00 2021 Full Manual
00 2021 Full Manual
00 2021 Full Manual
PROGRAM MANUAL
Copyright © 2021 CSLP, all rights reserved. No part of this manual may
be reproduced without written permission, except by members of the
Collaborative Summer Library Program.
All materials for the 2021 Collaborative Summer Library Program (including
art, manuals, and electronic files) are subject to copyright restrictions and
the CSLP Rules of Use. Please refer to the Rules of Use section on the CSLP
website for current guidelines:
https://www.cslpreads.org/membership-information/rules-of-use/
To request permission, or if you have any questions regarding these
guidelines, please contact:
Luke Kralik, Organization Coordinator
Collaborative Summer Library Program
833-554-4700
[email protected]
CSLP VISION:
We collaborate with libraries to create an inclusive literacy based program that is enjoyable
for all ages, provide a reproducible program with a unified theme, share resources and offer
professional support.
CSLP works to develop interest in reading and library use. This includes development
and implementation of summer reading programs used nationwide, public service
announcements, and other activities which promote reading and library use.
By combining resources and working to produce materials designed for CSLP members,
public libraries in participating states or systems can purchase posters, reading logs,
bookmarks, certificates and a variety of reading incentives at significant savings.
The participating systems and states develop a unified and high-quality promotional
and programming product. Participants have access to the same artwork, incentives and
publicity, in addition to an extensive manual of programming and promotional ideas.
CSLP began in 1987 when ten Minnesota regional library systems developed a summer
library program for children, choosing a theme, creating artwork and selecting incentives
that public libraries in the regions could purchase and use. State libraries and systems
continue to join and CSLP continues to evolve, but its guiding principle remains the same,
librarians sharing ideas, expertise and costs to produce a high-quality summer reading
program for children.
i
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ii
CONTRIBUTORS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
iv
KAITLYN HODGES JACKIE KROPP
South Carolina State Library Western Plains Library System
v
MARTHA MATTHEWS JACQUELINE PADILLA
MidPointe Library System Orange County Library System
vi
KARA REIMAN SUSAN SCHROEDER
Maine State Library Willard Public Library
vii
KATHRYN TAKACH
Dearborn Public Library
RHONDA TIPPIT
Sevier County Public Library
ELIZABETH TRIGG
Osawatomie Public Library
CANDACE USHERY
Salem-Panola Branch Library
AILEEN VALDES
Manatee County Public Library System
KAYLA VALDEZ
Chadron Public Library
LISA VALERIO-NOWC
Charter Twp of Royal Oak Public Library
HEATHER WALKER
Weber County Main Library
MELISSA WALLACE
Grant County Public Library
MARIAM WALLEn
Lawrence Public Library
JENNA WELLS
Rio Rancho Public Libraries
JENI WHITE
Fort Sumner Public Library
STEPHANIE WILLOUGHBY
Vicksburg District Library
KRISTIN WILSON
Loudonville Public Library
GLENNA WISNIEWSKI
Liverpool Public Library
RUNA ZAMAN
GRAYSLAKE AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY
ANITA ZELMON
Lincoln Park Public Library
viii
EDITOR
ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 01: BOOKISH BEASTS.......................................................................... 1
Early Literacy: Babies........................................................................................................................... 2
Early Literacy: Toddlers....................................................................................................................... 7
Early Literacy: Preschool..................................................................................................................... 13
Little Red Riding Hood CSI (children)............................................................................................. 19
Beastly Letters (children).................................................................................................................... 26
A Tale with Tails (children)................................................................................................................. 29
Stuffed Animal Sleepover (children/teens).................................................................................. 34
Origami Animal Bookmarks (children).......................................................................................... 38
Creating and Coding an Animation (children/teens)............................................................... 41
Animal Character Design (teens).................................................................................................... 43
Animal Anime and Manga (teens).................................................................................................. 47
Folded Book Animals (teens/adults)............................................................................................... 52
xiii
CHAPTER 04: NO PLACE LIKE HOME.................................................................. 138
Early Literacy: Babies........................................................................................................................... 139
Early Literacy: Toddlers....................................................................................................................... 143
Early Literacy: Preschool..................................................................................................................... 148
Land of Ladybugs (children).............................................................................................................. 153
Create a Creature (children/multigenerational)......................................................................... 155
Backyard Habitat Series (children/multigenerational)............................................................ 159
We Rate Pets (children/teens/multigenerational)..................................................................... 163
Pet BFF Necklaces (children/teens)................................................................................................ 168
Animal-Themed Room Décor (teens)............................................................................................ 170
Animal Napkin Folding (adults)........................................................................................................ 175
xiv
BOOK LISTS................................................................................................................ 257
Early Literacy Book List....................................................................................................................... 257
Children’s Book List............................................................................................................................... 263
Young Adult Book List.......................................................................................................................... 272
Adult Book List........................................................................................................................................ 275
xv
TABLE OF CONTENTS BY AGE
EARLY LITERACY
Chapter 01 (page range).....................................................................................................................1-53
Chapter 02 (page range).................................................................................................................. 54-95
Chapter 03 (page range)............................................................................................................... 96-137
Chapter 04 (page range).............................................................................................................138-175
Chapter 05 (page range).............................................................................................................176-212
Chapter 06 (page range).............................................................................................................213-256
Early Literacy Book List................................................................................................................257-262
CHILDREN
Little Red Riding Hood CSI (Chapter 01)........................................................................................... 19
Beastly Letters (Chapter 01).................................................................................................................. 26
A Tale with Tails (Chapter 01)............................................................................................................... 29
Stuffed Animal Sleepover (Chapter 01)............................................................................................. 34
Origami Animal Bookmarks (Chapter 01)........................................................................................ 38
Creating and Coding an Animation (Chapter 01).......................................................................... 41
Hungry, Hungry Hippos (Chapter 02)................................................................................................ 74
Storytime Safari (Chapter 02)............................................................................................................... 77
Owl Pellet Dissection (Chapter 02)...................................................................................................... 80
Skype a Scientist (Chapter 03)............................................................................................................112
Marine Biologist Crafts (Chapter 03)................................................................................................116
Shelter Pet Portraits (Chapter 03)......................................................................................................123
Who Helped Me? (Chapter 03)...........................................................................................................125
Teen Volunteer Fair (Chapter 03).......................................................................................................128
Land of Ladybugs (Chapter 04)..........................................................................................................153
Create a Creature (Chapter 04)..........................................................................................................155
Backyard Habitat Series (Chapter 04).............................................................................................159
We Rate Pets (Chapter 04)...................................................................................................................163
Pet BFF Necklaces (Chapter 04).........................................................................................................168
Recycling Olympics (Chapter 05) ......................................................................................................191
Scrub a Dub Dub (Chapter 05)............................................................................................................194
Wild Jeopardy (Chapter 05).................................................................................................................196
Endangered Species Stop Motion Animation (Chapter 05).....................................................198
1
Animal Heroes Scavenger Hunt (Chapter 06)..............................................................................227
Axolotl and Other Weirdos (Chapter 06)........................................................................................231
Blobfish Slime (Chapter 06)..................................................................................................................233
Terrific Tardigrades (Chapter 06).......................................................................................................235
Animal Heroes Movie Fundraiser (Chapter 06)............................................................................241
Air-Dry Animal Magnets (Chapter 06).............................................................................................243
Break It/Remake It: Freaky Animals (Chapter 06).......................................................................244
Interactive Movie: Finding Nemo (Chapter 06).............................................................................252
Children’s Book List .................................................................................................................................263
TEENS
Creating and Coding an Animation (Chapter 01).......................................................................... 41
Animal Character Design (Chapter 01) ............................................................................................ 43
Animal Anime and Manga (Chapter 01)........................................................................................... 47
Folded Book Animals (Chapter 01)..................................................................................................... 52
Eons: Making Prehistory (Chapter 02)................................................................................................ 82
DIY Harry Potter Monster Book of Monsters (Chapter 02)........................................................ 86
Creepy Crawlies (Chapter 02)............................................................................................................... 87
Teen Volunteer Fair (Chapter 03).......................................................................................................128
Winter Shelters for Stray Cats (Chapter 03).................................................................................130
Career Dogs (Chapter 03).....................................................................................................................132
A Horse Is a Horse, of Course (Chapter 03)...................................................................................134
We Rate Pets (Chapter 04)...................................................................................................................163
Pet BFF Necklaces (Chapter 04).........................................................................................................138
Animal-Themed Room Décor (Chapter 04)...................................................................................170
Wild Jeopardy (Chapter 05).................................................................................................................196
Endangered Species Stop Motion Animation (Chapter 05).....................................................198
No Animals Here: Vegan Cookbook Club (Chapter 05).............................................................202
Endangered Species Bookends (Chapter 05)...............................................................................205
Air-Dry Animal Magnets (Chapter 06).............................................................................................244
Break It, Remake It: Freaky Animals (Chapter 06)......................................................................245
Animal Zines (Chapter 06)....................................................................................................................246
DIY Plush Sloths (Chapter 06).............................................................................................................248
Interactive Movie: Finding Nemo (Chapter 06).............................................................................251
The Animal Sketchbook Project (Chapter 06)...............................................................................255
YA Book List................................................................................................................................................272
2
ADULTS
Folded Book Animals (Chapter 01)..................................................................................................... 52
Adult Storytime: The Genius of Birds (Chapter 02)....................................................................... 89
Career Dogs (Chapter 03).....................................................................................................................132
Ask Me About: Wildlife Conservation (Chapter 03)....................................................................136
Animal Napkin Folding (Chapter 04)................................................................................................175
Backyard Animal Farming (Chapter 05).........................................................................................207
The Animal Sketchbook Project (Chapter 06) ..............................................................................255
Adult Book List...........................................................................................................................................275
MULTIGENERATIONAL
Creepy Crawlies (Chapter 02)............................................................................................................... 87
Shelter Pet Portraits (Chapter 03)......................................................................................................123
Who Helped Me? (Chapter 03)...........................................................................................................125
A Horse Is a Horse, of Course (Chapter 03)...................................................................................134
Ask Me About: Wildlife Conservation (Chapter 03)....................................................................136
Create a Creature (Chapter 04)..........................................................................................................155
Backyard Habitats (Chapter 04)........................................................................................................159
We Rate Pets (Chapter 04)...................................................................................................................163
Backyard Animal Farming (Chapter 05).........................................................................................207
Pet Expo (Chapter 05).............................................................................................................................210
Terrific Tardigrades (Chapter 06).......................................................................................................235
Animal Heroes Movie Fundraiser (Chapter 06)............................................................................241
Interactive Movie: Finding Nemo (Chapter 06).............................................................................251
Appendix: Bonus Coloring Pages.......................................................................................................279
3
CHAPTER 1
BOOKISH BEASTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Early Literacy: Babies...................................................................................................................................2
1
EARLY LIT
BABIES
BABIES
READ
In English
Baby Animals (2017) by Amy Pixton and Stephen Lomp. Bright pictures
and few words make this a good read to supplement with open-ended EARLY
questions. LITERACY TIP:
I Kissed the Baby! (2004) by Mary Murphy. Ideal for little eyes and ears, this Baby storytimes are
book of baby animals has high-contrast pictures and a singsong story. usually best for babies
who are not yet walking.
Jump! (2010) by Scott M. Fischer. In this lively, rhyming read-aloud that Suggest to caregivers
builds on repetition, caregivers lift their babies in the air with every “jump!” that active 12-month-
olds might enjoy toddler
Love You Head to Toe (2019) by Ashley Barron. Human babies get storytime more.
compared to baby animals on every page, with actions (e.g., stretch like a
starfish, reach like a kitten) that caregivers can use as movement prompts
during lapsit.
Mama Mama (1999) by Jean Marzollo and Laura Regan. A baby read-
aloud likely to be in most collections; caregivers can mimic actions along
with the book.
Overboard! (2006) by Sarah Weeks and Sam Williams. A bunny throws
everything on the floor. Caregivers can tip their babies to the side with
every “overboard!”
Spider on the Floor (2002) by Raffi. A board book version of a silly, high-
energy song with repetition, rhythm, and rhyme.
Bilingual/Spanish
¿Donde esta la oveja verde? Where Is the Green Sheep? (2010) by BILINGUAL
Mem Fox and Judy Horacek. Lively rhymes in both Spanish and English. STORYTIME
(Bilingual) TIP:
How Are You? Como estas? (2018) by Angela Dominguez. A tale of If library staff do not
friendship about two endearing giraffes, one English-speaking and one speak Spanish, consider
Spanish-speaking, who ask after the feelings of a baby ostrich. (Bilingual) enlisting storytime
ambassadors, fully
La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for los Niños (2016) by Susan Middleton bilingual caregivers who
Elya and Juana Martinez-Neal. Classic English favorites with modern can welcome Spanish-
Latino twists and interlingual rhymes. (English with Spanish words) speaking families to
storytime and answer
any questions they
might have.
BOOKISH BEASTS 2
EARLY LIT
BABIES
SING EARLY
LITERACY TIP:
Fingerplay: Alternative Itsy, Bitsy Spider
Babies mirror adult
Put baby on the floor and pretend they are the water spout. Caregivers facial expressions and
climb their legs and arms with their fingers. When the rain comes down, feelings, so encourage
the spider goes away; when the sun comes out, the spider goes up. Extra caregivers to exaggerate
verse ideas here: https://bit.ly/3boLvhN feelings and moods in
a book or song. Varying
your voice level while
The incy, wincy spider climbed up the water spout singing is also a great
(climb with finger and thumb) way to grab their
Down came the rain and washed the spider out attention.
(rain fingers down)
Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain
(palms out, separate hands)
So the incy, wincy spider climbed up the spout again
TIP:
(climb up again) For another fun spider
lapsit, adapt Rob Reid’s
Verses:
fingerplay “Spider Here,
The teeny, tiny spider… (whisper) (one finger on one finger) Spider There” in Animal
The big, fat spider… (loud) (clap hands together) Shenanigans (2015):
Put one hand on baby’s
shoulder, then the other.
Wiggle your hands, and
tickle the baby.
English/Spanish:
spider = la araña
Image source: Shutterstock
BILINGUAL
STORYTIME
TIP:
Fingerplay: La Araña Chiquitita If you are not a Spanish
speaker (and have not
Finger movements the same as for “The Itsy, Bitsy Spider.”
enlisted the help of a
La araña chiquitita storytime ambassador),
avoid confusion by
Subió, subió, subió
not advertising your
Vino la lluvia storytime as fully
Y se la llevó bilingual. Only promote
Salió el sol a bilingual storytime if
Y todo lo secó you can conduct basic
Y la araña chiquitita small talk and answer
questions from Spanish-
Subió, subió, subió
speaking caregivers.
