I love libraries.
I love books.
I love working with teenagers.
I love working with kids.
I love technology.
Public Librarian.
YAvangelist.
Programming wizard.
Planning programs, delivering reference services, and performing outreach in the community!
Blogging about trends in teen lit, new releases, and YALSA book lists for the best little library division in the world.
Planned and executed an average of eight teen programs a month, with an emphasis on low-cost, high-interest programs.
Revamped volunteer program to include an interview process and formalized trianing, so that volunteers could be more effective, faster.
Offered reference and reader's advisory services to all ages, with a special emphasis on teen reader's advisory and reference.
Made connections in the community that allowed me to perform outreach at community nights, back to school events, movie screenings, and more.
• Developed and executed technology-based programs for teens, tweens, and children
• Supervised teens in Connected Youth centers and performed ad hoc technology instruction
• Answered reference questions and performed readers’ advisory at children’s reference desk
• Greeted and assisted visitors, students, and professors upon arrival at the School of Information graduate department
• Provided technical support and troubleshooting when problems arose using conference room technology and office machines
• Updated security-sensitive student records in the UT mainframe as needed
• Coordinated and planned promotional events, including author signings and visits
• Created and maintained database of potential exhibitors and vendors in Microsoft Excel
• Researched collection development ideas for professional engineers
• Updated SIRSI to reflect new acquisitions and remove outdated entries
• Performed an audit of periodicals holdings
• Assessed adopters readiness for a pet and advised them on appropriate animal selection
• Led tours for school groups or other visitors as necessary
• Developed and executed fire education and prevention programs for children and adults on the Eastern Cherokee Reservation
• Served as a member of an outreach team that performed over 2,000 wildfire risk evaluations while distributing prevention information to homeowners
• Created a Microsoft Access database to contain wildfire risk evaluations
• Developed and executed fire education and prevention programs for children and adults on the White Mountain Apache Reservation
• Utilized GPS technology to obtain addresses and coordinates to add to the reservation-wide 911 program
• Served as a public liaison for the BIA in outreach situations
• Developed website for the reservation fire station and prepared report on best options for web development software
I did this toddler time last Tuesday — this past week has been a crazy one! We are definitely gearing up to head in to the craziness of summer!
Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello
Nursery Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock and Diddle Diddle Dumpling
Opening Fingerplay: Open Them, Shut Them
Book: Hello, Robots by Bob Staake
I love the bright, primary colors and repeating text in this book. It’s a little bit long for my wiggly toddler set, but that’s easily solved with a paper clip! I clipped together some of the middle of the story, and it was juuuust the right length. Not sure if my littlest toddlers understood that the robots switched heads and that’s what solved the problems, but they knew things ended when everyone did their part to help out. So that’s a win!
Song: Robot, Robot
Another song from 1,000 Fingerplays and Action Rhymes by Barbara Scott — I’m trying to make better use of the professional development titles everyone ignores in our work room! Simple variation on Puppy Dog, Puppy Dog, I tweaked it so they would be sitting down at the end. Do all the actions with maximum robot-iness for the most success!
Robot, robot,
Turn around.
Robot, robot,
Touch the ground.
Robot, robot,
turn left and right.
Robot, robot,
flash your lights.
Robot, robot,
bloop and bleep.
Robot, robot,
Go to sleep.
Book: The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli
I really love this book about all the things a box can be. I was really delighted when one of my regulars, who always enjoys toddler time but is pretty shy, exclaimed “the box is a robot!!” when we got to that page. It was awesome!!!
Flannel: Robot Parts
I cut out a bunch of different shapes in several sizes and colors. Each kid took a turn placing one of the shapes in a robot shape. It was a great opportunity to practice our color and shape vocabulary, plus, who doesn’t need a little practice taking turns! One girl, who at five was a little too old to really get the most out of toddler time, was pretty upset that the other kids were putting the pieces on “wrong”. I just kept cheerfully saying that we were taking turns and there would be plenty of time to play with the flannel pieces after stories, and all was fine.
Song: The Lights on the Robot
Another song from 1,000 Fingerplays and Action Rhymes, this song was a big hit. I think that one great thing about The Wheels on the Bus and its variations is that the repetition allows even the youngest kids to catch on. Definitely a winner!
The lights on the robot
blink on and off,
on and off, on and off.
