We try to hit storytime at the library each week. The kids love the songs and dances and the animated ways that the children’s librarian reads the stories to them. Every once in a while, we’ll “play” storytime at home. The kids think it’s hilarious to pretend that we’re sitting in the library while really just singing, dancing and reading in the living room. I don’t, however, play the ukelele like the librarian does. I might have to work on that feature.

Anyway, How to Speak Moo! by Deborah Fajerman was one of the books we chose for our pretend time this week, and the kids got a kick out of it. There was so much mooing going on that you’d think you were at a dairy farm! All of the different nuances of the moo language presented had all of us giggling, laughing, bouncing, snoring, and–of course–mooing. And that was one of my favorite aspects of the book, it was as fun to the 1 year old (who just learned that cows say “moo”, and emphasizes the behavior by making horns when he does it), as it was to the 3 and 6 year olds. This may become a new favorite at our house!

What are the favorite books in your house for getting everyone giggling and being silly together?

Post from: Play Library

Last week, the theme of pajama storytime was chickens. This week it was pigs. And one of the pig books on display for borrowing was “Eat!”, Cried Little Pig by Jonathan London (author) and Delphine Durand (illustrator). Let there be no doubt that someone involved in the creation of this book has spent significant mealtime hours with a one year old. After the two months I’ve spent trying to keep ants from invading our home and enjoying the feast left behind on the kitchen floor by my one and two year olds, I was beginning to wonder if the author had come to do research for the book at my house and I’d just forgotten!

I wish I could share the whole book with you, but this part should ring true to anyone who’s had to share mealtime with a toddler:

Squish went the banana.
Squash went the eggs.
Squish-squash went everything that landed on his legs.

Food in his hair.
Food on his chair.
Food on his clothes
and food everywhere!

And the look of utter desperation on poor Mama Pig’s face near the end of the book just caused a surge of empathy to well up in my heart. Because I’ve been there. Today. A few times.

Post from: Play Library

The theme for the night was chickens. And so…..we danced the chicken dance, made paper chicken magnets, and listened to a few chicken-themed books.

One book was The Scarecrow’s Hat by Ken Brown, which I had never read. Very cute tale of a chicken helping her friends to get what they need in the process of getting what she wants. The illustrations, also by Ken Brown, were beautiful. It’s always a treat to actually enjoy the artwork when you’re reading a book for the 50th time.

Post from: Play Library