BOOKISH BEASTS 3
EARLY LIT
BABIES
Sticky Bugs
EARLY
Attach wide strips of tape
LITERACY TIP:
or contact paper to the wall
All languages attribute
sticky-side out. Add a spider
slightly different sounds to
to the wall for a spiderweb animals, so you can talk
theme. Place items in a bin about the different sounds
nearby and invite babies we hear in Spanish and
and toddlers to stick items to English. For example, a
the wall (construction paper dog says “woof” in English
and “guau” in Spanish.
shapes, plastic balls, pom-
Animal sounds in any
poms, etc.). Can be modified language help children to
for any animal theme. Image source: Alice Mackey of Marysville Public Library connect meaning in the
sounds they hear.
BOOKISH BEASTS 4
EARLY LIT
BABIES
BOOKISH BEASTS 5
EARLY LIT
BABIES
BOOKISH BEASTS 6
EARLY LIT
TODDLERS
TODDLERS STORYTIME
TIP:
Try greeting each baby
READ or toddler or with a
kiss from an animal
puppet. This helps you
In English
to learn their names,
Bear Needs Help (2019) by Sarah Brannen. A polar bear needs help tying his set storytime tone with
shoes but all the other animals are afraid of him. Its humor and large format giggles, and model play
make it good for mixed-age read-alouds. for caregivers.
Bird Hugs (2020) by Ged Adamson. A unique bird whose wings are only good
for hugging. Sweetly humorous; best for small groups.
Can an Aardvark Bark? (2017) by Melissa Stewart and Steve Jenkins. Rhyming
text about the sounds that animals make in different situations; good for
expanding on animal sound basics.
Dancing Feet (2010) by Lindsay Craig and Marc Brown. A catchy and rhythmic
EARLY
get-up-and-dance toddler book. LITERACY TIP:
Don’t Wake Up the Tiger (2016) by Britta Teckentrup. Children can play along Laughter is essential for
to this storytime favorite about animals who try to avoid waking up a tiger. emotional development
Give a balloon to each child to increase the fun. and strengthens bonds
with caregivers, so funny
Go Get ‘Em, Tiger! (2020) by Sandra Moyle and Eunice Moyle. Dynamic books are always a
illustrations and wise whimsy. A rhyming confidence-booster. great storytime choice.
Hat Tricks (2020) by Satoshi Kitamura. Interactive read-aloud for young
children, with bright colors and funny animal faces.
Hooray for Hat (2016) by Brian Won. The repetition in this book helps to create
a fun, interactive storytime.
Llama, Llama, Mad at Mama (2007) by Anna Dewdney. This amusing tale of a
llama’s grocery story meltdown is a great one to add to a rhyming storytime. STORYTIME
The Very Busy Spider (1995) by Eric Carle. Storytime classic about a diligent TIP:
spider. Sensory pages and rhythmic text. To increase engagement
Waddle!: A Scanimation Book (2009) by Rufus Butlee Seder. What this book in big groups, use large-
lacks in story it makes up for in inspiring children to get up and move like format books whenever
animals. possible.
Bilingual/Spanish
I Like it When…/Me gusta cuando... (2008) by Mary F. Murphy, Isabel Campoy,
and Alma Flor Ada. All the things a little penguin likes to do; full story in both
languages. (Bilingual)
Pintura de ratón/Mouse Paint (2010) by Ellen Stoll Walsh. Learn about color
though this charming story about mice that paint; full story in both languages.
(Bilingual)
Tortuga in Trouble (2009) by Ann Whitford Paul. Coyote is after turtle. Can the
three amigos warn him in time? A fresh revamp of a classic tale; includes a
glossary. (English with Spanish words)
BOOKISH BEASTS 7
EARLY LIT
TODDLERS
SING
BOOKISH BEASTS 8
EARLY LIT
TODDLERS
Cinco lavó,
Cinco peinó,
Y a todos los cinco
A la escuela mandó
BOOKISH BEASTS 9
EARLY LIT
TODDLERS
BOOKISH BEASTS 10
EARLY LIT
TODDLERS
PRINTABLE
BOOKISH BEASTS 11
EARLY LIT
TODDLERS
Simple Chicken
BOOKISH BEASTS 12
EARLY LIT
PRESCHOOL
PRESCHOOL EARLY
LITERACY TIP:
Singing nourishes
READ the brain! It helps to
reinforce memory and
In English learn new concepts;
develops speech,
Big Little Hippo (2019) by Valeri Gorbachev. A storytime winner about a social behavior, and
little hippo who realizes that size is all a matter of perspective. imagination; and
The Book Hog (2019) by Greg Pizzoli. A library-themed book about a prepares children
for kindergarten and
pig who loves books but cannot read. A lovely read-aloud.
beyond. Children love
Cyril and Pat (2019) by Emily Gravett. A funny picture book about a singing even if adults
friendship between a squirrel and a rat. Its surprising interactive rhymes sing off key, so sing
make it a great storytime choice. away regardless of your
skill.
Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm (2017) by Jonathan London and Andrew
Joyner. A sweet story about an unlikely friendship. Any book in the Duck and
Hippo series is a good candidate for a storytime staple.
Grumpy Monkey (2018) Suzanne Lang and Max Land. A humorous picture
book about a monkey who learns to feel his feelings but be careful of
hurting others. Good for preschoolers transitioning to kindergarten.
Lion and Mouse (2019) by Jairo Buitrago, Rafael Tockteng, and Eliza Amado.
A humorous book with colorful vocabulary.
Madeline Finn and the Library Dog (2020) by Lisa Papp. A book for inspiring
new readers, this series has a comforting, old-fashioned feel. Spanish
version also available.
Moo! (2013) by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka. A bold, funny, and
engaging book about a cow who takes a truck for a joyride. It uses only one
word, “Moo.” The emphasis on inflection and expression makes it easy for
children to read along.
Mosquitoes Can’t Bite Ninjas! (2017) by Jordan P. Novak. For a mosquito-
themed read-aloud, a wacky story about a stealthy ninja.
The Pigeon Has to Go to School (2019) by Mo Willems. Why does pigeon
have to go to school if he already knows everything? Great choice for
children about to head to kindergarten.
Please Don’t Eat Me (2019) by Liz Climo. For a raucous and silly preschool
storytime, try this story about a carefree bunny and a voracious bear with a
never-ending list of requests.
Squeak! (2019) by Laura McGee Kvasnosky and Kate Harvey McGee. A
circular story about a tiny mouse who wakes up with a squeak that causes
a cacophonous stir amongst the other animals. Lively and funny.
The Way Home for Wolf (2019) by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. An
independent wolf cub finds his way home with the help of a friend.
Relatable youth angst.
BOOKISH BEASTS 13
EARLY LIT
PRESCHOOL
Who Wet My Pants? (2019) by Bob Shea and Zachariah Ohora. On a scout
camping trip, an embarrassed bear searches for the pants-wetting culprit
despite friends’ assurance that accidents happen. A preschool comedy
about empathy.
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A West African Tale (1992) by
Verna Aardama, Leo Dillon, and Diane Dillon. Uniquely onomatopoeic tale of
a mosquito’s story that causes a jungle disaster.
Bilingual/Spanish
Aprendiendo a leer (2018) by Lisa Papp. Spanish edition of Madeline Finn
and the Library Dog. (Spanish; also available in English)
La luz de Lucia (2015) by Margarita Del Mazo and Silvia Álvarez. A little
firefly learns about the importance of shining as brightly as she can.
Beautiful book, multiple award-winner. (Spanish; also available in English)
Maria Had a Little Llama/María tenía una llamita (2013) by Angela
Dominguez. Peruvian-inspired illustrations and a retelling of a classic rhyme
in both English and Spanish. (Bilingual)
The Three Billy Goats Buenos (2020) by Susan Middleton Elya and Miguel
Ordóñez. Written by a former Spanish teacher, this fun retelling of the
“Three Billy Goats Gruff” uses two-line rhymes and Spanish vocabulary.
Glossary included. (English with Spanish words)
¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market (2019) by Raúl the Third. A joyous book that
teaches simple words in Spanish as Little Lobo and his dog Bernabe deliver
supplies to market. Fresh and engaging. (English with Spanish words)
SING
BOOKISH BEASTS 14
EARLY LIT
PRESCHOOL
Song: La Rana
Spanish/English:
Give character cut-outs (a frog under a waterfall, a gentleman with a
la rana = frog
cape and hat, a lady with an elegant dress, a sailor with flowers (or
weeds from a garden), and a water bottle. Children show the characters
as you sing. At the end, when the frog cries, the child with the frog sprays
everyone with the water bottle; the other children run away from the
crying frog. Hear an audio version from Texas State Library and Archives
Commission here: https://bit.ly/2yQ9OrR
BOOKISH BEASTS 15
EARLY LIT
PRESCHOOL
BOOKISH BEASTS 16
EARLY LIT
PRESCHOOL
PRINTABLE
Convert a pizza box into a portable felt board* so your child can tell their
favorite stories at home using felt animals!
Step 1: Find a pizza box. A used one works if it is clean, or ask a pizza
store for a fresh one.
Step 2: Buy felt. Acrylic felt is the most commonly available (and the
least expensive) option.
Step 3. Cover the insides of the pizza box with square pieces of felt.
PRINTABLES
Step 4. Cut shapes, numbers, and/or animals out of different colors of
felt.Line
Ladybug YouTracing
can also apply stickers to felt backings.
The felt sticks to itself and is easy to move around as your child plays.
Simply close the box to store the pieces inside!
BOOKISH BEASTS 17
EARLY LIT
PRESCHOOL
BOOKISH BEASTS 18
CHILDREN
GAME/ACTIVITY
TIP:
Little Red Rhyming
Hood (2019) or any
Mitzi Tulane: Preschool
Investigator book are
good options for early
literacy variations on this
program.
Outcomes
• Learn principles of taxonomy
• Learn animal tracking and identification
• Make and record crime scene observations
BOOKISH BEASTS 19
CHILDREN
GAME/ACTIVITY
• What big teeth you have: Many fossils are identified only by their
teeth. Carnivores such as wolves have sharp, pointed incisors for
cutting and tearing food. Carnivores also have canines for cutting and
scraping. Herbivores have incisors as well as flat, broad molars for
grinding and mashing food. Humans have all three types—incisors,
canines, and molars.
BOOKISH BEASTS 20
CHILDREN
GAME/ACTIVITY
RESOURCES
Taxonomy/CSI Nonfiction
Picture Books
What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? (2003) by Steve Jenkins
Who Was Here? Discovering Wild Animal Tracks (2014) by Mia Posada
Early Readers
Everything Predators (2016) by Hoena Blake
Wanted! Criminals of the Animal Kingdom (2020) by Heather Tekavec
and Susan Batori
What If You Had Animal Feet (What If You Had…#2) (2015) by Sandra
Markle and Howard McWilliam
Middle Grade
CSI Expert! Forensic Science for Kids (2008) by Karen Schulz
How to Become a Crime Scene Investigator (2008) by Sue L. Hamilton (or
any Crime Scene Investigation book)
Nose Knows: Wild Ways Animals Smell the World (2019) by Emmanuelle
Figueras and Claire de Gastold
Wild Tracks: A Guide to Nature’s Footprints (2008) by Jim Arnosky
BOOKISH BEASTS 21
CHILDREN
GAME/ACTIVITY
Early Readers
Hamster and Cheese (Guinea Pig: Pet Shop Private Eye #1)
by Colleen AF Venable
The Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (Geronimo Stilton #1) (2004)
by Geronimo Stilton
The Nocturnals: The Mysterious Abductions (Nocturnals #1) (2017)
by Tracey and Kate Liebman
Spy Penguins (2018) by Sam Hay and Marek Jaguicki
What Really Happened to Humpty? (2010) by Jeannie Franz Ransom
Middle Grade
Dog Man (Dog Man #1) (2016) by Dav Pilkey
InvestiGators (2020) by John Patrick Green
Kat Wolfe Investigates (Wolfe and Lamb #1) (2019) by Lauren St. John
Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure (Mr. Penguin #1) (2019)
by Alex T. Smith
Owl’s Outstanding Donuts (2019) by Robin Yardi
Woof (Bowser & Birdie #1) (2016) by Spencer Quinn
BOOKISH BEASTS 22
CHILDREN
GAME/ACTIVITY
PRINTABLE
Wolf Granny
Coloring Sheet
BOOKISH BEASTS 23
CHILDREN
GAME/ACTIVITY
PRINTABLE
Wolf Riding Coloring Sheet
BOOKISH BEASTS 24
CHILDREN
GAME/ACTIVITY
RESIZABLE DOWNLOADS
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
BOOKISH BEASTS 25
CHILDREN
|
CRAFT LOW COST PASSIVE | | SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY
BEASTLY LETTERS
AGES TIP:
Have children practice
Children 4+ years
navigating the library
Adaptations for teens and adults by asking them to find
a book on the shelf that
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION features their favorite
animal.
Turn everyday letters into something beastly! Children turn the first initial
of their names into animal drawings. Alternatively, they find an animal that
begins with the same letter as their first initial, then draw and write about
that animal. They might gather fun facts about that animal, or write a story
about its best or worst day. Older children can create 3D letters/animals out
of construction paper or cardboard. Teens and adults might be interested
in creating their own fonts or learning calligraphy. A simple, inexpensive
program that can be modified for any age group. Be sure to create a display
for the finished letters! Suggested runtime: 60–90 minutes
You could also run a passive bookmark contest for all ages. Supply paper
with the letters of your library’s acronym and ask contestants to morph
them into an animal or animals. Have an outside organization or your
library’s teen group judge the winner. Remember to print real bookmarks
from the winner(s) to hand out to patrons!
