Library & Literary Miscellany

Wild About Books by Judy Sierra; illustrated by Marc Brown (2004)

Even though Wild About Books (published 2004) has been around the zoo a time or two, I wanted to highlight it as a fun picture book about the love of reading.

Plus, who can resist the book’s heroine, librarian Molly McGrew? Not I, said the librarian. Wild About Books opens with McGrew’s accidental appearance at the zoo with her bookmobile. Even though it was not her intended destination, it proves fortuitous as the animals embrace her books with an unprecedented passion, all stampeding to reading:

Forsaking their niches, their nests, and their nooks,
They went simply wild, about wonderful books

There’s a little reminder that librarians are here to serve “Molly filled their requests, always eager to please.” There’s a humorous lesson about treating books right “for the boa constrictor squeezed Crictor too tight.” There’s even a plug for authors as tasmanian devils found books so exciting that they soon “had given up fighting for writing.” What’s more, there’s the excitement of a new branch library opening up–the Zoobrary.

Wild About Books is dedicated to Dr. Seuss, and Sierra’s vivid, lively, improbable rhymes have traces of Seuss’s originality. Regardless of how outlandish Seuss’s premises were (a cat in a hat, green eggs and ham, a grinch who stole Christmas), he revolutionized beginning readers in attempts to make reading more palatable and engaging for children. Sierra’s premise (animals wild about reading) is equally outlandish but also wildly engaging and frequently laugh-out-loud funny. Marc Brown’s bold paintings lend credence to the unprecedented happenings. On each full page spread, Brown masterfully mixes up colors, texture, and perspectives to provide a feel of the excitement and fun that goes along with reading.

Together, Judy Sierra and Marc Brown created a fun book for animal, book, poetry, humor, and library lovers alike. There’s something for every animal to enjoy at the Zoobrary, and there’s something for every reader to enjoy in Wild About Books. Scholastic developed a lesson plan with activities around Wild About Books. Random House provides a book synopsis as well as a listing of all of the awards the book has won.

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Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton (July 01, 2008)

“If I hide from the day, maybe it’ll go away, he thought.”

Splat the Cat has an extreme case of first-day-of-Cat-School nerves. He lays wide awake with his tail wiggling “wildly with worry”. After a sleepless night, he tries to hide from the new day, but his mom rousts him with her “Time to get up.”

Splat tries every trick/excuse/rationale in the book to get his mom to let him stay home, but his mom has an answer for everything. A sample:

“I’m having a bad hair day Mom. Maybe I should go to school tomorrow instead?” said Splat.

His mom combed his hair. “Purr-fect!” she said.

Splat begins to see that opting out is not an option, so he determines to make the best of the whole Cat School thing and to pack reinforcements. Reinforcements, in this case, means that he packs his pet mouse (yes, that’s right, Splat the Cat’s pet mouse) Seymour into his bright yellow lunch box, and off they go.

There are a few more hitches and glitches on their way to school (for example, the gate won’t let go of his fingers and the lamppost gets in his way, don’t you hate it when that happens?). But eventually Splat, his mom, and the smuggled Seymour arrive at school. Mom leaves with a, “You’ll be fine,” but popeyed Splat’s eyes tell us he’s not yet convinced that his classmates won’t eat him alive.

Interestingly, Splat’s the only unclothed cat in the story, perhaps referencing the classic nightmare of standing in front of the class naked with everyone laughing at you. Splat’s fears, however, prove baseless as the class welcomes him warmly. Splat quickly begins absorbing the fundamental competencies of being a cat: Cats are “amazing…cunning, clever, and quick…” and “cats climb trees, drink milk, and chase mice…”

All is going smoothly, too smoothly, until lunchtime. Bedlam erupts when Splat opens his lunchbox and Seymour bursts out. Having recently digested their cat characteristics lesson, the other cats begin to do what cunning, clever, and quick cats do–they give chase.

Splat is momentarily nonplussed, but, fortunately, Mrs. Wimpydimple and Seymour both apply their own wits to get things turned around. By the time Splat’s mom arrives to pick him up at day’s end, he’s flying high again and, the next morning, he finds his tail wiggling wildly again…with excitement.

Splat the Cat joins the ranks of useful books for helping to alleviate the first day of school jitters. The story’s not word heavy, so it makes a fun read aloud that will fit well into back to school storytimes. Through speaking to the first day of school nerves, the story unobtrusively and wittily touches on fundamental fears of childhood and life in general such as fears of the unknown, of not fitting in, and of change. New lessons are learned as age-old modus operandi are altered. The class concludes, “Cats don’t chase mice…”

As for the illustrations, the cumulative effect of the detail work–from the mouse slippers, fish table, and bookshelf full of books such as C is for Cat in Splat’s bedroom to the fish wallpaper in the other rooms in his house to the menu in the window of the Cat Cafe (fish fingers and cream anyone?) to Mrs. Wimpydimple’s chalkboard drawings–is a fancy feast for the eyes.

Colors are capably employed as well, what with Splat’s black fur standing out (and sticking out) amongst the greyness of the other cats. With so much grey on the pages, Splat’s bright yellow lunch box and equally eye catching red school bag also draw the eye to him. But beyond just his black color, it is Splat with his big eyes and expressive, wiggly, constantly-kinked tail who page-after-page draws readers into his emotional highs and lows and adds the most merriment to the tale.

