Summer: Star Wars Storytime

Our final summer storytime featured Star Wars. I think this one had the strongest theme focused books. Star Wars also has the most books to choose from when finding themed shareable stories.

Here's the agenda:

Welcome
SONG: The Hello Song

Storytime Reminders
 
Flannel: Bookworm, Bookworm, where should we look? Are you behind the COLOR book?
Behind the books - shooting star, star, comet, bookworm with a moon, and bookworm with a star. I've never had two little flannels under one book so that was surprising for every one. I think they were rather taken aback! 

BOOK: Star Wars Blast Off! By DK READERS: Pre-Level 1
 
SONG: The Tempo Marches On by Jim Gill

A classic kid's marching song that gets faster and faster. After the song, we wiggled out our legs because they worked hard! Started with toes, feet, knees, leg one, leg two, both legs, a couple deep breathes. It's good to cool down after an intense song or activity.
 
BOOK: What is a Droid? DK READERS: Level 1
 

SONG: Put On My Walkin’ Shoes by Miss Carole

 Another fantastic walking/marching song for kids. This one has different movements - walk, stomp, run, tiptoe, backwards, walk. After this song, we did some arm stretches/movement because we worked our legs, so we should move our arms, too.

BOOK: A Jedi You Will Be by Preeti Chhibbler, illustrated by Mike Deas

 This book is fun! Yet language tricky because some of the turns of phrase are in the Yoda reversal style. I did highlight breathing deep, using your strength (show me your muscles), and pretending to use the force (because we lifted out the ship from the swamp with Yoda & Luke).  

SONG: Rocketship Run by Laurie Berkner

 We can't talk space without doing Rocketship Run! The refrain is fast and fun with the countdown. The verses are slower with movement as well - spinning suns, dancing moons, jumping stars, and sitting down in your own hometown. For the first time, I felt that I got the countdown correct every time with my fingers. It's fast for adults, so it's super fast for kiddos ... but they love it.

Announcements

Activity Instructions: Star Wars Vehicles Scavenger Hunt

SONG: Goodbye Song

The end of a storytime session is always so bittersweet. I love spending time reading, dancing, flanneling, signing, and singing with my families. Some families will return for Fall storytime, while others will be attending their schools. I want to stay and keep moving along, but I also know that my brain and body need a breather. I need to clean up my Summer desk and get ready for the new season. My brain needs to log all the events of the past season then create new adventures for Fall. Rest and rejuvenate are important. I'll be back next mont!

Chiefs Storytime

The library hosted a storytime special with the fire chief and the police chief. After a mini storytime, we walked over to the station and got a tour!

Welcome: Good morning! Let's do a countdown from 6 today - 6,5,4,3,2,1 - Good morning!!
SONG: Hello Song
Storytime Reminders
 
Flannel: Bookworm, Bookworm where should we look? Are you behind the COLOR book?

Behind the books: police logo, fire logo, flannel rescue vehicle, flannel ladder truck, and one bookworm
 
BOOK: Here Come the Helpers by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Barbara Bakos (Little Simon, 2018)
 
Introduce Police Chief 
BOOK: How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague (The Blue Sky Press [Scholastic], 2015)
 
SONG: It Takes Some Friends by Jim Gill

Introduce Fire Chief 
BOOK: A Visit to the Fire Station by Rosalyn Clark (Lerner, 2018)
 
Announcements: Storytime TUES / Pool TH / Summer Reading
Activity Instructions: Paw Patrol Seek’n’Find in CS / Tour the Police & Fire Station
SONG: Goodbye
 
Exit and walk next door

Summer Storytime Series

 Ah, Summer!

The library is hopping and moving and hosting a larger group of people. We're also seeing a wider range of ages during Family Storytime. During the school year, the range is between birth and 4 years with maybe a Kindergartener. While the Summer brings older siblings who could be in various elementary grades.

With an older group in mind, I went with some pop culture themes for Summer. We're getting geeky at the library! It's a new challenge to blend classic storytime elements together with movie or videogame themes. It will be fun!

Themes this Summer include ...

Super Mario

Sonic the Hedgehog

Zelda

Jurassic Park aka Dinosaurs

Pokemon

Star Wars

Storytime: Preschool Planters & Seeds

Week two of our Preschool Planters mini storytime session. This week we focused on seeds. I was hoping for A Seed is Sleepy to be available, but it was not. That nonfiction series written by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by Sylvia Long is just so delightful. I used another nonfiction book and it worked out great!

Here's our storytime agenda:

Welcome
SONG: Can’t Wait to Celebrate by Jim Gill
Storytime Reminders

Flannel: Bookworm, Bookworm, where should we look?

Behind the books ... two bookworm and three popcorn kernels (aka seeds).
 
Morning has come (clap, clap)
Night is away (clap, clap)
Rise with the sun and welcome the day!
Last week we learned sun and day. This week we added the ASL work for morning. We sang this one twice through with patrons invited to join in whenever they felt comfortable.

BOOK: Seeds by Marissa Kirkman (Pebble [Little Capstone], 2020)

After talking about seeds, we need a garden. Sometimes people build their own gardens. They need to use a hammer, or a saw or sandpaper. Let's build a garden with one of our favorite tool songs:
SONG: Hammer and Saw by Jim Gill

BOOK: Let’s Go Nuts! Seeds We Eat by April Pulley Sayre (Beach Lane Books, 2013)

This foodie trio of books is so much fun! And this book fit the theme perfect!

It led well into a surprise flannel with our "seeds" on the board. The seeds are popcorn kernels.

We counted down with our fingers, shook our bodies during sizzling, and clapped our hands at POP!

I slapped a flannel popcorn piece on top of the kernel when they clapped. I don't know who was more excited for this little rhyme - me or the audience.

Three little kernels sizzling in the pot, All of a sudden, one went POP!
     TWO little kernels sizzling in the pot, All of a sudden, one went POP!
          ONE little kernel sizzling in the pot, All of a sudden, one went POP!

 

After counting down from three to one, let's count more! Our song goes from one to five. (It actually mentions 6, 8, 10 as well but I didn't remember or bring that up during our transition.) We did a little finger wiggling and arm stretching, then hid our hands behind our backs while I started the music.

SONG: One from the Left by Jim Gill

BOOK: How Does a Seed Grow? By Sue Kim, photos by Tilde (Little Simon, 2010)

This particular book is a staff book because it is a "toy book". The pages foldout as you read the book to show photographs of how plants get roots and sprouts, then shows a kiddo holding that vegetable or fruit. When we read about the roots, I stretch my free hand down. When we read about the sprouts, I stretch my free hand up.

Fingerplay: Little Seed
Little seed in the ground             [Crouch down on the floor, hands covering heads.]
Sitting so still                                  [Stay crouching.]
Little seed, will you sprout?
Yes, I will!                                [Jump up!]

Announcements: 
Craft Instructions: planting seeds indoors

1 cup (peat pot)

+ dirt chunk (aka expanded peat pellet)

+ a pinch of little seeds (Bee Friendly Mix Wildflower Seeds)

+ a pinch of bigger seeds (Sunshine Variety Mix Sunflower Seeds)

SONG: Goodbye Rap by Miss Carole x 2

I always play this rap twice because it's so short and fun. 

Storytime: Preschool Planters & Green

Preschool Planters is a mini storytime session I inherited and done for many years. It's something I look forward to every Spring. The theme for this year's week one was green for Spring and growing things. This was a day I walked in feeling like I had everything all lined up and ... I didn't. I forgot to cue a song on my playlist and forgot two slides for the storytime screen. It all worked out and the adults got a little chuckle when I said, "I guess it's not a ready day for me today!"

Here's our storytime agenda:

Welcome
SONG: Can’t Wait to Celebrate by Jim Gill
Storytime Reminders

Flannel: Bookworm, Bookworm, where should we look?

Behind the books was one bookworm, an avocado, a kiwi, greenbeans, and a green bell pepper.
 
Morning has come (clap, clap)
Night is away (clap, clap)
Rise with the sun and welcome the day!
We learned the ASL word for sun and day. Next week we'll add another sign.

BOOK:   How’s the Weather in Spring? By Jenna Lee Gleisner (Cherry Lake Pub, 2014)
 
Fingerplay: What the Robin Told 
The wind told the grasses, 
And the grasses told the trees. 
The trees told the flowers, 
And the flowers told the bees. 
The bees told the robin, (bird sign)
And the robin sang out clear, 
“Wake up! Wake up! Spring is here.” 

This is the slide I didn't have ... but that's okay since it's a familiar one to me and I have my agenda printed out in case I get lost. This is one we did together with ASL words. I really enjoy this Spring poem.
 
