Getting to know...David Catrow!

I had the opportunity to visit Thomas Elementary School in Gretna on October 24 and see one of my favorite illustrators, David Catrow!  The first thing I learned is that I have been mispronouncing his name.  (It's pronounced KA-tro.)

You are probably familiar with David Catrow's work - he is very prolific!  The Bellevue Public Library has 45 titles that have been written or illustrated by him!

Here are some of my favorites:

Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel, illustrated by David Catrow

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by David Catrow

The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln by Mike Reiss, illustrated by David Catrow

Don't Say That Word by Alan Katz, illustrated by David Catrow

My School's a Zoo! by Stu Smith, illustrated by David Catrow

Where's My T-R-U-C-K? by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by David Catrow

I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff, illustrated by David Catrow

Monster Mash illustrated by David Catrow

Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, illustrated by David Catrow
(This is David's most recent book, published this fall!)

Here is David at Thomas Elementary drawing two characters for the students.

Here David is showing the students how he might draw a dog. He started his drawing by writing the word D-O-G.  Can you see those letters in his drawing?!

Drawing a dog, using the letters D-O-G, is one thing... but do you think he can draw a
D-R-A-G-O-N??

Let's see how he's doing on that dragon...

(Could you still see all the letters and how he incorporated them into his drawing?!)


I really enjoyed seeing the artist "at work" and getting a little sense of what he's thinking about as he creates his art.  I hope you will check out some of David Catrow's books from the library and share them with those you love!
I'd love to hear from YOU!  What is YOUR favorite David Catrow book?!

Keep reading!
  ~ Mrs. B.

Baby & Me Storytime

Presented at Bellevue Public Library on Wednesday, December 12, 2012.


Book:

Jesse Bear's Tum-Yum Tickle by Nancy White Carlstrom, illustrated by Bruce Degen

Songs:


Welcome to Storytime!
(tune: Old McDonald)

At storytime we have (child's name) today.
We're so glad, let's shout hooray!


Jingle Bells

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

jingle all the way.

Oh, what fun it is to ride in a

one-horse open sleigh! (2x)

Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

O'er the fields we go,

Laughing all the way!

Bells on bobtail ring,

Making spirits bright.

What fun it is to ride and sing

A sleighing song tonight!

The Baby in the Cradle
(tune: Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush")

The baby in the cradle goes rock-a-rock-a-rock (4 times)
(With baby on your lap, gently rock from side to side)

2. The clock on the dresser goes tick-a-tick-a-tock (4 times)
(lift baby under her arms and make gentle tick-tock motion)

3. The rain on the window goes tap-a-tap-a-tap (4 times)
(gently tap your fingers on baby's head, cheeks, nose, etc.)

4. Here comes the sun do we clap-a-clap-a-clap! ( 4 times)

Activities:

One Little Baby Rocking in a Tree

One little baby rocking in a tree.
(gently rock child)
Two little babies splashing in the sea.
(adult/child make "splashing" motion)
Three little babies crawling on the floor.
(move hands in "walking" motion in front of child)
Four little babies knocking at the door.
(make a fist and "knock" in the air)
Five little babies playing hide and seek.
(cover eyes with hands)
Don't look!  Don't look!
Until I say...PEEK!
(uncover eyes)

Bounce, Tickle and Kiss!

I bounce you here

I bounce you there,

I bounce you, bounce you everywhere!

I tickle you here,

I tickle you there,

I tickle you, tickle you everywhere!

I kiss you here,

I kiss you there,

I kiss you, kiss you everywhere!



Our Hands Say Goodbye

Our hands say goodbye with a clap, clap, clap.
Our feet say goodbye with a tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap,
Tap, tap, tap.
We roll our hands around and say... "Let's do it again!"

Our hands say goodbye with a clap, clap, clap.Our feet say goodbye with a tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap,
Tap, tap, tap.
We roll our hands around and say... "Goodbye!"

Our ExploreTime Activity this week was Puppets!
It was great fun to enjoy puppets with our little ones today! Animal puppets can meow, oink and bark, they can crawl, swim and hop, and they come in every color of the rainbow! 

Throughout the month of December I have been sharing some insights with parents and caregivers about the importance of talking to and with their children. This month will offer many opportunities to introduce rich vocabulary as you describe some of what your child is seeing, hearing and experiencing: "crispy, crunchy snow" (if and when it comes!), "twinkling lights", the deep resonating "Ho! Ho! Ho!" of Santa at the mall, the "stiff, prickly pine needles on the tree", etc. Children will delight in the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the holidays, especially when they experience it with you!