Splat the Cat springs from the mind of Rob Scotton (who is also the creator of another insomniac and equally demonstrative character, Russell the Sheep). To enjoy this tale, you need to be able to buy into the Splat/Seymour strange friendship. For those who do, Splat the Cat may help to create some future ailurophiles, or at the very least, some Splat the Cat lovers as Splat is a most winsome cat. I already found two new fans as I tested this story out on my niece and nephew; re-readings were immediately requested and procured. Splat was a hat…I mean, Split was a hit…that is, Splat was a hit (consider the phonics fun to be had ).

Visit Rob Scotton’s website to find out more about his works (select pages from Splat the Cat are available for viewing). HarperCollins Children’s also has a 13 page PDF available for Splat the Cat that comes complete with activities and downloadables.

Note: Advance review copy provided by Harper Collins Children’s Books.

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To help you plan you Easter Storytime(s), I’ve listed some suggested picture books, songs/rhymes, and additional links that I hope you’ll find useful. I decided to present the resources as a list (in contrast to a pre-formatted plan) so that you can easily pick and choose and select any combination that you feel will be most successful for your audience.

Book Ideas

Bunny Trouble by Hans Wilhelm
Ralph the bunny would rather play soccer than paint Easter eggs. He runs into trouble when he’s captured by a farmer, but with the help of a clever sister and some Easter eggs, he lives to kick the ball another day.

More Bunny Trouble by Hans Wilhelm
Ralph the bunny is back and he’s busily painting Easter eggs and babysitting his little sister. When he neglects to do the latter, she wanders away, and it’s up to Ralph to find her again.

The Night Before Easter by Natasha Wing
This rendition includes all the rhythms of the familiar “Night Before Christmas” with a new Easter setting and storyline.

The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett
Duck sits patiently on a huge green-spotted egg waiting for it to hatch. When it does, both Duck and readers are in for a surprise.

Chicky Chicky Chook Chookby Cathy MacLennan
Onomatopoeia and rhyme make this a fun and rambunctious Easter time read aloud.

The Grumpy Easter Bunny by Justine Korman and Lucinda McQueen (illustrator)
Hopper is a grumpy bunny. Why should he hide his Easter treats and give them to others when he could just eat them all himself? By story’s end, Hopper is much happier as he’s discovered the joy of sharing.

Here Comes T. Rex Cottontail by Lois G. Grambling and Jack E. Davis (Illustrator)
It’s Easter time and T. Rex is filling in for the Easter Bunny who has taken a sick day. Youngsters will enjoy the humor in the notion as they join the huge dinosaur on his romp to deliver the eggs.

Milo the Really Big Bunny by Stephen Krensky and Melissa Suber (Illustrator)
Milo is different from other bunnies—where they are small and white, he’s enormous and purple. He just doesn’t fit in. But when the Easter Bunny needs a helper Milo soon discovers that the characteristics that make him different also make him special (very Rudolph-like in concept).

Humbug Rabbit by Lorna Balian
Two stories intertwine about the Rabbit family underground and Granny and her grandchildren above ground.

Songs/Rhymes

Easter Eggs (Sung to the tune of: London Bridge)

Hunting for my Easter eggs;
Easter eggs;
Easter eggs;
Hunting for my Easter eggs;
Put ‘em in my basket.
Now my basket it is full.
It is full.
It is full.
Now my basket it is full
We found all the eggs!

OR

I’m a Little Bunny (Sung to the tune of: I’m a Little Teapot)

I’m a little bunny, with a cotton tail;
See me hopping down the trail,
When I see a carrot —
My ears - they shake!
And then, of course,
A bite I take!!!
CRUNCH!!!!!

OR

See the Easter Bunny (Sung to the Tune of: Mulberry Bush)

See how the bunny hops along,
Hops along, hops along.

See how the bunny hops along,
On an Easter morning.

This is the way he wiggles his nose,
Wiggles his nose,
Wiggles his nose
This is the way he wiggles his nose,
On an Easter morning.

This is the way he flops his ears
Flops his ears, flops his ears
This is the way he flops his ears
On an Easter morning.

See how he jiggles his cotton tail,
Cotton tail, cotton tail
See how he jiggles his cotton tail,
On an Easter morning.

OR

Jelly Beans (Sung to the tune of: Skip to My Lou)

(Red) jelly beans — yum, yum.
(Red) jelly beans — yum, yum.
(Red) jelly beans — yum, yum.
Jelly beans in my tummy!
(Green) jelly beans — yum, yum.
(Green) jelly beans — yum, yum.
(Green) jelly beans — yum, yum.
Jelly beans in my tummy!
(Orange) jelly beans — yum, yum.
(Orange) jelly beans — yum, yum.
(Orange) jelly beans — yum, yum.
Jelly beans in my tummy!
(Pink) jelly beans — yum, yum.
(Pink) jelly beans — yum, yum.
(Pink) jelly beans — yum, yum.
Jelly beans in my tummy!

The above songs and many more are available at Kids Rhymes/Songs. The Easter bunny image is available from Free Gifs & Animations.

