This week for Picture Book Idea Month I am continuing to brainstorm possible ideas for homemade big books for baby storytimes. So far I’ve considered ideas for Mother Goose rhymes, and circular/sequence stories. This week I’ve been thinking about songs and poems.
Hands down one of my favorite books to share in baby storytime is David Carter’s big book version of Over in the Meadow. My mom used to recite this rhyme to my sister and me all the time, but I never knew the tune until a few years ago. I love, love, love the melody. I pull this one out for every theme I can think of. I tell my storytime parents that I use it in storytime so often because I have so many years of singing to catch up on!
Over in the Meadow got me thinking if there were any other songs or poems from my childhood that I might like to try creating my own illustrations for. I had fun making a big book for Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and would love to have more songs to share. For now, though, I have two poem possibilities:
There Once Was a Puffin
This one my mom read to us so many times that we can recite it by heart. There’s a wonderful edition with bright, simple illustrations (by Laura Kvasnosky) but the book is pretty small to share with a group–not that I don’t do it anyway. But maybe the shapes (half-circle island, curvy waves, round puffin) are simple enough that I could make my own! I will have to sit down with my pencils and see how it goes.
Spring Rain
This is another one I owe to my mom. [Hi Mom! Thanks for reading us all those poetry books!] I have recited this so many times to my girls that they cover their ears whenever I launch into it.
Spring Rain
The storm came up so very quick
It couldn’t have been quicker.
I should have brought my hat along
I should have brought my slicker.My hair is wet, my feet are wet,
I couldn’t be much wetter.
I fell into a river once,
But this is even better.by Marchette Chute
The only problem with this one is…I’d have to illustrate a person. Or maybe just a head and some toes. My paper-cutting skills may not be up for that! But now that I have the idea, I really, really want to find a way to share this with my babies. I will keep it on my back burner and think about how I might tackle it.
More! More! More!
What songs would YOU like to have in a big book format?
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