I’ve always got my eyes peeled for Jbrary’s annual favorite storytime blog post, and this year I felt like adding some of my favorite titles to the blogging world. I don’t update this blog nearly as frequently as the last time I wrote one of these lists (2020!) though you can find some more recent storytime book posts from Sarah.
These lists are personal. The storytime books that work for me may not work for you–and that is okay! We each have our own storytime preferences. Also, I very well may have missed some great titles that were released over the last year–so make sure to check out all of the great lists all over the internet.
As a manager now, I also don’t present storytime quite as frequently, so, while I’ve identified some of these as favorite storytime books, I haven’t tested them all in storytime myself. Also, since I haven’t done a list in a while, there may be some 2023 (and even 2022) releases on here as well.
2024(ish) Favorite Storytime Books
In no particular order.
Adventure Babies By Rosamund Lloyd
Age: Babies
Bear Has a Belly By Jane Whittngham
Age: Babies, Toddlers, Preschool
I Love Your Face! By Karma Wilson
Age: Babies, Toddler
Peekaboo Who? By Elena Selena
Age: Babies, Toddler
Swaddled with Love By Alessandra Preziosi
Age: Babies
Hello, Face! By Aya Khalil
Age: Babies
Can You Bark Like a Dog? By Child’s Play International
Age: Babies
On Powwow Day By Traci Sorell
Age: Babies, Toddlers
What Is Baby Wearing? By Flowerpot Press
Age: Babies
I Can Say Goodnight! By Stephanie Cohen
Age: Babies
See, Touch, Feel: Look at Me! By Roger Priddy
Age: Babies
Rainbow Bear By Bill Martin & Michael Sampson
Age: Toddler, Preschool
Ms. Rachel and the Special Surprise By Ms. Rachel
Age: Toddler, Preschool
Paint with Ploof By Ben Clanton
Age: Toddler, Preschool
Is That the Bus? By Libby Koponen
Age: Toddler
Greetings, Floof! By C.J. Hong
Age: Toddler, Preschool
Hen in the Bed By Katrina Charman
Age: Toddler, Preschool
Name Your Numbers By Smriti Prasadam-Halls
Age: Toddler
Knock Knock: Who’s There? By Rob Hodgson
Age: Toddler
There’s a Bear in Your Book By Tom Fletcher
Age: Toddler, Preschool
Go and Get with Rex By David LaRochelle
Age: Preschool, Kindergarten
Bunny Loves Beans By Jane Whittingham
Age: Preschool
Keep Up Duck! By Ivan and Rachel Bates
Age: Preschool
On a Flake-Flying Day By Buffy Silverman
Age: Preschool
Don’t Think of Tigers By Alex Latimer
Age: Kindergarten, 1st Grade
The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals By Deborah Underwood
Sarah and I were thrilled to present at the latest Public Library Association (PLA) conference (held near our libraries – in Columbus, Ohio!) a few weeks ago. Our presentation, Babytime Boredom: Building Culturally Responsive Programming for Ages 0-3, had nearly 450 (!!) people attend.
Plus, some awesome ALSC Bloggers talked about our presentation:
This presentation really highlighted a lot of the amazing work that Sarah has done at OSU’s Schoenbaum Family Center, with me highlighting ways to apply those concepts in a public library setting.
We wanted to continue to share the content that we created for this presentation – even for folks who couldn’t attend PLA. Find all of those resources below!
Rhymes designed to get kids up and moving are a staple of any storytime. These aren’t quite Fingerplays (but there may be a lot of overlap). Sometimes they can include Flannel or Magnet pieces. Rhymes are often (but not always) shorter than a song, as they are often used as short breaks to get some wiggles out between longer material. They often develop fine and gross motor skills, practice following directions, and can also connect to any number of other concepts like counting, letter sounds, animal sounds, and more.
I separated Baby Bounce Rhymes, designed for babies in arms or in laps, into a different post. Find those here.
Beyond the songs that had racial slurs in their origins–stop and think for a minute about the words in Baa Baa Black Sheep or I’ve Been Working on the Railroad. Goosey Goosey Gander made me pause when I first heard it in a Mother Goose on the Loose storytime–and the suggested origins of that rhyme don’t make me want to teach it to babies and toddlers.
