Miss Carol's Favorite Picture Book Finds of 2022

 Every year I spend the last few weeks of the year compiling my favorite book finds of the year.  They are not always new books.  Just books I discovered for the first time and really, really liked.  

PICTURE BOOKS: 

  

Amara’s Farm by JaNay Brown-Wood, illustrated by Samara Hardy

Astro Girl by Ken Wilson-Max

Five on the Bed by Addie Boswell 

 

Fluffy McWhisker’s Cuteness Explosion by Stephen W. Martin, illustrated by Dan Tavis

Itty-Bitty Kitty Corn by Shannon Hale, illustrated by Leuyen Pham

 

Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Hyewon Yum

Toesy Toes by Sarah Tsiang (board book)

  

Also of interest:

Miss Carol's Chapter Book and Non-fiction Book Finds of 2022

Miss Carol's Graphic Novel Books Finds of 2022

December Preschool Field Trip

 This month I hosted a field trip from a local preschool.  After a tour of the library, we sat down for a short storytime.  I just happened to have two cat books sitting in my cubicle that were perfect for this job!

 

Mama Cat Has Three Kittens by Denise Fleming

Stack the Cats by Susie Ghahremani

Walking Along Toddler Storytime

Opening #1 - Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2 - Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum;
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

  

 

Book #1 – A Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes

Stand-up activity – “Grand Old Duke of York” action song from Toddler’s On Parade

Transition #1 - Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

 

 

Flannelboard – “A-Hunting We Will Go” (traditional rhyming song)

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go.
We’ll catch a mouse and put him in a house.
And then we’ll let him go.

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go.
We’ll catch a frog and put her on a log.
And then we’ll let her go.

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go.
We’ll catch a goat and put him in a boat.
And then we’ll let him go.

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go.
We’ll catch a bear and put him in a chair.
And then we’ll let him go.

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go.
We’ll catch a fox and put her in a box.
And then we’ll let her go.

Letter of the day - "W” is for walking

Transition #2 – Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see,
Here's my mama, (point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see,
Here's my papa, (point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see,
My brother tall, (point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, (point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. (kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

Book #2 – I Went Walking by Sue Williams, illustrated by Julie Vivas (Big Book)

Closing – “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

 

Body Parts: a Little Learners Storytime

 Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

Opening - "A Tooty Ta" from Dance Like This by Mr. Al

 

 

Body parts literacy activity – Got a Booboo

I used this song (that I found on the internet many years ago) along with some Body Part Picture Cards that I found from SLPreschool.  First, I passed out one body part picture card to each storytime participant.  Then, I sang the song and inserted a different body part into the blank spot. When their body part was called, the children were invited to tape their body part picture to my flannelboard.  At the end, we counted how many body parts were on the board. 

Body parts: Eye, nose, mouth, ear, arm, hand, leg, foot, stomach.

Got a booboo, 
Got a booboo, 
Got a booboo on my _______________.
(insert body part)
Got a booboo,
Need a band aide.
Kiss it better for me!

          

  

Book #1 – Nose to Toes, You Are Yummy! by TimHarrington

Stand-up activity – “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” (traditional action song)

Sit down activity - "Finger Poppin’” (fingerplay song from Action Songsfor Preschoolers by Georgiana Stewart)

Book #2 – Hello Toes! Hello Feet! By Ann Whitford Paul, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

 Book #3 – Whose Knees Are These? by Jabari Asim, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (board book)

 Closing – “Jump Up, Turn Around” from Jim Gill Sings Moving Rhymes for Modern Times by Jim Gill 

 

 

 

 

 

Toesy Toes Toddler Storytime

Opening #1 - Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2 - Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum;
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

  

 

Book #1 – Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury

Stand-up activity – “Razzaama Taazama” action song from More Tickles & Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman

Parent Literacy Tip – Singing and acting out songs like “Razzaama Taazama” are great for children to learn about rhythm and fun vocabulary, such as body part names. 

Transition #1 - Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

 

 

Flannelboard – How Many Feet? (Simple rhyme I found somewhere many years ago)

Birds have two

Dogs have four

Beetles have six

Spiders have eight

That's quite a lot more than me because I only have two feet!

Letter of the day - "T” is for toes

Transition #2 – Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see,
Here's my mama, (point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see,
Here's my papa, (point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see,
My brother tall, (point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, (point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. (kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

Book #2 – Toesy Toes by Sarah Tsiang (board book)

Closing – “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

 

 

Sing-a-Song Storytime: Turkeys Eating Cheese Fondue

 Last year, a coworker and I created this video storytime to celebrate Thanksgiving while in-person events were still on hiatus.  We created this one with the desire to get young children moving around and singing.  It is filled with lots of favorite storytime songs and rhymes.  Instead of a book we brought in puppets and a flannelboard story.  I really wanted the grown-ups watching along with the kiddos to learn the songs, so I used a split screen technique on the videos to display the words to the songs/rhymes while I am singing and acting them out.  

Opening song – When Animals Get Up in the Morning (adaptation of a traditional song)

When pigs get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
When pigs get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
They say, "Oink!, Oink!, Oink!, Oink!,"
that is what they say.
They say, "Oink!, Oink!, Oink!, Oink!,"
that is what they say.

When pigs get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
When pigs get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
They say, "Grunt!, Grunt!, Grunt!, Grunt!,"
that is what they say.
They say, "Grunt!, Grunt!, Grunt!, Grunt!,"
that is what they say.

   

Flannelboard activity – Turkeys Eating Cheese Fondue (a counting rhyme found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

  

Action song – Turkey Lurkey (to the tune of "Handy Spandy" performed with a ball)

Turkey Lurkey fine and dandy.
(ball on head)
Loves pumpkin pie and sugar candy.
(put down ball and sign language for "candy")
Bought it from a baker's shop,
(bounce ball)
And away did hop, hop, hop!
(toss ball into the air)

Action song – Where Is the Turkey? (action song to the tune of “Oh My Darling Clementine” found in a Mailbox Preschool magazine, Nov/Dec 2016, page 34)

 

Action song – The Turkeys Come Marching (adaptation of the "Ants Go Marching" song)

The turkeys come marching one by one
Hoorah!  Hoorah!
The turkeys come marching one by one
Hoorah!  Hoorah!
The turkeys come marching one by one.
The little one stops to suck their thumb.
And they all go marching,
Down,
Around
The farm,
Boom!  Boom!  Boom!  

The turkeys come marching two by two...
The little one stops to tie its shoe...

The turkeys come marching three by three...
The little one stops to gobble at me...

The turkeys come marching four by four...
The little one's feather was stuck in the door...

 

Closing song - Skinnamarink (https://youtu.be/95JkQfANW9M) 

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

I love you in the morning,
And in the afternoon
I love you in the evening,
Underneath the moon…

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

***The video for this storytime can be found on my library's YouTube channel.

Fire Trucks Toddler Storytime

Opening #1 - Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2 - Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum;
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

  

 

Book #1 – I Love Trucks! by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern

Stand-up activity – “Drive the Fire Truck” action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Transition #1 - Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

 

 

Flannelboard – "Five Firefighters" counting rhyme I found in a Preschool Mailbox magazine (October/November 2007, page 40)

Letter of the day - "F” is for fire truck

Transition #2 – Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see,
Here's my mama, (point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see,
Here's my papa, (point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see,
My brother tall, (point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, (point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. (kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

Book #2 – Maisy’s Fire Engine by Lucy Cousins (board book)

Closing – “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

 

 

 

Fall Apples Toddler Storytime

Opening #1 - Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2 - Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum;
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

Literacy Tip – Talking about bubblegum flavors before we do the “Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum” fingerplay is a great way to build vocabulary and to think about the flavors the children experience throughout the day.  

 

 

 

Book #1 – We Love Fall! by Diane Muldrow, illustrated by Jill Dubin

Stand-up activity – “Little Squirrel” from Movin’ & Groovin’ Home 2 by Kindermusik

Transition #1 - Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

 

Flannelboard – Five Red Apples (counting down chant written by Carol Garnett Hopkins as found in the book Artsy Toddler Storytimes) 

Letter of the day - "A” is for apple

Transition #2 – Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see,
Here's my mama, (point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see,
Here's my papa, (point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see,
My brother tall, (point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, (point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. (kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

Book #2 – Apples, Apples by Salina Yoon (board book)

Closing – “Popcorn Calling Me” from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner