A Visitors guide to a Scare-orrific Tour of your Local Library

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

Who's afraid of spiders? Anyone?


Aaaarrgghh Spider by Lydia Monks
OPL 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 spider

Spider 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 Manning
OPL 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 Faulkner
OPL 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

OPL Link

  


Alfie Is Not Afraid by Patricia Carlin
OPL 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!

OPL Link

or

My Brave Year of Firsts by Jamie Lee Curtis
OPL Link 

Storms?

Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco

p.s. there's a recipe in the back to bake as the storm approaches

OPL Link

Scary Stories?

Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel
OPL Link 

Bunnicula by James Howe

OPL Link 

Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp by Mercer Mayer
OPL Link





 


shhhhhh
or the super super scary . . .  

 

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

OPL Link 

Maybe just being different can be a little scary


Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester
A 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

OPL Link

Babe the Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
Do 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

OPL Link

... 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

OPL Link  

BabyMouse: Our Hero by Jennifer Holm
OPL Link 








 

Brave Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby

OPL Link

  



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 Williams
OPL 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 Deedy
OPL 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 Willis
OPL Link 

Junie B Jones has a Monster Under her Bed by Barbara Park

OPL Link

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!

...and carry your cloak at all times

It never hurts to pack your Halloween supplies for the month of October...

No Laptime teller?

No problem!

Just pull on the witch's cloak, slip on some witchy shoes, grab a super freaky broom (on permanent display at the OPL), set up a good fiery and feathery cauldron to stew, and warm up the foggy bubble machine for one fabulously fun last minute laptime ;)

____________________

Oooooooo OOOooooo oooOOOOOoooo

ooOOOoooOO Ooooo ooo OOOooooo

. . . BOO!

The line-up: A list of the Halloween favorites
(this is a round-up of previously published LT/ST Halloween ideas)

Fingerplays and Poems

1 Little, 2 Little, 3 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

Who has Seen the Wind

by Christina Rossetti

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I or you.

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

If You're a Monster

Tune: If You're Happy and You Know It

If you're a monster and you know it, wave your arms.

If you're a monster and you know it, wave your arms.

If you're a monster and you know it,

Then your arms will surely show it.

If you're a monster and you know it, wave your arms.

Added Verses: Show your claws, Gnash your teeth, Stomp your feet

Halloween Night

(Tune: Frere Jacques)

Jack-o-lanterns, jack-o-lanterns,

Hall-o-ween, Hall-o-ween!

See the owls gliding,

Coal black cats are hiding,

Ghosts go "Boo," ghosts go "Boo!"

Black Cat

A big black cat with eyes so green

Went out on the night of Hallowe'en.

He saw a witch.

He saw an owl.

And then he began to "Meow, meow, meow."

In The Graveyard

Tune: Clementine

In the graveyard, In the graveyard,

When the moon. Begins to shine

There's a doctor. Crazy doctor

And his monster,

Frankenstein.

Oh, my monster, Oh, my monster,

Oh, my monster, Frankenstein

You are very, Very scary

Don't come near me

Frankenstein.

This Old Ghost

Tune: “This Old Man”

This old ghost, he played one,

He played peek-a-boo on the run.

With a biga-buga boo! And a clappity clap

This old ghost is a friendly chap.

Other verses:

This old ghost, he played two…in a shoe

This old ghost … three…behind a tree

A Haunting We Will Go

Tune: A Hunting We Will Go

Oh, a haunting we will go,

A haunting we will go,

We'll catch a ghost,

And put him on a post

And then we'll let him go.

Oh, a haunting we will go,

A haunting we will go,

We'll catch a cat

And put him in a hat

And then we'll let him go.

Oh, a haunting we will go,

A haunting we will go,

We'll catch a witch

And put her in a ditch

And then we'll let her go.

Owl's Eyes

See my big and scary eyes,

Get ready for a big surprise.

put them on and peer out.

BOO!

Tricks and Treats

Knock Knock

Knock, knock, knock

~knock on floor

Peek in

~cover baby’s arms over eyes and quickly uncover

Open the latch

~cover baby’s arms over chest, then quickly extend out to sides

And walk right in

~walk fingers up baby’s tummy

How do you do Mr. Chinny chin chin?

~tickle baby under chin

Doughnut

Here is a doughnut

~form circle with fingers and thumb

Round and fat.

There’s a hole in the middle

~look through your circle

But you can’t eat that!

~shake head

Five Little Ghostesses

Five little ghostesses,

Sitting on postesses,

Eating buttered toastesses,

Greasing their fistesses,

Up to their wristesses.

Oh, what beastesses,

To make such feastesses.

Trick or Treating

Tune: Are You Sleeping?

Trick or treating, trick or treating.

BOO BOO BOO

BOO BOO BOO

Trick or treating, trick or treating.

I scare you I scare you

What time is it when a ghost comes to dinner?

!!! TIME TO GO !!!!

Books

Funny Bones! by Charles Reasoner

Witch's Hand by Peter Utton
OPL Link

Aaaarrgghh Spider! by Lydia Monks

Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini

Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian
OPL Link


Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann
OPL Link

  
Go Away Big Orange Monster from Go Away Big Green Monster by Edward Emberley

OPL Link

The Thirteen Nights of Halloween by Guy Vasilovich
OPL Link

Music

Tis the night of Halloween...

Let’s Play Music song

Igora

We had way too much fun today to not share!

Let's welcome Igora from Mother Goose Land, recently entrusted by that font of laptime lore--Mother Goose herself--to do the Orem Library's Laptime on this fine fall day.

Boo!

Halloween Laptime

It's going to be a Hoppin' Happenin' Hoot of a Halloween!
~a Laptime program for Babies and Toddlers~

I get so excited for Halloween!
I just can’t sit still one more minute~

Halloween Night

(Tune: Frere Jacques)

Jack-o-lanterns, jack-o-lanterns,
Hall-o-ween, Hall-o-ween!
See the owls gliding,
Coal black cats are hiding,
Ghosts go "Boo," ghosts go "Boo!"

Can we go Trick or Treating now?
I’m going to be a witch!
Who else is going to be a witch?
One little witch
-point to self
oh, there you are 2 witches – do we have 3 witches?

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

I have a story of one particular witch, a little teeny tiny witch, a Humbug Witch  

Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian
OPL catalog link

That Fred, he’s some cat!

Black Cat

A big black cat with eyes so green
Point to eyes
Went out on the night of Hallowe'en.
He saw a witch.
Bring fingertips in a peak over head.
He saw an owl.

Form circles around eyes with fingers and thumbs

And then he began to "Meow, meow, meow."


Well, Fred may be ready for bed, but I’m not!
Must be all that candy I’ve been eating!

Let’s go outside and start our trick or treating.

Shhhh, do you hear that? What do you hear?
WhooooOooo  oooo Whoooosh
Is that the wind? Can you see it?


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

How many of you know how to trick or treat?
Okay, now for those of you that don't know, let me show you
First you knock on the door…


Knock Knock

Knock, knock, knock

~knock on floor
Peek in
~cover baby’s arms over eyes and quickly uncover
Open the latch
cover baby’s arms over chest, then quickly extend out to sides
And walk right in
~walk fingers up baby’s tummy

How do you do Mr. Chinny chin chin?
~tickle baby under chin

No, no, no...
that’s not how you trick or treat!
Let’s practice:

You knock on the door.
Wait for it to open,
And say “Trick or Treat!”
Come on, let’s all say it together:
“Trick or Treat”

Good job!
Shall we sing it?

Trick or Treating

Tune: Are You Sleeping?

Trick or treating, trick or treating.
BOO BOO BOO
BOO BOO BOO
Trick or treating, trick or treating.
I scare you I scare you

Well,we’ve got the treat part down - we just knock on a lot of doors.
We also get to do some tricking!

Halloween Haunt
Tune: A Hunting We Will Go

Oh, a haunting we will go,
A haunting we will go,

We'll catch a ghost,
And put him on a post
And then we'll let him go.

Oh, a haunting we will go,
A haunting we will go,
We'll catch a cat
And put him in a hat
And then we'll let him go.

Oh, a haunting we will go,
A haunting we will go,
We'll catch a witch
And put her in a ditch
And then we'll let her go.

It’s so cold and dark outside.
I’m scared.
Are you scared?

In The Graveyard
Tune: Clementine

In the graveyard,
In the graveyard,
When the moon
Begins to shine
There's a doctor
Crazy doctor
And his monster,
Frankenstein.

Oh, my monster,
Oh, my monster,
Oh, my monster,
Frankenstein
You are very,
Very scary
Don't come near me
Frankenstein.

If You're a Monster
Tune: If You're Happy and You Know It

If you're a monster and you know it, wave your arms.
If you're a monster and you know it, wave your arms.
If you're a monster and you know it,
Then your arms will surely show it.
If you're a monster and you know it, wave your arms.

Added Verses: Show your claws, Gnash your teeth, Stomp your feet

Go Away Big 'Orange' Monster
~I've taken Edward Emberley's Go Away, Big Green Monster /OPL link/ and created a Flannel board pumpkin (orange) monster. Click here to see photos (after linking, scroll down a bit)

Okay, that’s it.
Let’s go to Grandma’s house to warm up!
My Grandma always has chocolate milk and doughnuts!

Doughnut

Here is a doughnut
~form circle with fingers and thumb

Round and fat.

There’s a hole in the middle
~look through your circle
But you can’t eat that!
~shake head


Yum Yum! Now I’m done.
Nighty Nighty all!

______________

Need more?
Try some of these -

Owl's Eyes

See my big and scary eyes,Thumb and index fingers make owl's eyes.
Get ready for a big surprise.
Turn them upside down backwards, put them on and peer out.
BOO!


Five Little Ghostesses

Five little ghostesses,
Sitting on postesses,
Eating buttered toastesses,
Greasing their fistesses,
Up to their wristesses.
Oh, what beastesses,
To make such feastesses.


This Old Ghost
Tune: “This Old Man”

This old ghost, he played one,
He played peek-a-boo on the run.
With a biga-buga boo! And a clappity clap
This old ghost is a friendly chap.

Other verses:
This old ghost, he played two…in a shoe
This old ghost, he played three…behind a tree



Funny Bones! 
by Charles Reasoner



 





Aaaarrgghh Spider! 
by Lydia Monks
OPL link

Mrs. McMurphy's Pumpkin  
by Rick Walton
OPL Link

The 13 Nights of Halloween 
by Guy Vasilovich
OPL Link









... Let's Play Music has a fabulous Halloween song,



OoooOoooOooo
Tis the night of Halloween...

Play this or other fun Halloween music at the beginning and end, or even in the middle of the program for an added bit of fun.