Before I get further into this conversation, check out this wonderful document with many sources cited regarding the history of some of the songs and rhymes mentioned above and more. I’m sure there are more popular tunes I have missed too. Please comment below, and I’m happy to add and adjust.
I understand that there can be value in the rhythm of Mother Goose and other “traditional” nursery rhymes–but frankly, I grew up only learning a handful of these, and I don’t think I lost much of my childhood from not growing up with the Mother Goose canon. There are plenty of other songs that can teach kids how to count or practice identifying body parts–and once you become aware of the origins of certain songs, they are easy enough to avoid.
But what about the familiar tunes (changing those words)? For me, this comes down to the grandmother in one of my in-person Baby Storytimes who proudly sang “Indian” instead of “finger” when we sang “Ten Little Fingers” to the tune of “Ten Little Indians.” She told her little one that she was so excited to sing a song she grew up with–so she sang the words she knew instead of the words on the screen behind me. The short answer is–let these rhymes–and their tunes–go.
I struggle with this just as I am sure some of you do. Put Your Hands Up High is my hardest rhyme to let go of because I love the motions so much, and it is part of my default, go-to storytime routine. But, it is to the tune of Do Your Ears Hang Low. I’m sure that other problematic tunes have slipped through too in my work–on this post and others on this blog. But there are plenty of other rhymes out there–on this blog and many others–that none of us have an excuse for continuing to use these problematic works.
Looking for more storytime tools? Check out our Storytime Resources page for links to more content.
Movement Rhymes
Baby Hokey Pokey
You put your arms up, You put your arms down, You put your arms up, And you wave them all around You wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, And you tickle, tickle, tickle That’s how the baby pokey goes (clap along) Yeah! (arms in the air)
One little red fish Swimming in the water, Swimming in the water, Swimming in the water.
One little red fish Swimming in the water, Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble (roll arms) POP! (clap)
Bubble, Bubble, Pop: Baby Shark
One yellow baby shark, Swimming in the water, Swimming in the water, Swimming in the water.
One yellow baby shark, swimming in the water, Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble pop!
Continue with: One blue daddy shark One pink momma shark
Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands
Clap, clap, clap your hands, Clap them now with me. Clap your hands, let me see! Clap them now with me.
Continue with: Tap your knees Shake your feet Tickle your tummy
Clap Them
Clap them, clap them, clap them so. Clap them high! Clap them low. Clap them left. Clap them right. Clap them, clap them, out of sight!
Continue with: roll them, shake them
Clap Your Feet
Clap, clap, clap your feet. Clap your feet together. Clap, clap, clap your feet. Clap your feet together.
Clap them high! Clap them low. Clap them fast! Clap them slow.
Clap, clap, clap your feet. Clap your feet together. Clap, clap, clap your feet. Clap your feet together.
Cool Cat Boogie
Slide right, shake your tail! Slide left, shake your tail! Now clap, clap, clap. Jump front! Rock and roll! Jump back! Rock and roll! AIR GUITAR!
Dino Ditty
A hungry dino walking down the street Singing dino ditty ditty dum ditty do He’s looking for something good to eat Singing dino ditty ditty dum ditty do He’s big! (He’s big!) He’s strong! (He’s strong!) Won’t be hungry very long…
Do You Like to Jump Around
Do you like to jump around? Jump around, Jump around? Do you like to jump around? Jump and now let’s FREEZE!
Continue with: Roll Clap Shake Jump
Five Little Eggs
Give it a whack, (clap) Hear it crack, (hand behind ear) Drop it in the middle, (pat hands on your lap) One egg frying on the griddle.
Galoomp Went the Little Green Frog
Galoomp (hop) went the little green frog one day Galoomp (hop) went the little green frog Galoomp (hop) went the little green frog one day And his eyes went blinkblinkblink
Repeat with new line added on each time: Arms went flop, flop, flop Feet went splash, splash, splash
Head and Shoulders
Head and shoulders baby 1, 2, 3 Head and shoulders baby 1, 2, 3 Head and shoulders, Head and shoulders, Head and shoulders baby 1, 2, 3
Continue with: Knees and ankles Tummy and back Fingers and toes Shake them all
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (audiation)
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes! Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes! And eyes and ears and mouth and nose! Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes!