BOOKISH BEASTS 26
CHILDREN
|
CRAFT LOW COST PASSIVE | | SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY
Calligraphy basics:
• use fountain pens, brush pens, or paintbrushes and India ink
• light pressure on the upstroke and firm pressure on the down stroke to
make the line variation
RESOURCES
Web
Calligraphr font-making app and template: https://www.calligraphr.com/
Lettering Nonfiction
Draw Your Own Fonts (2017) by Tony Sedden (teen/adult)
The Kids’ Book of Hand Lettering: 20 Lessons and Projects to Decorate Your
World (2018) by Nicole Santo Miyuki (middle grade)
BOOKISH BEASTS 27
CHILDREN
| |
CRAFT LOW COST PASSIVE | SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY
RESIZABLE DOWNLOADS
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
BOOKISH BEASTS 28
CHILDREN
| |
GAME/ACTIVITY PASSIVE OPTION LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY |
BOOKISH BEASTS 29
CHILDREN
| | |
GAME/ACTIVITY PASSIVE OPTION LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY
Middle Grade
The Bad Guys (2016) by Aaron Blabey
Bird and Squirrel on the Run (Bird and Squirrel #1) (2012) by James
Burks
Cats Reporting on News That Matters to Cats (Breaking Cat News #1)
(2016) by Georgia Dunn
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale (2011) by Carmen Agra
Deedy, Randall Wright, and Barry Moser
Clyde (2019) by Jim Benton
Coraline (2002) by Neil Gaiman
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures (2013) by Kate DiCamillo
and K.G. Campbell
Korgi (Korgi #1) (2007) by Christian Slade
Lowriders in Space (Low Riders in Space #1) (2014) by Cathy Camper
and Raúl the Third
Mutt’s Promise (2016) by Julie Salamon and Jill Weber
The One and Only Ivan (2015) by K.A. Applegate and Patricia Castelao
Queen of the World! (Babymouse #1) (2005) by Jennifer Holm and
Matthew Holm
Rabbit’s Bad Habits (Rabbit and Bear #1) (2019) by Julian Gough
Snazzy Cat Capers (Snazzy Cat Capers #1) (2018) by Deanna Kent and
Neil Hooson
The Tale of Despereaux (2003) by Kate DiCamillo and Timothy Basil
Ering
Thundercluck! Chicken of Thor (Thundercluck! #1) (2018) by Paul Tillery IV
and Meg Wittwer
Varjak Paw (2009) by S.F. Said
A Wolf Called Wander (2019) by Roseanne Parry and Mónica Armiño
BOOKISH BEASTS 30
CHILDREN
| |
GAME/ACTIVITY PASSIVE OPTION LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY |
PRINTABLE
it would be a great day to go to the zoo. They _____________ into the
verb
_____________ and asked their mom if she would take them. “What
room in house
said. The three enthusiastic visitors entered the main gate and headed
Seeing them eat the juicy _____________ made Jackson and Willa very
type of fruit
hungry! Mom took them to the snack bar where they ordered
_____________ .
animal, plural
BOOKISH BEASTS 31
CHILDREN
| |
GAME/ACTIVITY PASSIVE OPTION LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY |
PRINTABLE
A BACKYARD ADVENTURE
Sam and Julia always enjoyed visiting their _____________ because (he/
family member
had a great big back yard with lots of ____________ and _____________.
noun noun
they could set tent and camp in the back yard. (He/she/they) said that
would be fine as long as it was not _____________. After lunch, Sam and
type of weather
Julia set up a tent and their camping _____________. They used their
piece of furniture
imagination! Sam and Julia thought for sure it must be a huge, scary
back into the house when they hear a familiar laugh. It was only
_____________ _____________
adjective type of food
BOOKISH BEASTS 32
CHILDREN
| |
GAME/ACTIVITY PASSIVE OPTION LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY |
PRINTABLE
Then they took off _____________. I followed them so far that I got lost
gerund (-ing verb)
BOOKISH BEASTS 33
CHILDREN TEENS
|
GAME/ACTIVITY LOW COST
SLEEPOVER a crowd-pleaser, so
remember to post
pictures on your
AGES library’s social media.
BOOKISH BEASTS 34
CHILDREN TEENS
GAME/ACTIVITY LOW COST |
Image Source: The Erlanger Branch of the Kenton County Public Library
Image Source: The Erlanger Branch of the Kenton County Public Library
BOOKISH BEASTS 35
CHILDREN TEENS
|
GAME/ACTIVITY LOW COST
RESOURCES
Web
Customizable template for participation certificate: https://bit.ly/2T07fdF
Picture Books
Bear Snores On (2005) by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
Bedtime for Sweet Creatures (2020) by Nikki Grimes
Chester Raccoon and the Almost Perfect Sleepover (2017) by Audrey
Penn
Fancy Nancy: Saturday Night Sleepover (2016) by Jane O’Connor
Good Night Baby Dragons (2018) by Adam Gamble, Mark Jasper, and
Suwin Chan
I Want My Hat Back (Hat Trilogy #1) (2011) by Jon Klassen
Maisy Goes on a Sleepover (2016) by Lucy Cousins
Mother Goose’s Pajama Party (2015) by Danna Smith
Silly Lullaby (2019) by Sandra Boynton
Sleepover Duck! (2018) by Carin Bramsen
Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! (2010) by Mo Willems
Uni’s First Sleepover (2019) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Where’s My Teddy? (2017) by Jez Alborough
BOOKISH BEASTS 36
CHILDREN TEENS
|
GAME/ACTIVITY LOW COST
PRINTABLE
Age: ______________
Allergies: ___________________________
Hello! My name is
____________________________
I belong to
____________________________
BOOKISH BEASTS 37
CHILDREN
| |
CRAFT LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY
ORIGAMI ANIMAL
BOOKMARKS
AGES
Children 8+ years
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Origami bookmarks! This is an easy program to modify for any age group or
animal theme. Try combining with Chaptoer 01: Folded Book Animals for a
multigenerational paper-folding party. Suggested runtime: 60–90 minutes
BOOKISH BEASTS 38
CHILDREN
| |
CRAFT LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY
RESOURCES TIP:
For Harry Potter
Web fans, try Harry Potter
Woodland creature corner bookmark tutorial: https://bit.ly/3bvIdJD Origami (2019) (not for
beginners).
Butterfly corner bookmark tutorial: https://bit.ly/3dyCEvw
BOOKISH BEASTS 39
CHILDREN
| |
CRAFT LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY
PRINTABLE
Bunny Corner Bookmarks
BOOKISH BEASTS 40
CHILDREN TEENS
|
GAME/ACTIVITY LOW COST STEM |
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Using the free online coding program Scratch, teens create an animated
cartoon featuring an animal sprite (computer graphic). Teens code
instructions to populate their cartoon with words and characters. Scratch is
easy to teach, even for non-coders. Suggested runtime: 90–120 minutes TIP:
Ask teens who have
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION them to bring their own
laptops; have extras on
You will need: hand for teens who do
• A computer lab or laptops not.
• A projector for the Scratch demonstration
RESOURCES
Web TIP:
Scratch: https://scratch.mit.edu/ Be sure to purchase the
most recent editions
Code Ninjas: https://www.codeninjas.com/ of Scratch reference
Start a Girls Who Code club: https://girlswhocode.com/clubs/ books. Earlier versions
are obsolete, as the
Free coding lessons from Girls Who Code: https://bit.ly/2LtfElv platform continues to
change.
Prenda coding: https://prendacodeclub.com/
BOOKISH BEASTS 41
CHILDREN TEENS
|
GAME/ACTIVITY LOW COST STEM |
BOOKISH BEASTS 42
TEENS
GAME/ACTIVITY
BOOKISH BEASTS 43
TEENS
GAME/ACTIVITY
BOOKISH BEASTS 44
TEENS
GAME/ACTIVITY
PRINTABLE
II ______________________________________
Family:
______________________________________
Health:
S Friends:
O A
______________________________________
C ______________________________________ P
I Body type:
Enemies: P
A E
L A ______________________________________
______________________________________ R Clothing and/or grooming style:
Daily routine: A
N
______________________________________
______________________________________ C
E
Unique traits:
Tip: What does your character want or need? What is preventing them from getting
what they want or need? Try writing your story around this central conflict!
BOOKISH BEASTS 45
TEENS
GAME/ACTIVITY
PRINTABLE
FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
BOOKISH BEASTS 46
TEENS
GAME/ACTIVITY CRAFT |
ADAPTATION:
This program could be
aged down for children
by choosing options
such as Pokémon,
Hamtaro, or other age-
appropriate titles.
BOOKISH BEASTS 47
TEENS
GAME/ACTIVITY CRAFT|
RESOURCES NOTE:
These lists are intended
Animal Anime Series on Crunchyroll as a general guide, and
Bananya (2016) streaming availability
may change. Many
Bonobono (1987) ratings are unknown,
Chi’s Sweet Home: Chi’s New Address (2009) so please preview all
episodes.
Dog and Scissors (2013)
Lovely Muuuuuuuco! (2015)
Meow Meow Japanese History
My Roommate Is a Cat (TV-14) (2015)
TIP:
Polar Bear Café (2012)
Both Crunchyroll and
Poyopoyo (2012) Funimation have
processes by which
Samurai Pizza Cats (1990)
libraries can obtain
Sherlock Hound (1984) free licenses for
public screenings. See
Working Buddies! (2018)
Resources for links.
BOOKISH BEASTS 48
TEENS
GAME/ACTIVITY CRAFT |
Manga Series
Beastars (Vols. 1–7) by Paru Itagaki (YA)
Chi’s Sweet Adventures (Vols. 1–3) by Konomi Kanata (middle grade)
The Complete Chi’s Sweet Home (Vols. 1–4) by Konomi Kanata
(middle grade)
Fruits Basket (Vols. 1–12) by Natsuki Takaya (YA)
Giant Spider and Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale (Vols. 1–3)
by Kikori Morino (YA)
A Polar Bear in Love (Vols. 1–4) by Koromo (middle grade)
Sherlock Bones (Vols 1–7) by Yuma Ando and Yuki Sato (YA)
So I’m A Spider, So What? (Vols 1–9) by Okina Baba (YA)
Drawing Nonfiction
Drawing Manga Animals, Chibis, and Other Adorable Creatures (2009)
by J.C. Amberlyn
How to Draw Kawaii Cute Animals and Characters (2017)
by Rachel Goldstein
How to Draw Manga Vol. 36: Animals (2015) by Hikaru Hayashi
Illustration School: Let’s Draw Cute Animals (2010) by Sachiko Umoto
Manga Origami (2016) by Márcio Hideshi Noguchi and Seth Friedman
The Master Guide to Drawing Anime (2015) by Christopher Hart
Web
Crunchyroll’s library outreach program: https://bit.ly/2xX7HSB
Funimation’s screening licenses: https://bit.ly/3fBLFps
Anime 101 from School Library Journal: https://bit.ly/3ctfLJZ
How to Draw Anime Animals: https://bit.ly/2WnZuAe
BOOKISH BEASTS 49
TEENS
|
GAME/ACTIVITY CRAFT
PRINTABLE
Anime Character Expressions
BOOKISH BEASTS 50
TEENS
|
GAME/ACTIVITY CRAFT
PRINTABLE
Kawaii Character Expressions
BOOKISH BEASTS 51
TEENS ADULTS
| |
CRAFT LOW COST SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Give discarded or used books a second life! Participants repurpose old TIP:
books into charming book animals by folding the pages in specific patterns. Combine this program
Very few supplies are needed. Also works well with teens. Suggested with Chapter 01:
runtime: 60–90 minutes Origami Animal
Bookmarks for a
multigenerational
paper-folding party.
RESOURCES
Web
3D book folded animals tutorial: https://bit.ly/2WpeRbG
Free book animal patterns from Folded Book Art here: https://bit.
ly/2YWjvzz
BOOKISH BEASTS 52
TEENS ADULTS
Books
The Repurposed Library: 33 Craft Projects That Give Old Books New Life
(2011) by Lisa Occhipinti (adult NF)
BOOKISH BEASTS 53
CHAPTER 2
54
EARLY LIT
BABIES
BABIES
READ
EARLY
In English LITERACY TIP:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (1996) by Bill Martin Jr. It is never too early to
and Eric Carle. A rhyming, sing-song classic found in most picture book introduce babies to print.
collections. Board books have heavy,
sturdy, laminated pages
Chomp Goes the Alligator (2018) by Matthew Van Fleet (or any book by perfect for little hands
Matthew Van Fleet). Big, playful counting book with touchable textures and mouths. It is normal
and a grand finale pop-up. Good for toddlers as well. for babies and toddlers
explore their world by
From Head to Toe (1999) by Eric Carle. In this storytime classic, giraffes,
putting things into their
monkeys, and donkeys all have special dance moves for babies and mouths.
toddlers to copy.
Head to Toes, You Are Yummy! (2015) by Tim Harrington. Babies and EARLY
toddlers will love to dance along with tigers, pandas, and giraffes in this LITERACY TIP:
interactive picture book sure to be a storytime hit. Comes with a free song: Tell caregivers to
https://bit.ly/3fEDDMC encourage baby babble
Hoot Hoot Pop-Up Fun (2018) by Nicola Edwards and Kaisa Nowowiejska. by talking and reading
to their babies. They
Wild forest animals pop off pages.
are learning the tones
That’s Not My Lion (2019) by Fiona Watt. Bright, textured pictures help to and patterns of your
develop sensory and language awareness. language. See Chapter
03: Babies for a caregiver
take-home on talking to
babies.
Bilingual/Spanish
Canta, rana, canta/Sing, Froggie, Sing (2013) by Carolyn Dee
Flores. Traditional Spanish folksong. Cumulative text encourages BILINGUAL
memorization in both languages. Musical annotation included. (Bilingual) STORYTIME TIP:
Oso panda, oso panda, ¿qué ves ahi? (2018) by Bill Martin Jr., Eric Carle, Remember to focus on
families. Consider creating
and Teresa Mlawer. (Spanish; also available in English)
a visual schedule by
Oso polar, oso polar, ¿qué es ese ruido? (2018) by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric putting storytime cards in
Carle. (Spanish; also available in English) a pocket chart (read, sing,
fingerplay, play, etc.) to
orient Spanish-speaking
caregivers to storytime
sequence. Pocket charts
are also good for non-
neurotypical preschoolers
who like to know what is
coming.
SING
Rhyme: Brown Bear, Brown Bear English/Spanish:
Read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and/or Oso polar, oso bear = el oso
polar, ¿qué es ese ruido? as an interactive chant. Caregivers chant each line
after you, bouncing their babies while they repeat the question.
Song: Cucu-Tras
This is an adaptation of the chorus from Nene León’s Cucu-Tras into fun
peek-a-boo activity. You will need a box, a picture of a tree, and a flower. Spanish/English:
You will also need animal puppets (a lion, a turtle, and a bird for the version el león = lion
below). Ask each animal where they are (they are always behind the flower).
Easy to modify for any animal. Sample or purchase the original song here:
https://amzn.to/2LlPGjQ
Cucu-tras, cucu-tras
Nene león, dondé estás?
Cucu-tras, cucu-tras
Nene león dondé estás?
Dentro del cubo (o caja)?
Subido al árbol?
Detras de la flor!
Verses:
Cucu-tras, cucu-tras
Nena tortuga, dondé estás?...
Cucu-tras, cucu-tras
Pio pio, dondé estás?...
PRINTABLE
RESIZABLE DOWNLOADS
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
TODDLERS
READ
In English
Birds (2009) by Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek. An enchanting story about
a girl who sings while watching birds and imagines herself in flight. Good for
preschoolers as well.
Feet (Whose Is It?) (2019) by Katrine Crow. A toddler guessing game for an
interactive storytime. A good book to pair with the paw-matching activity below.
