Storytime Activity Ideas for Lefty by Mo Willems and Dan Santat

Lefty by Mo Willems, Illustrated by Dan Santat

My son and I are both left-handed (like Dan Santat) and love Dan Santat illustrations (...like Dan Santat, surely?) so I wanted to read this book with him. He's a bit too old for it now, but there are some interesting facts in there that he loved learning to share with his (right-handed) friends. 

It's a fun book and I can picture reading it aloud in a classroom or library, like all Mo Willems and Dan Santat books! 

Activities I would do as a librarian would include: 

• polling the class or storytime group to see who is left-handed and who is right-handed
• tracing hands on paper and coloring them (for younger kids) or drawing things that make you you (for older kids)
• giving them a word to try and write with both their left and right hands
• draw the same picture with both left and right hands
• toss beanbags into a basket with left and right hands

What activities would you incorporate into a storytime or lesson using this book? What have you tried? I'd love to hear how it went!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (and more!)

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

The Herdman siblings—infamously known as the "worst kids in the world"—have hijacked the annual Christmas pageant, leaving the whole town bracing for disaster.

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys are notorious for their antics: they’ve burned down Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce out of her charm bracelet, and whacked Alice Wendelken upside the head. So when they crash church for the free snacks and take over the Christmas pageant, everyone assumes chaos is inevitable.

But as the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, begin to reimagine it in their own unconventional way, something unexpected happens. This year’s pageant turns out to be unlike anything anyone expected—and maybe that’s what makes it unforgettable.

I remember reading this as a kid and have been re-reading some childhood books trying to find this scene I remember (I’ve already Googled and Reddited so it’s driving me nuts). I didn’t know this had been made into a movie but now I really want to see it. The book was better than I remembered - it never stood out to me in my memory, but I really enjoyed it this time.

The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson

At Woodrow Wilson Elementary, whenever trouble brews, you can bet a Herdman is involved. These kids aren’t just notorious; they’re practically outlaws. They smoke cigars, tell lies, and start fires—and that’s on the rare days they actually show up to school.

But when a school project challenges everyone to find something nice to say about their classmates—even the Herdmans—students begin to wonder: could there be more to this wild and unruly family than meets the eye?

I liked this even better than the Christmas Pageant because the reader really gets to know the Herdman family and it’s got a great ending. It felt really realistic and reminded me a lot of my elementary school years.

My Brother Louis Measures Worms: And Other Louis Stories by Barbara Robinson

Eight-year-old Louis has somehow been driving his mom's car around town, the family cat has gone missing to have her kittens, and a free wedding has sparked plenty of excitement. With costume parades, mysterious paint allergies, and chaotic bicycle mishaps, life with the Lawson family is always full of surprises!

I read this right after two Herdman books and kept confusing the main character and her brother in each book, but all the family stories were really funny. I wish the third book in this collection was the third Herdman book, The Best Halloween Ever, just to keep them all together and prevent the character confusion.

Pretty Ugly by David Sedaris and Ian Falconer

Pretty Ugly by David Sedaris, illustrated by Ian Falconer

I'm a huge David Sedaris fan and am usually aware when he has a new book coming out. However, even with this being a picture book (aka right up my alley!), it wasn't on my radar until recently, despite being on the Most Anticipated Books of 2024 List from Kirkus Reviews. I must be living under a rock!

Anyway, I was glad to get my hands on it because this house has tons of Toon books so even if Sedaris and Falconer weren't behind the scenes, you know it's gonna be good.

The first few pages reminded me of Saturday Night Live's take on The Twilight Zone with Pamela Anderson, to the point where I was thinking, "At least kids who haven't seen that sketch may think this book is a fresh take on the issue."

Then came the twist.

I should have known Sedaris wouldn't go with the standard idea of monsters finding true beauty to be repulsive, though I definitely thought the book was going to be a letdown at a point.

But it's not. I can't say much more because I don't want to give it away---and this twist is worth it. Let's just say... my son had to hold his hand over the page because it grossed him out so much, while I thought it was delightful.

