SCAry THinGs
that aren't really all that scary
Librarians do tours. There is nothing I like more than to spend an hour with a school group. This is one such booktalk, book care discussion, and storytelling as told to a group of second-graders.
October Tour Ideas
Some books to Share others to Read
Some books to Share others to Read
Who's afraid of spiders? Anyone?
Aaaarrgghh Spider by Lydia MonksOPL Link
You are all much too big to be afraid of those teeny tiny itsy bitsy spiders, aren't you? You aren't afraid. Right?
Right.
Aha, but a fly, now a fly has every right to be afraid of a spiderSpider and the Fly by Mary Howitt / illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
OPL Link
Or, maybe it's BUGS you are afraid of? No? Maybe?
Not Beetle McGrady, she's not afraid of bugs. She EATS bugs.
Beetle McGrady Eats Bugs! by Jane ManningOPL Link
As a matter of fact, the library has cookbooks that have RECIPES for eating bugs.
Oh, but Charlotte from Charlotte's Web certainly isn't afraid of bugs. I know they make Wilbur a little ill. But then, pig slop makes ME feel ill.
Or, even the
Wide Mouthed Frog by Keith FaulknerOPL Link
He certainly loves bugs. No need to be afraid there.
What else do people think are scary?
The dark?
There's a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer
Alfie Is Not Afraid by Patricia CarlinOPL Link
Scary Times?
What about the first day of Kindergarten?
Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten! by Hyewon Yum...author of
I Broke My Butt! The Cheeky Sequel to the International Bestseller I Need a New Butt!
or
My Brave Year of Firsts by Jamie Lee CurtisOPL Link
Storms?
Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco
p.s. there's a recipe in the back to bake as the storm approaches
Scary Stories?
Owl at Home by Arnold LobelOPL Link
Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp by Mercer MayerOPL Link
shhhhhh
or the super super scary . . .
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Maybe just being different can be a little scary
Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen LesterA story of a Rat who can't say his R's and is teased.
OPL Link
Ugly by Donna Jo Napoli
The story of the Ugly Duckling
Babe the Gallant Pig by Dick King-SmithDo you kids know why Babe was different? What did he want to be? That's right, a SHEEPpig, a pig that herds sheep like a sheepdog.
OPL Link
Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
a monster who can't scare anyone
... ah, but our friends help us through.
Friends like
Elephant and Piggie, My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems OPL Link
Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
BabyMouse: Our Hero by Jennifer HolmOPL Link
Brave Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby
Jumpy Jack and Googily by Meg Rosoff OPL Link
Bertie was a Watchdog by Rick Walton
OPL Link
Maybe you have a favorite stuffed animal that gets you through tough times
Velveteen Rabbit by Margery WilliamsOPL Link
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
OPL Link
But, of all the scary things out there, the scariest thing I was ever scared of as a kids was . . .
THE LIBRARIAN!
Yes. The Librarian.
I knew she knew I had a fine and she, in her all-knowing way she had, she also knew I didn't have a single penny to pay that .10 cent fine and because of that fine, I would not be allowed to check out a book. Not a single solitary book. . . anyway . . .
Speaking of scary Librarians, the children at Sunrise Elementary School also had a problem,
The Library Dragon by Carmen DeedyOPL Link
Whew, I'm so glad she turned out to be nice after all. I'm sure my librarian might have been nice after all, but I was too scared to ever find out.
That is why I, as a librarian, am determined to never ever be a scary librarian!
Now, there are a few things that do scare us librarians - - -
DAMAGED BOOKS
(refer to the Rules as posted in Miss Lotty's New Kid Friendly Library)
Now that all of you kids know how to take care of your library books, and you also know how to check hurt books into the book hospital--I can trust you with the most fragile of all of our books--
POP-UP books like this one we saw earlier . . .
Wide Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner (at this point the kids need a movement break--add actions, repetitive phrases and the like to this telling) OPL Link
mmm, do I trust you all yet? Maybe? Maybe not ;)
(Let them opt for the flannel story, or the pop up, or even a telling with the puppets)
Once again, those flies need to really watch out, don't they? Not just for spiders, but frogs too!
Oh, dear. We haven't talked about the scariest of the scary yet . . .
MONSTERS!
Monsters lurking under the bed,
Monster Bed by Jeanne WillisOPL Link
Junie B Jones has a Monster Under her Bed by Barbara Park
or . . . maybe, maybe...
Monster Mama by Liz Rosenberg ( I know I turn into a Monster Mama after a certain time late at night!)
OPL Link
Ah, but those are just stories. Right?
I mean, as one of my favorite storytellers Bill Harley says, there are a lot of kids that think they have a monster that lives under their bed. But, really, it's just their imagination.
. . . except for Alicia, now Alicia really had a monster that lived under her bed . . .
Alicia and the Little Monster by Bill Harley
(as told on the CD One More Time)
OPL Link
And last, but not least--
I know what scares Monster and Moms. Truly terrifies them . . .
it's, it's . . .
BLACK SOCKS!
(and sing it!)
OPL Link to Bill Harley's Play it Again CD
Black socks, they never get dirty, the longer you wear them the stronger they get!
Now run on home, check under your bed, make sure there are no monsters, no hairy heebly jeebly creatures, and most importantly, no dirty socks left to rot under your bed--for you never know, you might just get a stinky sock-loving creepy crawly or two that happen to love BLACK SOCKS!
Goodbye everybody and remember to check out lots of books!