Resources for additional Easter Ideas (crafts, activities, games, and more):

Billy Bear’s Happy Easter: includes online games, puzzles, and printable worksheets/coloring pages

DLTK’s Easter Section: includes suggested Easter Activities

First School Years Easter Resources: scroll to the bottom for links to myriad additional sites with Easter content

Kaboose Easter 2008: Bunny and Easter Basket Crafts, Coloring Pages, Spring Recipes, and Easter Egg Hunt Ideas

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Dental Hygiene Storytime

Created by Laura Baas
Age Group: Preschool
Time: 30 minutes (you can add or subtract items as necessary to suit your purposes)

Introduction: Welcome. Did you know that February is National Children’s Dental Health Month? Well, it is, and so today we’re going to be talking teeth.

Song: Got my Toothbrush (to the tune of: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Got my toothpaste, got my brush,
I won’t hurry, I won’t rush.
Making sure my teeth are clean,
Front and back and in between.
When I brush for quite a while,
I will have a happy smile!

Books:
For the Truth Ask a Tooth by Dee Coghlan
Here we have the telling of the story from a tooth’s perspective.

Have You Ever Seen a Moose Brushing His Teeth? by Jamie McClaine and April Goodman Willy
Join the Moose in this delightful rhyming tale of his endeavors to care for his grass stained teeth.

Brush Your Teeth Please Pop-Up by Reader’s Digest
Pop open the book and find a chimp brushing its teeth back and forth and a shark that flosses every day. Youngsters will have lots of fun learning about proper dental hygiene in this delightful pop-up book.

Clarabella’s Teeth by An Vrombaut
An amusing story about the importance of daily tooth care and about friendship. The question, “And Clarabella?” encourages engagement and page turning to find the answer.

What Do the Fairies Do With All Those Teeth? by Michel Luppens and Philippe Beha
This story is less about dental hygiene (well, not at all about it really) and more about conjecture. It proffers many amusing answers to the question it poses; make the story interactive by encouraging children to add their own suggestions at the end.

Song (can insert in-between reading the books): A Dentist’s Song (to the tune of: Row, Row, Row your Boat)
Brush, brush brush your teeth.
Keep them clean each day.
then you’ll have a pretty smile,
And healthy teeth all day.

OR

My Wise Dentist (to the tune of: Are you Sleeping?)
My Wise Dentist
Always tells me,
Brush your teeth
Brush your teeth.
Brush them in the morning
And again at bedtime.
Brush your teeth
Brush your teeth.

Conclusion and Departing Song:

Departing Song: It’s time to go home, It’s time to go, home, Wave good-bye to everyone, It’s time to go home.
Additional Verses: We had a happy day, We’ll see you next time

Conclusion: We’ll see you next time. Until then, don’t forget to brush those teeth. Feel free to check out tooth-related or other books on your way out too!

Time Fillers/Substitutions:
Crafts & Activities: Surf the web for Teeth-related activities or check out the offerings at A to Z Teacher Stuff Teeth Theme and the ADA.org Games and puzzles (the first couple of games are online interactive but the last few are handouts (dot-to-dot, maze, crossword) that could be either used in storytime or sent home as takeaway activities). About.com also has a guide with many links to Dental Activities, Fun Facts, and Games for Kids.

OR

Technology Links: If you have access to the Internet and a projector, then you can play the Tooth Family song and video provided by the British Council. In addition to the song and video, kids can play a related game and activity. The song is an educational song in which the Tooth Family are singing a song about looking after one’s teeth.

Other Tooth-Related Picture Books to Display:
Alice and Her Fabulous Teeth by Catherine Myler Fruisen and Robin MacOnie
Arthur’s Tooth (Arthur Adventure Series) by Marc Brown Crocodiles Don’t Brush Their Teeth by Colin Fancy and Ken Wilson-Max
Dear Tooth Fairy by Pamela Duncan Edwards and Marie-louise Fitzpatrick
Does a Lion Brush? (Early Experiences) by Fred Ehrlich
George Washington’s Teeth by Deborah Chandra, Madeleine Comora, and Brock Cole
For the Truth Ask a Tooth by Dee Coghlan Franklin
How Many Teeth? (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science) by Paul Showers
I Spy Funny Teeth (Scholastic Readers) by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick
My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out (Charlie and Lola) by Lauren Child Nice Try, Tooth Fairy by Mary W Olson and Katherine Tillotson The Night Before The Tooth Fairy (Reading Railroad) by Natasha Wing and Barbara Johansen Newman
Open Wide! by Tom Barber and Lynne Chapman
Open Wide: Tooth School Inside by Laurie Keller Sweet
Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms
Tooth by Margie Palatini and Jack E. Davis
The Tooth Fairy (Franklin) by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark
Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions Around the World by Selby Beeler
Uncle Farley’s False Teeth by Alice Walsh and Michael Marchenko
You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt and David Slonim

Dental Health Music and Songs were found at Preschool Education Music & Songs: Dental Health. The image used in this post is freely available at Cool Clips.

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Valentine’s Day is almost upon us once again, so here are some sweet, lovely, possibly even useful ideas for your storytime…

Valentine’s Day Storytime
Created by: Laura Baas
Age Group: Preschool
Time: 30 minutes (you can add or subtract items as necessary to suit your purposes)

Introduction: It’s lovely to see you all here today on this day that’s all about love. I hope you’ll love the stories and songs that are a part of today’s storytime.