Horns and Fangs
Horns and fangs, knees and claws, Knees and claws, knees and claws, Horns and fangs, knees and claws, Eyes, ears, tail, and paws!
I Wake Up My Hands
I wake up my hands with a clap, clap, clap, Clap, clap, clap, Clap, clap, clap, I wake up my hands with a clap, clap, clap, And I wiggle my wiggles away!
If you’re a pigeon and you know it, flap your wings! If you’re a pigeon and you know it, flap your wings! If you’re a pigeon and you know it, And you really want to show it! If you’re a pigeon and you know it, flap your wings!
Shake your tail (shake, shake) Eat your cookies (nom, nom) Drive the bus (zoom, zoom)
If You’re Fancy and You Know It
If you’re fancy and you know it give a curtsey! If you’re fancy and you know it give a curtsey! If you’re fancy and you know it and you really want to show it, If you’re fancy and you know it give a curtsey!
Continue with: Take a Bow Wave to All Your Fans Shout Ooh La La!
If You’re Ready for the New Year
If you’re ready for the new year, clap your hands! If you’re ready for the new year, clap your hands If you’re ready for the new year, If you’re ready for the new year, If you’re ready for the new year, clap your hands!
Continue with: Stomp Your Feet (Stomp, Stomp) Wave Bye-Bye (Bye Bye 2020) Give a Shout (Happy New Year!)
I’m a Little Dump Truck
I’m great big dump truck Full of rocks. Here is my engine. Here is my box. When the crew is ready, Here me shout, “Pull the lever and dump me out!” Shhhhhhhhh!
Magic Butterflies
Five fuzzy caterpillars spinning cocoons Hoping spring will come real soon! With a little bit of magic And the warm sunshine– Clap, clap, clap, there’s a butterfly!
Mix a Cake
Mix the batter, stir the batter Shake some flour in Mix the batter, stir the batter Pour it in a tin
Sprinkle in some chocolate chips Put it in to bake Then open wide the oven door And out comes the cake!
Mix a Pancake
Mix a pancake. Stir a pancake. Pop it in a pan. Fry a pancake. Toss a pancake. Catch it if you can!
Move Your Arms
Move your arms up and down, Up and down. Up and down. Move your arms up and down, Just like me!
Move your hands and clap, clap, clap. Clap, clap, clap. Clap, clap, clap. Move your hands and clap, clap, clap, Just like me!
Continue with: feet…stomp, body…up and down
My Heart Is A Zoo
Sometimes my heart wants to clap like a seal. Sometimes my heart wants to hop like a bunny. Sometimes my heart wants to jump like a frog. Sometimes my heart wants to roar like a lion. Sometimes my heart wants to fly like a blue jay.
One, Two, Peek-A-Boo!
One, two, peek-a-boo! You see me, and I see you. I see your nose; yes I do! Time to play peek-a-boo!
Continue with: Hands, Feet, Belly
Open Shut Them
Open, shut them. Open, shut them. Let your hands go clap, clap, clap!
Open, shut them. Opem, shut them. Drop them in your lap, lap, lap!
Walk them, walk them, Walk them, walk them, Right up to your chin, chin, chin!
Open up your little mouth, But do not let them in!
Pinkalicious Turn Around
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious turn around. Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious touch the ground. Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious jump up high! Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious touch the sky.
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious bend down low. Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious find your nose. Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious dance to the beat. Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious take a seat!
Put the Beat On
Put the beat on your toes, on your toes. Put the beat on your toes, on your toes. Put the beat on your toes, Put the beat on your toes, Put the beat on your toes, Now we stop!
Continue with: Tummy In your hands (clap)
Roll Roll Sugar Babies
Roll roll sugar babies, Roll roll sugar babies, Push and pull And clap, clap, clap!
Roll roll sugar babies, Roll roll sugar babies, Push and pull And clap, clap, clap!
Roll up high! Roll down low. Roll real fast! Roll real slow.