BOOK:   Green on Green by Dianne White, illustrated by Felicita Sala (Beach Lane Books, 2020)
While reading this book, it can be fairly easy to add ASL color words as you go.

SONG: Green Grass Grew All Around by Greg & Steve
 
BOOK: A Green, Green Garden by Mercer Mayer (Harper, 2011)
 
Fingerplay: Five Fat Peas
Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed
One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest
They grew and they grew and they did not stop
Until one day the pod went POP!
 
Flannel: Pea Soup
One little pea jumped into the pot and waited for the soup to get hot
Two little peas jumped into the pot and waited for the soup to get hot
Three little peas jumped into the pot and waited for the soup to get hot
Four little peas jumped into the pot and waited for the soup to get hot
Five little peas jumped into the pot and waited for the soup to get hot
Finally, the soup got so hot, all the peas jumped out of the pot!

We also added ASL words to this rhyme as well - counting 1-5, jumping, waiting, & hot.
 
Announcements: 
Craft Instructions: brown construction paper that they colored with crayons to make gardens
SONG: Goodbye Rap by Miss Carole

I always play this rap twice because it's so short and fun.

Storytime: Library Week 2023

 Today, I shared a Family Storytime Special to celebrate National Library Week! 🎉

It was not quite a ready day for this librarian, but that is okay. We talk about having a ready day at storytime. I told myself to slow down, take your time if you need it. If you need to change things up, it is okay to change things. The audience supports you. And it went well! A large turnout to celebrate library week at storytime.

In past years, I selected library books, rhymes, or songs, but for today I went with some favorites and new books. Our craft project after storytime was drawing a bookshelf and gluesticking small bookcover pictures to the shelves. It was really cute. To bring it full circle, the bookcovers I selected were books we read at storytime over the past year or so. Shoutout to GoodReads for having a grid layout!

Here's what we did at storytime today:

Welcome
SONG: Hello Song
Storytime Reminders: Be Ready, Be Seated, Be Involved, Be Respectful
Storytime Puppet: Snowbie
FLANNEL: Bookworm, Bookworm, where should we look? Are you behind the COLOR book?

Behind the 5 books: 1 bookworm, Gossie & Gertie, Gerald & Piggie, Clifford, and Skippyjon Jones
 
BOOK: The Loud Librarian by Jenna Beatrice, illustrated by Erika Lynne Jones (Atheneum, 2023)

I selected this title because it's a new book, it's diverse, and it features quiet and loud spaces in the library. There is room for libraries to be quiet and loud.

SONG: One from the Left by Jim Gill

We started this with stretches to get ready - dancing your fingers up, in front of your face, hide them behind your back and keep them there while I start our music. 

BOOK: Mister Kitty is Lost! By Greg Pizzoli (Little Brown & Co., 2023)

This book is another new book and a lot of fun. It's counting which paired well with One from the Left we just sang together.

The original plan was to do these two singing songs with a couple American Sign Language words, but I was losing my voice. We did a favorite storytime song instead - The Goldfish by Laurie Berkner 

This song we've done a lot and the kiddos are singing along and doing the actions. It's wonderful!

SONG: The More We Read Together (Tune:  The More We Get Together)

The more we read together, together, together.

The more we read together the happier we’ll be.

          For your books are my books. And my books are your books.

          The more we read together the happier we’ll be.

SONG: Read a Book (tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Read, read, read a book, travel anywhere

World-wide, you decide: a book will take you there.

After our dance, we read our next book ... It's an adventure book because I think libraries are full of adventures because they're full of books to read and activities to do.

BOOK: Adventure Awaits by Henry Cole (Little Simon, 2022)

SONG: Rocketship Run! By Laurie Berkner

A favorite action song at storytime - counting down, jumping up, and running in place.

Verses are spinning, dancing, jumping, and coming back to earth (sitting down)

Announcements

Craft Instructions for Build Your Own Bookshelf (paper craft)

SONG: Goodbye, So-Long, Farewell, Toodle-loo by Hap Palmer

Books Can Be Let Go

NetGalley shared a great tip this week ... "Take a look at your shelves and let go of books that don't interest you anymore."

I love reading and I love books. I've never tallied my TBR (to be read) stack or lists, but I'm sure it's in the hundreds. I own digital books as well as physical books. I have books that I have yet to read and books I want to read again. Yet there are also books that I might never get around to reading.