Overall, this is a funny twist on "beautiful on the inside" with amazing final illustrations from Ian Falconer, especially lovely if you grew up loving Olivia like I did.

How Dinosaurs Went Extinct: A Safety Guide by Ame Dyckman

How Dinosaurs Went Extinct: A Safety Guide

by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Jennifer Harney

My son doesn't read picture books much anymore; he's too busy devouring a chapter book a week. And since I'm not working as a children's librarian right now (though I'll always be one at heart), I don't really have much reason (or time!) to pick up new picture books.

So when my son saw this book in the Scholastic Book Fair catalog, he circled it and said it was one he wanted to read. We found it in the library system and checked it out immediately. He thought it was funny but only read it once before he was ready to return it.

Of course, I read it too. We've read so many of Dyckman's books over the years, and they're always funny and enjoyable.

However, this one started off a little iffy to me.

I rolled my eyes at the typical dad mansplaining, then figured I was being too sensitive. After all, it's a picture book. And maybe Dyckman was trying to make a statement? But I wish he hadn't interrupted the mother, who was actually trying to teach her child a lesson. The dad speaks up and uses the rest of the book to share stupid reasons dinosaurs went extinct. They're funny, yes. But I could imagine this happening to me, and I would prefer the child learn the truth while in the museum since there's so much to explore there. On the drive home, the dad can be as silly as he wants with the rest of the reasons. 

That said, I know I'm projecting based on my own personal experiences. I still wish this page wasn't there. What if it was just the dad and kid at the museum that day and he was offering silly explanations? Why does he have to interrupt the woman?

The reasons are pretty funny, though, because they're things kids do, like picking boogers, running with scissors, and tipping backward in a chair. And you can probably imagine how Gasosaurus went extinct.

So I can admit that I might be taking this book a little deeper than intended, but I'll still argue that this plot point could have easily been rewritten to not have a man interrupting a woman just to share a lot of nonsense, since that's already so prevalent in everyday society. I've shown the page to two friends (females, one librarian, one writer) and they felt the same way, so it's possibly an issue beyond my personal bubble.

Favorite Picture Books by Black Authors

YA books are my sweet spot, but I also wanted to highlight some picture books by Black authors as well.

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison

I thought I was obsessed with Vashti Harrison's artwork in Little Leaders, but then I went to her IG page and WOW. This is an amazing book to read to kids to get them interested in Black history and a great jumping off point for further research. If you don’t have a kid to read it to, you should still check it out for the gorgeous artwork.

“Vashti Harrison’s Little Leaders book first started off during a social media challenge to create art throughout Black History Month. Eventually, these drawings became the beginning of Harrison’s first bestselling book. Harrison created images of black girls dressing up as different female role models from history and turned them into a book in which she tells these women’s stories. She says she wrote these books with her younger self in mind, imagining the types of people she would have wanted to read about, the people who would inspire her to keep dreaming.”

I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes

My son and I loved Crown and the King of Kindergarten, and hearing Derrick Barnes speak was especially inspiring. I was really looking forward to I Am Every Good Thing, especially after the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer. I watched footage of local protests on the news, and my son wanted to go "walk with everyone." It only seemed natural that the conversations that inspired would also have a powerful book to really hit the point home.

The Black boy that tells this story is showing us every unique thing that makes him who he is - something that is often overlooked when it comes to news stories and biases. The book is dedicated to Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, EJ Bradford, Jordan Edwards, Michael Brown, Jordan Davis, and Julian Mallory, all Black boys who were senselessly killed, often by police officers.

Kirkus called this book “a much-needed book for Black children when society demonstrates otherwise,” and I agree, while also finding it important for white children (AND adults) to read so they can develop empathy and understand that Black children are just as important as they are, especially with the current racial climate and ignorance some people have about basic human rights.

The Power of Her Pen by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Ethel L. Payne was born in 1911. She went to school with white people, even though she was harassed and beaten for it. The school paper wouldn’t let her work for them because she was black, but they published her first story. Payne went to college and studied writing. She went to Japan and wrote about how Black American soldiers were treated.