The lights on the robot
blink on and off,
all around the rocket ship
(arms on the robot go up and down,
dials on the robot turn left and right,
legs go up and down,
power on the robot powers down)
Book: See Otto by David Milgrim
This book is actually a beginning reader that’s leveled to pre-reading. I had a little blurb for parents before I started about how sometimes it’s nice to read beginning readers together, so your little one will get excited about the prospect of eventually reading on their own. It’s a pretty repetitive title, but my toddlers were rapt with anticipation. I think using a beginner book will only work with small crowds like mine, though. The format doesn’t really scale to big groups.
Shaker Songs: We’re Going to Kentucky and Shake Your Shakers High
Song: Rum Pum Pum
Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon
We had a really small group at Toddler Time this week! One family of regulars, and one family that had an infant, a young toddler, an older toddler, and a five year old. The mixed-age kids were actually really good listeners, but unfortunately, their mom was not. She didn’t participate in any of the songs or rhymes and played on a tablet the entire time. It was such a small group that I didn’t want to single her out and embarrass her, but it was definitely detrimental to the storytime vibe. The kids were also a little…screech-y and cranky during free play. Hopefully the family will come back, but to a program like Family Fun that has more to appeal to all their ages.
Overall, this was a fun toddler time. We’re now on programming pause, so I’ll have the next two weeks off of programming so I can prep for Summer Reading!!
This theme was a bit of a challenge, but I think I managed to find really fun stuff without compromising on quality.
Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello
Nursery Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock and Diddle Diddle Dumpling
Opening Fingerplay: Open Them, Shut Them
Book: Little Pig Joins the Band by David Hyde Costello
This book has so many great band instruments in it. Not exactly vocabulary you’ll use everyday, but really nice for creating richness of language! Plus, toddlers definitely relate to not being big enough to do things. The only odd blip in reading it is the asides/dialog can be kind of awkward to read. But overall a really nice, short book that introduces fun concepts without being unwieldy.
Song: Two Little Blackbirds
Our old Toddler-Timer used to do a lot of two little blackbirds sitting on a hill. I’m totally bringing it back, y’all! I talked about how music sounds are different from each other and how that makes music.
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill.
One named Jack and one named Jill.
Fly away jack! Fly away Jill!
Come back jack! Come back Jill!
(Sitting on a cloud/soft/loud,
Sitting on snow/fast/slow,
sitting in the sky/low/high)
Book: Tanka Tanka Sunk by Steve Webb
One of my favorite readalouds, just because it’s really fun to read aloud. Not a lot of plot, but the rhythm of the words is a great opportunity to talk about things that sound like music, even though they aren’t. Also, skunks!
Action Song: Play an Instrument
We put on Ella Jenkin’s Play and instrument and I passed out bells. Due to my slightly hurried planning (I was out sick yesterday!), I totally didn’t realize this song featured so many different instruments in the instructions. If I were doing this program again, I would find a song that focused more on shaking your instrument fast and slow, soft and loud, stop and go, and less on the rhythm sticks, triangle, etc.
Song: Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands
I got this song from Storytime For Two Year Olds by Judy Nichols. It’s a fun song, but one of my toddlers (I only had two today!) was outraged that we had been doing instruments without and not singing the shaker song, so we cut it short. We only did one verse!
Clap, clap, clap your hands!
Clap your hands with me!
Clap them fast.
Clap them slow.
Clap your hands with me!
(stomp your feet, pat your knees, la-la sing a song)
Book: Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler and R. Gregory Christie
Another great book with fun rhythm. I like that it has a plot without losing the rhyming and being too wordy. Also features good vocabulary like scat (the music, not the poop)!
Shaker Songs: We’re Going to Kentucky and Shake Your Shakers High
Song: Rum Pum Pum
Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon
A solid storytime plan that just didn’t end up having very many attendees! We had three families total, but one came in while we were doing playtime. I’d definitely read these books and do these extension activities again, though, since the toddlers I did have had fun.
A sequel of sorts to Polar Bear Night, Polar Bear Morning by Lauren Thompson (illustrated by Stephen Savage) is a charming and gentle picture book perfect for reading aloud. The rhythm of the text is particularly delightful — it feels like you’re reading a poem. Likewise, the pacing is excellent and creates tension in only the most pleasant “I can’t wait to see what will happen” way.
Stephen Savage’s characteristic linocut illustrations feature a cool palette that’s balanced by the bold shapes and textures to create pages that are interesting and exciting without being overwhelming or cluttered.
I really like this book and can’t wait to use it in a storytime!
We did farm animals recently, so I wanted to mix it up a little and do some safari/jungle animals. There aren’t quite as many songs and books about them, but they’re so fun!
Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello
Nursery Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock and Diddle Diddle Dumpling
Opening Fingerplay: Open Them, Shut Them
Book: The Hiccupotamus by Aaron Zenze
This is a really fun book with lots of silly rhyming words. I think that maybe preschoolers would enjoy the word play a little more than the toddlers did, but it was still a success. The illustrations in this book are crazy-bright and eye-catching.
Action Rhyme: A Giraffe is Tall
From Storytimes Online I snagged this simple action rhyme. Participation was pretty high! Probably because the actions were easy to do, even for little bitties.
A giraffe is as tall as tall can be.
(Reach hands high in to the air)
She eats leaves right off of the tree.
(Make eating motion with hands)
Her legs are long, and her neck is too!
(Point to legs and neck)
And she can run faster than me or you!
(Run in place)
Book: We’ve All Got Bellybuttons! by David Martin
This is an awesome book! How did I not know about it before now? The right amount of text to entice toddlers (read: very little), bright illustrations, and built in interactivity! Toddlers pulled their ears, kicked their feet, and closed their eyes along with the animals.
Song: Where is Lion?
Where is Thumbkin is even more fun when it’s Where Is Lion, and there are puppets to boot! We called out a lion, a snake, and an elephant, and were greeted with visits from each. It’s surprisingly hard to make an elephant sound! I ended up going with “toot toot toot”. Ridiculous!
Flannel: Animal Parade
I found a fun flannel pattern in the oldie but goodie 2′s Experience Felt Board Fun, which has been languishing on our professional development shelf forever. I made a felt elephant, lion, snake, and monkey. We had an animal parade and walked like each of our animal friends! Very fun, and interactive!
Sneakin’ in Some STEM: Well, not exactly. But I brought in some nonfiction books and we looked at the photographs of the actual animals. Given how ridiculous (pink elephants!) some picture book illustrations are, it can be nice to actually look at photos.
Book: Simms Taback’s Safari Animals
Another excellent guessing game/fold out book from Simms Taback. These books are sooo perfect for toddlers. The clues are easy enough that they can actually be successful, and the huge fold-out drawings are so visually pleasing.
Shaker Songs: We’re Going to Kentucky and Shake Your Shakers High
Song: Rum Pum Pum
Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon
A fun, active story time! With so many action rhymes and interactive books, I felt like we actually had a good story time, even though we had some wigglers today. This was also a slightly larger than usual group. I’m glad we had a crowd favorite topic on hand to use — the puppets and singing were even more fun with lots of folks!
http://www.amazon.com/2S-Experience-Felt-Board-Series/dp/0943452198
It seems like everyone has either been sick or been hit will killer allergies of doom the past couple of weeks, so I thought I’d just play in to that with a Get Well Soon theme.
Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello
Nursery Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock and Diddle Diddle Dumpling
Opening Fingerplay: Open Them, Shut Them
Book: How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon by Jane Yolen
Our copy of this book is totally ugly, and I had to clip some pages, but man do we all love some dinosaurs. One little girl was shaking her head during the question part at the beginning — she definitely knew that dinosaurs did not throw their covers off the bed.
Song: If You’re Sick and You Know It
My first song I made up all on my own! It was super fun to sing, and was a great transition from How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon because we got to do all the things dinosaurs weren’t doing. Yay!
If you’re sick and you know it
cover your mouth
(cough into elbow)
If you’re sick and you know it
cover your mouth
If you’re sick and you’re cranky,
just sit back and grab a hanky!
If you’re sick and you know it
cover your mouth
(hug your mom, drink some juice)
Book: Llama Llama Home with Mama by Anna Dewdney
I was a little worried about Llama Llama being too long for my toddler group, but he’s such a beloved character that they sat so still the entire time. I do enjoy that the Llama books are rhyming AND have a nice, strong plot. So many books don’t have both!
Action Rhyme: Eat An Apple
from Storytime Katie
I kinda had to stretch to get some relevant songs for this theme. Before we did this action poem, I just talked a little bit about the phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Even though toddlers probably aren’t using too many idioms yet, it’s always good to model the behavior of exposing kids to new language to their parents!
Eat an apple. (bring right hand to mouth)
Save the core. (close right hand in fist)
Plant the seeds, (touch the ground)
and grow some more! (extend arms up)
Rhyme: Ah-choo! Ah-choo!