Roll roll sugar babies, Roll roll sugar babies, Push and pull And clap, clap, clap!
Roly, Poly
Roly Poly, Roly Poly, Up, up, up! Up, up, up!
Continue with: Down, Out, In, Fast, Slow
Row, Drive, Fly
Row, row, row your boat (sway) Gently down the stream Merrily, merrily, merrily Life is but a dream.
Drive, drive, drive your car So quickly down the street Merrily, merrily, merrily Driving can’t be beat!
Fly, fly, fly your plane Fly your plane so high Merrily, merrily, merrily Way up in the sky!
Chug, chug, chug the train Goes quickly down the track Merrily, merrily, merrily Hear it click click clack!
Slowly, Slowly
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, Creeped the garden snail. Slowly, slowly, very slowly Up the wooden rail.
Quickly, quickly, very quickly Ran the little mouse. Quickly, quickly, very quickly, Round about the house!
Show Me How You Move
Show me how your hands can move, Your hands can move, Your hands can move, Show me how your hands can move, Now show me how they STOP!
Continue with: Feet…stomp Elbows…bend Body…jump
There Was a Crocodile
There was a crocodile, An orangutan, A flying eagle, And a silvery fish.
A bunny, A beaver, A crazy elephant, Da na na na na na Da na na na na na
This is Big
This is big big big. This is small small small.
This is short short short. This is tall tall tall.
This is fast fast fast. This is slow slow slow.
This is yes yes yes yes. This is no no no no.
Tiny Tim
I have a friendly frog. His name is Tiny Tim! I put him in the bathtub, To see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water! He ate up all the soap! And now he’s home sick in bed, With bubbles in his throat!
Bye again babies! I’m back to toddlers next week, and I am pulling out some of my favorite content in April. We aren’t sure what summer storytimes will bring yet–fewer virtual storytimes? Outdoor storytimes? No more mask requirements from the state? My question of the week: can you require social distancing in a program if your library no longer requires it overall? Or does social distancing in a program just turn into a suggestion that is encouraged by limiting attendance? What is your library doing as you consider returning to in-person programs and events?
Baby Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme – Wake Up Toes & We Clap and Sing Hello
Early Literacy Tip: Check out our new 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program!
Book Recommendation:Leo Loves Daddy by Anna McQuinn
Song: Clap Your Hands by Old Town School of Folk Music
Action Rhyme: These Little Fingers
These little fingers go Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle These little fingers go Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle And now they’re on my…HEAD!
Continue with: tummy, feet
Bounce: A Bouncing We Will Go
A bouncing we will go, A bouncing we will go, Hi ho the derry o, A bouncing we will go.
Babies, babies, babies! Continuing the storytime routine with lots of repeated favorites this week (but a new book!). I just wrapped up Brooke Newbery‘s Babies in the Library UW-Madison course, giving me some new ideas to help refresh programming for this age (and so many great play ideas…for whenever play can return!). Everything around programming is a question right now, but I’m looking forward to thinking about ways to increase services for babies in the next few years.
Hello babies! A new book and one new-to-me rhyme this week. Looking ahead at Toddler Storytime next month–have you found any great new toddler books lately? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Baby Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme – Wake Up Toes & We Clap and Sing Hello
Early Literacy Tip: Babies focus on word spoken immediately after their name.
Book Recommendation:I Love You, Baby Burrito by Angela Dominguez
Song: Baby 1, 2, 3 by Peter & Ellen Allard
Action Rhyme: Clap Your Feet
Clap, clap, clap your feet, Clap your feet together. Clap, clap, clap your feet, Clap your feet together.
Clap them high! Clap them low! Clap them fast! Clap them slow!
Bounce: Dump Truck
Dump truck, dump truck bumpin’ down the road. Spillin’ out gravel as you travel with your load. Bumpety, bumpety, bump, bump, bump. Dump truck, dump truck, dump truck, DUMP!
More babies! I’m close to a full year of virtual storytimes now–not quite there yet, but more on that soon. There are more than 50 virtual storytime outlines on this blog already! We are now officially one year since my last in-person baby storytime. (And playtime! I miss playtime.) I’m proud of the virtual work I’ve done over the last year, but I am starting to get itchy for some kind of change. I don’t necessarily know if I want things to be what they were, entirely, but I want…something? Hmmmm. Not entirely sure, but for now, more baby content.
