These simple biographies are a great way to teach kids about serious subjects. In this case the subject is Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. The text is interspersed with speech bubbles. The graphic novel approach might help hook reluctant readers. If you use this for a story time I would suggest school age kids and probably just the one book with some activities.
This might be the most intense children’s book I’ve ever read. The text is super easy but the content is not. This is about a family escaping from the South on the Underground Railroad. Each page has a simple one word sentence. Between the sparse text and the nearly scribbled illustrations this is poetry. It’s also simple enough to read to young children, but the conversation won’t be.
Mae Among the Stars by #OwnVoices Roda Ahmed is a simple picture book about Mae Jemison (the first African American woman to reach the stars) as a child. The text is simple and the story is true, making this a perfect book for Black History Month
I adore this book as a Black History Month option. It is so hard to find books about history and/or biographies for story time that aren’t too wordy. This one is actually a board book and has at most one sentence per page. For Example, “Michelle cares about being healthy,” and “Michelle knows how to have fun.” All are given as reasons that “I” look up to Michelle.
This is a simple book about opposites posed in questions. What’s hard? What’s soft? It ends with a puppy who has all the characteristics described in the book.
Perfect for a story time about opposites or puppies!
Books:
Thank You, Omu! by #OwnVoices Oge Mora
Soup Day by #OwnVoices Melissa Iwai
Every Color Soup by Joerey Hurley
Inclusion:
Thank You, Omu! by #Own Voices Oge Mora takes place in a urban setting with a diverse cast of characters. “Omu” means “queen” in the Igbo language of the author’s parents, but growing up, she used it to mean “Grandma.” This is a great book about sharing and the power of food to bring us together.
Soup Day by #OwnVoices Melissa Iwai is about a young girl of Asian descent making soup on a cold winter’s day with her mother.
Flannel Rhyme:
Rainbow Stew
Take an apple
Put it in the pot.
Stir, stir it, stir it a lot.
Take it out now. What will it be? The prettiest red you ever did see!
Take an orange
Put it in the pot.
Stir it, stir it, stir it a lot.
Take it out now. What will it be? The prettiest orange you ever did see!
Stir a banana
Put it in the pot.
Stir it, stir it, stir it a lot.
Take it out now. What will it be? The prettiest yellow you ever did see!
Take a pear
Put it in the pot.
Stir it, stir it, stir it a lot.
Take it out now. What will it be? The prettiest yellow you ever did see!
Take some blueberries
Put it in the pot.
Stir it, stir it, stir it a lot.
Take it out now. What will it be? The prettiest blue you ever did see!
Take some grapes
Put it in the pot.
Stir it, stir it, stir it a lot.
Take it out now. What will it be? The prettiest purple you ever did see!
What did we make with our rainbow stew? A magical rainbow for me and you!
Credit: Library Village
Flannel Story:
This flannel set goes with Denise Fleming’s picture book Lunch. Mouse eats a turnip, carrot, corn, peas, blueberries, grapes, apples, and watermelon and then has to take a long nap until dinner time. We’ll discuss colors and see if the kiddos can identify the food.
January Songs:
If You Have Some Rhythm Sticks
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can tap them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can scrape them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can hammer them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can drum them now.
Credit: Jbrary
Bread and Butter, Marmalade and Jam
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as nice as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as quick as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as slow as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as quiet as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as loud as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as nice as we can.
Credit: Jbrary
Craft:
We’ll be doing Alphabet Soup.
Books:
Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari and Patrice Barton – Very similar to Mary Had a Little Lamb Zara’s dog Moose is constantly following her to school. In the end they train him to be a therapy dog and he can accompany her without getting in trouble
Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky, Patrick Downes, and Scott Magoon — Based on the story of Jessica Kensky who was injured in the Boston City Marathon bombing and her service dog, Rescue.
We are super excited to have a service dog on the schedule for both of our story times on this day! We’ll be teaching the kids etiquette for interacting with service and therapy dogs.
Flannel Game:
In this game I’ll pass out the bones and the kids will match them to the right puppy based on color.
Flannel Board:
Brown Dog What Do You See? (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Brown dog, brown dog
What do you see?
I see a red dog
Looking at me.
Red dog, red dog
What do you see?
I see a purple dog
Looking at me.
Purple dog, purple dog,
What do you see?
I see a green dog
Looking at me.
Green dog, green dog
What do you see?
I see a Blue dog
Looking at me.
Blue dog, blue dog
What do you see?
See a crazy dog
Looking at me!
Of course, the kids favorite part is the “crazy dog” at the end!
Credit: Brownsburg Public Library
January Songs:
If You Have Some Rhythm Sticks
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can tap them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can scrape them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can hammer them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can drum them now.
Credit: Jbrary
Bread and Butter, Marmalade and Jam
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as nice as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as quick as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as slow as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as quiet as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as loud as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as nice as we can.
Credit: Jbrary
Craft: Paper Plate Dog
Books:
One Mitten by Kristine O’Connell Goerge and Maggie Smith
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin and #OwnVoices Fumi Kosaka
The Snowy Day (not pictured) by Ezra Jack Keats
Inclusion:
Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin and #OwnVoices Fumi Kosaka shows a young girl of Asian descent getting undressed and dressed to play out in the snow. The colorful pictures are eye catching and the rhyming text is sure to catch the little’s attention.