From Storytime Katie
This puppet play was really fun to us! I got the skeleton of it from Storytime Katie. We don’t have any farmer puppets, so I put on my farmer hat for the first verse. After each verse, I would say “oh no! The farmer (or whoever) didn’t cover his mouth, and now the chicken is feeling sick!”. The lamb in the last verse DID cover his mouth, though, so he didn’t get anyone else sick.
Farmer’s nose tingles.
Farmer’s nose twitches.
And he is going to sneeze!
Ah-choo, ah-choo, ah-choo!
Ah-choo, ah-choo, ah-choo!
(Cow, moo-choo/pig, oink-choo/chicken, bawk-choo)
Book: Chu’s Day by Neil Gaiman
Okay, I know Chu isn’t sick, but he’s a sneezer! So I talked about how sometimes we sneeze even when we aren’t sick! The toddlers really liked this title, which I was a little surprised at. I love the bold illustrations and sparse text, but I was a bit worried my little ones wouldn’t get the joke of it. They did, though! This book is super fun to read outloud.
Shaker Songs: We’re Going to Kentucky and Shake Your Shakers High
Song: Rum Pum Pum
Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon
This was definitely one of the themes that made me stretch the most, in terms of thinking of storytime stretchers and books that would work. It was, surprisingly, a hit, and I’m pretty pumped I managed to incorporate puppets – a storytime staple I haven’t been using much – effectively.
Angie leaves her tent on a Girl Scout camping trip to pee, and wakes up three years later, dirty and confused, on the street
in front of her house. What happened in the intervening years is a complete mystery to her — that is, until the personalities her brain developed to protect her from her ordeal start to make themselves known. Can she piece together her history — and does she even want to?
Pretty-Girl 13 by Liz Coley definitely intrigued me with its unique premise. Despite the fact that dissociative identity disorder (also known as multiple personality disorder!) is so rare and complicated that many mental health professionals doubt it exists at all, it is incredibly intriguing. The idea that the human mind can go to such lengths to protect itself is awe-inspiring.
The most interesting parts of Pretty Girl-13 are those in which Angie is dealing with her multiples, and the confusion and frustration she feels is well conveyed. The rest of the book, including the plot and the characters, are spotty at best. There are some coincidences and developments the bend believably almost to the point of breaking, the love interest once Angie returns to school is a bit too perfect, and everything gets wrapped up so neatly that it’s almost unsatisfying. Nonetheless, this book is a fairly quick read and definitely recommended for teen fans of psychological thrillers or those with a fascination with kidnapping cases.
Open Very Carefully by Nicola O’Byrne is just a little retelling of The Ugly Duckling. Until a rowdy gator crashes the party, that is! Then the ugly duckling has to figure out how to get the letter-eating-crocodilian out of the story and out of the book!
I think this book really will shine as a readaloud, especially for preschool and young elementary school groups. There’s lots of interactivity built in to the text (rocking the book back and forth to shake the crocodile out, shaking the book to distract him) and the illustrations are cute. I especially like the page layouts and think they give the text a really dynamic feel.
This book will shine as a read-aloud with an energetic and committed reader – either 1-on-1 or to a group.
Was feeling kinda “meh” this week, so what better than a classic storytime theme to snap me out of it!? Hello, farm animals.
Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello
Nursery Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock and Diddle Diddle Dumpling
Opening Fingerplay: Open Them, Shut Them
Book: Here a Chick, Where a Chick by Suse MacDonald
A fun book that combines lift-the-flap with animals sounds for a sure-fire winner. Bright colors and easy text make it a great choice for toddler time!
Song: Old MacDonald
You can’t read Here a Chick, Where a Chick without singing Old MacDonald! Always fun to make animals noises. Although my toddlers were feeling kind of shy, so it was just me making the noises by myself. Oh well!
Book: Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Mary Peterson and Jennifer Rofe
A title I haven’t used before, Piggies has short, rhyming text that’s fun to read and listen to. The round, happy farm animals that sneak in to the illustrations are fun to spot, too.
Flannel: Five Little Chicks
My colleague had a five little chicks pattern, so I snagged it and finally joined the ranks of Five Little whatever users! Weeee!
Song: The Animals on the Farm
I also co-opted this song from my flannel-lending-coworker. It’s to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus. It’s really great because you’re making the noise sooo many times, and even the most shy or timid can will usually join in by the end.
