Toddler Storytime - The Beach

Summertime is officially here! And with that comes summer reading and our summer slate of storytimes. We offer less storytime due to the sheer amount of craziness and activity in library. Thus, I am only doing 1 toddler storytime and 1 baby storytime (which actually is fine by me!). As I am headed to the ocean for a much-need vacation in the next few weeks, I decided to do a beach-themed todder time. Here's the breakdown:

Books:













To the Beach by Linda Ashman
Beach Day by Karen Roosa


Songs/Rhymes:

"Five Little Ocean Friends"

Five little ocean friends on the ocean floor,

The starfish walks away and now there are four

Four little ocean friends living in the sea

The crab slides away now there are three

Three little ocean friends looking for a clue

“Glub, glub,” said the jellyfish now there are two

Two little ocean friends not having much fun

Off swam the sea horse now there is one

One little octopus sad and all alone

Back swims the starfish, back swims the crab,

Back swims the jellyfish, back swims the sea horse

And they played in the sea foam, safe in their home.

You can download my template for the flannel here.

"The Waves in the Sea" (to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus)

The waves on the sea go up and down, up and down, up and down

The waves on the sea go up and down all day long.

                        

The shark in the sea goes snap, snap, snap…

The fish in the sea goes swish, swish, swish…

The boats on the sea go toot, toot, toot…

Other Book Possibilities:
All You Need for a Beach by Alice Schertle

Beach Day by Patricia Lakin

Sally Goes to the Beach by Stephanie Huneck

Duck Dunks by Lynne Berry

Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies

How Will We Get to the Beach? by Brigitte Luciani

Otto Goes to the Beach by Todd Parr

Curious George Goes to the Beach by Margaret Rey

Seven Little Mice Go to the Beach by Haruo Yamishita

Book Rave - OCD, The Dude, and Me

OCD, the Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn. Grades 8 and up. Dial Books, 2013.

Danielle Levine isn't your average high school senior. She definitely stands out with her green eyes, orange hair, plus-sized figure, and "unique learning profile". In order to cope with not fitting in, she decides to write autobiographical essays for her "me-moir", a locked and color-coded binder safely hidden from the view of others. She also decides to write scathingly honest essays for her English class, which lands her an recurring appointment with the school psychologist as well as a spot in a "social skills" class. There, she meets another loner named Daniel who has an obsession with The Big Lebowski. Daniel could just be the one to help her break her cycle of loneliness and help her fit in.

I adored this book. I really appreciated the style of writing. Danielle's story unfolds with a mix of English essays, "me-moir" entries, and emails. She is an extremely likeable character. She's quirky (she likes to dress up in period hats and costumes and reenact scenes from Jane Eyre), honest (her essays often receive bad grades for her lack of formality), and real. She feels and sounds like a real teen. Whether or not the reader has a learning disability, they will be able to relate to Danielle in some way.

There are a lot of topics that are addressed in this fairly little book: OCD, adoption (Danielle is adopted), body image issues (Danielle feels like she is too fat), coming out (Daniel comes out to Danielle), fitting in and being popular, unrequited crushes (she has a crush on the popular boy), etc. However, the story never feels preachy or loaded down with these issues. You'll feel like you are reading an all-too real account about being   a teen. Danielle is a great narrator. She is honest about herself and her situation and sardonic about it to boot.

This is a great read for teens who enjoy realistic fiction with a wicked sense of humor. The diary-like writing style will also appeal to reluctant readers.

Readalikes: 

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie