100 Storytimes : Feelings Storytime, Friday, February 10 @ 10:30

Valentine's Day at my library is when we talk about feelings. I use it to bring up some of the many subjects that may be bothering young children. It's one of my favorites.

Books

Prop: After the book, I drew a grid on the chalkboard and divided into four. I drew a scared face in the 1st grid, and then showed the next book, A Good Day, and introduced it by drawing a sad face and then a happy face.

A Good Day by Kevin Henkes. Short & sweet. Prop: The yellow feather!

I'm Not Scared by Jonathan Allen. This one is actually a kind of thin read aloud about fear. Pass next time.

My Heart Is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall

I finished with this charmer, which was kind of perfect. The kids tried to recognize the creatures and call out their names. Some were very tough -- might want to use paperclips on some.

It's Tough to Loose Your Balloon by Krosoczka. Pitch perfect about the good and bad of very, very, authentic kids stuff. We had a nice chat about bandaids.

Can You Make a Scary Face by Jan Thomas. Fun.

How Kind!

Props: cup of milk (I have a plastic cup painted white on the inside -- comes in very hand), a flower, and my big golden egg with a little chick inside. This friendly book about "paying it forward" gets my storyhour off on a cheery note.

If I Were a Lion by Sarah Weeks. Sarah Weeks writes a great readaloud, and this is no exception. The indignant child in the book is reminding her accuser that if she really were a lion she would... The repetition is charming, but to gear this one up a bit, start reading faster and faster towards the end to emphasize the humor and predictability.

Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard. I was Grumpy Bird and the kids by turn to be sheep, or beaver, etc, and join me walking around the room, hopping, etc.

(Angry face) The Day Leo Said I Hate You by Robie Harris. No intro needed. I show off the cover and read the title in a hushed voice. "The Day Leo said I HATE YOU!" pronouncing each word with scandalized horror. A gasp goes up from mothers and children alike.

Leo does in fact tell his mother he hates her and he is afterwards very, very sorry and embarrassed. His mother and he talk about this: It's OK to say you hate broccoli but not people. This is a very helpful book for kids learning to deal with and communicate their frustrations. I like the fact that Leo is a human boy with a human mom and not an animal character, and the scribbley art work adds too.

NEW MUST ADD: Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster by Michelle Nelson=Schmidt
Happy by Hout. Just looking at this book makes me happy. Drawing fish with oil chalks on black or blue paper would be a great craft.
Finn Throws a Fit! by Elliott -- very short, funny exaggeration.
The Happiest Book Ever by Bob Shea. Features a frog and a dancing cake.

Bully by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Doesn't get better than this.
Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer

Songs

Godzilla Version of Skinnamarinka

Max just gave me his old Godzilla puppet, so I thought I would have some fun with it. I brought out a pretty red fairy puppet and introduced her as the Valentine fairy. "And I want you to sing Skinnamarinka, Godzilla," she announced. "No!" Godzilla roared. "Roooar!" She used her magic on him and he had to sing it in his Godzilla voice. Then she sang in her little squeaky fairy voice. It was pretty funny.

Old MacDonald Felt so Glad. Ha-Ha-HA-HA-HA

And when he’s glad, he sounds like this:

Ha-Ha-HA-HA-HA

With a Ha-Ha here, and a Ha-Ha there,

Here a HA, there a HA, everywhere a HA HA

Old MacDonald felt so glad, HA HA HA HA HA

Sad, WAA WAA WAA WAA WAA

Mad, AGH AGH AGH AGH AGHH

Scared, Oooh! Ooooh! Oooh! Oooh!

Proud, Yay ME! Yay ME! Yay ME!

If You're Nutty And You Know It by Eric Litwin

Books to try someday:

When Sophie Gets Angry
I'm Not Cute
How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You
Pierre: A cautionary tale
My Many Colored Days
What Was I Scared Of?

Craft

Painting white paper doilies.
Squishy Potato Dudes. Fill a balloon with playdough and seal it, then draw a face on it. They'll stay moist and squishy for months.
2015: Someone just gave me a huge box of TP rolls so we used them to stamp heart outlines. Used lots of colors and added a bunch of embellishments too.

Best Links

Feelings Storytime Blog: Children's Librarian blogs on Feelings
American Psychological Association Magination Press: A catalog that covers a very wide range of self help books for kids, both fiction and nonfiction titles.
Heart Shaped Animal Crafts: The perfect craft to go with Michael Hall's My Heart is Like a Zoo.