

I’m a Great Big Turkey Song

(Tune: “I’m A Little Teapot”, By Jean Warren from Preschool Express)

I’m a great big turkey
‘Cause I’m well fed.
Watch me spread my feathers.
Watch me bob my head.

When I strut around
I waddle, waddle, waddle.
And when I talk
I “gobble, gobble, gobble”.

I’m a great big turkey
And I’d love to stay.
But Thanksgiving’s coming.
So it’s time to run away!

 

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Champman

The newest title of the Bear picture book series. Bear wants to have his friends over for a feast, but his cupboards are bare. It doesn’t take long for his friends to teach him that he doesn’t need to have anything in his cupboard to contribute to the gathering.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson, illustrated by Judith Byron Schachner

I didn’t actually read from the book. Using a flannel board I made last year, I typed up the story and acted it out with my old lady puppet. It was a hit!

Over the River and Through the Wood: A Thanksgiving Poem by Lydia Maria Child, illustrated with woodcuts by Christopher Manson

I read this book to the “Over the River and Through the Wood” tune. A few of the kids are learning the song in school and sang along with me.

An Awesome Book of Thanks! by Dallas Clayton

Dallas Clayton is AWESOME. I gush about him all the time on this here blog. A whimsical and inspirational book about being grateful for all things.

Thankful Turkey Craft:

When I stated working on this year’s Thanksgiving storytime I looked through all sorts of turkey, harvest, and pilgrim crafts but couldn’t find one I liked more than the one I made last year which was originally inspired by this Thanksgiving tree craft. So, I decided to do it again. Because, why not? Maybe it will turn into a Thanksgiving craft tradition?

Materials used: cardstock paper, turkey, pumpkin, and leaf dye cut-outs, ribbon, stickers, feathers, markers, cloths pins, tacky glue, glue stick, scissors, and a hole punch.

The preparation for this storytime craft is a little more labor intensive than most. I chose to do these next few steps ahead of time to make it easier on the storytime kids that are a bit younger. First, using tacky glue, I glued three clothespins to the end of a sheet of cardstock.

I also hole-punched the opposite end and tied a ribbon through it.

After the above steps were completed I left it to dry. For storytime, each child received one pre-made “Thankful Turkey” clipboard to decorate.

To decorate, we used a glue stick to glue the turkey, pumpkin, and leaf paper cut-outs…

…Foam stickers, feathers, and markers.

Now, for the best part! Using the cut-outs, we wrote whatever they were thankful for on the paper cut-outs and clipped them to the “Thankful Turkey”.

I encouraged the kids to make more than just three! Cloths pins can hold quite a bit of gratitude.

You can also use pictures…

Or a combination of both!

Little L’s “Thankful Turkey”.

Here’s a look back at the books read and activities from last year’s Thanksgiving Storytime.

Need more ideas?

I found this last night and am so using it next year: “Do the Turkey Trot”.

In a last minute pinch? Check out these Thanksgiving Printables via Totally Tot.

And this Thanksgiving Storytime and this Thanksgiving Storytime over at Sunflower Storytime.

Also, there are bunches of Thanksgiving craft ideas on my fall crafts pinboard.

Last but not least, if you have a moment to browse Scholastic’s The First Thanksgiving it is full of information, resources, and tools including a virtual field trip to Plimoth Plantation.

Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving book? Please share by leaving a comment below!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nocturnal Storytime

Since the clocks have been turned back one hour, nightfall has been creeping up early in the evening. Winter is nigh and it’s getting darker earlier and earlier. For storytime last Sunday we talked about animals that wake up when the sun goes down for Nocturnal Storytime. We also made this fun Night Creatures Collage craft that I’ve been excited to make for quite awhile now. It was a pretty crowded storytime, so luckily I didn’t run out of craft supplies. Word to the wise: Always have a secret stash of googly eyes on hand. You never know when it will come in handy.

Nocturnal Storytime Line-up:

Before I read stories I held up various stuffed animals (badger, bat, frog, cat, owl) and had them guess what each animal was. After they guessed each animal I explained that nocturnal animals are usually awake while we are sleeping at night and sleeping while we are awake during the day. It was a soft and simple introduction to the stories we read for the day.

Baby Badger’s Wonderful Night by Karen Saunders, illustrated by Dubravka Kolanovic

Those of us who are scared of the dark even at age 29 (who me?) will enjoy this story about a Papa Badger and his baby and their walk through a wood that isn’t so dark after all.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr

I like saying “this is my favorite” a lot. Probably too much. Well, this book is my favorite of favorites and such a great read-aloud to kids of all ages.

The Insomniacs by Karina Wold, illustrated by The Brothers Hilts

I thought it might be fun to talk about how some people choose to stay up all night, too. Doctors, nurses, construction workers, chefs all do so for their occupation, but some individuals are naturally more productive at night. I used to fit into this category myself. This is a wonderful story with beautiful illustrations, but it was a bit long for storytime; especially after reading Owl Moon. See note below.

Frankie Works the Night Shift by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Jennifer Taylor

On the topic of nocturnal animals, insomniacs, and night shifts, I read Frankie Works the Night Shift. The majority of cats are nocturnal. The animals they hunt (i.e. mice) are usually awake at night. Kids love this story of Frankie the cat’s night shift and his wild mouse chase in the middle of the night.

If I could do it over….

Reading both Owl Moon and The Insomniacs might not have been the best idea for the younger kids who attend storytime. I probably could have gotten away with Owl Moon, but reading both lost their attention. Midway through The Insomniacs I started to lose them. It was a gamble. Oh, well! Next time I would have probably switched one or both of them out with the books I also considered reading below:

Quiet Night by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by John Manders

Possum’s Harvest Moon by Anne Hunter

 Night Creatures Collage Craft

I’ve been waiting to do this idea inspired by this shadowbox craft for the longest time! Sorry that the below images have a soft glow or glare to them. It was very bright in our house from an overcast day and I couldn’t quite get the setting on my camera to adjust. I did happen to take the above image at the library with my phone which is much, much clearer. This Night Creatures Collage craft was so easy to do with hardly any pre-storytime prep.

Materials Used:

• Black, white, and yellow construction paper (you could also substitute white with green or brown)
• Glitter spray paint
• Sticks
• Googley eyes
• Scissors
• Tacky glue or school glue. Tacky glue is easier to manage with the sticks.

Before storytime I sprayed sheets of black construction paper with glitter spray paint. The paper dried immediately. I shook off the excess glitter and let the fumes air out.

I also pre-cut circles out of yellow construction paper for the moons and long strips of white, green, and brown construction paper. To make the craft, kids tore their strips of paper to create texture for the ground  and glued it to the glitter paper. They also glued a moon, sticks for the trees, and googley eyes for the hidden night animals of their nighttime scene

What nighttime animals to you think are in this picture?

Next week is Thanksgiving Storytime! Till then!!

 

Election Storytime

It’s election day in the good ol’ U.S. of A! Hope everyone has gone out and voted or plan to do so this evening. Election was the theme for last Sunday’s Storytime, which was my own way of raising awareness of this very important day in our country. The kids voted on which picture books we read (via hand count) and later made their very own campaign buttons.

Election Storytime Line-Up:

Duck for President by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsey Lewin

Working on a farm is hard work, so Duck decides he can manage things better if he were in charge. One thing leads to another and duck finds himself running for president.

Vote For Me! by Ben Clanton

The kids enjoyed the silly banter between donkey and elephant in Vote for Me!

My Teacher for President by Kay Winters, illustrated by Denise Brunkus

This was my favorite of the bunch, especially since there is truth behind teachers making the world a better place.

Campaign Button Craft:

It’s been extremely busy at work and on the home-front, so this was a nice, low time commitment craft. Let me just say… I love that my library has a button maker. I highly recommend owning one.

The only prep I did for this craft was create button templates for the kids to decorate and cut each one out. When it was time to make the buttons, the kids colored their circle of paper, I pressed it into a button, and then they taped ribbon to the back. Presto!

The popular trend that day, as well as always in our library, is campaigning for books. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “The things I want to know are in books. My best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I [haven’t] read.”

 

Halloween Storytime

Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to READ.

Happy Halloween! Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. It doesn’t hurt that the holiday inspires some pretty fantastic picture books. Every single book I read for this storytime was a hit with the kids. Afterwards, we made some wicked sweet “Not-So-Spooky Spider Rings”!

Halloween Storytime Line-up:

Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara

One little witch cleans up a house haunted with ghosts and finds a way to put them good use.

Trick or Treat by Leo Landry

Oliver the ghost accidentally drops an invitation to his big Halloween bash. The entire party is taken by surprise by who shows up later that night.

My First Ghost by Maggie Miller & Michael Leviton, illustrated by Stephanie Buscema

This book won everyone over, especially since it comes with your very own ghost! (Plus an instruction manual on how to care for your first ghost.)

Popcorn by Frank Asch

A classic tale that never gets old about a bear and a Halloween party that gets a little out of hand.

Pumpkin Eye by Denise Fleming

Wonderful rhyme about the sights and sounds of Halloween night.

On Halloween Night by Jane Willis Johnston

My colleague and terrific storyteller, Jane Johnston, made this wonderful flannel board to go with a poem she wrote for toddler storytime. Everything she creates is so clever and fun to integrate into storytime. I wouldn’t have ended Halloween Storytime any other way!

On Halloween Night by Jane Willis Johnston

ONE jack-o-lantern on Halloween night laughs and laughs with all his might.

A prowling cat is having fun, pouncing upon that jack-o-lantern ONE.