Hilda Must Be Dancing (2004) by Karma Wilson and Suzanne Watts. Hilda the
hippo loves to dance, but the other animals want her to find a quieter hobby.
Good for a dance-themed storytime.
Hooray for Birds (2017) by Lucy Cousins. Exuberant colors and rhymes make this
a perfect storytime choice. Encourages movement.
I’m in Charge (2018) by Jeanne Willis and Jarvis. A bossy little rhino throws his
weight around. A vibrant and charming read-aloud perfect for the “terrible twos.”
Jump, Frog, Jump! (1989) by Robert Kalan and Byron Burton. Classic cumulative
tale perfect to get toddlers jumping. Spanish version also available.
One Big Pair of Underwear (2018) by Laura Gehl and Tom Lichtenheld. Bears in
underwear who hate to share. A silly rhymer.
One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller (2019) by Kate Read. Lively alliteration in this
engaging read-aloud.
A Parade of Elephants (2018) by Kevin Henkes. Five joyful elephants march from
dawn until dusk. A great group read.
Roar! A Noisy Counting Book (2000) by Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry
Cole. A rollicking poem about a rambunctious lion cub.
Snakes on a Train (2019) by Kathryn Dennis. Vibrant rhymes and word play in
this bold book about truly adorable snakes. Children are sure to want to join in on
the fun, hissing refrain.
Spunky Little Monkey (2017) by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson. Great book
for getting the wiggles out through stomps, claps, and cheers. Great rhyme and
rhythm.
Starry Safari (2005) by Linda Ashman and Jeff Mack. Rich pictures,
onomatopoeic rhymes, and quick action make this a great storytime choice.
Tiny Little Fly (2010) by Michael Rosen and Kevin Waldron. A little fly irritates all
the wild animals. Dynamic illustrations; to add movement, have toddlers shoo
away pretend flies.
Underwear! (2020) by Jenn Harney. Rhymes galore in this story about a bear
who would rather play with his tighty whities than go to bed. Pair with One Big
Pair of Underwear for a bears-in-underwear theme.
Bilingual/Spanish
BILINGUAL
Opuestos: Mexican Folk Art Opposites in English and Spanish. (2017) by
EARLY
Cynthia Weill. Another book of opposites; this one from the creators of
AbeCedarios Compelling hand-carved folk art illustrations. (Bilingual)
LITERACY TIP:
Bilingual brains have
Marta! Big & Small (2016) by Jen Arena and Angela Dominguez. Marta an edge! Speaking two
explores the jungle and meets animals of all sizes. A fun read-aloud that languages benefits
teaches toddlers about opposites. (English with Spanish words) brain development,
giving children a larger
Rubia and the Three Osos (2010) by Susan Middleton Elya and Melissa
vocabulary, more flexible
Sweet. Bouncy rhymes and scattered Spanish words make this an excellent problem-solving skills,
read-aloud. Also great for preschoolers. (English with Spanish words) and higher cognitive
Salta, ranita, salta! (1994) by Robert Kalan. Classic cumulative tale perfect ability. Encourage
Spanish-speaking
to get toddlers jumping. (Spanish; also available in English)
caregivers to read to
their children in both
languages at home.
SING
Rhyme: Five Little Owls
Lyrics here: https://bit.ly/2WtgRjo
English/Spanish:
Five little owls on a dark, dark night. five little owls = cinco
Five little owls are quite a sight. pequeños búhos
Five little owls, are you keeping score?
owl = la lechuza
One flies away and that leaves four.
Four little owls are as happy as can be.
One flies away and that leaves three.
Three little owls calling, “Hoo, hoo, hoo!”
One flies away and that leaves two.
Two little owls having lots of fun.
One flies away and that leaves one.
One little owl and we’re almost done!
He flies away and that leaves none!
Paws or Claws
Print animal paws/claws on cardstock and laminate them for durability.
Paws should be large enough for children’s feet to fit inside. You will need
six copies each of three distinct paws or claws (e.g. bear, bird, horse). Line
them up in three rows of six; when you call out the animal name, toddlers
find and step on that animal’s paws or claws. Depending on size of the
group, children can take turns or play as a group.
PRINTABLE
PRINTABLE
Paws or Claws
PRINTABLE
PRESCHOOL TIP:
For more wild animal and
safari-themed picture
READ books, see Chapter 02:
In English
Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth (2016) by Jarvis. A goofy alligator scares all the other
EARLY
animals with his teeth, but what will he do when his teeth go missing? A LITERACY TIP:
winner for storytime audiences. Repetition strengthens
Bear Came Along (2019) by Richard T. Morris and LeUyen Pham. Forest brain synapses and
animals tumble down a river in this high-spirited storytime book with and memory, so choose books
with repetitive phrases
immersive pictures. Will keep children giggling. Caldecott Honor Book.
or sentences, and ask
Elmer and the Hippos (2010) by David McKee (or any book in the Elmer series.) children to practice
Vibrant illustrations in this story about working together to solve a conflict. saying them along with
Flashlight (2014) by Lizi Boyd. A charming book reveals backyard nighttime you. Feelings of safety
creatures in its beam. and confidence turn on
children’s brains for more
Packs: Strength in Numbers (2020) by Hannah Salyer. Stunning illustrations
learning, so give them
show how teamwork and togetherness help many animals, including humans, many chances to interact
thrive. According to SLJ, a must-purchase for every collection. with familiar stories. For
The Perfect Siesta (2017) by Pato Meno. A cumulative tale about snoring rain example, if you read three
forest animals that children are sure to request over and over. books per storytime,
consider repeating one of
Tiger Days: A Book of Feelings (2019) by M.H. Clark and Anna Hurley. Playful
those books in the next
rhymes to expand emotional vocabulary.
storytime.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (1997) by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury.
Classic story of splashing and swashing. Good for a bear theme.
Where the Wild Things Are (1963) by Maurice Sendak. A wild classic that most EARLY
collections are sure to have. LITERACY TIP:
Who Has These Feet? (2011) by Laura Hulbert and Erik Brooks. Lively Early literacy is what
guessing game about animal feet. children know about
reading and writing before
Whose Footprint Is That? (2019) by Darrin Lunde and Kelsey Oseid. A guessing
they actually learn to read
game that is great to pair with an animal tracks or habitat theme.
and write. Helping children
Wolves (2016) by Emily Gravett (or anything by Emily Gravett). A wolf claws develop early literacy skills
right off the pages of a library book. builds a foundation that
makes them ready to read.
Bilingual/Spanish
La familia Bola (2011) by Mónica Carretaro. Spanish-language version of Roly-
Polies, a fun storytime choice with colorful illustrations. (Spanish; also available
EARLY
in English) LITERACY TIP:
Little Roja Riding Hood (2014) by Susan Middleton Elya and Susan Guevara. Onomatopoeia appeals to
An accessible, modern retelling with Spanish rhymes and plenty of contextual the sense of hearing, and
writers use it to bring a
clues. Fun with a wolf theme. (English with Spanish words)
story or poem to life in the
No More, Por Favor (2010) by Susan Middleton Elya and David Walker. A lush reader’s head. It can also
rainforest filled with picky eaters. Good rhymes for bilingual storytime but on help to add a touch of fun
the long side. (English with Spanish words) or emotion to a piece.
SING
Song: La Rana
A cumulative folk song that makes a great felt board. Sample or TIP:
purchase an audio version here: https://amzn.to/2WpfZfq Felt board characters for
“La rana”: la rana (frog),
Estaba la rana sentada
la mosca (fly), la araña
Cantando debajo del agua. (spider), el ratón (mouse),
Cuando la rana se puso a cantar and el gato (cat).
Vino una mosca y la hizo callar.
La mosca a la rana,
La rana cantando debajo del agua.
Cuando la mosca se puso a cantar
vino la araña y la hizo callar.
La araña a la mosca
La mosca a la rana
La rana cantando debajo del agua. Spanish/English:
Cuando la araña se puso a cantar
la rana = frog
Vino el ratón y la hizo callar.
El ratón a la araña,
La araña a la mosca,
La mosca a la rana,
La rana cantando debajo del agua.
Cuando el ratón se puso a cantar,
Vino el gato y lo hizo callar.
PRINTABLE
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
Animal Tracks
ADAPTATION:
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION For older children
or teens, skip the
The hippos are hungry, hungry! Read a book about hippos, such as Hilda
storytime and make a
Must be Dancing, Big Little Hippo, or The Hiccupotamus. Saving Fiona is full-body hungry hippo
also a great nonfiction choice because you can also show children footage tournament where
of Fiona from the Cincinnati Zoo website. Augment the program with a they roll around on
hippo sing-along or felt board. After storytime, children make a hippo pup- skateboards or flat
pet craft and/or play a fun twist on the classic Hungry, Hungry Hippo board mechanic dollies. One
game. Suggested runtime: 90 minutes idea here: https://bit.
ly/3fEESLM
RESOURCES
Web
The Fiona Show from the Cincinnati Zoo: https://bit.ly/2y0byOU
Memphis Zoo Hippo Cam: https://bit.ly/2TfIhav
“Five Hungry Hippos” is another great flannel story/song: https://bit.
ly/2AotROD
Picture Books
Big Little Hippo (2019) by Valeri Gorbachev (F)
Duck and Hippo, Lost and Found (Duck and Hippo #2) (2017) by Jonathan
London (F)
Elmer and the Hippos (2010) by David McKee (F)
Hello, Hippo, Goodbye, Bird (2016) by Kristyn Crow (F)
Here Comes Doctor Hippo (2012) by Jonathan London (F)
The Hiccupotamus (2006) by Aaron Zenz (F)
Hilda Must Be Dancing (2008) by Karma Wilson (F)
Hippos Are Huge (2017) by Jonathan London (NF)
One Red Sock (2019) by Jennifer Sattler (F)
Early Readers
The Case of the Missing Hippo (2019) by Laura James and Emily Fox (or
any Fabio the World’s Greatest Flamingo Detective book) (F)
Hip, Hippo, Hooray for Fiona! (2017) by Jan Sherbin (NF)
Hippopotamister (2016) by John Patrick Green (F)
Hippopotamus (2017) by Grace Hansen (NF)
Hippopotamuses (2016) by Kate Riggs (NF)
Hippos (2005) by Conrad J. Storad (NF)
Huge Hippos/Grandes hipopótamos (2013) by Ryan Nagelhout (NF)
Saving Fiona: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Baby Hippo (2018)
by Thane Maynard (NF)
The Truth About Hippos (2018) by Maxwell Eaton III (NF)
RESOURCES
Web
A storytime safari from Miss Barbara at the Library: https://bit.
ly/2WOR6sG
More lion ideas from Jen in the Library: https://bit.ly/3fIMdKf
Parrot/jungle theme ideas from Abby the Librarian: https://bit.ly/3fIbOTI
Animal poop quiz from Boys Life: https://bit.ly/3fFUbnn
Grossology classroom activities (with scat chart): https://bit.
ly/2WOXuQB
RESIZABLE DOWNLOADS
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
See prehistoric life in virtual reality! Or choose short videos about the earliest
life on earth from the PBS Eons YouTube channel. Optionally, let teens de-
stress with prehistoric coloring sheets while watching the videos. Suggested
runtime: 60 minutes TIP:
If inviting an outside
presenter, share the
videos with them
beforehand. They may
have other suggestions or
be able to develop their
talk accordingly.
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION
For virtual reality and/or YouTube videos, you will need:
• Oculus virtual reality headset
• Chromecast (optional) with David Attenborough’s First Life
• OR
• Laptop and AV equipment
• Expert presenter (optional)
RESOURCES
Videos from PBS EONS
“The Fuzzy Origins of the Great Panda” (9 min): https://bit.ly/2T1yEMf
“When Birds Had Teeth” (12 min): https://bit.ly/3dFYDAG
“How Squid Lost Its Shell” (8 min): https://bit.ly/35R77Cy
“The Ghostly Origins of Big Cats” (8 min): https://bit.ly/3ct6PnQ
“The Mystery Behind the Biggest Bears of All Time” (11 min):
https://bit.ly/3cranah
“The Island of Huge Hamsters and Giant Owls (13 min):
https://bit.ly/3cumLpR”
Web
Prehistoric animals alive today: https://bit.ly/2y1wcOI
Prehistoric animals now extinct: https://bit.ly/2YYFXIy
Nonfiction
Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life (2006) by Tim Haines and Paul
Chambers (middle grade)
Eyewitness Prehistoric Life (2012) by William Lindsay (middle grade)
Smithsonian Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life (2019) DK publishing (adult)
PRINTABLE
Wooly Mammoth Coloring Sheet
PRINTABLE
Plesiosaur Coloring Sheet
RESOURCES
YouTube tutorial by Samantha Kamilos: https://bit.ly/2WS8Wee
CREEPY CRAWLIES
AGES
Children
TIP:
Teens Ask patrons to bring in
pictures of insects they
Multigenerational
cannot identify. See
Resources for online
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION bug identification,
An insect expert gives a presentation with a Q&A period and an interactive or ask your expert
presenter.
component. Your local Audubon Society branch may have free information
packets about insects, and you could hold a show-and-tell event for patrons
who have pet insects. Can be adapted for any age group or run as a
multigenerational program. Suggested runtime: 90–120 minutes
RESOURCES
Web
Insect craft ideas from the Bug Club: https://bit.ly/3fIpi1S
Insect information the Amateur Entomologists’ Society: https://bit.
ly/35VCnjW
What’s That Bug? blog: https://bit.ly/2SXbZ3y
Insect fact sheets from Colorado State University: https://bit.ly/3dJgkPN
Books
Picture Books
Du Iz Tak? (2016) by Carson Ellis (F)
Moth (2019) by Isabel Thomas and Daniel Egnéus (NF)
Early Readers
Ants Don’t Wear Pants (2019) by Kevin McCloskey (NF)
Bug Girl: Maria Merian’s Scientific Vision (2019) by Sarah Glenn Marsh
(NF)
The Cricket in Times Square (2014 [1960]) by George Selden and Garth
Williams (F)
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science
(2018) by Joyce Sidman (NF)
The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library (2017) by Linda Bailey and Victoria
Jamieson (F)
YA
Birding Is My Favorite Video Game: Cartoons About the Natural World
from Bird and Moon (2018) by Rosemary Mosco (NF)
TIP:
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION Check Citizen
For storytime coloring: Science, https://www.
citizenscience.gov/, for
• Bird coloring sheets crowdsourced bird data
• Coloring supplies collection projects.
• Bird-watching handouts
Bookmark excerpts to read from your chosen books, print coloring sheets,
and gather coloring supplies.
TIP:
See Chapter 04:
For the bulletin board display: Backyard Habitats for
bird feeder ideas.