When she returned to the United States, Payne worked for the Chicago Defender, one of two Black daily newspapers at the time. After 3 years of covering politics, Payne became one of three Black journalists to be given a White House press pass. She was outspoken and became known as the “First Lady of the Black Press.” Payne died in 1991 and has since been honored on a US stamp - one of only four female journalists to be featured.

The Oldest Student by Rita Lorraine Hubbard

I can’t believe I didn’t know about Mary Walker, but I’m glad I learned about her in this book. She was born into slavery in 1848. After being freed at 15, someone gave her a Bible. She wanted to read it, but had never learned. She couldn’t write, so she just made marks in the front to note her sons’ birth dates. She outlived her entire family and finally decided to learn to read. She was scared she was too old to learn, but she worked hard and never gave up. At 116, she could read! She lived to be 121.

Mora’s illustrations are amazing, showing the reader the way Walker sees scribbles all around her, then words after she learns to read. The endpapers include real photos of Mary Walker.

Tiny T. Rex and the Very Dark Dark

 

Tiny T. Rex and the Very Dark Dark

by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Jay Fleck

My son is reading chapter books and graphic novels now, but any picture book starring a dinosaur is fair game for a bedtime story. I loved reading this aloud to him because being scared of the dark is something that comes and goes, and Tiny T. Rex is proactive in his approach. The illustrations are the perfect mix of adorable and beautiful.

We've previously read Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug in 2019, but my son doesn't remember it so clearly we need more Tiny T. Rex in our lives!

Mother Ghost

 Mother Ghost: Nursery Rhymes for Little Monsters

by Rachel Kolar, illustrated by Roland Garrigue

I love creepy rhymes, as demonstrated in my video review of Your Skeleton is Showing. Twists on Mother Goose rhymes are always engaging because most kids know what the original rhyme is, so they can appreciate the satire.

My son and I read this all the way through, then talked about our favorites and went back to re-read them. I could see using these as quick breaks for use in the school library, though. They're fun to read aloud and can be shared without having all of the students sit and listen to an entire story. It'd be fun to recite them before and after books during the week leading up to Halloween. Make sure you share the illustrations for each, though - they're so cute!

The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky

 The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky

by Jory John and Pete Oswald

Who doesn't love the Bad Seed and his friends? In this book, he's grumpy that no costume seems to suit him. It's Halloween night and everyone else looks amazing, so he decides that he has to cancel the holiday. Everyone is so disappointed, but with a little help, the Bad Seed realizes that Halloween is a chance to have fun. Once he lets go of his bad mood, he's able to find the perfect costume. Can you guess what it is?

Pick a Pumpkin

Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht, illustrated by Jarvis

This fun picture book tells the story of Halloween traditions like visiting a pumpkin patch, carving a Jack-o-lantern, and trick-or-treating. The rhymes make the story nice to read aloud, and there are natural pauses built in where your kids can guess what comes next. The illustrations are gorgeous and depict diverse children.

We read this before decorating our pumpkins, but it’s one we’re sure to re-read once or twice more before Halloween!

Halloween Books

As my son gets older, we're reading different books. Or, mostly, he's reading different books. He loves reading graphic novels on his own, though we still read chapter books together, alternating pages. But picture books are few and far between. (I'm not crying, you're crying!)

I still managed to sneak in a few fun Halloween picture books this year, which I'll be reviewing over the next few days. In the meantime, check out my previous Halloween recommendations. If you have any great titles to share, let me know in the comments!

Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter

Thanks to Scholastic and @kidlitexchange for the ARC of this book, which is out now! All opinions are my own.

Maggie has wanted a puppy for so long, and her parents finally say she can get one! Her parents are preoccupied with the baby that's on the way, and her younger twin brothers have each other, so Maggie is ready to have her own friend in the family.

When Maggie is meeting different puppies at the shelter, she starts to itch. After a visit to the allergy center, Maggie learns she's allergic to animal dander, so no puppy for her. She can't even be around the class pet, so all of her classmates blame her for her allergies! Maggie starts a list of other pets she could get, but nothing seems quite right. Luckily she makes friends with her neighbor, so she has someone to play with, but friendships can be hard to manage...

I love graphic novels for kids because they're engaging, regardless of the reader's level or "reluctance." I especially love when they tackle tougher topics, and allergies are one I've never thought much about. I liked Peanut by Ayun Halliday, but it's about a girl faking an allergy to be interesting. Allergic deals with how allergies can distance you from others and it's an important topic that is often overlooked. 

Alice Across America by Sarah Glenn Marsh

This book made me miss taking road trips with my friends! But it also made me laugh, thinking of how my friend and I used to worry about being “two ladies” while driving down the California coast. 

Alice Ramsey and three friends drove across the country in 1909, when hardly any women drove cars. In fact, only a few men had driven across the country at that time. Ramsey made thirty more cross-country drives after this one. She knew how to take care of her car, crank it, change tires, and more.

I know how to do all of those things, in theory... but actually doing it? I haven't practiced. So it was admirable to see this woman learn when she didn't have to. She traveled without a phone or help line, and often didn't stop in cities. They camped in the car some nights. It's really interesting to compare and contrast that with how things are now.

The Power of Her Pen by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Ethel L. Payne was born in 1911. She went to school with white people, even though she was harassed and beaten for it. The school paper wouldn’t let her work for them because she was black, but they published her first story. Payne went to college and studied writing. She went to Japan and wrote about how Black American soldiers were treated.

When she returned to the United States, Payne worked for the Chicago Defender, one of two Black daily newspapers at the time. After 3 years of covering politics, Payne became one of three Black journalists to be given a White House press pass. She was outspoken and became known as the “First Lady of the Black Press.” Payne died in 1991 and has since been honored on a US stamp - one of only four female journalists to be featured.

The Oldest Student by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora

I love an inspirational, educational picture book, and The Oldest Student by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora fits the bill.

I can’t believe I didn’t know about Mary Walker, but I’m glad I learned about her in this book. She was born into slavery in 1848. After being freed at 15, someone gave her a Bible. She wanted to read it, but had never learned. She couldn’t write, so she just made marks in the front to note her sons’ birth dates. She outlived her entire family and finally decided to learn to read. She was scared she was too old to learn, but she worked hard and never gave up. At 116, she could read! She lived to be 121.

Mora’s illustrations are amazing, showing the reader the way Walker sees scribbles all around her, then words after she learns to read. The endpapers include real photos of Mary Walker.

The Office: A Day at Dunder Mifflin Elementary

The Office: A Day at Dunder Mifflin Elementary is by Robb Pearlman and illustrated by Melanie Demmer.

This book is a must-have for any fans of The Office, whether you have kids or not.

My son is too young to watch The Office with me, but he loved this book! It has a lot of inside jokes for fans, but still works as a stand-alone school story for kids.

Michael is chosen to be line leader for Ms. Levinson’s class, and he wants to be the best he can be! He won’t accept help from anyone, but he soon realizes he can’t handle everything on his own.

This book has callbacks to the show hidden in every illustration, so there’s an extra engaging aspect (for kids and their parents!). There’s also a fun bulletin board beneath the dust jacket, and the endpapers are super cute!

Mootilda's Bad Mood by Corey Rosen Schwartz, Kirsti Call, ill. by Claudia Ranucci

Mootilda's Bad Mood by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call, illustrated by Claudia Ranucci, is out now from Little Bee Books/Simon and Schuster.

Mootilda wakes up in a bad mooood, and the day goes downhill from there. Her bad mood is catching - lambs, pigs, chickens, and more grow grumpy after they encounter Mootilda. Then one small thing changes the entire course of the day.

This book is a fun way to talk with kids about moods in general, but also to show them that bad moods are ok, they happen to the best of us, they can easily affect others around us, but they don't last forever. The book has the signature rhymes and puns of Rosen Schwartz's other books, so kids will love it (and it's super fun to read aloud as an adult)! Also, at a time when I feel like I'm in a bad mood almost every day for one reason or another, this book was a really lighthearted way to help me step back and realize I don't need to stay in that funk!

We Could Be Heroes by Margaret Finnegan

Thanks to @kidlitexchange and @simonkids for providing a review copy of 

We Could Be Heroes by @finneganbegin.

