At last Saturday’s Preschool Storytime, we read books about brothers and sisters!


Books We Shared

Our first story, Squid Kid the Magnificent by Lynne Berry and Luke daMarca, features a young squid magician named Oliver whose sister Stella keeps commenting that his tricks aren’t “really magic.” The argumentative dialogue is fun to read, especially when I give Stella a braces lisp. 😉

Our second book, Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman and Zachariah OHora, was about a wolf pup who gets dropped on the doorstep of a family of rabbits. They adopt him but their daughter, Dot, is convinced he will eat them. The surprise ending is both funny and touching, and Dot is a great character.

Our third book, I Can’t Talk Yet, But When I Do… by Julie Markes and Laura Rader, was just the right blend of sweet, cute and funny as a baby brother tells his sister all the grateful and loving things he wishes he could say.


Flannel Board Counting

Five Little Monkeys

(I used these monkeys, minus the crocodile)

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped her head
The mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

So four little monkeys jumped on the bed…

(repeat until there are no monkeys left to injure themselves)

So five little monkeys fell fast asleep.
“Thank goodness!” said the mama.
“Now I can go to bed!”

Flannel Board Story

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

You can read a retelling of this Norwegian folktale at http://www.worldstories.org.uk/stories/story/79-three-billy-goats-gruff.


Video We Shared

Our film story, based on the book Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells, is the story of a young opossum who feels frustrated and ignored, because her sister and brother get all of her parents’ attention. More than the books I chose, the video was about the downsides of having siblings, so keep that in mind. Nora acts out and eventually runs away, but just as her family begin to worry, she comes out from hiding. Her behavior isn’t something to hold up as a model for kids to emulate (neither is her sister’s) but it’s understandable, and it’s about giving voice to those feelings of frustration that kids have. It gave me a much-needed reminder, as a mom of two, to make sure both my kids get my attention as often as possible!

Songs and Rhymes We Shared Without Music

If You Have a Sister
(Tune: Dem Bones)

If you have a sister give me one clap
If you have a sister give me one clap
If you have a sister give me one clap
We love our family!

If you have a brother give me two claps
If you have a brother give me two claps
If you have a brother give me two claps
We love our family!

If you have an auntie give me one stomp
If you have an auntie give me one stomp
If you have an auntie give me one stomp
We love our family!

If you have an uncle give me two stomps
If you have an uncle give me two stomps
If you have an uncle give me two stomps
We love our family!

If you have a grandma give me one shake (shake hip)
If you have a grandma give me one shake (shake hip)
If you have a grandma give me one shake (shake hip)
We love our family!

If you have a grandpa give me two shakes (shake hip)
If you have a grandpa give me two shakes (shake hip)
If you have a grandpa give me two shakes (shake hip)
We love our family!

If you have a cousin shout HOORAY!
If you have a cousin shout HOORAY!
If you have a cousin shout HOORAY!
We love our family!


Music from CDs We Shared

I love to sing and dance to music.  Here are some of the songs and CDs we used in storytime.

“Shake Your Sillies Out” from Raffi’s The Singable Songs Collection

You gotta shake, shake, shake your sillies out
Shake, shake, shake your sillies out
Shake, shake, shake your sillies out
And wiggle your waggles away

You gotta clap, clap, clap your crazies out
clap, clap, clap your crazies out
clap, clap, clap your crazies out
And wiggle your waggles away

You gotta jump, jump, jump your jiggles out
jump, jump, jump your jiggles out
jump, jump, jump your jiggles out
And wiggle your waggles away

You gotta yawn, yawn, yawn the sleepies out
yawn, yawn, yawn the sleepies out
yawn, yawn, yawn the sleepies out
And wiggle your waggles away

You gotta shake, shake, shake your sillies out
Shake, shake, shake your sillies out
Shake, shake, shake your sillies out
And wiggle your waggles away


“Five Little Ducks” from Animal Songs and Stories by Susie Tallman and Friends

Five little ducks went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
But only four little ducks came back.

(keep singing this, taking away ducks until there are no ducks)

So five little ducks went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And all five ducks came swimming back!


“The Itsy Bitsy Spider” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Blueffel

The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout (dance fingers up slowly)
Down came the rain and washed the spider out (bring fingers down and then down again emphatically)
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain (lift hands above head in a round sun shape)
So the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again (dance fingers up slowly)


Continue the Fun

Want more stories about siblings?  Check these out at your Pasadena Public Library branch: