Last month, we offered two storytime themes that would appeal to boys (dinosaurs and superheroes), because some libraries have noticed fewer boys attending their programs. I think science themes appeal to boys (and girls), and are fun – that’s why kids enjoy visiting the Lawrence Hall of Science and other science museums. During the winter months, storytime can include books on rain and snow. Activities you could include are:

-Art project based on Charles Shaw’s IT LOOKED LIKE SPILT MILK: cut out a white “cloud” and glue to blue (sky) paper,
-Glue packing peanuts to blue paper to resemble a snowstorm,
-Make a rainbow windsock by taping strips of colored tissue paper to a paper tube and hang on the porch.
-Make paper snowflakes like those found in SNIP, SNIP, SNOW!

Rain:

• Shaw, Charles. IT LOOKED LIKE SPILT MILK.
  The classic picture book, where different white blobs resemble an ice cream cone, a rabbit, etc.
• Keats, Ezra Jack. A LETTER TO AMY.
  Peter loses the invitation he wants to send Amy, while walking to the mailbox in the rain.
• Freeman, Don. A RAINBOW OF MY OWN.
  A small boy imagines that he “owns” the rainbow.
• Hesse, Karen. COME ON, RAIN!
  One of the few books about rain in the city, with African-American characters celebrating the end of the drought.
• Aardema, Verna. BRINGING THE RAIN TO KAPITI PLAIN.
  Written in the same pattern as “The House That Jack Built,” this African folktale describes a drought.
• Barrett, Judi. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS.
  A very funny story about what would happen if it rained giant food items.

Snow:

• Burton, Virginia. KATY AND THE BIG SNOW.
  Katy is a snow removal machine who must dig out the city after a snowstorm.
• Keats, Ezra Jack. THE SNOWY DAY.
  The Caldecott classic about a snowstorm in the city, and how Peter plays in the snow.
• Enderle, Judith. SIX SNOWY SHEEP.
  A fun rhyming story about counting sheep playing in the snow.
• London, Jonathan. FROGGY GETS DRESSED.
  Froggy usually hibernates all winter, but he wakes up to find that it has snowed!
• Poydar, Nancy. SNIP, SNIP, SNOW!
  This simple story about a girl wanting to play outside includes instructions for making paper snowflakes.
  

December 23, 2004