Hank hates the book his teacher is reading to the class. It's really emotional and sad and Hank can't handle it. So he steals the book and sets it on fire in the boys' bathroom. He gets in trouble, of course, but also captures the attention of his classmate, Maisie. Maisie sees strength in Hank, and sees that he's willing to stand up for what he believes in. So she introduces him to Booler, the sweet pit bull next door who is always tied to a tree. Maisie wants Hank to help her free Booler, and as he gets swept up in her plan, Hank learns a lot about himself and friendship.

I love how this book addresses disabilities without shining a spotlight on them. Hank has autism and it's just matter of fact and handled very realistically.Maisie also has a somewhat rare condition that is hidden for much of the book, but is also handled in a realistic manner as it comes out. I think it's important for all kids to have books like this - so they can see themselves in fiction and so they can learn empathy.

The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis

The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis. Thanks to @kidlitexchange and Bloomsbury Publishing for sharing this powerful book, which publishes April 28, 2020.

Cassie’s life has changed a lot lately, as she adapts tomorrow her mom’s early onset Alzheimer’s. Cassie has to watch her mom often, but even when the caregiver is around, Cassie feels too sad and distracted to do the things she used to, like make art or be a good friend.

When Cassie realizes how much her mom is really slipping away from her, she’s determined to give her mother one last epic memory. But Cassie knows she can’t do it alone, so she has to try and reach out to her former BFF, and bridge the gap that has developed while Cassie has been preoccupied with her changing family.

The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens

Hannah is babysitting for the second time in her life. She's taken a safety course for babysitters with her friend, and she'll just be at her neighbor's house, but after forgetting her inhaler one too many times, Hannah's mom isn't sure Hannah's responsible enough to be in charge of other kids. Hannah is determined to prove her mother wrong, and is doing a good job until an earthquake shakes the Seattle area and Hannah and the kids are stranded in a damaged house with limited supplies without knowing when someone can come to help.

This book was billed as a cross between Hatchet (which I did not like at all) and The Baby-Sitters Club (which I loved and still love to this day!), so I knew I had to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! This book was fantastic - so realistic, eye-opening, and suspenseful. Though I'm biased because I'm not a Hatchet fan because it seemed too unbelievable, I would diplomatically more compare this book to the Life as We Knew It series by Susan Beth Pfeffer, which also deals with a natural disaster and coping with the aftermath in a realistic way. I had to keep myself from skipping forward to see how many days Hannah and the kids were stranded because the suspense was almost too much to bear!

I finished this book before bed one night, and storms raged all night - which I found peaceful. Little did I know, storms in my city meant a deadly tornado in Nashville, just a few hours to my east. This book plus that tornado made me realize how important it is to be prepared for anything - something Behrens helpfully addresses at the end of this book. 

A Girl, A Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon by Karen Romano Young, illustrated by Jessixa Bagley

Happy Book Birthday to A Girl, A Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon by Karen Romano Young, illustrated by Jessixa Bagley! Special thanks to Chronicle Kids Books for sending me a copy! Don't worry - you can get your magic little paws on a copy today.

Pearl was born in the library, and has grown up in the same branch. It's where she goes after school, where her mom works, and where all her (adult, librarian) friends are. When Pearl discovers the library's statue of Edna St. Vincent Millay has been beheaded, she lets out a scream that sets off a chain of events. Some are good, like a potential new friend who's actually Pearl's age. Some are bad (besides the beheading itself), like the library possibly being shut down due to budget restrictions.

Pearl knows the library is worth saving, even if the adults who work there don't think it's possible. She has passion for books and the building itself, and she if she gets a little help from some magical raccoons, Pearl thinks she can make a difference.

This is a great book for anyone (of any age!) who loves adventure and fighting for what they believe in. Especially if they believe in books and libraries!

The writing style is very innovative, and was fun to see in a middle grade book! Informative footnotes, interesting and funny sidebars, and gorgeous illustrations. The magical realism was so perfectly done, I'm pretty sure I believe that what was presented (no spoilers!) is real. Read it for yourself and let me know what you think about that hint of magic.