• Cover the display with a large map of your city or region
• Provide bird-sighting slips
• Provide push-pins and string to link bird sightings with map locations TIP:
The Let Me Hear Again
UNIQUE SPACE AND PERSONNEL NEEDS app for Android is great
Partnership opportunity with your local chapter of the National Audubon option for deaf patrons
Society. if you do not have
anyone on staff who is
You will need enough table space for coloring. able to sign.
RESOURCES
App Recommendations TIP:
iBird Pro Guide to Birds contains as much information as 14 field guides. Although Cornell’s
Project FeederWatch
Audubon Bird Guide: North America allows users to share sightings. is a winter activity,
Merlin Bird ID shows amazing migration patterns. the tips and STEM
principles could be
Song Sleuth generates matches for users’ uploaded bird songs. altered for a summer
program. Alternatively,
Web continue summer bird
programming all year
The Cornell Lab’s Bird Guide: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/
round by installing a
Bird activities from the Audubon Society: https://bit.ly/3fLZvph birdfeeder and camera
at the library. Patrons of
Bird-friendly plants from the Audubon Society: https://bit.ly/2zzu3Kg
all ages can check in on
Bird drawing tips from the Audubon Society: https://bit.ly/2T0rvf7 the types of birds that
visit the feeder.
Project FeederWatch: https://feederwatch.org/
Field Guides
Feed the Birds: Attract and Identify 196 Common North American Birds
TIP:
(2019) by Chris Earley
Remember field
National Audubon Society Field Guide to Birds, 1994. guides to your specific
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th ed geographic region!
(2017) by John L. Dunn.
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2nd ed. (2020) by Roger
Tory Peterson
The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 2nd ed. (2010) by
Donald Stokes and Lillian Stokes
Adult Nonfiction
Alex & Me (2008) by Irene M. Pepperberg
Belonging on an Island: Birds, Extinction, and Evolution in Hawai’i (2018) by
Daniel Lewis
Bird Brains: The Intelligence of Crows, Ravens, Magpies, and Jays (2018) by
Candace Savage
Bird Therapy (2019) by Joe Harkness
The Birds at My Table: Why We Feed Wild Birds and Why It Matters (2018)
by Darryl N. Jones
The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think
(2020) by Jennifer Ackerman
Birds by the Shore (2019) by Jennifer Ackerman
City of Ravens: The Extraordinary History of London, Its Tower, and Its
Famous Ravens (2012) by Boria Sax
The Genius of Birds (2017) by Jennifer Ackerman
H is for Hawk (2016) by Helen Macdonald
The Falcon Thief: A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the
Perfect Bird (2020) by Joshua Hammer
Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your
Yard (2020) by Douglas W. Tallamy
North on the Wing: Travels with the Songbird Migration of Spring (2018) by
Bruce M. Beehler
Peregrine Spring: A Master Falconer’s Extraordinary Life with Birds of Prey
(2016) by Nancy Cowan
The Thing with Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They
Reveal about Being Human (2015) by Noah Stryker
Urban Aviary: A Modern Guide to City Birds (2019) by Stephen Moss and
Marc Martin
White Feathers: The Nesting Lives of Tree Swallows (2020) by Bernd
Heinrich
PRINTABLE
Owl Coloring Sheet
PRINTABLE
Crow Coloring Sheet
PRINTABLE
Hummingbird Coloring Sheet
PRINTABLE
BIRD-WATCHING 101
APPS
HELPFUL WEBSITES
DR. DOOLITTLE
AND FRIENDS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Early Literacy: Babies................................................................................................................................ 97
96
EARLY LIT
BABIES
BABIES
READ STORYTIME
TIP:
In English
For a toddler adaptation
1, 2, 3 to the Zoo (2019) by Eric Carle. A colorful, oversized reissue of an Eric of Dog’s Colorful Day
Carle original. Numbers and pictures only. (2001), give each toddler
a printed dog bone to put
Dog’s Colorful Day (2001) by Emma Dodd. A bright, interactive book for
in a stuffed dog’s bowl.
teaching numbers and colors.
Peek-a-Zoo! (2014) by Nina Laden. Read the clue, recite the rhyme, giggle,
and repeat! Simple and interactive story to engage both babies and toddlers.
EARLY
Where’s Spot? (2003) by Eric Hill. A classic baby mystery is a vibrant new
LITERACY TIP:
edition.
Sing songs and rhymes
more than once to
Bilingual/Spanish reinforce words, concepts,
Los besitos (2003) by Anne Gutman. Animal kisses with simple vocabulary. and music.
(Spanish; also available in English)
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR ROAR!
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR ROAR!
You can hear the lions roaring, you can hear the lions roaring,
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR ROAR!
PRINTABLE
• Describe what you are doing throughout the day (“I’m putting your
arms in your sleeves and pulling your shirt over your belly”).
• Ask open-ended questions (“What do you see/hear?”).
• Sing nursery rhymes and read books together every day.
• Talk about the books you read and the songs you sing.
• Describe other family members and what they are doing.
• Incorporate touch and name body parts. (“I’m tickling your nose!”)
•Talk about household pets and what they are doing.
• Look out the window together and describe the weather.
• Point to birds, plants, and trees outside and describe them.
TODDLERS
READ
In English
Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book (2007) by Rod Campbell. A zoo suggests wild
animals as potential pets. A catchy refrain will make children want to join in.
Footloose (2016) by Kenny Loggins and Tim Bowers. This bouncy book about STORYTIME
a zoo animal dance party has a shout-worthy chorus and comes with a CD. TIP:
Good Night, Gorilla (1996) by Peggy Rothmann. Exuberant bedtime at the After reading Have You
Seen Elephant (2016),
zoo. A toddler classic. Spanish version also available.
play a game of hide-
Have You Seen Elephant? (2016) by David Barrow. A delightfully absurd sto- and-seek with a stuffed
ry about playing hide-and-seek with an elephant. Wonderful illustrations. elephant.
Here Comes Dr. Hippo (2012) by Jonathan London and Gilles Eduar. Children
can snap, sneeze, and roar along with the sick zoo animals in this humorous
storytime addition
Peek-a-Boo Zoo (2015) by Joyce Wan. Peek-a-boo board book for a sweet
toddler read-aloud.
STORYTIME
TIP:
Peppa Goes to the Zoo (2019) by Eone. A short read, good for Peppa lovers
For Good Night, Gorilla
and a zoo theme.
(1996) Give each toddler
The Seals on the Bus (2000) by Lenny Hort and G. Brian Karas. A jaunty a construction paper
re-take of the classic song with zoo-themed, onomatopoeic lyrics. Perfect “key” so they can play
storytime choice. along with the little
monkey’s antics.
A Sick Day for Amos McGee (2010) by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead.
A lovely tale about zoo animals as caretakers; better for one-on-one than
group read-alouds.
Today I Am a Veterinarian (2018) by Marisa Polanksy and Maxine Lee.
Eye-catching illustrations and racially diverse characters. Great vocab for a
veterinarian theme.
Bilingual/Spanish
Buenas noches, gorila (2002) by Peggy Rathmann. Spanish version of the
English-language classic. (Spanish; also available in English)
How Do You Say?/¿Cómo se dice? (2016) by Angela Dominguez. Two giraffes
who speak different languages befriend each other. (Bilingual)
Perritos: Un libro para contar y ladrar (2004) by Sandra Boynton. (Spanish;
also available in English)
SING English/Spanish
zoo = el zoólogico
monkey = un(a) mono(a)
Rhyme: Going to the Zoo
Toddlers will love to chant this rhyme over and over. Lyrics from Everything
Preschool: https://bit.ly/2y10mBE
A mi burro, a mi burro
Spanish/English
Le duele la cabeza,
mi burrito enferma = my
Y el médico le manda una gorrita negra.
sick little donkey
Una gorrita negra…
Y mueve las patitas (shake rattle or clap hands, four beats)
A mi burro, a mi burro
Le duele la garganta
Y el médico le manda una bufanda blanca.
Una gorrita negra, una bufanda blanca…
Y mueve las patitas (shake rattle or clap hands, four beats)
A mi burro, a mi burro
Le duele el corazón
Y el médico le manda gotitas de limón
Una gorrita negra, una bufanda blanca, gotitas de limón…
Y mueve las patitas (shake rattle or clap hands, four beats)
Boo-Boo Bear
Toddlers color “boo-boos” on their printed bears, and caregivers add ban-
dages at home. You could also create a group felt board activity using the
same idea.
PRINTABLE
Boo-Boo Bear
PRESCHOOL
READ
In English
Baby Monkey, Private Eye (2018) by Brian Selznick. This hilarious preschool
noir topped almost every “best-of” list of 2018. Also makes a good early
reader.
Bark, George! (1999) by Jules Feifferm. This book is a perennial list-topper for
good reason: Preschoolers are sure to see the hilarity in George’s meowing
and oinking.
Busy People: Vet (2015) by Lucy M. George and AndoTwin. Colorful illustra-
tions and a great conversation-starter.
Doctor Mouse (2020) by Christa Kempter and Amélie Jackowski. A whimsical
comedy about a mouse attending to his animal patients.
Good Dog, Paw! (2004) by Chinlun Lee. Paw the vet’s dog accompanies her
to work.
I’m a Veterinarian (2016) by Brian Biggs. A day in the life of an animal doctor.
If I Ran the Zoo (1950) by Dr. Suess. Wild rhymes and fantastic zoo animals
in this storytime classic.
Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles (2018) by Pa-
tricia Valdez and Felicita Sala. A winning STEM title with vibrant depictions
of amazing reptiles, including a Komodo dragon. Good for a slow read-aloud, BILINGUAL
pausing to ask questions along the way. STORYTIME TIP:
Sally Goes to the Vet (2004) by Stephen Huneck. A injured dog visits the vet You can run a fully
and lives to recount the tale to his friend the cat. bilingual storytime in one
of two ways: One bilingual
person reads a story in
Bilingual/Spanish both languages, or one
Dos en el zoologico/Two at the Zoo (2011) by Danna Smith and Valeria English-speaker and one
Petrone. An engaging bilingual read-aloud with expressive animals. (Bilin- Spanish-speaker each
lead activities in their
gual)
respective languages.
El cuento de Ferdinando (1988) by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson. A lively, The latter takes more
playful rendition of a Spanish classic. (Spanish; also available in English) coordination, but if there
are no Spanish-speakers
Oso quiere volar (2016) by Susanna Isern and Silvia Álvarez. The bear who at your library, it might be
wants to fly has all the other forest animals talking. (Spanish; also available worth bringing in a special
in English) guest!
SING
The cat in George goes meow, meow, meow...all through the town.
The duck in George goes quack, quack, quack…
The pig in George goes oink, oink, oink…
The cow in George goes moo, moo, moo…
The person in George goes “Hello, hello…”
Sana, sana,
Colilta de rana
Si no sanas hoy
Sanarás mañana
PRINTABLE
PRINTABLE
RESIZABLE DOWNLOADS
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
SKYPE A SCIENTIST
AGES
Children 8+ years
RESOURCES
Skype a Scientist: https://www.skypeascientist.com/
Children’s Nonfiction
Picture Books
Trapped! A Whale’s Rescue (2015) by Robert Burleigh and Wendell Minor
What Do You Do If You Work at the Zoo? (2020) by Steve Jenkins and
Robin Page
Early Readers
Animals (Jobs if You Like…) (2012) by Charlotte Guillain
I Want to Be a Veterinarian (2018) by Laura Driscoll and Cataline
Echeverri
If You Love Dolphins, You Could Be (2019) by May Nakamura (early
reader)
Children’s Fiction
Picture Books
Ida, Always (2016) by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso
Saving Samantha (2004) by Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen and
Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
Early Readers
Bad Kitty: Kitten Trouble (Bad Kitty #15) (2019) by Nick Bruel
A Piglet Called Truffle (Jasmin Green Rescues #1) (2020) by Helen Peters
and Ellie Snowdon
Skunked! (Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet #1) (2016) by Jacqueline Kelly, Teagan
White, and Jennifer L. Meyer
Little but Fierce (2020) by Joan Emerson
TIP:
Middle Grade
For books about
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (2009) by Jacqueline Kelly individual scientists,
Fight for Life (2007) by Laurie Halse Anderson (or any Vet Volunteers see Chapter 03: Who
book) Helped Me?; for YA
and adult books about
A Home for Goddesses and Dogs (2020) by Leslie Connor working with animals,
Ivy (2017) by Katherine Coville see Chapter 03: Teen
Volunteer Fair.
Lila and Hadley (2020) by Kody Keplinger
The Purr-fect Scoop (2018) (Sprinkle Sundays #3) by Simon Coco
Snapdragon (2020) by Kat Leyh
Strays Like Us (2018) by Cecilia Galante
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (2019 [1922]) by Hugh Lofting
DR. DOOLITTLE AND FRIENDS 113
CHILDREN
| | |
LOW COST OUTSIDE PRESENTER SOLO-LIBRARIAN FRIENDLY STEM
PRINTABLE
PRINTABLE
MARINE BIOLOGIST
CRAFTS
AGES
Children 4–6 years
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
TIP:
Shark teeth, snorkel gear, and a secret
For craft ideas for older
message in a bottle! Start this pro-
children, try ocean
gram with any ocean-themed books zones in a jar (https://
or a video, such as the five-minute bit.ly/2yU5qIe) or ocean
“I Want to Be a Marine Biologist” snow globes (https://bit.
on YouTube. Craft options include ly/2YZnyLA and https://
a snorkel mask, a shiny CD fish (or bit.ly/2xXuWvZ).
shark teeth), a simple origami turtle, a
cut-and-glue shark, and a message-
in-a-bottle coloring sheet. Suggested Image source: CSLP
runtime: 90–120 minutes
Cut the snorkel masks out of cardstock before the program, or let children
do this step themselves (remember to cut out the eyeholes!). Roll one piece
of construction paper length-wise and tape the circumference to hold it in
the shape of a breathing tube. Each child decorates their mask, then tapes
a piece of blue cellophane to the back for the “goggles.” Use elastic for the
head straps; to attach the breathing tube, poke two pen holes in the tube,
then run the elastic through them before tying the elastic to both sides of
the mask.
Shiny CD Fish
You will need:
• CDs
• Permanent markers
• Googly eyes (optional)
• Tissue paper or construction paper
Repurpose old CDs to make shiny fish or shark teeth. To make shiny shark
teeth, draw triangles around the outsider perimeter of the CD. Then fill in
the negative space (not the teeth!) with a dark color. For the fish, draw
scales or stripes, and loop strips of tissue paper through the center hole for
a tail and fins.
TIP:
Cut-and-Glue Shark Even if children cut out
You will need: their own cut-and-glue
sharks, you still might
• Shark template (see Resources) want to precut all the
• Cardstock little teeth beforehand.
• Coloring supplies
• Scissors and glue
For cutting practice, children cut out the pieces themselves and glue them
onto the cardstock.