Books:
1. Who Wants a Valentine? by Linda Lowery
In this playful rhyming text, a boy does not want a Valentine until a girl arrives and convinces him otherwise.

2. If You’ll Be My Valentine by Cynthia Rylant
In this rhyming tale, a little boy creates and bestows Valentines upon all of the important ones in his life.

3. Waking Beauty by Leah Wilcox and Lydia Monks
Amusingly, Prince Charming tries to come up with other options for waking Sleeping Beauty–anything other than a kiss (with 100 years of morning breath he figures it could be the kiss of death).

4. Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox and Lydia Monks
In a story told via rhyming couplets, Rapunzel repeatedly misunderstands her rescuer prince much to his ongoing exasperation. Fortuitously, Rapunzel’s atrocious hearing serves as the impetus through which the prince eventually encounters his true love.

Song: Pass the Heart (to the tune of: Row, Row, Row Your Boat) Note: Use a laminated heart for this and vary the speed each time around, pick it up and begin passing again

Pass, pass, pass the heart
Pass it round and round,
Pass, pass, pass the heart
Now place it on the ground.

OR

Heart Hokey Pokey (hand out paper hearts; could use heart nametags)
You put your heart in.
You put your heart out.
You put your heart in,
And you shake it all about.
You make your heart go jumping,
And you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!

More Read Aloud Books
1. Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie B. Friedman and Lynne Woodcock Cravath
Ruby Valentine and her pet cockatoo labor so hard to prepare for Valentine’s Day that when the day arrives, they sleep right through it. Fortunately, Ruby soon realizes that every day is a good day to let others know they are loved.

2. Guess How Much I Love You By Sam McBratney or I Love You Because You’re You by Liza Baker
Both of these stories reassure little ones of parental love. In the first, Little Nutbrown Hare receives multiple reassurances of Big Nutbrown Hare’s unconditional love. In the latter, mother fox maintains her love for her little fox regardless of changing moods and behavior.
Note: another book with a similar message that works well even with younger lapsit audiences is Kiss Kiss by Margaret Wild: baby hippo is in such a hurry to play that he forgets to give his mama a kiss; he runs home to find his “Kiss, kiss” waiting for him.

Song and Conclusion:
Song: A Hug from you (to the tune of: Mary had a little lamb)
It’s nice to get to a hug from you,
Hug from you, Hug from you.
It’s nice to get a hug from you,
So, let’s give one right now.
(Hug a friend)

OR

On Valentine’s Day (to the tune of: Did you ever see a lassie?)
Everybody be a friend,
A friend, A friend.
Everybody be a friend
On Valentine’s Day.

Departing Song (optional): It’s time to go home, It’s time to go, home, Wave good-bye to everyone, It’s time to go home.
Additional Verses: We had a happy day, We’ll see you next time

Conclusion: Thanks for coming in today. I’d love to see you again next week.

Time Fillers/Substitutions:
Jokes and Riddles: Tell some of the Valentine’s Day Jokes for Kids that can be found at numerous sites across the web. For example:

• What did the boy elephant say to the girl elephant on Valentine’s Day? I love you a ton.
• What did the boy pickle say to the girl pickle on Valentine’s Day? You mean a great dill to me.
• What did the boy light bulb say to the girl light bulb on Valentine’s Day? I love you watts and watts
• What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus on Valentine’s Day? I want to hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand!
• Is it better to write a love note on an empty stomach or on a full stomach? It’s better to write it on paper

These really could go on and on for as long as the kids seem to be enjoying it. Good for lots of fun and a few groans!

OR

Craft Options: Search the web for simple Valentine’s Crafts such as those found at DLTK’s Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids (broken into craft categories such as animal, heart, educational, religious) or those at Activities, Crafts, and Cards at Enchanted Learning (scroll down past the ads and site membership to get to the craft suggestions).

OR

Activities: Many sites offer ideas for Valentine’s Day party activities. Some of these could prove useful in storytime; for instance, check out Kaboose’s Valentine’s Day Party Games for Kids which includes such sections as pen and paper activities, games with food, and word games.

OR

Technology Links: Many sites also offer online interactive Valentine’s Day related activities such as word searches, puzzles, crosswords, or trivia. Show kids some of the offerings at KidsTurnCentral Valentine’s Day Resources such as the heart puzzle and provide a handout with the URLs that they can take with them either to use at a library computer or at home.