That's okay, readers! It's okay to own a book and never read it. It's okay to let go of books or stop reading books that don't peek your interest. There is joy is giving books away. There will be a reader who is thrilled to find that book you no longer want on your shelves.

What should I do with the books I no longer want or need?

- Give them to a family member.

- Give them to a friend.

- Add books to Little Free Libraries.

- Give them to a library (check their donation policy).

- Give them a school or child care center (check their donation policy).

- Donate them to a thrift store.

- Donate them to a nonprofit or charity book sale.

- Sell them at a used bookstore or online and buy more books!

If the books are too much to share ... old information, misinformation, musty, dusty, broken, etc. ... it's okay to recycle or throw away books. I always want to give books new life, but sometimes books have their time and it's time to send them away.

- Recycle

- Trash

- Repurpose

Where you do you take your "old" books?  How do you repurpose books?

Blog Tour: A Hope and a Prayer

 Happy Thursday, readers!

I am thrilled to share with you Julie Lessman's newest title, A Hope and a Prayer. It is book two in her series, The Cousins O'Connor. Here's the jacket blurb for you:

She’s in love with her best friend. 
He’s in love with her cousin.
But when the war reveals a gift so rare, 
will they be saved by a hope and a prayer?

As Head Nurse at 2d Hospital in Nancy, France, Lieutenant Hope Dennehy is known for her healing touch, especially when it comes to mending the wounds and spirit of her best friend, Lieutenant Bren O’Neill. When Hope’s cousin breaks Bren’s heart, Hope is always there, helping to heal him with a friendship so anointed and deep, it threatens to break her heart too.

Flying high as a daredevil aeromedical evac pilot in the European Theatre, “Lieutenant Love” O’Neill crashes and burns when the woman he loves falls for another. Depending on the support and prayers of Nurse Hope Dennehy to save him, Bren re-evaluates his free-wheeling lifestyle when he witnesses the heinous atrocities of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Suddenly nothing in life is as important as taking care of those he loves … or is it? Battling demons from his past, Bren learns that only one thing can truly save him from himself.  --  A Hope and a Prayer

Come for the romance and stay for the history, the banter, the slang, and the faith! I fall in love with every book I have read by Julie Lessman. Yes, you can read each story as a standalone. Yes, you can read book one, A Wing and a Prayer before A Hope and a Prayer. You can read A Hope and a Prayer before any of the books about the O'Connor family.

BUT.

Could I convince you start at book one? Like book one, book one?? I adore the O'Connor clan and her newest title gives you a wonderful story of Hope and just a taste of her large, tough, loving, and faithful family. Dive in, readers! It's a great adventure in history that spans generations.

In celebration of A Hope and a Prayer's release, Julie is hosting a GIVEAWAY with this blog tour!

Comment on this blog post to be entered in to win an eBook!

Tell me, how many Lessman books have you read???

One commenter from each stop will win, so go visit each stop for a chance to win!

Every commenter will also be entered to win a signed book from Julie.

See the full tour schedule on Julie's blog, Journal Jots. 

Thank you, Julie!!

Librarian Hats

 Today, January 15, is National Hat Day!

As librarians, we wear lots of hats and this came to mind when I'm quietly celebrating 15 years at my library. I never thought I would be where I am today! I believe most adults would say that as well when they reflect on their lives or occupations.

I feel blessed to be where I am today. I am surrounded by a great team of co-workers. We have exciting projects ahead for the year and years to come. We've also accomplished fantastic things, too!

Now let's take a look at hats!

First, here are a couple great hat books for storytime:

 These titles are in no particular order, because they're all enjoyable. I have used the majority of them in storytime. Henri's Hats is the newest, so it is on the storytime potential list. 

Now to give a short list of hats a librarian wears at work. Feel free to add more in the comments if I missed one or a few. It's a running list! Again, in no particular order ...

• Librarian
• Furniture Mover
• Room Monitor 
• Setup Crew
• Cleanup Crew
• Professional Paper Cutter
• Finder of Things
• Puppeteer
• Singer
• Reader
• Dancer
• Instructor
• Leader
• Follower
• Listener
• Curator
• Story Recommender
• Book Wrangler
• Shelver
• Community Liaison
• Discussion Leader
• Podcaster
• Videographer
• Marketer
• Writer
• Photographer
• Book Jockey (for a nod to the show Parks and Rec)
• and more!

These hats come and go through the years. I think every job has shifts both from internal and external forces. Sometimes you can see the hat coming and other times it just appears on your head or on your desk. This list is meant for lightheartedness and pride in what we can accomplish. 

Author: With This Pledge

With This Pledge is the first book in the new Carnton series by Tamera Alexander. It was released on January 1, 2019. In celebration of this new book and series, JustRead Publicity Tours is hosting a blog tour and giveaway!

I am thrilled to be hosting Tamera Alexander today on Miss Pippi Reads. She will be giving us insights on character name selection in With This Pledge. Enjoy!

Character Name Selection by Tamera Alexander

Character name selection in With This Pledge, a Carnton novel, was easier than usual. Because Captain Roland Ward Jones and Elizabeth ("Lizzie") Clouston are the real life hero and heroine who met and fell in love at the Carnton home in Franklin, Tennessee during the Civil War, following the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. And With This Pledge is their love story. History holds a treasure trove of knowledge about Captain Roland Ward Jones—details about his home life, his war record as a sharpshooter, his extensive land ownership in Mississippi, and the remarkable collection of personal correspondence (written both to and from Roland) that reveal a bevy of insights into his character. We know Roland was among hundreds of wounded Confederate soldiers who were brought to Carnton following the Battle of Franklin. We know he staunchly supported the Southern Cause. We know he convalesced about six weeks longer at Carnton than any of the other soldiers. And why did he stay longer? Because he fell in love with the McGavock’s governess—Lizzie Clouston.

Sadly, most of the details about Lizzie’s life have been lost to time, so she was more of a mystery. To introduce the necessary conflict needed for the story, I chose to give Lizzie opposing views to Roland’s—and that of the Southern Cause. Yet when forty thousand soldiers converge on the fields of Franklin, Tennessee that unseasonably warm November afternoon, the war demands she give answer. Especially when she finds herself drawn to Roland and discovers that his moral ground is utterly at odds with her own.

Learn more about what’s truth and what’s fiction in With This Pledge, a Carnton Novel on Tamera’s Website — www.TameraAlexander.com

With This Pledge Book Description

Carnton home where she is governess is converted into a Confederate field hospital, and Lizzie is called upon to assist the military doctor with surgeries that determine life or death. Faced with the unimaginable, she must summon fortitude, even as she fears for the life of Towny, her fiancé and lifelong friend.

As a young soldier lies dying in Lizzie’s arms, she vows to relay his final words to his mother, but knows little more than the boy’s first name. That same night, decorated Mississippi sharpshooter Captain Roland Ward Jones extracts a different promise from Lizzie: that she intervene should the surgeon decide to amputate his leg.

Lizzie is nothing if not a woman of her word, earning the soldiers’ respect as she tends to the wounded within Carnton’s walls. None is more admiring than Captain Jones, who doesn’t realize she is pledged to another. But as Lizzie’s heart softens towardthe Confederate captain, she discovers that his moral ground is at odds with her own. Now torn between love, principles, and promises made, she struggles to be true to her heart while standing for what she knows is right—no matter the cost.

From the pages of history and the personal accounts of those who endured the Battle of Franklin, Tamera Alexander weaves the real-life love letters between Captain Roland Ward Jones and Miss Elizabeth Clouston into a story of unlikely romance first kindled amid the shadows of war.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | CBD | Book Depository

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EXCERPT

Head HERE for an exclusive excerpt!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tamera Alexander is a USA Today bestselling novelist whose works have been awarded and nominated for numerous industry-leading honors, including the Christy Award (two-time winner, seven-time finalist), the RITA Award (two-time winner, four-time finalist), the Carol Award, the Maggie Award, the Booksellers Best Award, and Library Journal's top distinction, among others. After seventeen years in Colorado, Tamera and her husband now reside in Nashville, Tennessee, where they live a short distance from Belmont Mansion and Belle Meade Plantation, the setting of Tamera’s two USA Today bestselling Southern series.  



CONNECT WITH THEAUTHOR: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will win a release copy of With This Pledge + $10 Amazon Gift Card

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight January 14, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm January 28, 2019. US only for a print copy of the book. International winners will receive an ebook. Gift card prize will be issued as an e-gift card. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.