RESOURCES
Videos
“I Want to Be a Marine Biologist!”: https://bit.ly/361cwXO
Earth Unplugged: https://bit.ly/2zu00E3
SciAll.org: https://bit.ly/3cs3o0H
TIP:
For ocean fiction for
Picture Books older children, see
Chapter 06: Interactive
Chomp: A Shark Romp (2019) by Michael Paul (NF) Movie: Finding Nemo.
Don’t Worry, Little Crab (2020) by Chris Haughton
The Heart of a Whale (2020) by Anna Pignataro
Here Comes Ocean (2020) by Meg Fleming
The Ocean in Your Bathtub (2020) by Seth Fishman (NF)
Over in the Ocean in a Coral Reef (2004) by Marianne Berkes
Peppa Pig Visits the Great Barrier Reef (2017)
Turtle Tug to the Rescue (2017) by Michael Slack
PRINTABLE
PRINTABLE
Cut and
Glue Shark
PRINTABLE
PRINTABLE
Message in a Bottle
Coloring Sheet
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Participants make portraits of adoptable pets to donate to the local animal
shelter! Alternatively, each participant integrates a photo of a shelter pet
TIP:
into a collage. The shelter can display the pictures and give them to the pets’ Combine with Chapter
05: Pet Expo and partner
forever families when they get adopted. This is a great way for children to
with your local animal
practice art and contribute to their communities; alternatively, they could shelter for a pet adoption-
create portraits of their own pets. This program is easily adapted to any age themed event!
or artistic ability. Suggested runtime: 90–120 minutes
Adaptation ideas:
OUTREACH:
• Drawing and painting 101: Have an artistic volunteer or staff member In addition to connecting
give basic drawing tips. with your local animal
• Paint-by-numbers: Create paint-by-numbers templates from shelter shelter, this program is
pet photos before the program, or show teens or adults how to do it portable and could be
great outreach to senior
themselves. See Resources for an online tutorial on how to use the free
centers or retirement
app PBNify.
homes.
• Library paint-along: A paint-along can be easily adapted to any animal
theme but requires an artistic staff member, artist, or art teacher to run TIP:
it. While fun, this adaptation is not suited to shelter pet portraits because
As an option or even a
everyone paints along to the same thing.
whole separate program,
have participants make
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION toys for shelter pets
instead. Ask your local
For shelter pet portraits, you will need:
shelter about what kinds
• Reference photos of pets of toys they accept,
• Drawing and painting supplies and be aware of safety
concerns regarding
materials that pets can
For shelter pet collages, you will need: easily tear and swallow,
• Printed pet pictures such as socks or yarn.
• Pet clip art (see Printables)
• Old magazines
• Paper or tagboard
• Any craft supplies you have on hand (e.g., construction paper, markers,
glue, sequins, feathers, pom-poms, etc.).
• Pet-themed scrapbook paper (optional)
• Stickers or gel pens (optional)
TIP:
Even if your local shelter
Image source: Maria Parker of Kenton County Public Library
does not partner with
you for the program
UNIQUE SPACE AND PERSONNEL NEEDS itself, be sure to contact
them for the most
Consider inviting a local artist or art teacher to lead the event. up-to-date pictures of
available pets.
RESOURCES
Web
Free paint-by-numbers app: https://pbnify.com/
Paint-by-numbers tutorial: https://bit.ly/2SZ7Jke TIP:
Pet toys inspiration here: https://bit.ly/3bvfc0O and https://bit.ly/2Lp4Yoc See Chapter 04:
We Rate Pets for pet
fiction.
Middle Grade Shelter Nonfiction
Humane Society (2016) by Katie Marsico
No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs (2012) by Rob
Laidlaw
Sweet Senior Pups (2018) by Kama Einhorn
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
RESOURCES
Web
“Top 15 Female Wildlife Conservationists and Animal Rights Activists”:
https://bit.ly/2Ltp5Br TIP:
About Sangdeaun Lek Chailert: https://bit.ly/3csDbyX For more children’s books
about working with
Nonfiction animals, see Chapter 03:
Skype a Scientist.
Picture Books
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Temple Grandin (2017) by
Julia Finley Mosca
Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles (2018) by
Patricia Valdez
Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship (2006) by
Isabella Hatkoff
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most
Fearless Scientist (2017) by Jess Keating
Spring After Spring: How Rachel Carson Inspired the Environmental
Movement (2018) by Stephanie Ross Sisson
Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark (2016) by
Heather Lang
The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps (2011) by Jeannette
Winter
Early Readers
I Am Jane Goodall (2016) by Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos
The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau (2012) by Dan Yaccarino
Middle Grade
The Great White Shark Scientist (2016) by Sy Montgomery
Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau (2015) by Jennifer Beren
Rachel Carson and Ecology for Kids: Her Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities
and Experiments (2020) by Rae Rowena
Sea Turtle Scientist (2017) by Stephen R. Swinburne.
Super Women: Six Women Scientists Who Changed the World (2017) by
Laurie Lawlor
Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and
Changed the World (2014) by Sy Montgomery and Temple Grandin
Wild Horse Scientists (2014) by Kay Frydenborg
Young Adult
Black Pioneers of Science and Invention (1992) by Louis Haber
The Elephant Scientist (2016) by Caitlin O’Connell
Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté
Galdikas (2015) by Jim Ottaviani
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World (2016)
by Rachel Ignotofsky
Adult
Animals Make Us Human (2010) by Temple Grandin
Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild (2017) by
Lawrence Anthony
A Forest in the Clouds: My Year Among the Mountain Gorillas in the Remote
Enclave of Dian Fossey (2018) by John Fowler
The Grizzly Maze: Timothy Treadwell’s Fatal Obsession with Alaskan Bears
(2006) by Nick Jans
Grizzly Years: In Search of the American Wilderness (1996) by Doug
Peacock
The Man Who Saved Sea Turtles: Arhie Carr and the Origins of
Conservation Biology (2007) by Frederick Rowe Davis
Part of the Pride: My Life Among the Big Cats of Africa (2016) by Kevin
Richardson
The Sea Around Us, 3rd edition (2018) by Rachel Carson
Steve and Me (2008) by Terri Irwin
Adult
TIP:
The Accidental Veterinarian: Tales from a Pet Practice (2019) by Philipp
For children’s books on
Schott
working with animals,
Animal Wise: The Thoughts and Emotions of Our Fellow Creatures (2013) see Chapter 03: Skype a
by Virginia Morell Scientist.
Lions and Tigers and Hamsters: What Animals Large and Small Taught
Me About Life, Love, and Humanity (2019) by Mark Goldstein
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
Shelter tips:
• To maintain cats’ body heat, smaller shelters are better than larger ones.
• The ideal opening is a circle about the width of a cat’s whiskers (5–6”
diameter). Predators may sneak in through larger holes.
• Add heavy sheet plastic to make door flaps and/or awnings to retain
heat.
• Also to help retain heat, raise shelters off the ground (e.g., on 2x4s)
• Weigh down shelters with weights/rocks to keep them from blowing
away.
• Elevate the back end and drill a small hole in the floor of the front end to
let water drain out.
RESOURCES
Web
Winter shelter tutorials: https://bit.ly/3dx7tAS and https://bit.ly/2LoPssk
RESOURCES
Web
About service dog training: https://bit.ly/2Aotaor
YouTube video about service dogs: https://bit.ly/2Albnyl
Careers for dog lovers: https://bit.ly/3bvnK7U TIP:
Reading to therapy dog programs: http://readingpaws.org For YA/adult books on
careers working with
Love on a Leash (nation-wide therapy pet chapters): https://bit.ly/2yQDk0E animals, see Chapter 03:
Search and Rescue Dogs of the United States: http://www.sardogsus.org/ Teen Volunteer Fair.
Companion Animal Psychology Book Club blog: https://bit.ly/3ctMxdJ
Accredited assistance dog organizations: https://bit.ly/3btoM4c
A HORSE IS A HORSE, OF
COURSE
AGES
Teens
Multigenerational
RESOURCES
Web
Find a horse sanctuary: https://bit.ly/2WMSixT
State-by-state resources: https://bit.ly/2TnAFm7 and https://bit.ly/3e4ugEy
American Horses Rescue Network: https://bit.ly/2ZnpNbJ
Horse Fiction
This Way Charlie (2020) by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso (picture book)
Middle Grade
Black Stallion (1941) by Walter Farley
Lizzie Flying Solo (2018) by Nanci Turner Steveson
Misty of Chincoteague (1947) by Marguerite Henry
My Friend Flicka, (2008 [1940]) by Mary O’Hara
National Velvet (2019 [1935]) by Enid Bagnold
Paint the Wind (2007) by Pam Munoz Ryan
Riding Lessons (An Ellen and Ned Book) (2018) by Jane Smiley
Nonfiction
Middle Grade
Brigadier: Gentle Hero (2009) by Judy Andrekson and David Parkins
Horse (2008) (DK Eyewitness) by Juliet Clutton-Brock
Horse Heroes: True Stories of Amazing Horses (2012) by Kate Petty
Horse Life: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Riding Horses for Kids
(2020) Robyn Smith
Horse Rescue (2012) by Katie Marsico
Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero
(2017) by Patricia McCormick
Who Was Seabiscuit? (2015) by James Buckley Jr.
Wild Horse Scientists (2014) by Kay Frydenborg
Adult
Seabiscuit: An American Legend (2001) by Laura Hillenbrand
How to Think Like a Horse (2006) by Cherry Hill
The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions
Kidnapped by the Nazis (2016) by Elizabeth Letts
The Stopping Places: A Journey Through Gypsy Britain (2019) by Damien Le
Bas
RESOURCES
On Hosting Panels
How to Host a Panel Discussion (Toastmasters): https://bit.ly/3bJDq7R
Powerful Panels: A Step-By-Step Guide… (2013) by Kristin Arnold
138
EARLY LIT
BABIES
BABIES
READ EARLY
In English
LITERACY TIP:
When reading books with
Animals (2015) by Virginie Graire. Die-cut pages form animals in different babies, be sure to make
habitats when you turn the pages. Good for a habitat theme but more of a time before or after to
list than a story. ask engaging questions
about animal sounds or
A Baby Like You (2019) by Catherine Thimmesh. Adorable baby animal pho-
facial expressions.
tographs from around the world.
Black Cat and White Cat (2016) by Claire Garralon. A fast-paced story with
vivid black-and-white illustrations and a colorful ending.
Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book (1984) by Sandra Boynton. A fun
classic that counts different dogs’ barks. In a group, you can have caregivers
bark along.
Over in the Meadow (2020) by Jane Cabrera. A fun variation on a classic
counting rhyme.
Stack the Cats (2018) by Susia Ghahremani. This silly counting book shows
that there is more than one way to stack the cats. Older children will also
enjoy this read-aloud.
Tails Are Not for Pulling (2005) by Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen.
Simple words teach the basics of caring for animals.
That’s Not My Puppy (2018) by Fiona Watt. Bright, textured pictures help to
develop sensory and language awareness (better for one-on-one than story-
time).
Bilingual/Spanish STORYTIME
Animals, Animales (2015) by Katherine Del Monte. Cute pictures of baby
TIP:
animals in their natural habitats. Left page in English, right page in Spanish. Before you read, explain
your book choices to
(Bilingual)
caregivers. Did you
Besos for Baby: A Little Book of Kisses (2014) by Jen Arena and Blanca choose it because of
Gomez. Baby wants kisses from everyone around, including dogs, cats, and its rhymes, repetition,
butterflies. (English with Spanish words) onomatopiea, or bold
illustrations? Do you
Little Mice/Ratconcitos (2017) by Susie Jaramillo. Bilingual edition of the be- recommend other books
loved Latin American fingerplay “Cinco ratoncitos de colita gris.” from this author? This
Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos (2011) by Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy, is an easy way to share
early literacy tips and
and Ulises Wensell. Caregivers can bounce babies along to the repeating
help caregivers to find
numbers; this popular Spanish counting rhyme has the potential to become a great books to read at
storytime favorite. (Bilingual) home.
SING
Movement: This Is the Way We Pet
To the tune of “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.” Simulate petting
throughout whole song; repeat with different animals.
This is the way we pet the dog, pet the dog, pet the dog.
This is the way we pet the dog, soft and slow.
PLAY
Where Is Kitty?
Create a stack (or row) of cardboard boxes with large holes cut out of the
sides and hide stuffed kitties (or any stuffed animal pets) inside. Babies or
caregivers reach inside or turn over the boxes to find the hiding pets. A good
opportunity to practice opposite words such inside/outside, above/below.
Circle Fetch
Start with multiple plastic balls. Call out each baby’s name before rolling a
ball in their direction. Let them hold the ball after they catch it, or they can roll
it back to you. This a fun way to learn names and get babies moving at the
end of circle time.
TODDLERS
READ STORYTIME
TIP:
In English Be sure to leave room
Blue (2018) by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. A heart-warming friendship about a for serve-and-return
boy and a dog, with lush illustrations in shades of blue. conversations in which
you repeat back what
Do You See My Tail? (2017) by Anita Bijsterbosch. A fun toddler guessing toddlers say. Ask yes-
game with forest animals; good for a habitat theme. or-no questions, or
questions with two
Hats Are Not for Cats! (2019) by Jacqueline Rayner. The household dog is a
choices, and give
hat-hoarding tyrant. Delightful rhymes make this a great read-aloud.
toddlers time to think
How to Be a Cat (2019) by Nikki McClure. A kitten masters feline life skills. A before responding.
lovely storytime book with beautiful black-and-white papercut illustrations.
Max Attacks (2019) by Kathi Appelt and Penelope Dullaghan. Max the cat
attacks many things, but how many does he actually catch? Gentle rhymes
carry the story.
My Cat Looks Like My Dad (2019) by Thao Lam. Humorous parallels between
a plump furry cat and a mustachioed man. A silly book with broad appeal
and interesting collages.
My Friends (2005) by Gomi Taro. A little girl lists all the things she has
learned from her animal friends.
Not Norman: A Goldfish Story (2008) by Kelly Bennett and Noah Z. Jones. A
satisfying read-aloud about a pet goldfish. Good for preschoolers as well.
One-Dog Canoe (2009) by Mary Casanova and Ard Hoyt. A one-dog ca-
noe becomes an animal-overloaded canoe; lively rhymes, wry humor, and a
splash ending.
One Shoe Two Shoes (2019) by Caryl Hart and Edward Underwood. Mice
hiding in shoes and a curious dog. Joyous rhymes and large-format folk art
make this a great storytime choice.
Pet this Book (2018) by Jessica Young and Daniel Wiseman. Basic pet care in
rhyme.
Puppy Truck (2019) by Brian Pinkney. Onomatopoeic lines make this an ex-
cellent storytime for puppy and/or truck lovers.