Hello? Babies? I’m back! It has been a few months since I’ve planned a Baby Storytime program (at our library, that means ages 0-23 months). I’m happy to get back into the groove. Much of this week is repeated content that I am very familiar with, as I have Pigeon Storytime on Saturday (well, today by the time this is posted!), so I wanted to make this storytime as easy as possible.
Baby Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme – Wake Up Toes & We Clap and Sing Hello
Early Literacy Tip: When playing, have fun making noises like animal sounds or truck sounds. Hearing different noises and experiencing different pitches and volumes helps baby’s language development.
Book Recommendation:The Baby Goes Beep by Rebecca O’Connell
Song: Wheels on the Bus by Jay Laga’aia
Action Rhyme: Baby Hokey Pokey
You put your arms up, You put your arms down, You put your arms up, And you wave them all around You wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, And you tickle, tickle, tickle That’s how the baby pokey goes (clap along) Yeah! (arms in the air)
Continue with: legs, whole baby
Bounce: Tiny Little Babies
Tiny little babies love bouncin’ bouncin’, Tiny little babies love bouncin’ so. Tiny little babies love bouncin’ bouncin’ Tiny little babies love bouncin’ yeah.
Bounce to the left, Bounce to the right, Now hug that baby nice and tight.
Edit: A fantastic commenter pointed out the inaccuracy of the word “diverse” to describe these artists, and I’m working to correct that. You will see a mixture of terms used in this post as I take the time to better prepare for future posts in this series. The artists highlighted below are all from typically underrepresented backgrounds, including a mixture of Black, Latinx, Asian, and LGBTQIA+. I’ll better distinguish this on future updates to this post and blog series.
Update: Find a newer list of artists and songs (published in 2024) here.
Are you using music from a diverse group of artists in storytime? I’ll ask another way: are the artists of all the songs you use in storytime white? There is a ton of conversation in the library world about the need to make sure your collections, displays, reader’s advisory, and programming books include underrepresented populations. Rudine Sims Bishop is often quoted, citing her wonderful Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors essay. That work is very important, and books are at the core of library services. But, we also highlight other forms of media in our programming, storytimes, and events. Think about your hired presenters and performers (virtual in 2020 and in-person in 2019). How many were white? Who are you supporting with your library’s limited funds? What about your storytime music playlist? How often do you share music by Black artists? Latinx artists? LGBTQIA+ artists?
Since my time on the ALSC Notable Children’s Recordings committee, I’ve been thinking a lot about children’s music, especially the music we use in storytime. Most of the artists I use are white. Jim Gill and Laurie Berkner are great, but there are some really fantastic Black, Latinx, and Asian artists that out there. There are artists from so many underrepresented groups–you just need to put in the time to look for them.
And it does take time. The music world is hard to break into at any level. Getting an agent isn’t easy or cheap, and the children’s music world is competitive. An artist might be able to self publish or perform locally, but that creates a very limited audience for a time consuming and costly pursuit. In some ways, the pandemic has opened up more opportunities for smaller presenters and performers to perform, virtually, on a national scale. But, the pandemic has also made it harder for those same smaller performers to survive. Money is tight everywhere, and many libraries who could never afford to bring a big name performer in person, might be able to afford them virtually. Libraries want to attract a large virtual audience, and that is easier with a name that caregivers will recognize. Caregivers recognize children’s musicians that they hear a lot–which they may mostly hear in storytime. So we are back to the beginning again: what musicians are you highlighting in storytime?
I am picky about my storytime music. I present for all ages now, but mostly babies and toddlers. I want music selections that are:
Short. Preferably 1-2 minutes, though I’m flexible with this (I can always stop the song myself where I need to).
Clear actions that are preferably repeated in a straightforward way. And actions that are appropriate for the age range. We can always adapt words and motions, but it is hard to spin a squirming one-year-old sitting on your lap.
Good pace. For me, I don’t want something too slow, but it also needs to be at a speed that is feasible for a toddler or preschooler to follow.
