> Hi again--
>
I continued to get responses to my query and am posting the new responses
below. Huge thanks to ev eryone who responded.
>
> Here's my original query:
> Does anyone have a little poem or interesting ritual you do when starting
> a
> storytime, like lighting a story candle? I seem to recall a little rhyme
> that begins, "Storytime magic, come into this room . . ." which may be
> from
> Alice Yucht (are you out there, Alice, or still on vacation?).
>
> I've been working on the revision of Caroline Feller Bauer's wonderful
> book, New Handbook for Storytellers, due out from ALA in 2012. My thanks to
> the savvy storytellers who sent me such useful info as follows.
>
> @@@@@@@
I don't light a candle 'cuz I'm in a public library and they'd hang me by
my heels, but I do remember Lulu Delacre having a book about a Story Candle.
Might even be the title. It might have an idea for you.
Barb Langridge, Children's Services
Howard County Central Library
10375 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, MD 21045
barb.langridge@hclibrary.org
JUDY SEZ: Oooh! You're so right! I just went back and added it to my
manuscript. How could I have forgotten it! It's actually written by Lucia
Gonzalez, illus. by Lulu Delacre: The Storyteller's Candle/La Velita de los
Cuentos. Children's Book Press, 2008. Lovely book! I just added it. Thanks!
@@@@@@@@
I got this idea from a Mailbox magazine many years ago. I have a brightly
decorated hat box with ribbons on top. I say a little poem (which is
at school and taped to the outside of box, so if you're interested I can mail it
to you....) It's something like,
In this box is a surprise for you,
to make you feel happy when you are blue,
to make you feel as special as you are,
like a bright and shiny little star.
It's a book with the title: by________
I take out the book ( or a child reaches in) and then I finish the poem,
Now sit......etc. etc.
It do this at the beginning of the year for about one month. Sometimes, I
ask a student who has a birthday to tap on the box with my "magic wand" (a
baton with streamers) for the number of years he/she is...ie.. Six years old
and the child taps "lightly" while everyone on the story rug counts.
Of course, I make a big deal about what could POSSIBLY be in the box.....
Let me know if you want to know the words for the exact poem.
Gayle Stein
robdan12@comcast.net
@@@@@@@
Judy-
I did "abracadabra, abracazoom, story.time magic come into the room."
while lighting the candle.
Then at the end of the session we all said "abracadabra, abracazime,
story time's over, until the next time" before blowing out the candle.
Sent via my iPad, somewhere in the Berkshires...
Alice Yucht, aka Alice in InfoLand
lifetime Teacher-Librarian, now freelancing as
Rutgers/SCILS/PDS faculty,
writer, consultant, speaker, mentor,
and catalytic curmudgeon.
Highland Park, New Jersey
http://aliceinfo.squarespace.com/blog
ayucht@gmail.com
JUDY SEZ: AHA! I knew I remembered Alice reciting that rhyme! (Hooray, my
brain cells!) Thanks ,Alice.
@@@@@@@@@
This is so interesting! I think I'll get one of those wands for my
daughter,
an elementary library media specialist. I like to go help her with the K
storytimes, so maybe I'll get to use it!
I always thought Anne Carroll Moore had introduced the storytime candle at
the NYPL children's room in the early part of last century. I remember my
"kiddie lit" teacher at Rutgers, Miss Gaver, telling us about the story
candle. When I looked up Anne Carroll Moore just now, I learned that she
was at Pratt for 10 yrs. Before going to NYPL. At any rate she was a/an
"heroic" figure in the annals of children's literature and librarianship.
Isn't it amazing to think that 100 years ago, when she was starting out
children were just beginning to be allowed into public libraries? The
history of children's literature is so fascinating!
Jane Palmer, Retired Media Specialist (high school) & lover of children's
literature
Jacksonille, Florida
JUDY SEZ: The NYPL used to be a leader in storytelling. The interesting
thing about Anne Carroll Moore is how controversial she became. She truly hated
E. B. White's Stuart Little when it came out and was vociferous about it.
Want an interesting read? Try this New Yorker article about her: <
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lepore>.
@@@@@@@
Disney World sells a cute hat that comes from the movie the Sorcerer's
Apprentice. It is really magical. As I recall the hat is a blue color w/
white stars on it and it has a point at the top!! Disney World web page may
have a store to search.
Jean Koch
jckoch@cox.net
@@@@@@@@@
I don't know if this is what you have in mind but this is what I do.
Several years ago I got a special hat in Ecuador made by a very famous gentleman
here in the city, Long story involving all of this that is not important,
but I loved that hat.
Anyway--I started wearing it when I started my storytimes. I called it the
"Listening Hat" and it usually went on as soon as I got the class into the
story corner and situated. When that hat when on, the kids knew that it was
time to listen and they became very good about reminding their neighbors and
friends that it was time to be silent because "look what's on her head".
Usually I didn't even have to say anything, just put the hat on and wait for
the first few to see it.
Carol Van Brocklin, Librarian
Faith Academy-Mindanao
Davao City, Philippines
carolannvan@motimail.com
(currently living in Mpls. for my missionary furlough)
@@@@@@@@
Hi! I saw your posting on LM_NET and wanted to share this one I use with
my pre-schoolers. But it would work for any primary grade, I think. I have
a shoe box into which I put an object that related to my story for the day.
Then I place the story on my easel where the kids can see the cover of the
book. That begins to give them clues about what is in the box. I say this
while tapping on the lid of the box:
This is the box and this is the lid.
I wonder whatever inside is hid?
They take guesses and the correct child comes up, opens the box and shows
the object to the rest of the class. By the end of the year, they get very
good and their guesses.
Gretchen Baldauf
Edison Elementary School
Tonawanda, NY 14150
Gbaldauf@kenton.k12.ny.us
@@@@@@@@@
I alway start my K and 1st grade story times by "getting the sillies out".
We sing, we dance, we march. My song helper picks the song. "Happy and you
know it ....We end with ........"Happy and you know it read a book" make out
hands open like a book and then finish with"Happy and you know it
whisper ...shhhh" or another favorite is wheels on the bus, the song helper is
aloud
to pick imaginative things that people and things on the bus do we always end
with "the mommies on the bus go, shhh, shhh, shhh" then "the daddys on the
bus, they read a book, read a book the daddys on the bus they read a book
all around the town ".
Once we are seated on our carpet squares or the benches and I introduce the
book. We always talk about the cover and predict what we think the book
might be about and when we are ready to read.
I ask "looking eyes open (everyone points to their eyes), talking mouths
closed (everyone makes the hand sign by close their thumb against their four
fingers) , quiet hands down, (motion in the lap) and listening ears on". I
get calmer and end in a whisper.
I always display my book with a document camera using the LCD projector.
Students love it and can really see the details to the illustrations and will
follow along or read aloud when there is a refrain in the story.
Monica M. Dennler
Library Media Specialist
Eastampton Township School District
(609) 267-9172 x409
mdenn4edu@yahoo.com
mdennier@eastampton.k12.nj.us
@@@@@@@@@
You folk are the best! Thanks again--
Judy
Judy Freeman
Children's Literature Consultant
Reviewer for www.READKIDDOREAD.com
Author of Books Kids Will Sit Still For 3
(Libraries Unlimited, 2006; www.LU.com)
and Once Upon a Time:
Using Storytelling, Creative Drama, and
Reader's Theater with Children in Grades K-6 (2007)
and the all-new The WINNERS! Handbook (2010)
65 North Sixth Avenue
Highland Park, NJ 08904
732-572-5634 / BKWSSF@aol.com
www.JudyReadsBooks.com
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