The Snowy Day (not pictured) by Ezra Jack Keats is a classic probably known to most everyone. Peter gets dressed in his bright red snow suit to go outside and enjoy the snowy day.
Flannel Game:
For this game I’ll hand out the mittens and let the kiddos match them.
Flannel Game:
In this game I’ll hide the snow ball behind one of the hats and let the kiddos guess which one.
Song:
The Mitten Song (To the Wheels on the Bus)
The mittens on my hands
Keep me warm
Keep me warm
Keep me warm
The mittens on my hands
Keep me warm
All Winter long!
The hat on my head
Keeps me warm
Keeps me warm
Keep me warm
The hat on my head
Keeps me warm
All Winter long!
The scarf on my neck
Keeps me warm
Keeps me warm
Keep me warm
The scarf on my neck
Keeps me warm
All Winter long!
Adapted from: Perpetual Preschool
January Songs:
If You Have Some Rhythm Sticks
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can tap them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can scrape them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can hammer them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can drum them now.
Credit: Jbrary
Bread and Butter, Marmalade and Jam
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as nice as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as quick as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as slow as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as quiet as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as loud as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as nice as we can.
Credit: Jbrary
Craft:
We’ll be doing the winter hat craft that I found here.
Books:
Books:
I Got the Christmsa Spirit by #OwnVoices Connie Schofield-Morrison and #OwnVoices Frank Morrison
Grumpy Cat’s First Worst Christmas by Christy Webster and Steph Laberis
Pig the Elf by Aaron Blabey
Inclusion:
This holiday follow up to “I Got the Rhythm” is adorable! It has super easy text and expressive illustrations. It’s about all the fun of the season, but also the real meaning. In a gentle way it deals with poverty and homelessness. The protagonist is African American. Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding inclusive Christmas books so this one is a repeat from last year.
Flannel Activity:
5 Little Snowflakes
One little snowflake with nothing to do,
Along came another and then there were… two!
Two little snowflakes laughing with me,
Along came another and then there were…three!
Three little snowflakes looking for some more,
Along came another and then there were…four!
Four little snowflakes dancing a jive,
Along came another, and then there were…five!
Five little snowflakes, having so much fun!
Out came the sun, and then there were none!
5 Little Christmas Cookies
Five little Christmas Cookies
With frosting galore
One was eaten and then there were four.
Four little Christmas cookies
Two and two you see
One was eaten and then there were three.
Three little Christmas cookies
But before I knew
One was eaten and then there were two.
Two little Christmas cookies ,
Oh what fun!
One was eaten and then there was one.
One little Christmas cookie
Watch me run!
I ate the last one
And then there were none!
Song:
Toss Your ScarvesTune: Jingle Bells
Toss your scarves, toss your scarves
Toss them way up high.
Toss your scarves up in the air,’til they reach the sky.
Wave your scarves, waves your scarves,
Twirl them round and round.
Twirl your scarves one more time,then let them all fall down.
Song:
Dance Like Snowflakes
Tune: Brother John
Dance like snowflakes
Dance like snowflakes
In the air
In the air.
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Here and there
Here and there.
Books:
Grandma’s Tiny House by #ownvoices JaNay Brown-Wood and Priscilla Burris
Turkey’s Thanksgiving Adventure by Clay Sproles
Where is Baby’s Turkey by Karen Katz
Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon
Around the Table that Grandad Built by Melanie Heuiser Hill and Jaime Kim
Thanks From the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carl
Inclusion:
Around the Table that Grandad Built by Melanie Heuiser Hill and Jaime Kim is one of my new absolute favorite pictures books. The family eats at the table Grandad built and uses napkins that mom sewed and from glasses that were inherited from past generations. This table is so full of love and family and the real meaning of Thanksgiving. The family is multicultural and samosas and tamales and rice pudding are a part of the feast. Thanksgiving is not mentioned, but it is a Thanksgiving book without a doubt in my mind.
Grandma’s Tiny House by #ownvoices JaNay Brown-Wood and Priscilla Burris is about a huge African American family who comes together to feast. The house is tiny but the family has grown. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and more pile in until they decided to do the feast out doors. This is a counting book, so would be great in a counting story time as well.
Flannel Game:
Turkey Feathers Game
Sung to “Are you Sleeping?”
Our poor turkey
lost his feathers.
Let’s all help, everyone.
Do you have a *(red) one?
Come and bring the *(red) one.
Oh what fun!
Oh what fun!
Hand each child a feather and have them come up to the board when their color is called.
Credit: Fun With Friends at Story Time
Flannel Story:
Five Fat Turkeys
Five fat turkeys sitting on a fence,
The first one said,
“Oh my! I am immense!”
The second one said,
“Just watch me waddle”
The Third one said,
“Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!”
The fourth one said,
“Thanksgiving Day is coming!”
The fifth one said,
“We’d better start running!”
The turkeys could not be found on Thanksgiving Day,
So the poor old farmer had this to say . . .
“I guess we’ll have to eat pizza . . .”
TURKEY, TURKEY COME OUT AND PLAY!
tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Turkey, Turkey come out and play
What color house are you in today?
Credit: Pre + K Sharing
My kids love playing hide and seek on the flannel board – so I couldn’t help making just one more turkey flannel game.
Game:
Turkey Dance
Each child takes a turn picking a card out of the box. If they get a letter card they say what the color is and what the letter is. If they get a turkey, we all do a crazy turkey dance.