Your storytime music preferences might be very different. Some of my coworkers only use songs that have a rhythm that is way too slow for me, while others really want to theme their music to their storytime topic.
One more note: look at artists that you haven’t heard of. It’s great that you are highlighting Ella Jenkins and other artists that have been around for a few decades–but there are many new, modern artists creating amazing music right now that would appreciate your support.
I’ve been rambling on for months in other blog posts on how I have been working on a spreadsheet with artists from underrepresented populations and songs that particularly work for storytime. That full document isn’t ready yet, but I want to start to highlight diverse musicians regularly in preparation for that longer post. Many of these names may be familiar if you follow my weekly storytime outlines.
Children’s Musicians: A Starting List
All of these artists come from backgrounds that are typically underrepresented, particularly in storytime playlists: some are Black, some are Latinx, some are Asian, some identify as LGBTQIA+, and more. Some of these artists are my personal favorites while others are ones I plan to explore over the next few months. Who am I missing? Let me know in the comments!
Also, not a specific music group, but check out the Trans & Nonbinary Kids Mix by Ants on a Log and Friends.
Storytime Music: Favorite Songs
Again, I haven’t listened to every song by every artist listed above (yet–that is the plan by the end of the year), but if you are looking for some storytime music by artists from underrepresented populations to add to your storytime playlist *right now*, I’ve highlighted some of my current favorites below!
Jazzy Ash
Teddy Bear (preschool or school age)
Baby Loves Beignets (great with shakers)
Leap Frog (great with shakers – wish this didn’t gender with boys and girls)
Kymberly Stewart
I Am a Robot (toddlers, preschoolers)
Timmy the Turtle (Tiny Tim rhyme)
Down Down Up Up (all ages–could be a fun work out for caregivers with babies)
Nathalia
Animal Bop (toddlers, preschoolers)
Alina Celeste
Clap Hands (wish this wasn’t strictly mama and papa repeatedly, but the beat and actions are great)
Little Miss Ann
Shake & Sing (with shakers)
Aaron Nigel Smith
Everybody Loves to Dance (featuring Ziggy Marley) (all ages)
Itsy Bitsy Spider (featuring Zion Nigel Smith) (all ages)
Culture Queen
Super Shaker Song (with shakers! or scarves!) (all ages)
It’s book list season! I’ve read a lot this year, and I am excited to highlight my favorite releases of 2020. I’m thrilled to start this year’s lists with 2020 favorite storytime books.
These lists are personal. The storytime books that work for me may not work for you–and that is okay! We each have our own storytime preferences. Also, I very well may have missed some great titles that were released over the last year–so make sure to check out all of the great lists all over the internet.
I had so many favorites this year that I split picture books over two lists: storytime favorites and picture book favorites. Make sure to check both places for amazing 2020 titles!
Which titles were your favorites of the year? Please share in the comments!
#Baby by Michael Joosten Adorable baby photographs paired with humorous hashtags will make this a winner for both babies (who will love the close ups of other babies) and grown ups (who will appreciate the humor). Fun choice for virtual baby storytime.
A is for Another Rabbit by Hannah Batsel “A is for A Rabbit. B is for Bunny. C is for Can you believe how many rabbits are on this page?” A rabbit-obsessed narrator makes an owl angrier and angrier as this alphabet book fails to follow normal expectations. Try this out at an elementary school storytime.
Animals Brag About their Bottoms by Maki Saito Bottoms are cool. Animal bottoms are SUPER COOL. For toddlers, focus on identifying the animal by their bottom. For preschoolers, read through the story and talk about loving our bodies in all their unique shapes and sizes. Pair with a nonfiction book about animals, Whose Poop Is That?, or any Steve Jenkins title.
The Babies and Kitties Book by John Schindel and Molly Woodward Redd A companion to the adorable The Babies and Doggies Book, this book features photographs of babies…and kitties! Wonderful photographs featuring diverse babies are paired with fun actions that work well in a storytime environment (climbing, hiding, jumping).