The animals on the farm
all make a sound
make a sound
make a sound
the animals on the farm
all make a sound
and we can too!
(the pig on the farm…oink oink oink, chick on the farm…cheep cheep cheep)
Book: Charlie the Chick by Nick Denchefield and Ant Parker + Chick by Ed Vere
These two popups are short and sweet. Toddlers love popups more than anything, I’m pretty sure. Plus these are both silly and funny.
Shaker Songs: We’re Going to Kentucky and Shake Your Shakers High
Song: Rum Pum Pum
Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon
This storytime proved that classic themes are popular for a reason. Although I’m still a little confused as to why we, as a society, are so in to kids knowing the sounds that animals make as soon as possible, it’s a fun thing to talk about.
I figure since I’m reading lots of young adult books anyway, I’d let you guys know what I thought of ‘em! So, I’m going to start posting a weekly YA Book review, just for something a little different.
One of the strangest and most engaging books I’ve read so far this year, Teeth by Hanna Moskowitz isn’t like anything else on the shelves.
Rudy had the most normal of normal lives. That is, until his family moves to a strange island populated with magical fish that have the power to heal. Why does a young family need to live on an isolated and desolate island with healing fish? Because Rudy’s little brother is dying at the ripe old age of three. Lonely and bored and being driven half-mad by the screaming sea, Rudy is desperate for something to do. He didn’t expect that something to come in the form of a fishboy. Nothing like the mythical mermaids you know, Teeth is angry and freakish and completely enchanting to Ruby. But how can Ruby balance out Teeth’s desire to save the magical fish with his brother’s need to live?
This book is incredibly thought provoking and heartbreaking. Full of the most difficult decisions these characters will ever have to make, this magical realism title offers no easy answers. Even if you’ve read every single paranormal romance about creatures and people trapped between two worlds, you’ve never read anything like this.
Recommended for folks who like their stories dark, or those who are looking for truly strange and innovative modern fairy tales.
There are a ton of super-cute monster books, and it’s never to early to not be scared of people just because they’re hairy…or something. Here we go!
Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello
Nursery Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock and Diddle Diddle Dumpling
Opening Fingerplay: Open Them, Shut Them
Book: Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks
I really enjoy the rhythm of this book, and I think the illustrations have just enough going on to be visually interesting, while still being readable from a distance. The toddlers all listened rapt for this one, but I’m not sure they understood that the kids at the end were the monsters all along. No worries, it was still fun!
Song: You Put Your Claws In
I snagged this variation of the Hokey Pokey from Storytime Katie. I really like using well-known tunes because I feel like it’s less scary for the kids and easier for them to understand what’s going on.
You put your claws in,
You take your claws out,
You put your claws in,
and you wave ‘em all about.
You do the wild rumpus and
you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
(you put your tail in, you put your spikes in…)
Book: Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters by Jane Yolen
This is a really sweet story with just enough text for the toddlers. Since my disastrous (well, less than successful) Big and Little storytime a few weeks ago, I’ve really been working to make sure my books are short enough for toddlers, and can hold their attention. This book has really great, saturated illustrations, and there is so much to look at on every page. Everyone was a very good listener during this book!
Flannel: Go Away, Big Green Monster
As soon as I read Go Away, Big Green Monster by Ed Emberly, I knew it would make an awesome but simple flannel. Luckily, Kizclub came through again with a great pattern.
Song: I’m a Little Monster
Modified from a song I found on Laptime and Storytime to the tune of I’m a Little Teapot. Cute and fun! I used our friendly monster puppet to lead the rhyme, but I got a little into it and was too scary. Well, not too scary, but one kid looked surprised. I took friendly monster around and let everyone pet her after the song.
I’m a little monster short and stout
Here is my tail and here is my snout
When I get all angry hear me roar
Roaaaaar, run for the door.
Book: If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberly
Kendra mentioned on Read Sing Play that she finds singing a book in babytime is a smoother and more engaging experience than reading a book. I sang this book (I mean, how could you not!), and I do think that it’s more fun for the toddlers and me that way. They really helped me out with the roaring and clicking your claws and such in this book.
Shaker Songs: We’re Going to Kentucky and Shake Your Shakers High
Song: Rum Pum Pum
Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon
This was a really fun storytime. We had more families than usual (although why, I can’t say!), and all of our parents were really good joiners. I will definitely be repeating this theme in the future — there are so many books I didn’t get to read yet!