Additional Love-Related Books to Display:
Arthur’s Valentine by Marc Brown
Baby Loves by Michael Lawrence
The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson
Be Mine, Be Mine, Sweet Valentine by Sarah Weeks
Weeks book is full of rhyming, lift-the flap, guessing fun.
Be My Valentine, Amelia Bedelia by Herman Parish and Lynn Sweat
The Berenstain Bears Funny Valentine by Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain
The Best Thing About Valentines by Eleanor Hudson and Mary Melcher
The Biggest Valentine Ever by Steven Kroll
A Circle is not a Valentine by Zimmerman
The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond
Froggy’s First Kiss by Jonathan London and Frank Remkiewicz
Happy Valentine’s Day Dolores by Barbara Samuels
Happy Valentine’s Day Little Critter by Mercer Mayer
I Kissed the Baby! By Mary Murphy
I Like You by Sandol Stoddard and Jacqueline Chwast
Its Valentine’s Day by Jack Prelutsky
Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine by Barbara Park and Denise Brunkus
Lilly’s Chocolate Heart by Kevin Henkes
Max’s Valentine by Rosemary Wells
Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Marc Simont
The Night Before Valentine’s Day by Natasha Wing
Olive You!: And Other Valentine Knock-Knock Jokes You’ll A-Door (Lift-the-Flap Knock-Knock Book) by Katy Hall, Lisa Eisenberg, and Stephen Carpenter
Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane DeGroat
Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda
Slugs in Love by Susan Pearson and Kevin O’Malley (includes poems)
Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli and Paul Yalowitz
The Story of Valentine’s Day by Nancy Skarmeas
Super-Secret Valentine (Ready Freddy) by Abby Klein
Valentines are For Saying I Love You by Margaret Sutherland and Amy Wummer
The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting
Valentine’s Day at the Zoo (pop-up book) by Nadine Bernard Westcott
Valentine Mice by Bethany Roberts
Valentine Surprise by Corinne Demas

As an aside, the Librarian’s Internet Index has selected some top-notch sites related to Valentine’s Day, leading to possibly everything you ever wanted to know about Valentine’s Day (and perhaps more than you wanted to know). The graphic used in this post was found at Graphix by SnoGirl.

Note: 02/13/08 I added Mashable’s 25 Great Resources For Valentine’s Day, because they’re grrreat!

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Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravet (2007)

Great book, take a look!

OR

Sparse text, read it next.

OR

Clever story, I adore thee.

I debated attempting to let my five word reviews stand on their own just as Emily Gravett uses just five words to create her entertaining picture book Orange Pear Apple Bear. In the end I decided that she’s a bit more successful at brevity than I am, so I am employing an uncounted number of more words to praise this story.

Only four nouns are used to comprise the sum total of words and illustrations of this book. Text and illustrations match up perfectly. If the text says orange, then the page displays an orange. If the text says orange, pear, apple, bear, then all four are pictured on the page. The charm of this simplicity is in the way that the objects are arranged on the page in order to tell a complete, completely quirky, and completely humorous story.

What begins with an orange, a pear, and an apple ends with a big satisfied bear lumbering away from two cores and a rind. On the journey from beginning to end, Gravett treats readers to some unusual (borderline fantastic) watercolor compilations. The ursine star displays his skills as he juggles the fruit and balances the fruit on his nose. The illustrations’ color schemes are equally playful, and they are set off to their best advantage against white backgrounds. For instance, when the text reads “Orange pear, apple bear” the pear becomes bright orange and the bear takes on a greenish tint. As mentioned, it all ends quite badly for the fruit and quite well for the bear as the bear consumes each piece and then trots off.

Orange Pear Apple Bear is so simple that even pre-readers will be able memorize the text and find themselves “reading” before they know it. Since the words and pictures align so well, it’s a perfect text to engage pre-readers and to teach them how the letters/words on the page fit together to create meaning. Orange Pear Apple Bear is an ideal book for showing kids that reading can be delightful and not a chore.

For more fun from Emily Gravett read Wolves, Meerkat Mail, or Monkey & Me, or you can visit her Official Site and sneak a peek at her forthcoming works The Odd Egg and Spells.

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Wolves by Emily Gravett (2006)

Ever lost yourself in a good book? Gravett’s white rabbit has–he borrows a book about wolves from the West Bucks Public Burrowing Library and goes merrily (temporarily) along his way engrossed in its pages. Unlike Lewis Carroll’s white rabbit, Gravett’s white rabbit strolls home appearing to have all the time in the world and not a care in the world. It soon becomes apparent, though, that this carefree rabbit should have taken care to pay more attention to the words that he was reading.

As the rabbit reads about what wolves are like (their habitat, their physical characteristics, etc.), the rabbit becomes increasingly absorbed as the wolf becomes more menacing. It is not until the rabbit gets to the part of the book that discusses what wolves eat (“they also enjoy smaller mammals, like beavers, voles, and … rabbits”) that the rabbit pulls its nose out of the book and takes on the startled deer-in-the-headlights expression. Behind the startled, newly cognizant rabbit, the wolf’s face covers nearly the full two-page spread.

The rabbit’s impending demise is quite evident without either of the story’s characters ever saying a word. Presumably the text that is on the pages of Wolves is lifted from the rabbit’s book that he is so engrossed in reading. The factual text combines with the fictional illustrations to create a winning whole in this cautionary “beware of the wolves” picture book.

Gravett employs plenty of whitespace against which to set her illustrations’ focus–the rabbit, the wolf, and the maroon book the rabbit is reading. Gravett’s use of white space and changing the size and arrangement of her rabbit, wolf, and book strengthens her story (Her masterful use of white space is reminiscent of Maurice Sendak’s tactics in Where the Wild Things Are in how he moves from a large amount of white space surrounding the text, to gradually enlarging to illustrations that overwhelm the entire spread as Max and the wild things have their wild rumpus, to having the white space return as Max returns to reality). The rabbit begins to fade in size and significance on the page as the wolf moves closer, gets bigger, and moves to center page. On the final two-page spread, it is the maroon book–with all its wear and tear (i.e., wolf scratches and marks)–that commands attention.

