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Storytime Mellie

#OwnVoices

Giant Steps to Change the World by #OwnVoices Spike and Tonya Lee and Sean Qualls

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“Following the success of their much beloved picture books, Please, Baby, Please and Please, Puppy, Please; Academy Award nominated director Spike Lee, and his talented wife Tonya Lewis Lee offer up an inspirational picture book about activism and taking the big steps to set things right set to beautiful illustrations by the award-winning Sean Qualls. Using examples of people throughout history who have taken “giant steps”, this book urges kids to follow in their footsteps and not be hindered by fear or a sense that you are not good enough. Despite the challenges, even the smallest step can change the world. So, what’s your next step going to be?” —Amazon.com

BILINGUAL STORY TIME CUÉNTAME UN CUENTO: TELL ME A STORY–Hispanic Heritage Month Mexico

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Books:

P is for Pinata: a Mexican Alphabet by Tony Johnston and #OwnVoices John Parra

What Can you Do with a Rebozo by #OwnVoices Carmen Tafolla and #OwnVoices Amy Cordova

When Sra. Carolina and I do story time together, I read one page of a book in English and then she reads the same page in Spanish. That way neither group of children is waiting too long to hear the part they can understand.

Greeting Song:

Buenos días, buenos días.
¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo estás?
Muy bien, gracias, muy bien, gracias.
¿Y tú, cómo estás? ¿Y tú, cómo estás?

We talk about the meaning of the words for our English speakers and then sing the song twice and ask them to sing along at home.

Song to Introduce the first book:

I have a story, what can it be?

I have a story listen and see.

I have a story, what can it be?

Gather around and read with me!

Tengo una historia ¿que puede ser?

Tengo una historia, escucha y ven

Tengo una historia ¿que puede ser?

¡Ven a leer conmigo!

I sing in English and then Carolina sings in Spanish. We sing it twice.

Simon Says:

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This is my friend Simon and his favorite game is Simon Says. When we play this in bilingual story time Sra. Carolina translates what I say into Spanish.

Flannel Board:

Cinco Dulces Fell From a Pinata:

Cinco little dulces,

with sugar galore,

One was Eaten and then there were four!

Cuatro little dulces!

Dos and dos you see,

One was eaten and then there were three!

Tres little dulces,

but before I knew it,

One was eaten and then there were dos.

Dos little dulces,

Oh what fun!

Un was eaten and then there was uno.

Un little dulce

Watch me run!

I ate the last one

and now there are none!

Craft Kit:

Since we can’t do in house program during the pandemic we are planning craft kits for Hispanic Heritage month that parents can pick up in the children’s department.

Just Ask by #OwnVoices Sonia Sotomayor and #OwnVoices Rafael Lopez

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Sonia and her friends are planting a garden. Each of the children are different. Sonia says if you are curious about someone’s differences “Just Ask!” She has juvenile diabetes and is happy to tell you about why she has to use a needle off and on throughout the day. Her friend Rafael has asthma, Anthony uses a wheelchair, Madison is blind, and so on. No only are the children different in their abilities but the book is filled with children of all ethnicities.

This is loosely based on Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s own juvenile diabetes.

Another by #OwnVoices Christian Robinson

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In this wordless book a cat that looks just like the little girls cat comes into her room though, I don’t know? A wormhole? It takes the other cat’s toy and the cat follows it through the hole followed by the girl. They go on a wonderful adventure and in the end the girl sees herself and the cat and they get the toy back. I love the concept, and I LOVE Christian Robinson’s illustrations.

At the Mountain’s Base By #OwnVoices Traci Sorell and #Ownvoices Weshoyot Alvitre

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“At the mountain’s base sits a cabin under an old hickory tree. And in that cabin lives a family — loving, weaving, cooking, and singing. The strength in their song sustains them through trials on the ground and in the sky, as they wait for their loved one, a pilot, to return from war.”

Perfect for a story time during Native American Heritage Month