Story Time Superstars: Best Bets For Your Next Program

1. Story Time Superstars:Best Bets For Your Next Program Saturday, January 31, 2009 Presented by Helen Kelly, Hamilton Public Library hkelly@hpl.ca OR helekelly@gmail.com

2. Bippity Boppity Bumble Bee • Can you say your name for me? • Whisper it • Clap it • Tap it • Shout it The power of nametags Letter Knowledge

3. Every Child Ready To Read (www.pla.org/earlyliteracy.htm) Engaging Parents In Early Literacy • Vocabulary • Narrative Skills • Phonological Awareness • Letter Knowledge • Print Awareness • Print Motivation

4. Let’s Wake Up And Wiggle What Can I Say To Parents? “Notice all the “w” words in this book: wiggle, wind up, water, wings, waiting, worth. Reading fun and silly picture books can extend your child’s Vocabulary. What other “wwww” sounding words can you have fun with today? Washing machine, winter, white, windy, may be just a few of them.”

5. Just Drop In: there is an ocean of people **Early literacy development depends on the number ofliteracy eventsthat occur when exploring language and print** • Project your voice and be more animated than you would be with a smaller group • Consider standing for greater visibility and presence • Draw the children into stories with questions and responses • Use recorded music to keep the group focused • “I have had some huge groups—maybe sixty---I think it makes me a little more theatrical. Storytime should take children out of their everyday world and into a pleasant group experience.” (Library Technician, Greenwood, Texas) • Source: Storytime Model For Large Groups: Implications for Early Literacy, Children & Libraries, Summer/Fall 2007

6. Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett What Can I Say To Parents? “This repetitive book is easy to learn and remember so young children feel they can “read” it themselves. This confidence with reading associates books with fun. Children are interested in books and this is called Print Motivation.”

7. A Picture Is Worth… • Wordless picture books promote book handling techniques such as turning pages and directionality (Print Awareness) • Reading skills in wordless books include sequencing, making inferences, drawing conclusions, noting cause and effect (Narrative Skills & Vocabulary) • Wordless picture books develop confidence in prereading children as they are uninhibited about being “wrong” (Print Motivation) Source: Wordless Books: Every Picture Tells A Story, Emergency Librarian, May/June 1994

8. Maybe A Bear Ate It! By Robie H. Harris The minimal text is perfectly matched with wonderfully expressive illustrations that mirror the youngster’s emotions. Exactly right for preschool storytime or toddler bedtime, this story will tickle the funny bones of both readers and their audiences. “ESL classes especially respond to wordless picture books…wordless picture books are great for families who read with children of mixed ages…we encourage parents and children to make wordless picture books with their children.” Source: A Picture’s Worth…School Library Journal, January 2006

9. Books for Mixed Age Groups, Crowds & Newcomers Have the group repeat/chant/tap after you. Available in dual languages with English. Recall the story in sequence to develop Narrative Skills. Ask questions about what is happening in the pictures to improve comprehension & vocabulary. Question & response books

10. Great for Family Story Time • Strong plot • Rhyming text • Age appropriate • Fits many themes • Highly dramatic

11. Having a bad day?Read Grumpy Bird to lift the mood. "Tankard's deceptively simple tale is a useful tonic for moody kids -- and their parents -- but the best thing about it is the comic perfection of Bird's face as he marches along in a fury." --The Wall Street Journal "A good addition to story times with themes of emotions or imagination." --School Library Journal

12. Modelling Story Experiences For Parents Sing it, Chant it, Join in

13. Draw Prizes

14. Happy Reading! Contact: helekelly@gmail.com