Emily Gravett won the Kate Greenaway Medal for Wolves. Wolves presents the facts in such a fascinating way that it’s difficult to be upset about the demise of the rabbit. However, for those who are upset, Gravett does offer an alternative ending so that just facts get consumed and the wolf and the rabbit share a jam sandwich.

Of course, it is true that after this reassuring page there is another page of the rabbit’s unopened mail suggesting that the rabbit has been absent for some time. Among the mail is a postcard from the library stating that the book is overdue; the library requests that rabbit return the book as soon as possible, as many other rabbits are waiting to burrow it. Still, sensitive readers will hold tight to the jam sandwich ending (or you might want to point sensitive readers to other fare altogether), and readers with a darker sense of humor will appreciate all of these extra comedic touches.

Emily Gravett (listed on the title page as Emily Grrrabbit) clearly deserves the rave reviews garnered on the back cover of the book come from The Daily Carrot (”Every burrow should own this!”), The Hareold (”A rip-roaring tail.”), and the Rabbit Review (”A wonderful introduction for young rabbits to the danger of wolves. Buy this!”). And for those concerned with meeting state and national curriculum standards, this book is a must buy since it does, after all, follow the National Carroticulum.

For another story of a completely unsuspecting prey facing an encounter with a menacing predator, pick up Pat Hutchins classic Rosie’s Walk (starring an unsuspecting hen and a fox predator). Part of the fun for kids in such stories is that they have knowledge that the protagonist does not. For more postmodern wolfish delights, pick up The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by John Scieszka, The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas and Helen Oxenbury, or The Wolf’s Story: What Really Happened to Little Red Riding Hood by Toby Forward.

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Storytime Plan: Bears Theme

Created by: Laura Baas
Age Group: Preschool
Time: 30 minutes
Note: The following storytime plan can be as flexible as it needs to be; feel free to make as many additions, substitutions, and customizations as suits your purposes. Another Note: If you wish, you could advertise that the kids should bring in a teddy bear if they have one and then spend a few minutes introducing each others’ bears.

Introduction and Song (5 minutes)
Introduction: Welcome to the all-about-bears storytime. Some bears up north are probably still in hibernation right now, but I’m glad that you decided against hibernation today and that you have come out for storytime to hear about bears.

Song: Bear (To the tune of: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Bear, bear, bear, big bear,
Hunting near the trees.
Feasting on the honeycomb
Made by busy bees.
(bzzz, bzzz, bzzz)
Bear, bear, bear, big bear,
Wading in the lake.
Fish is your favourite dish:
Which one will you take?
(swish, swish, swish)
Bear, bear, bear, big bear,
Resting in your den.
Sleeping through the winter
Before you’re out again.
(zzz, zzz, zzz)

Read Aloud Bear Books:
Choose one or two of Karma Wilson’s Bear Books (they’re all short, fun, and well-done…plus, the rhyming and repetition are sure to make them a hit):

1. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
Mouse, Hare, Badger, Mole, Wren and Raven decide that they’d rather face the bear than the weather as they seek shelter from winter in bear’s cave…as the bear snores on. When bear does awaken, the other animals are in for a (pleasant) surprise.

2. Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
It’s spring and bear is hungry. While the previous book’s refrain is about snoring on, kids will be sure to chime in for this book’s “But the bear wants more!

3. Bear Stays up for Christmas by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
Bear’s friends wake him up on Christmas Eve and engage him in several engaging activities in order to keep him awake for a Christmas full of celebration and surprises.

4. Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
Who is this mystery creature that the bear hears? Kids will likely delight in they mystery and in the repeat refrain “And the Bear asks, ‘Who?’”

5. Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
It’s reassuring to have friends surround you when you’re sick, or at least it is in this book where “Bear feels sick.” His friends do everything they can think of to get bear back on his feet.

Song for in-between books: You are my Teddy Bear (To the tune of: You are my Sunshine) Note: this song works particularly well if a bear puppet is available and/or the kids have brought in their own teddy bears
You are my teddy bear
My only teddy bear
You make me smile dear
You are my friend
You’ll never know dear
How much I like you
I’m so glad you’re my
Teddy Bear today.

OR

T-E-D-D-Y (to the tune of: B-I-N-G-O)
There was a boy who had a bear
and Teddy was his name-O
T E D D Y, T E D D Y, T E D D Y
and Teddy was his name-O.

OR

Bear is Sleeping (to the tune of: Are You Sleeping?)
Bear is sleeping, Bear is sleeping.
In a cave, In a cave.
I wonder when he’ll come out,
I wonder when he’ll come out.
In the spring, In the spring.

More Bear Read-Aloud Books:
1. The Bear Came Over to My House by Rick Walton and James Warhola
Spinning off The Bear Came over the Mountain, this book will keep kid’s engaged and guessing from the first line (The bear came over to my house to see what he could see. . . . And what do you think the bear saw? ME!).

The following books all feature Eddie (the bear) and his teddy:
2. It’s the Bear! by Jez Alborough
A boy and his teddy bear meet bear and his teddy bear once again in this charming sequel to Where’s my Teddy.

3. My Friend Bear by Jez Alborough
The third book showcasing Eddie and his teddy has Eddie learning about facing fears and friendship.

4. Where’s my Teddy by Jez Alborough
A teddy bear mix-up provides the foundation for this story about a small boy and a giant bear who are both searching for their lost teddy bears. In the end, both small boy and big bear find comfort as the lost is found.

Song and Conclusion:
Song: Hug, Hug, Hug Your Bear (to the tune of: Row, Row, Row your boat)
Hug, hug, hug your bear
Squeeze him very tight
Hold him high
Help him fly
Then hug with all your might.

Departing Song (optional):
It’s time to go home, It’s time to go, home, Wave good-bye to everyone, It’s time to go home.
Additional Verses: We had a happy day, It’s time to go home

Time Fillers:
How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear? : What are Homonyms and Homophones (Words are Categorical) by Brian P. Cleary and Brian Gable

OR

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? (Stories to Go!) by Nancy White Carlstrom and Bruce Degen

OR

Craft Options: Search the web for a simple Bear-related craft such as the ones found at DLTK’s Teddy Bear Craft Page and at First School’s Teddy Bear Page.

OR

Technology links: If you have a projector and a way to connect to the Web, show kids around National Geographic’s Creature Features that feature bears such as the Polar bears and Brown bears. Show kids the pictures they can view and the videos they can watch. Perhaps even watch one of the videos. Another option is to choose from some of the bear-related resources compiled by Kennesaw State University’s Education Department for kids.

Other Bear-Related Picture Books to Consider for Display:
Addis Berner Bear Forgets by Joel Stewart
Baby Bear, Baby Bear What Do you See? by Bill Martin and Eric Carle
A Bear and His Boy by Sean Bryan and Tom Murphy
Bear in a Square by Stella Blackstone and Debbie Harter (interactive rhyming book: teaches shapes and counting)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do you See? by Bill Martin and Eric Carle
Dog and Bear by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Jamberry by Bruce Degen and Peter Fernandez
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? (Stories to Go!) by Nancy White Carlstrom and Bruce Degen
The Large and Growly Bear by Gertrude Crampton
Polar Bear Night by Lauren Thompson and Stephen Savage
A Story for Bear by Dennis Haseley and Jim LaMarche
Very Hairy Bear by Alice Schertle and Matt Phelan

For more ideas regarding recently published books for the juvenile audience that are about and/or including bears, see my WorldCat.org list: Bears.

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The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis (2007)

“He didn’t question what he was being told…This was the time of brainwashing”

There may have been a time when Peter Sis did not question what he was being told, but The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain stands as a testament to the fact that today Peter Sis is an independent thinker (as well as a talented artist). By sharing his story, Sis gives us a textual and pictorial front seat view into communism in Czechoslovakia from the beginning of the Cold War to its end.

Throughout The Wall, Sis is shown trying to make sense out of the life and the culture that lies before him. He knows he wants to be an artist, but self-expression and personal identity are frowned upon in favor of complete conformity and communal identity. He struggles with what he is being taught versus what he feels in his heart, “He stopped drawing and was left with only his dreams. But he had to draw. Sharing the dreams gave him hope.”

Sis makes the atmosphere of fear, suspicion, and lies relevant to children by telling about the Czech government’s policy that encouraged young children to inform on family and friends. Limited freedoms and limited choice is reflected in Sis’ stark text and illustrations. His black and white pen and ink illustrations fill most each page; when color is used, it is largely communist red. With 56 pages (more than the traditional 32 pages found in most picture books) and cartoon like panels, The Wall amalgamates the best of the picture book and graphic novel formats.

While it contains only a mere five paragraphs, Sis’ introduction provides a lucid synopses of the Cold war and sets the stage for his memoir. He writes, “The Soviet Union and the Western nations managed their territories in different ways. The Western Bloc countries were all independent democracies, while the Eastern Bloc was tightly controlled by the Soviet Union.” He notes that Europe was divided “symbolically, ideologically, and physically…I was born at the beginning of it all, on the Red side–the Communist side–of the Iron Curtain.” The story then opens with the Soviet’s closing of the Czech borders in 1948; it ends with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and Sis’ explanation of how difficult it is to put into words the Cold War. Sis has overcome this difficulty by putting his story and the story of these years in world history it into words and pictures while also incorporating other elements such as a historical timeline and excerpts from his journals.

Sis’ book deals with a complex and politically-charged time in world history. On the one hand, adults may need to help younger readers navigate the timeline and make it relevant to life today; on the other hand, the complexity encourages discourse and questioning of different value systems and ways of being. The Wall takes readers outside personal circumstances into recognition that other individuals and people’s of the world have hopes, dreams, and realities as real as their own. The Wall also enhances appreciation of freedom–freedom to draw, freedom to be, freedom to choose.

Sis has won awards for other works (e.g., Starry Messenger as winner of the 1997 Caldecott Honor). The Wall has earned him a couple of additional distinctions, recently winning the Robert F. Sibert Medal and a Caldecott Honor. So my final take on The Wall: Growing up Behind the Iron Curtain:

Reading this book
COMPULSORY
Failing to read this book
PROHIBITED

(Not that I’m advocating conformity or coercion…but, I’m SUGGESTING this will be popular among students of history and with those who enjoy non-traditional book formats.  It will also come in handy for teachers and students facing Cold War era curricula.)