BOO!

TWO jack-o-lanterns on Halloween night frown and grown with all their might.

Bright-eyed owls sing, “Hoot-hoot-hoooooooo,” swooping around those jack-o-lanterns TWO.

BOO!

THREE jack-o-lanterns on Halloween night smile and smile with all their might.

Creeping spiders crawl with glee, spinning between those jack-o-lanterns THREE.

BOO!

Silly jack-o-lanterns on Halloween night shine and shine with all their light.

They laugh, and grown, and smile, and BOO! wishing a Happy Halloween to YOU!

 

Not-So-Spooky Spider Rings

For the Halloween Stortyime craft we made Not-So-Spooky Spider Rings! Growing up I used to love receiving those cheap plastic black or orange spider rings that were given away trick-or-treating or at the school Halloween party. Guess I never grew out of that phase…

Materials used for this craft: Pipe cleaners, pom poms, googly eyes, and fabric glue or liquid school glue.

This craft involved zero prep before storytime– Woot!

To start, take four pipe cleaners and line them up side-by-side.

Place the pipe cleaners under the finger you would like the wear the ring on.

Bend them into a “V” with your finger underneath.

Then fold them over so the ends are on opposite sides.

Now twist the ends counter-clockwise. One full twist should do the trick.

Take the ring off, slightly separate the ends from one another, and shape the ends into creep, crawly, spidery looking legs.

Once the legs are shaped, glue a pom pom in the center using a generous dab of school glue or fabric glue.

Glue a smaller pom on for the head if you’d like. Give it a second to dry or hold while counting up to 10 Frankensteins.

Glue on some googly eyes and that’s it! Not-S0-Spooky Spider Rings!!

I dare you to only make one.

Trick or treat?!

Happy Hallows’ Eve!

Monster Storytime

Since Halloween is near and there are so, so, so many wonderful monster picture books it seems to me it was high time to host a MONSTER STORYTIME! We read some new and some tried and true monster books, and then had a monster fun time crafting monster feet for our post-storytime craft.

Monster Storytime Lineup:

The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell

Hands down one of my favorite new picture books of the year. It’s brilliant. The kids loved it. The adults loved it. It’s a story about how monsters Grouch, Grump, and little Gloom ‘n’ Doom spend much of their time arguing over who is the “biggest and baddest”. They decide to end the constant bickering by creating the “biggest and baddest’ monster of them all. Their plan does not turn out in any way they thought it would.

Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley

A tried and true favorite monster picture book, and a personal favorite in our own home as well.

My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck, illustrated by Mark Buehner

Like human mothers, even monster moms love their little monsters.

If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberly

This book was such a hit reading it aloud with the kids! The story is to be read to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know it,” except inserting monster  noises and manners. I invited the storytimes to act out their inner monsters with me while I read.

Monster Feet Craft:

There are all kinds of adorable monster crafts currently circulating the internet, but this one from The Baker’s Wife caught my eye. I decided to try these monster feet on for size with Sunday’s stortyimers.

Materials used: brown paper bags, tissue paper, colored cardstock, scissors, glue, tape, markers, and a pencil.

The first couple steps I did pre-storytime. To start, I cut a hole into the side of the bag with the folded side facing down. The hole needs to be close to the edge of the bags opening and large enough for a child to slide their foot into.

Make sure the holes are in similar places on the bags.

Next, take a piece of colored cardstock and fold it hotdog style (lengthwise).

Draw monster toes with the opening of the fold facing you, keeping clear of the actual fold.

Cut out toes. Be creative with the different toe shapes! Monsters have a wide variety of feet types. Think Big Foot, Sasquatches, the boogey man, Frankenstein, monsters that live under the bed, and so forth. I also did this step before storytime.

After the foot holes are cut in the paper bags and the toes are cut out in a variety of colors, I was about finished with the prep work. Now is the fun part…. The kids decorated their gigantic feet by coloring and gluing the toes on.

The toes were glued on the folded end of the bag.

Our library has lots and lots of tissue paper that we’re trying to use up, so I picked out a few assorted colors and cut out messy, uneven squares and rectangles. This was another pre-storytime activity, which older kids could easily do on their own.

They glued or taped the tissue paper onto their paper bag feet. Here I made them look furry, but a lot of kids glued the tissue paper so that it looked like scales.

Once the feet are complete, open the bag and loosely wad 1-3 sheets of newspaper per bag…

… and shove the newspaper into the bottom of the bags (tops of the feet).

Slide feet into the cut-out holes (it’s best it you don’t have shoes on) and walk or slide! It helps if you roar or growl while attempting to grow into you’re new monster feet.

My little monster sporting her new monster foot attire.

Next week is Halloween Storytime! If you have any book or craft recommendations, please leave them in the comments below– I love receiving suggestions!!