Next Wednesday, December 19 will be our last Baby & Me Storytime for the year.  We will resume on January 9, 2013!

Pajama Storytime

Presented at Bellevue Public Library on Tuesday, December 11, 2012.

Books:

All the Awake Animals Are Almost Asleep by Crescent Dragonwagon, illustrated by David McPhail

Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere

Snowmen at Work by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner

Snowbear's Christmas Countdown by Theresa Smythe

Tonight we made chocolate spoons to take home as a gift for someone special.  The children and adults also received instructions on how to make more chocolate spoons at home.  They make wonderful gifts and they are especially fun and quick to create!

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/christmas/chocolate-covered-spoons.shtml

For those who enjoy evening storytimes at the Bellevue Public Library - just a reminder that our monthly Papa Bear & Me Storytime will be held next Tuesday, December 18 (since the 4th Tuesday this month falls on Christmas!)
I hope to see many of you there!
   ~ Mrs. B.
 

Toddler Storytime - Christmas Treats!

Presented at Bellevue Public Library on Thursday, December 6, 2012.

Books:
While I chose these stories because they included some yummy treats such as popcorn, hot chocolate, cookies and candy canes, they also ended up featuring MICE!
Inside, Outside Christmas written and illustrated by Robin Spowart

Mouse's First Christmas by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Buket Erdogan

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond

Songs:

Jingle Bells!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

jingle all the way.

Oh, what fun it is to ride in a

one-horse open sleigh! (2x)

Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

O'er the fields we go,

Laughing all the way!

Bells on bobtail ring,

Making spirits bright.

What fun it is to ride and sing

A sleighing song tonight!

Let's All Do a Little Clapping
(sung to "We Wish You A Merry Christmas")

Let's all do a little clapping,
let's all do a little clapping,
let's all do a little clapping, 
and spread Christmas cheer.

We can think of other actions to do as we sing this song:
jumping, twirling, stretching, dancing, etc.


Storytime Has Ended
(tune: "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")

Storytime has ended, has ended, has ended.
Storytime has ended 'til we meet again.

(Children wave to each other as we continue)
'Til we meet, 'til we meet, 'til we meet, 'til we meet.
Storytime has ended 'til we meet again.

Activities:

Our Hands Say Hello!

Our hands say hello with a clap, clap, clap.
Our feet say hello with a tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap,
Tap, tap, tap.
Turn around and take a bow.
Sit right down. It's Storytime now!


This month I will be talking with parents and caregivers about the importance of giving their children the gift of literacy! One very important skill that will reap lifelong benefits is the ability to speak and communicate well with others. Christmastime provides a wonderful opportunity to share rich vocabulary with your child!  Today's stories used such great words as: sparkly, sticky, jingly, flickery, silvery, prickly, munching, crunching, whiskery and tinkly.  I encourage our adults to use wonderful, descriptive words such as these when talking with their children.  We live in a BIG and BEAUTIFUL world, made even more beautiful as they learn new ways to describe it!  Our world is HUGE, GIGANTIC, COLOSSAL and it is LOVELY, GORGEOUS AND BREATHTAKING!  Give your child the gift of language this Christmas season - and all year through!

Next week's Toddler Storytime theme: Christmas with the Animals

Getting to know...Denise Fleming!

On December 1st I attended the 2012 ECCOA Early Literacy Conference at UNO.  The guest speakers were Isabel Baker, owner of The Book Vine for Children (https://www.bookvine.com) and author/illustrator Denise Fleming (http://denisefleming.com).
It was a wonderful day shared with librarians, teachers, and daycare providers.
Here are some pictures and video from the conference!


During the conference Denise Fleming was available to sign copies of her book.  As she was signing books for me I also asked if she would sign my mouse puppet.  Some of my Storytime friends will recognize Squeaky, the puppet I made years ago to accompany Denise's book Lunch.  Squeaky was being sneaky in this picture but he still got a kiss from Denise!

Denise Fleming is pictured here with Isabel Baker, who was dressed up to take part in an acted-out version of a story!

Denise Fleming really liked my Lunch puppet and the fruits and vegetables he eats as I tell the story.  She asked if I would come up and show it to the group.  Here I have the mouse on my arm while she is holding up each of the foods he loves to eat!

Here is Denise speaking with some of the attendees and signing copies of her books.

This video shows a number of us at the conference participating in a dramatic retelling of In the Tall, Tall Grass.

It was such a privilege to meet Denise Fleming, whose work I have admired and enjoyed for many years!

Baby & Me Storytime

Presented at Bellevue Public Library on Wednesday, December 5, 2012.


Book:

I Love You Through and Through
by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak, illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church

Songs:

Welcome to Storytime!
(tune: Old McDonald)

At storytime we have (child's name) today.
We're so glad, let's shout hooray!


Jingle Bells!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a
One-horse open sleigh!

Parents, grandparents and caregivers: There is no such thing as singing this song too many times - especially at this time of year!  Today we enjoyed this children's favorite as we played with our own jingle bells, clapped to the music, and bounced along in a lap.


POP! Goes the Weasel

All around the cobbler's bench
The monkey chased the weasel.
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun.
POP! goes the weasel!

A penny for a spool of thread,
A penny for a needle.
That's the way the money goes.
POP! goes the weasel.



Activities:

Pudding on the Plate

Pudding on the plate,
Pudding on the plate,
Wibble wobble,
Wibble wobble,
Pudding on the plate.
(Sway gently from side to side as your child enjoys the ride!)

Candies in the jar,
Candies in the jar,
Shake them up,
Shake them up,
Candies in the jar.
(Bounce gently with your child in your lap!)

Candles on the cake,
Candles on the cake.
Blow them out,
Blow them out,
Candles on the cake.
(Gently blow toward your child's face each time you say "cake"!)


Our Hands Say Goodbye

Our hands say goodbye with a clap, clap, clap.
Our feet say goodbye with a tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap,
Tap, tap, tap.
We roll our hands around and say... "Let's do it again!"

Our hands say goodbye with a clap, clap, clap.
Our feet say goodbye with a tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap,
Tap, tap, tap.
We roll our hands around and say... "Goodbye!"

Our ExploreTime Activity this week was jigsaw puzzles!  Some children were able to put the pieces in their correct spots, some enjoyed looking at the animals, shapes, and other pictures on the puzzle pieces while some like to make the sounds of the animals they see.  Still others just like to see what puzzles taste like and one little girl discovered that 2 puzzle pieces, held by their knobs, can be played together like cymbals, making an awesome sound!

Throughout the month of December I will be sharing insights with parents and caregivers about the importance of talking to and with their children.  This month will offer many opportunities to introduce rich vocabulary as you describe some of what your child is seeing, hearing and experiencing: "crispy, crunchy snow" (if and when it comes!), "twinkling lights", the deep resonating "Ho! Ho! Ho!" of Santa at the mall, the "stiff, prickly pine needles on the tree", etc.  Children will delight in the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the holidays, especially when they experience it with you!  

Happy Birthday to Daniel B. who will be celebrating on December 9!  We had fun singing to you today!

Toddler Storytime - I Like Red!

Presented at Bellevue Public Library on Thursday, November 29, 2012.

Books:

A Red Wagon Year written by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Red Truck written by Kersten Hamilton, illustrated by Valeria Petrone

One Red Apple written by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Karla Gudeon

Songs:


Storytime Has Ended
(tune: "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")

Storytime has ended, has ended, has ended.
Storytime has ended 'til we meet again.

(Children wave to each other as we continue)
'Til we meet, 'til we meet, 'til we meet, 'til we meet.
Storytime has ended 'til we meet again.





Activities:

Our Hands Say Hello!

Our hands say hello with a clap, clap, clap.
Our feet say hello with a tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap,

Tap, tap, tap.

Turn around and take a bow.

Sit right down. It's Storytime now!

Five Red Apples

Five red apples growing on a tree.
(raise hands out to form branches)

There's some for you and some for me!
(point to others, then to self)

When we shake the tree just so,
(shake body)

Five red apples will fall below.
1...2...3...4...5!
(close, then open fist as though dropping each apple)


We had fun exploring the color red at today's storytime.  As children arrived for storytime they were given red wooden blocks, red beanbags and red rhythm sticks to play with and explore.
Next week we begin a 3-week block of Christmas-themed storytimes!  I hope to see you then!