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Storytime Plan: Christmas Trees Theme

Created by: Laura Baas
Age Group: Preschool
Time: 30 minutes (additional materials included as time fillers if needed)

Introduction and Song (5 minutes)
Introduction: Welcome to storytime. Have you decorated your Christmas tree yet? Today we’ll hear some stories about some Christmas trees and how they get from the forest to your house.

Song: I’m a Little Tree (to the tune of: I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little pine tree tall and straight
Here are my branches for you to decorate.
First you put the star on the very top
Just be careful that the balls don’t drop!

Books (20 minutes, insert a song or activity in-between books):

1. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
In this classic story a Christmas tree that is discovered to be too tall for Mr. Willowby’s parlor is shared among many progressively smaller creatures, effectively spreading the joy of Christmas.

2. The Littlest Christmas Tree: a story of Growing and Becoming by Janie Jasin and Pam Kurtz
The littlest tree longs to be a Christmas tree but eventually comes to realize that life is full of many possibilities.

3. Under the Christmas Tree by Nikki Grimes and Kadir Nelson
Twenty-three Christmas poems in this sensory exploration of the sights, sounds, and feelings of Christmas as kids view it.

4. It’s Christmas by Jack Prelutsky and Marylin Hafner
Fun and funny Christmas poems perfect for storytime read-aloud or for emerging readers to read-alone (particularly appropriate for this storytime is the poem Our Christmas Tree).

5. O Christmas Tree (Sing-It!) by Debbie Trafton O’Neal and Ande Cook
Pretty much what the title says, a pictorial rendering of the classic song (also has a new optional final verse about sharing the good news of the season).

6. A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
Friends help friends. This is the message of Monroe’s tale about a dejected, over-the-hill pine tree who has been passed by year-after-year at Christmas time. Woodland creatures unit to help their friend’s dreams come true. Note: This story is a little longer, so be flexible and skip this one if your audience seems to require more motion and interaction

Song: A Pretty Tree (to the tune of: This is the Way We Wash Our Clothes)
This is the way we look for a tree, Look for a tree, look for a tree.
This is the way we look for a tree, Early in December.

Add Additional Verses as desired: 2. This is the way we chop the tree, 3. This is the way we carry it home, 4. This is the way we stand it up, 5. This is the way we make it pretty

OR

Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star (to the tune of: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star Way up high is where you are
Shining bright for all to see On the tip top of our tree
Twinkle Twinkle Christmas star Way up high is where you are

OR

The Lights on the Tree (to the tune of: The Wheels on the Bus):
The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink, Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink, blink. The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink All Christmas Day.

Add Additional Verses as desired: 2. The presents at the house go rattle, rattle, rattle; 3. The mom at the house goes bake, bake, bake, etc.; 4. The dad at the house goes snore, snore, snore, etc.; 5. The grandma at the house goes hug, hug, hug, etc.; 6. The grandpa at the house goes kiss, kiss, kiss, etc.

Time Fillers/Substitutions:

Where Did They Hide My Presents?: Silly Dilly Christmas Songs by Alan Katz and David Catrow (PB)

OR

Craft: Search the web for tree-related activities such as the ones found miscellaneous Christmas-related crafts that have been submitted to Enchanted Learning (e.g., handprint tree, shooting star tree ornament, and paper Christmas tree).

OR

Technology: If computers are available, have kids sit with caregivers and visit the All Things Christmas site where they will be able to Trim the Tree virtually. You could also point out MSN’s Christmas FAQ’s which answers Why We Decorate Evergreen Trees and Other Christmas Questions.

OR

Storytelling: try telling a pourquoi tale that has been made up about evergreens such as Rick Walton’s Why the Evergreen Trees Keep Their Leaves in the Winter

Additional Christmas-Tree Related Books:
Apple Tree Christmas Edition 1. by Trinka Hakes Noble (pb)
Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford and Karen Dugan
Christmas Tree Farm by Ann Purmell and Jill Weber (pb)
The Christmas Tree House by Robert Humphrey (pb)
Christmas Trees by Robert Frost and Ted Rand (poetry)
The Finest Christmas Tree by Ann Hassett and John Hassett
The First Christmas Tree: A Legend from Long Ago by Helen Haidle, David Haidle, and Elizabeth Haidle (pb)
The Happiest Christmas Tree by David McMath (pb)
The Homeless Christmas Tree by Leslie M. Gordon and Court Bailey (pb)
I Spy Christmas: A Book of Picture Riddles by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick (pb)
The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Rick Osborne, Pat Matuszak, and Bill Dodge (pb)
The Little Crooked Christmas Tree by Michael Cutting and Ron Broda (pb)
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown and Jim Lamarche (pb)
Turtle and Snake and the Christmas Tree (Easy-to-Read, Puffin) by Kate Spohn (er)
Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect by Richard H. Schneider
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story by Gloria Houston and Barbara Cooney (pb)

Note: For more Christmas-related books to display see my previous Christmas storytime post on Christmas stories for Series Characters or visit Laura Baas’ WorldCat.org list for Christmas–Juvenile Audience (since there is no shortage of Christmas books available out there, this list includes mainly recently published picture books, easy readers, and early chapter books).

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