Spring Fling Storytime 2012

Although the weather didn't cooperate (we had an unusually cold, gray, and rainy day here in San Diego) this week we read stories and sang songs all about the glories of Spring! We did finger plays about meeting rabbits, planting seeds and sang songs all about the wonderful things that can be found in the spring. The rainy weather didn't dampen our spirits one bit...although it did hold down attendance - the audience consisted of two very lively little boys. Both of which are regulars and today's level of participation showed how far we have come in building confidence and trust. You would never know that six months ago these boys wouldn't say a word and one was so shy he would barely make eye contact. What a great reward for me!

Here are today's books:


Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons by Il Sung Na
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely introduction to the changing seasons. The illustrations are bright and bold - good for a large story time. The text is simple and there are lots of things for members of a story time audience to notice, and they will!

Spring Is Here by Will Hillenbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mole wakes up one morning to find that spring has come. Wanting to share this great news with his friend Bear, he goes to great lengths to wake the snoring bear. Each of mole's attempts result in a giant "snore" from Bear and the text lends itself to some great sound effects. The illustrations are terrific and the kids loved it when they were asked to give me a big bear snore (lots of giggles) and they loved the twist at the end!


Spring Things by Bob Raczka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a beautifully illustrated book about all things spring - told in sparse rhyming text. ("Budding...sprouting...trees leaf-outing" took three pages) My two/three year olds loved this book and insisted that we count butterflies and name all of the things in the pictures (warning there are lots of small details...like lady bugs and caterpillars everywhere.) All in all a very pleasant and engaging story time read.


My Garden by Kevin Henkes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What would a story time about spring be without a book about gardening? This book, at first reading. became my favorite toddler book about gardens. The young girl who narrates the story helps her mother in the garden and then tells the reader about what a wondrous place HER garden would be with huge tomatoes and invisible carrots (because she doesn't like carrots!) flowers in all colors and patterns and whenever you pick a flower another grows back in its place. There are chocolate bunnies and sea shell plants and - and this was the favorite of my story time audience - a jelly bean bush where the narrator is able to pick jelly beans by the bushel. With wonderful illustrations, this garden tale filled with imagination is a real audience pleaser.There are also lots of great opportunities for the audience to point out and count birds and butterflies.