Over the next few months, this column will feature some storytime themes that go along with the Be Creative @ Your Library summer reading program theme for 2009. To me, creativity can be many things, especially anything to do with fine arts or the imagination.

This month, we will celebrate : Acting, Singing and Photography.

There is a plethora of picture books that originated as songs - a few are listed below but your library probably has many more. Several are by Raffi, Nadine Bernard Westcott, and Iza Trapani. For a craft, I like to make puppets based on Ashley Bryan's illustrations in What A Wonderful World. The song lyrics are set to pictures of a puppet show; I photocopied the picture of the Louis Armstrong puppet and the children colored it and made it into a stick puppet who sang the song. Of course, you can make music shakers for this theme, or make the Wheels on the Bus craft found at: www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/bus/index.htm .

Weiss, George. WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD.
The popular song depicted in colorful illustrations as a puppet show.

Dodds, Dayle Ann. SING, SOPHIE!
At first, no one liked Sophie's loud singing voice, until it is the one thing that calms her baby brother.

Stenmark, Victoria. THE SINGING CHICK.
A singing chick is so loud it disturbs the fox, wolf, and bear that swallows her.

Howe, James. HORACE AND MORRIS JOIN THE CHORUS (BUT WHAT ABOUT DOLORES?).
Dolores feels left out when her friends join the chorus, but she finds a way she can participate.

Zion, Gene. HARRY AND THE LADY NEXT DOOR.
The charming dog from Harry the Dirty Dog tries to get his neighbor to stop singing.

Saul, Carol. PETER'S SONG.
No one has time to listen to Peter Pig's new song until he meets a friendly frog.

Birdseye, Tom. SHE'LL BE COMIN' ROUND THE MOUNTAIN.
Family members each add a chorus to this traditional song.