The 2012 Summer Reading Program theme “Dream Big - Read” offers a wide variety of ideas for summer storytimes. We will cover a few each month, beginning with this issue, and continuing through February and March to give you plenty of time to prepare. Be sure to check out the themes Camping, and Bedtime, which are already listed.

Also check out the website for summer reading maintained by the California Library Association: www.cla-net.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=330 . They have the powerpoint presentations and handouts from a workshop on the 2012 SRP theme, held in November at the CLA conference. The children's presentation is listed first. Be sure to download the handout - it is 25 pages long so it takes a minute, but it is worth it. They have listed several storytime themes with craft ideas.

Be sure to sing some of your favorite lullabies, including “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Hush Little Baby.” For a craft, make simple musical instruments, like those shown here: www.craftbits.com/project/baby-water-bottle-rattle .

Appelt, Kathi. BAYOU LULLABY.
   A goodnight poem for a bayou gal.

Barber, Jill. BABY'S LULLABY.
   In this board book, animals sing their babies to sleep.

Butler, John. HUSH, LITTLE ONES.
   Full color illustrations show close-ups of animals putting their offspring to bed.

Frazee, Marla. HUSH LITTLE BABY.
   Big sister tries to hush the crying baby in this humorous take on the traditional song.

Ho, Minfong. HUSH! A THAI LULLABY.
   In this Caldecott Honor book, a mother hushes the animals so her baby can sleep.

Kirk, Daniel. HUSH LITTLE ALIEN.
   Green aliens star in this spoof of the traditional lullaby.

Long, Sylvia. HUSH LITTLE BABY.
   A baby rabbit is the focus of the illustrations in this picture book version of the classic lullaby.

Mack, Jeff. HUSH LITTLE POLAR BEAR.
   A little girl reads her stuffed animal to sleep and imagines it going to all types of places.

McDonald, Megan. BAYA BAYA LULLA-BY-A.
   A baya bird sings in India, warning of a snake coming toward the baby.

McMullan, Kate. IF YOU WERE MY BUNNY.
   With illustrations by David McPhail, this sweet book shows a mother singing to her baby while describing different baby animals.

Metaxas, Eric. IT'S TIME TO SLEEP, MY LOVE.
   A rhyming text shows animals around the world preparing their young ones for bed.

Olson-Brown, Ellen. HUSH, LITTLE DIGGER.
   Father reassures his son his is an expert at digging in this variation of the classic lullaby.

Reeve, Rosie. LULLABY MOON.
   A little mouse and its parent head home and see the moon shine down on them in this rhyming story.

VanLaan, Nancy. SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP: A LULLABY FOR LITTLE ONES AROUND THE WORLD.
   A rhyming verse depicts mother and child on the seven continents.

Wheeler, Lisa. JAZZ BABY.
   Baby and his family make music in this rhythmic bedtime story.

Yolen, Jane. HUSH, LITTLE HORSIE.
   With realistic paintings, the rhyming text reassures the foals that they are being watched over.