WHooOoo are the Witches

Witches and Goblins, Spooks and Ghosts...are you ready for Halloween?
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I set up this Storytime with a special Halloween bucket that has 'bubbling' orange netting material spilling out if it. In the bottom I have punched out paper spiders to hand out afterwards. Surrounding me I have a host of scary characters (mini ghost, mini witch, troll with hedgehog, black cat, black puppet spider etc.) peeping around various Halloween books I have pulled. I also have the flannel Humbug Witch story set up before the kids arrive.
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As you can see I have many friends here to help me tell stories. You see, this time of year can be kind of scary, I need the help of my friends. Friends just make things a little less scary.


Let's get in the mood and call all those witches out to join us -


One Little, Two Little, Three Little Witches

One little, two little, three little witches
~ fingers up, one, two, three
Fly over haystacks, fly over ditches
~ one hand flies up and over
Slide down moonbeams without any hitches,
~ slide the fying hand down the other arm
Hi Ho Halloween's here
~ hands on hips, then hands up, palms out


Let's start with a particular witch. A very grumpy grouchy horrible witch. A witch that goes by the name of Gritch.

Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini
OPL Link


Whew, that Gritch, she was more than just a witch by name, she was also a witch by nature I believe.

Pull over the flannel board with felt Humbug Witch on it, along with the black cat, 'Fred'. I love to ham this one up a lot, really act it out. The felt witch is there so that I can 'show' the kids the punch line at the end. I also ask the kids for magic words, I have them give me the ingredients for the potion, really let it go on this and have some fun!


I have another witch here, a different witch, a very little witch, as a matter of fact everything is tiny on this witch, well except for that nose. It's rather large...


Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian
OPL link

Here is a flannel version of this classic story that I made. Set up the flannel board before the storytime, you don't want to give away the ending before you've even started!


















Well, no wonder her potion didn't work! She was just a little girl.

(((shiver)))
It's getting so cold outside now. The leaves are all falling, the wind is blowing. Let me teach you a little poem


Who has Seen the Wind by Christina Rossetti

Who has seen the wind?
~ hands up shrug shoulders
Neither I or you.
~ shake finger back and forth 'no'
But when the leaves hang trembling,
~ fingers hang down from wrists like leaves on trees
The wind is passing through.
~ hands together 'slide' through leaves


Now are you ready for a scary book or two? 
Maybe a truly frightening wicked witch story?
Possibly a Pumpkin with preternatural* powers? 
*(that means the pumpkin can do things that really aren't possible in real life)


 Witch's Hand by Peter Utton
OPL Link
if you can get a large dried out leaf for this, it works GREAT!

Okay, that does it! I'm scared. How about you? You know, here is a little something I'll teach you when things get too scary.



Mrs. McMurphy's Pumpkin by Rick Walton
OPL Link


 Whew! Those were some SCARY stories!
Do you ever get really really scared? Do you sometimes just want that monster to go away?



Go Away Big 'Orange' Monster
spin off the book Go Away Big Green Monster by Edward Emberley.
This is a cumulative story, read it, you'll love it! I've substituted a felt pumpkin for the green face.

As a flannel/felt story this story is so much fun as I whisk off the parts (mouth, hair, ears, eyes) and make little 'zzzup' noise as I do it - it almost always brings out the giggles in the kids. Really emphasize the end - 'and don't come back (shake finger and head in a 'no-no') unless I say so! (thumb to chest, nod head)

Felt Monster to make - PRINT IN LANDSCAPE, enlarge as needed.














Thank you all for coming to storytime today. I have one last thing for you, a question:

What time is it when a ghost comes to dinner? 
 !!! TIME TO GO !!!!

Riddle from Marc Brown's Spooky Riddles
OPL Link


Have a fun and safe Halloween! See you next time!

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Need Another Book?

The Thirteen Nights of Halloween by Guy Vasilovich

OPL Link