Bedtime Bonnet by Nancy Amanda Redd and illustrated by Nneka Myers “In my family, when the sun goes down, our hair goes up!” A little girl shows us her Black family’s nighttime hair routines, but when it comes time for her to go to bed, she can’t find her bonnet! Where could it be? A fantastic own voices book that centers a diverse narrative in a bedtime storytime.
Do Sharks Bark? by Salina Yoon These lift-the-flap books are perfect for toddler or preschool storytime. Read them as they are written–opening each animal mouth for that sound–or try retelling them with puppets.
Don’t Feed the Coos! by Jonathan Stutzman and illustrated by Heather Fox Coos are so cute! And they are begging you for a snack…but don’t give in! If you feed one, they will all come! Lots of humor and giggles about what happens if you feed pigeons (or seagulls or ibis or ducks depending where you live).
The Elephants’ Guide to Hide and Seek by Kjersten Hayes and illustrated by Gladys Jose Elephants love playing hide and seek–but they aren’t very good at it. Consult this handy guide for tips and tricks to improving your hide and seek game. Ask storytime attendees to think of new places or ways for an elephant to try to hide–maybe even places in your library!
Federico and the Wolf by Rebecca J. Gomez and illustrated by Elisa Chavarri A clever retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Frederico tries to take food to his grandfather’s store, but a hungry wolf has other ideas. A bouncy rhythm makes this fun to read aloud. Spanish words are scattered throughout, with a glossary and pronunciation guide in the back.
Fussy Flamingo by Shelly Vaughan James and illustrated by Matthew Rivera Lola is one fussy bird–she doesn’t want to eat shrimp like her fellow flamingos. She is determined to try any other food, and each of those foods changes the color of her feathers. Lots of repetitive text and humor make this a fun family read aloud.
The Ghosts Went Floating by Kim Norman and illustrated by Jay Fleck A spooky Halloween story sung to the tune of The Ants Went Marching. Perfect for counting practice, with a catchy tune that will soon have everyone singing. The last few pages include a Halloween tie in with the spooky friends all attending a Halloween party, though those could be skipped.
Going Up by Sherry J. Lee and illustrated by Charlene Chua Sophie and her dad are excited for Olive’s birthday party! Sophie pushes the elevator button, and they start the long journey up their building–but at each floor, the elevator stops, and more neighbors crowd in. Repetitive text helps keeps readers engaged as they meet the diverse residents of this apartment building.
Hey Baby!: A Baby’s Day in Doodles by Andrea Pippins Lovely photographs follow a 1-year-old through everyday activities. The black and white contrast is great for young eyes (if a little busy for a virtual storytime setting). Great actions and motions to compare the baby’s day to your family’s day.
I Love Me! by Laronda Gardner Middlemiss and illustrated by Beth Hughes Celebrate diversity, identity, community, and everything that makes you special. Rhyming text, vibrant illustrations, and the repeated “I Love Me!” makes this a great fit for toddler and preschool storytimes
I Love My Fangs! by Kelly Leigh Miller Little Dracula loves his two, pointy, beautiful fangs! But then–oh dear–one falls out. How can Dracula be a vampire with just one tooth? Why won’t it pop back in? Lots of humor and drama surround our adorable young vampire, including a hilarious battle with the tooth fairy. Bright, colorful illustrations will keep the youngest readers engaged.
Jules vs. the Ocean by Jessie Sima Jules wants to build the best sandcastle ever! But the ocean has other plans, washing away all of Jules’ attempts–and eventually it takes her bucket too. A fun summer beach story filled with dry humor in both the words and illustrations.
Lia & Luís: Who Has More? by Ana Crespo and illustrated by Giovana Medeiros Lia and Luís argue over who has more of their favorite snacks. A great way to include math concepts in storytime including measuring, counting, estimating, and weighing. Perfect for STEM programs!
Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse by Jonathan Stutzman and illustrated by Heather Fox I am a fan of everything Llama! While this sequel isn’t quite as amazing as the original, Llama gets into even more hilarious shenanigans in an effort to never have to clean his house again.
Lift by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat Wow! This book is visually gorgeous, but also contains serious storytime potential. Iris tapes a broken elevator button to the wall of her room. When she pushes the button, a new world opens up. A great book for older readers paired with an activity where kids create their own imaginary worlds that they would like to find behind magical elevator doors.
On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex A poor kid wakes up with gum in their hair, and their grown up is determined to get the gum out. Instead, they make things much, much, much worse along the way. Lots of laughs.
One of These Is Not Like the Others by Barney Saltzberg Three cows and one elephant–one of these is not like the other! A great read-aloud for toddlers practicing similarities and differences (and celebrating both). Easy to skip spreads to shrink the length of the book.
Our Favorite Day of the Year by A.E. Ali and illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell Musa’s kindergarten teacher, Ms. Gupta, proposes a yearlong show and tell, where each child shares with their classmates about their favorite day of the year. As a class, they celebrate Eid Mubarak, Rush Hashanah, Christmas (with some Lantinx cultural elements), and Pi Day. A great way to have a conversation about holidays without focusing on one religion (or, in the case of Pi Day, any religion at all).
Sloth Went by Adam Lehrhaupt and illustrated by Bensom Shum Is there ever an audience where poop books don’t get a good laugh? Encourage young sloth to climb down a tree for his weekly poop. Pair with fascinating facts about how sloths poop in the wild, or a conversation about bathrooms and potty training.
Smug Seagull by Maddie Frost Smug Seagull can snatch more snacks than you! But…who is this new crab? How is crab so good at swiping? Is there enough room at the beach for two snack snatchers? A perfect read aloud to pair with Mo Willems’ Pigeon.
Speak Up by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Ebony Glenn When you see something that doesn’t feel right, when you make a mistake, when you can help someone in need, use your voice and speak up! While this book’s message is simple, it approaches kindness, activism, and using your voice in a tone perfect for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first graders.
Turtle Walk by Matt Phelan “Turtle walk! Nice and slow. Here we go. Are we there yet? No.” This repetitive story is delightful. Adorable turtles make their plodding walk, exploring the wonders of the world, slowly making their way through the seasons to the cave where they will nap for the winter. Lots of fun to read aloud with a great refrain to repeat as a group.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You by Ellen Mayer and illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu Mama changes baby’s diaper in this simple board book. While the action is straightforward, the book excels in modeling ways a caregiver can turn a small exchange, like changing a diaper, into an early literacy experience by singing a modified version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, practicing animal sounds, identifying body parts, and more. A great board book to highlight in a virtual storytime.
Unicorns Are the Worst! by Alex Willan Unicorns are the worst! Goblin is not happy when unicorns move in next door with their glitter and tea parties. Why are unicorns so well loved while goblins are so underappreciated? Funny story perfect for fans of unicorns, magic, humor, and new friendships. Bright illustrations will draw in young readers and also make this a good book to share virtually.
We Will Rock Our Classmatesby Ryan T. Higgins We Don’t Eat Our Classmates is one of my favorite storytime books–and I am so glad Penelope is back for more fun! She is excited to play her guitar at the school talent show until she hears a classmate say that dinosaurs can’t rock and roll. Her classmates have a lot of opinions about what dinosaurs can be…does Penelope have the courage to show off everything she is capable of? A great elementary read, especially to start a conversation about bullying and microaggressions with kindergarteners and first graders.
Welcome to the Party by Gabrielle Union and illustrated by Ashley Evans This is a baby storytime win! Beautiful illustrations, wonderful rhymes, and perfect actions for a group of babies or toddlers.
What Color Is My Hijab? by Hudda Ibrahim and illustrated by Meenal Patel A simple book that highlights both colors and diversity as a little girl chooses what color hijab she will wear today. Great choice for toddlers or preschoolers.
What Will Fit? by Grace Lin Grace Lin’s new series of math board books are perfect for introducing simple math concepts for toddlers. Make sure to check out the whole series!
When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt Celebrate kindness with this beautiful book by a Native author and illustrator. Perfect for talking to preschoolers and kindergarteners about being kind and helping others.
Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and illustrated by Luisa Uribe A girl tells her mother how frustrated she was after her teacher and classmates couldn’t pronounce her name. Her mother teaches her that her name is a song as well as how to embrace your name and identity. A beautiful book perfect for elementary school conversations about the importance of pronouncing names correctly.