They All Saw a Cat (2016) by Brendan Wenzel. Joyous repetition makes this
an attention-grabbing book about differences in perspective; 2017 Caldecott
winner.
Where Birdie Lives: A Lift-the-Flap Book (2019) by Elena Tsvetayeva. A dog
hunts for birdie in this interactive storytime mystery for toddlers to solve.
Bilingual/Spanish
¿De qué tienes miedo, Ratoncito? (2015) by Susanna Isern and Nora Hilb. STORYTIME
Sweet bedtime story about a mouse facing his fears. (Spanish; also available TIP:
in English) For big groups, sing
extra songs before the
El perro con sombrero: A Bilingual Tale (2015) by Derek Taylor Kent and Jed
read-aloud. Toddlers
Henry. A sombrero turns a homeless puppy into a movie star loved by every- have a hard time
one except the cat. (Bilingual) concentrating on books
Looking for Bongo (2016) by Eric Velasquez. A sweet mystery for toddlers if people are still trickling
into storytime.
about a boy in a Black and Latinx family looking for his stuffed Bongo (and
asking both house pets and multigenerational family members for help). (En-
glish with Spanish words)
Mamá Goose: Bilingual Lullabies-Nanas (2019) by Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel
Campoy, and Maribel Saurez. Board book with favorite lullabies from all over
the Spanish-speaking world, with English translations. Great in either or both
languages. (Bilingual)
SING
EARLY
Fingerplay: I Had a Little Turtle (Version 1) LITERACY TIP:
Toddlers understand
To the tune of “Tiny Tim.” more words than they
speak, so avoid talking
I had a little turtle (close fist with thumb sticking out) to them exclusively in
He lived in a box (make box shape with hands) “baby language” so they
He swam in the water (swimming motions) can learn to speak well.
He climbed on the rocks. (climb fingers of one hand over other fist)
He snapped at a mosquito (snapping motion for each)
He snapped at a flea
He snapped at a minnow
And he snapped at me.
He caught that mosquito (reach out and pretend to catch each)
He caught that flea
He caught that minnow
But he didn’t catch me! (smile and shake head)
He ate up all the soap (pinch hands at mouth and pretend to eat)
And now he’s home
sick in bed (lean head on hands together)
with bubbles in his throat! (pat throat)
Bubble, bubble, bubble (spin forearms around each other)
Bubble, bubble pop! (clap on “pop!”)
PRINTABLE
Forest Animal Finger Puppets
PRESCHOOL
READ TIP:
For nonfiction picture
In English
books about pet care,
Ah-choo! (2016) by Lana Koehler. Encourage children to sneeze along in this see Chapter 05: Pet
book about a menagerie of potential pets. Expo.
Baby’s First Bank Heist (2019) by Jim Whalley and Stephen Collins. Baby
robs a bank for the money to fill his house with surprising pets. Dark and
hilarious, with silly details.
Birdsong (2019) by Julie Flett. An intergenerational friendship amidst bird-
song and changing seasons. Includes some Cree-Métis words and a glossa-
ry.
Children Make Terrible Pets (2010) by Peter Brown. A joyful and upbeat
read-aloud about a surprising role reversal. Preschool and up.
I Am a Wolf (2019) by Kelly Leigh Miller. A stray dog with a prickly personal-
ity knows he will find the perfect home. Goofy and great.
I Need a Hug (2019) by Aaron Blabey. Jaunty rhymes make for a great read-
aloud about a prickly porcupine.
I See a Kookaburra (2016) by Steve Jenkins. Camouflaged animals and all
sorts of habitats. Playful and engaging introduction to ecology.
I Want a Dog (2019) by Jon Agee. A little girl goes to an animal shelter look-
ing for a dog only to be presented with an array of unusual pets. A lively and
playful read-aloud.
Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog (2019) by Lisa Papp. A reassuring ac-
companiment to any pet or pet-adoption theme.
Pig the Pug (2016) by Aaron Blabey (or any Pig the Pug book). A laugh-
along book about a pet pug who does not share.
Some Pets (2016) by Angela DiTerlizzi and Brenden Wenzel. A vibrant book
about different types of pets. Includes breezy facts about how they move,
make sounds, eat, and show affection.
Sparky! (2014) by Jenny Offill. A girl gets a pet sloth. Beautiful pictures for
sloth-lovers but more suited to one-on-one reading than storytime.
Strictly No Elephants (2015) by Lisa Mantchev and Taeeeun Yoo. A tale of
friendship and inclusion in which a multiethnic group of children create a
club for their unusual pets.
Truman (2019) by Jean Reidy and Lucy Ruth Cummins. Making almost every
“best of” list of 2019, this story about Truman the pet tortoise is a heart-
warming take on the first day of school. Great for kindergarten prep.
Bilingual/Spanish
Flutter and Hum: Animal Poems / Alteo y zumbido: Poemas de animales
(2015) by Julie Paschkis. (Bilingual)
Mango, Abuela, and Me (2017) by Meg Medina and Angela Dominguez. A
parrot facilitates multigenerational, multilingual communication. (English
with Spanish words)
Mi oso grande, mi oso pequeño y yo (2019) by Margarita del Mazo and Ro-
cio Bonilla. 2019. A little girl goes sledding with her two bears, with a tribute
to dads. (Spanish; also available in English)
Randall and Randall (2019) by Nadine Poper and Poline Gortman. This silly
undersea tale about symbiosis is a great STEM storytime choice for a habi-
tat and/or ocean theme. (English with Spanish words)
SING REMEMBER
THE CLASSICS!
Movement: I Saw a Little Bird In My Backyard
“How Much is that
Once I saw a little bird go hop, hop, hop (hop) Doggie in the Window?”
So I cried to little bird, and “Do Your Ears Hang
Won’t you stop, stop, stop? (put hand out to stop) Low?” also work well for
a pet theme.
I went to the window to say how do you do? (wave hello)
But he shook his little tail (shake backside)
And far away he flew (flap arms)
TIP:
For more great pet
Song: Mi Perro songs, try “Guess My
To the tune of “I’m Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee” Friend” and “Dogs and
Cats and Guinea Pigs”
Cuido de mi perro in Animal Shenanigans
Con amor (2015) by Rob Reid.
Todos los dias
Le doy de comer
Cuido de mi perro
Con amor
Ahhh que rico! Guau guau
PRINTABLE
Pet Counting
PRINTABLE
Animal Home Matching
LAND OF LADYBUGS
AGES TIP:
Children 4+ years Consider partnering with
a local park to integrate
a StoryWalk into this
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION program. Instead of
A fun, hands-on ladybug program! the self-information
placards one might
In a local park, read ladybug books
usually see along a trail,
and talk about where ladybugs live, you make temporary
what they eat, and their role in the placards out of pages
ecosystem. Make simple ladybug from a single children’s
masks if you have access to out- book. See the StoryWalk
door tables. Then each child releas- website for more: https://
es their ladybugs. The best time www.kellogghubbard.
org/storywalk
for a ladybug release is in the early
evening of May or June. Suggested
runtime: 90 minutes Image source: Shutterstock
ADAPTATION:
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION For older children,
play an identification/
For ladybug release, you will need: guessing game with red
• Ladybugs divided into individual cups (one per child) and black ladybug look-
alikes.
• Water bottles (one per child)
Divide ladybugs into individual containers right before the program. Before
children release their ladybugs, have them dampen the area with their water
bottles, as the ladybugs will be thirsty after their long travel. ADAPTATION:
For ladybug masks, you will need: Have teens design and
build their own ladybug
• Red and black construction paper boxes.
• Popsicle sticks
• Glue
RESOURCES
Web
StoryWalk information: https://bit.ly/3btd89I
Ladybugs for purchase (comes with lifecycle poster): https://amzn.to/3bm-
mLqA
Ladybug house tutorial: https://bit.ly/2WpbiSX
CREATE A CREATURE
AGES TIP:
This is a great program
Children 4+ years
for family nights.
Multigenerational Families can create new
creatures together, or
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION maybe even a family
mascot.
There is no place like home! And that home. And that home. In this program,
children learn about habitats and how animals adapt to them. Read Listen ADAPTATION:
to our World (2016) and/or show a brief video, such as “Animal Habitats”
For younger children,
by Learning Junction. Show habitat cards and discuss which animals live make a game of
in each habitat and why, then let participants get creative! Their task is to matching animals to
create a brand new animal that would thrive in a particular habitat. You habitats.
can have them draw habitat cards, let them choose whichever habitat they
like, or base the whole program around a specific habitat. Ask everyone to
present their new animal—and describe what makes it perfectly suited to its TIP:
habitat—at the end of the program. Suggested runtime: 90–120 minutes
What are the four basic
components of a habitat
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION to consider?
You will need:
• Laptop and AV equipment
• A storytime-friendly book about habitats
• Habitat cards
• A variety of craft materials and tools (felt, cardboard, glue, clay, etc.)
Before the program, create large habitat cards with an image on one side
and name (forest, jungle, wetland, etc.) on the other (see Printables). Set out
craft supplies, and set up AV equipment if you plan to show a video.
RESOURCES TIP:
For more habitat
Web resources, see Chapter
05: Recycling Olympics.
Short habitat videos from PBS Learning Media: https://bit.ly/2WJ2FkU
Habitat lesson ideas from the Kennedy Center: https://bit.ly/2Ag0XQu
List of habitat websites/tools from Teach Hub: https://bit.ly/3bt6gsX TIP:
Habitat games from the Smithsonian: https://ssec.si.edu/habitats
For a board game, try
“Animal Habitats” from Learning Junction: https://bit.ly/3cnuDtc EcoChains: Arctic Life,
Habitat science from Home Science Tools: https://bit.ly/2zAv7NX a multiplayer tabletop
food web-building card
game.
Habitat Books
Picture Books
Amazing Animal Homes (2018) by Chris Packham and Jason Cockcroft
(NF)
Beehive (2020) by Jorey Hurley (NF)
Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do
(2014) by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page (NF)
Listen to Our World (2016) by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson (NF)
Lots of Spots (2010) by Lois Ehlert (NF)
My Very First Book of Animal Homes (2007) by Eric Carle (NF)
Over and Under the Pond (2017) by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas
Neal (NF)
A Place to Start a Family: Poems About Creatures That Build (2018) by
David L. Harrison and Giles Laroche (NF)
Step Inside!: A Look Inside Animal Homes (2012) by Catherine Ham (NF)
Through the Animal Kingdom: Discover Amazing Animals and Their
Remarkable Homes (2019) by Derek Harvey and Charlotte Pepper (NF)
Walk on the Wild Side by Nicholas Oldland (F)
Waiting for Wings (2001) by Lois Ehlert (NF)
Welcome Home Bear (2015) by Il Sung Na (picture book)
We Build Our Homes: Small Stories of Incredible Animal Architects (2018)
by Laura Knowles and Chris Madden (NF)
Early Readers
Animal Architects (2019) by Libby Romero (NF)
Around the Pond: Who’s Been Here? (1996) by Lindsay Barrett George (or
any Who’s Been Here book) (F)
Homes in the Wild: Where Baby Animals and Their Parents Live (2019) by
Lita Judge (NF)
Middle Grade
Animal Atlas (2019) by Anne Rooney and Lucy Rose (NF)
The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World’s Largest Land Biome (2020) by L.E.
Carmichael and Josée Bisaillon (NF)
How Deep Is the Ocean? Ocean Animal Habitats (2018) by Monika Davies
(NF)
Mez’s Magic (The Lost Rainforest #1) (2018) by Eliot Schrefer and Emilia
Dziubak (F)
Pax (2016) by Sara Pennypacker and Jon Klassen (F)
RESIZABLE DOWNLOADS
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
Urban habitat
Arctic habitat
Forest habitat
Jungle habitat
RESIZABLE DOWNLOADS
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
Wetland habitat
Farm habitat
Ocean habitat
Desert habitat
BACKYARD HABITATS:
BUG HOTELS, BIRD
FEEDERS, AND BUTTERFLY
PUDDLERS
AGES TIP:
Children 6+ years Include a pollinator
Teens gardening component
Multigenerational and give participants
flower seedlings to take
home and plant!
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A backyard habitat series for birds
and pollinators! This program
teaches participants the basics of
backyard habitats: Project options
include a bug hotel, a bird feeder,
and a butterfly puddler. Build one
habitat, or run a series to build all
three. Modify habitat designs based
on audience age and the supplies
you have on hand; see Resources
for more design ideas. Suggested
runtime: 90 minutes
Image source: Shutterstock
Slice off the ends of recycled soda bottles, or remove the bottoms from tin ADAPTATION:
cans. These will be used as outer wrappers for the bug hotels. During the For younger children,
program, participants bundle sticks into the cans or plastic bottle rounds. pinecone bird feeders
Punch holes in the plastic, and tie a string for hanging. are an easy option.
Tutorial here: https://bit.
ly/3dJpqMr
SYRUPY
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION PERENNIALS
FOR BENEFICIAL PERENNIALS TO ATTRACT
You will need: POLLINATORS:
• Small cups with holes in the bottom or biodegradable pots Yarrow, bee balm,
• Perennial seeds native to your area butterfly bush, lavender,
nasturtiums, sage,
• Soil (or peat pods for easier cleanup) hollyhocks, lupine,
Start these before the program to make sure the seeds are viable, or let milkweed, etc.
participants plant them themselves.
TIP:
Be sure to choose non-
invasive perennials for
your area.
TIP:
RESOURCES Remember to check
your county and state
Web: General agricultural extension
Flowers for attracting pollinators: https://bit.ly/365ePJv office websites for
backyard gardening tips!
Attracting beneficial insects: https://bit.ly/2zAvk3H
Garden design tips from the National Wildlife Federation: https://bit.
ly/2LpQTXI
Bird habitat basics: https://bit.ly/2WSjv0S
Middle Grade
Coo (2020) by Kaela Noel (F)
Create Your Own Backyard Wildlife Habitat (2016) by Doris Dumrauf (2016)
(NF)
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science
(2018) by Joyce Sidman (NF)
Super Simple Backyard Projects: Fun and Easy Animal Environment Activi-
ties (2016) by Carolyn Bernhardt (NF)
The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow (2018) by Jan Thornhill (NF)
Wishtree (2017) by Katherine Applegate (F)
RESOURCES ADAPTATION.
For younger children,
Web show pictures of pets
Ballot box: https://amzn.to/3fM9meL and ask them to say
Funny animal stories: https://bit.ly/2WtthYy what they like about
them. Ratings could be
About We Rate Dogs: https://bit.ly/3dxb8yC done with sticky notes
We Rate Dogs card game: https://amzn.to/2LptFkc or on a white board.
Encourage families
Animal Jokes and Memes to write pet stories/
captions together!
Funny Animals: Critter Comedians, Punny Pets, and Hilarious Hijinks
(2019) by National Geographic Kids (middle grade)
Laugh Out Loud (2017) by Jeffrey Burton (early reader)
ADAPTATION:
Patrons without pets or
We Rate Dogs (2017) by Matt Nelson (adults)
wished-for pets could
still draw a portrait of an
Pet Fiction
imaginary animal and
Picture Books think of a funny story or
Can I Be Your Dog? (2008) by Troy Cummings description to go with it.
Dogosaurus Rex (2017) by Anna Staniszewski and Kevin Hawkes
Hey Little Rockaby: A Lullaby for Pet Adoption (2020) by Buffy Sainte- TIP:
Marie For YA and adult pet
How to Walk an Ant (2019) by Cindy Derby nonfiction, see Chapter
05: Pet Expo.
Ladybug Girl and the Rescue Dogs (2018) by Jackie Davis and David
Soman
Lola Gets a Cat (2018) by Anna McQuinn
The Lost Kitten (2019) by Leyla Torres and Àngela Ruiz
Maisy Gets a Pet (2020) by Lucy Cousins
Philomena’s New Glasses (2017) by Brenna Maloney
Some Pets (2016) by Angela DiTerlizzi
What Pet Should I Get? (2010) by Dr. Suess
Who Wants a Tortoise? (2016) by Dave Keane
Won-Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (2011) by Lee Wardlaw and Eugene
Yelchin
Early Readers
Dear Beast (2020) by Dori Hillestad Butler and Kevan Atteburry
The Dog Who Lost His Bark (2019) by Eoin Colfer and P.J. Lynch
The Great Pet Escape (Pets on the Loose #1) (2016) by Victoria Jamieson
Harry the Homeless Puppy (2015) by Holly Webb and Sophy Williams (or
any Pet Rescue Adventures)
Mercy Watson to the Rescue (Mercy Watson #1) (2005) by Kate
DiCamillo
Scruffy (1990) by Peggy Parish
Truman the Dog (2019) by Debbi Michiko Florence and Melanie Demmer
PRINTABLE
My Pet Is Awesome Template
PRINTABLE
Voting Slips
Set up separate stations so participants can take turns with limited tools. Ask For participants without
participants to bring a photo of their pet that they would not mind cutting up, pets, set out magazines to
or have them email their photos in advance. Resize images so pet faces are choose pictures from.
about 1” in diameter before printing. Print and punch out the photos using a 1”
circle punch, or let participants do this themselves. TIP:
You can also use Modge
During the program, glue each picture to the insides of a bottle cap. Add an Podge or resin to seal the
epoxy sticker to seal it. Punch a small hole in the edge of the cap using a metal pictures instead of stickers,
but be forewarned that
punch, and use jewelry tweezers to open and thread a jump ring through the
these might have a strong
hole. Thread necklace cord through the jump ring.
smell.
RESOURCES
Web TIP:
Bottle cap necklace tutorial #1: https://bit.ly/3dEKUtV See Chapter 04:
We Rate Pets for
Bottle cap necklace tutorial #2: https://bit.ly/2zxhPSu
fiction lists.
Craft bottle caps for purchase: https://amzn.to/2YTXSA5
ANIMAL-THEMED
ROOM DÉCOR
AGES
Teens
TIP:
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Black vinyl makes great
Teens make animal-themed décor for their rooms! Craft options include all-purpose silhouettes.
removable vinyl wall decals or animal découpage that works on almost any Add more vinyl color
options if budget allows.
household item. Suggested runtime: 60–90 minutes
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION
TIP:
For vinyl wall decals, you will need:
The simpler the design
• Removable adhesive vinyl (contact paper) in solid colors to be cut out of the vinyl,
• Utility knife the better.
• Scissors
• Pencils
• Large scrap paper (newspaper or brown craft paper) TIP:
• Animal silhouettes (see Resources) Ask teens to share
pictures of how the
Print animal silhouettes to get teens started (see Printables). They can decals look in their
enlarge and trace an image onto the back of the vinyl, or they can draw their rooms on the library’s
own. Have them cut out their animals but wait to peel off the vinyl’s paper social media.
backing until they get home and are ready to apply it to their wall.
For découpage, you will need:
• Animal-themed paper (magazines, wrapping paper, greeting cards, etc.)
• Items to découpage (tin cans, switch plates, coaster tiles, picture frames,
pencil boxes, lamps, etc.) TIP:
• Scissors Invite participants
• Mod Podge or other to bring their own
découpage glue items from home to
découpage, but have
• Foam brushes or paint plenty of extras on hand.
brushes
• Damp rags
RESOURCES
Web
DIY vinyl wall art tutorial: https://bit.ly/3cttz7h
Découpage tutorial: https://bit.ly/3byd20F
Nonfiction
YA
Animal Friends to Sew: Simple Handmade Toys, Décor, and Gifts for Kids
(2020) by Sanae Ishida
DIY Bedroom Décor: 50 Awesome Ideas for Your Room (2015) by Tana
Smith
Adult
At Home in the English Countryside: Designers and Their Dogs (2020) by
Susanna Salk and Stacey Bewkes
Dog Décor: Canines Living Large (2017) by Sara Essex Bradley and
Valorie Hart
PRINTABLE
Monster Silhouettes
PRINTABLE
Bird Silhouettes
PRINTABLE
Insect Silhouettes
RESOURCES
Web
Bunny napkin tutorial on WikiHow: https://bit.ly/2WOXsZ9
Napkin and towel animals on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2WSXuin
Adult Nonfiction
The Art of Napkin Folding (2018) by Ryland Peters & Small
Cocktail Napkin Origami (2011) by Duy Nguyen
The Complete Illustrated Book of Napkins and Napkin Folding (2013) by Rick
Beech
The Lost Art of Towel Origami (2015) by Alison Jenkins
Origami Animal Sculpture (2014) by John Szinger
Top 100 Step-By-Step Napkin Folds (2012) by Denise Vivaldo
Towel Folding 101 (2005) by Deanne Campbell
READ, CONNECT,
PROTECT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Early Literacy: Babies..............................................................................................................................177
176
EARLY LIT
BABIES
BABIES
READ STORYTIME
TIP:
In English For small groups, invite
10 Little Rubber Ducks (2010) by Eric Carle. A wonderful counting read- caregivers to introduce
aloud about little ducks going overboard. their babies to the group
with their names and
Barnyard Dance (1993) by Sandra Boynton. Another new classic with lively ages. If time, you can also
rhymes and wacky characters. Guaranteed to get everyone stomping their ask them to add a recent
feet. developmental milestone
or favorite animal. This
Clip-Clop (2007) by Nicola Smee. Farm animals ride a horse in this rhythmic
helps you learn names
bounce-along. Will going faster and faster lead to disaster? With lots of and build community.
action, this book is as much for toddlers as it is for babies.
Countablock (2014) by Christopher Franceschelli. Peek-through counting
book of things and creatures that transform, including eggs to chicks and
EARLY
caterpillars to butterflies.
LITERACY TIP:
Early Bird (2015) by Toni Yuly. Early bird seeks breakfast in this fun read-
Even though animal
aloud that emphasizes action words.
sounds are not “real”
Is Everyone Ready for Fun? (2011) by Jan Thomas. This book invites babies words, they help babies
and toddlers alike to jump, dance, and wiggle along with unexpected cow learn and communicate
visitors. the sounds of their
language.
Moo, Baa, La La La (1982) by Sandra Boynton. Board book collections are
likely to include this rendition of classic animal sounds. Images redrawn
since the original 1982 release.
Peek-a Moo! (2017) by Nina Laden. Read the clue, repeat the rhyme, giggle,
and repeat! Caregivers can join right in and sound along.
Who Eats Orange? (2018) by Dianne White and Robin Page. A fun read-
aloud for exploring colors and animals’ favorite foods.
Bilingual/Spanish
Little Chickies/Los pollitos (2016) by Susie Jaramillo. A bilingual nursery
EARLY
rhyme based on “Los pollitos dicen,” one of the most popular songs in the
Spanish-speaking world. Comes with a free sing-along app. (Bilingual) LITERACY TIP:
To babies, nursery rhymes
Mamá Goose: A Latino Nursery Treasury (2005) by Isabel Campoy and Ma-
are musicalizations of
ribel Suarez. Songs from all over the Spanish-speaking world, with English caregiver tenderness.
translations opposite. Chapters are divided by finger games, lap games, and Along with lullabies,
song games, making this book an easy-to-use resource for baby and toddler they develop auditory
programming. (Bilingual) localization, the ability to
pinpoint where a sound is
Who Hops?/¿Quién salta? (2006) by Katie Davis. Humorous read-aloud in coming from.
both languages, with a refrain that older children love to join. (Bilingual)
SING
Bounce: I Went to a Farm
Repeat rhyme with any farm animals that suit your theme.
To make the box, cut an egg-sized hole in the bottom of a shoebox; tape
around the perimeter of the hole to smooth the edges. Then cut a large
English/Spanish
hen = una gallina
square hole in the short side of the box. Flip the box over so the lid is on the
bottom (and the egg hole on top), and tape the lid to the box. Decorate with
colored paper if desired. You could also put a few beans in each egg to make
egg shakers (hot glue or superglue to secure!).
Worm Pull
Cover a shoebox with brown paper and draw worm silhouettes on the box.
Poke round holes in the lid, and thread thin rope through the holes. Knot the
rope at each end so it does not come all the way out when babies pull. Do
not tape the lid because you will need to remove it to pull the worms back
down into the “dirt.”
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
TODDLERS
In English STORYTIME
Black Bird Yellow Sun (2018) by Steve Light. A delightful journey through a TIP:
black bird’s colorful world. Toddlers are still
Do Cows Meow? (2012) by Salina Yoon. Simple rhythmic lines encourage learning how to use
children to join in on the animal sounds. Good for preschool as well. proper volume when
speaking, so books that
Dragons Love Tacos (2012) by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri. Kooky new run the gamut of noise
classic about a taco party. For a silly food theme. level (from whispers to
screams, for example)
Duck and Goose Go to the Beach (2014) by Tad Hill (or any Duck and Goose
are fun teaching tools.
book). A comic friendship adventure.
Farmyard Beat (2012) by Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown. A toe-tapping
farmyard dance-a-thon about animals who just cannot sleep.
Five Fuzzy Chicks (2020) by Diana Murray and Sydney Hanson. Baby chicks
on a farm have some hijinks before bed.
Old MacDonald Had a Baby (2019) by Emily Snape and K-Fai Steele. A two-
dad family and a humorous cast of animals in this fun, contemporary take on
the classic rhyme.
Otis (2009) by Loren Long. A fun-loving tractor saves a young calf.
Peep and Egg: I’m Not Hatching (2016) by Laura Gehl and Joyce Wan (or any
Peep and Egg book). The book’s refrain of “I’m not hatching” will be a winner
at toddler storytime. Simple shapes and spot-on facial expressions.
Rosie’s Walk (1968) by Pat Hutchins. A classic of slapstick toddler humor.
What Does an Anteater Eat? (2019) by Ross Collins. A silly story sure to elicit
giggles from toddlers.
Bilingual/Spanish
La oruga muy hambrienta (2002) by Eric Carle. (Spanish; also available in EARLY
English)
LITERACY TIP:
Little Quack/Cauquito (2003) by Lauren Thompson and Derek Anderson. A Making animal sounds
little duck out of water. (Bilingual) helps children connect
Señor Pancho Had a Rancho (2014) by, René Colato Laínez and Elwood meaning to the sounds
they hear and practice the
Smith. A lively barnyard fiesta of animal sounds in Spanish and English. An
sounds they will use in
abundance of onomatopiea to encourage children to sing along. Good to pair their language.
with any alternative version of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” (English with
Spanish words)
SING EARLY
LITERACY TIP:
Fingerplay: Five Eggs and a Hen
The first three years of
Five eggs and five eggs, (hold up two hands) a child’s life have the
That makes ten fastest rate of brain
Sitting on top is the mother hen. (fold one hand over the other) development, and by age
Crackle, crackle, crackle, (clap three times) three, their brains are
80% developed! Keeping
What do I see?
babies and toddlers
Ten fluffy chickens, (hold up 10 fingers)
engaged is important for
As yellow as can be. lifelong literacy.
sticks, or laminated food shapes for toddlers to feed into animal “mouths.”
Modify to help preschoolers practice colors, numbers, letters, or rhymes.
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
PRINTABLE
Fingerprint Animals
PRESCHOOL
READ
In English
Carnivores (2013) by Aaron Reynolds and Dan Santat. Funny text about a
lion’s place in the food chain. A favorite for rowdy read-alouds.
Food Chains and Webs (2016) by Abbie Dunn. Simple introduction to food
chains; includes learning activity for preschool and up.
Good Night, Little Blue Truck (2019) by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry (or
any Little Blue Truck book). Farm animals take a bedtime joyride; a fun ad-
venture story for a stormy day.
Hogwash (2011) by Karma Wilson. Bouncy rhyming verse about dirty pigs
who love their mud.
If You Plant a Seed (2015) by Kadie Nelson. A bunny and mouse plant a gar-
den; fresh yet timeless.
Leap Frog (2020) by Jane Clarke and Britta Teckentrup. Forest creatures in
their favorite spots. Onomatopoeic text and vibrant pictures work well in
storytime.
Mother Bruce (2015) by Ryan T. Higgins. Everyone’s favorite grumpy bear
adopts baby geese but cannot get them to fly south. Good for storytime
laughs.
Old MacDonald Had a Truck (2016) by Steve Goetz. Great for storytime, this
book gives a new twist on a song preschoolers are sure to know.
Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas (2019) by Aaron Blabey. Quick, jaunty rhymes
make for an engaging read-aloud.
The Thing About Bees: A Love Letter (2019) by Shabazz Larkin. A tribute to
bees that pollinate the food we eat.
When a Wolf Is Hungry (2017) by Christine Naumann-Villemin and Kris Di
Giacomo. A darkly humorous tale great for read-alouds.
Bilingual/Spanish
El camioncito azul (2008) by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry. (Spanish; also
available in English)
¡El gallo que no se callaba! / The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! (2017)
by Carmen Agra Deedy and Eugene Yelchin. A rooster sings for freedom in a
too-quiet town. (Bilingual)
I Got a Chicken for My Birthday (2018) by Laura Gehl and Sarah Horne. A
disappointing birthday gift turns out to be not so bad. (English with Spanish
words)
SING
Rhyme: Five Angry Ants
See video from Jbrary here: https://bit.ly/3g3uf5d
Five hungry ants were marching in a line (bounce five fingers)
They came across a picnic
Where they could dine
They marched across the sandwich, (walk fingers)
They marched across the cake, (walk fingers)
They marched across the pepper, (walk fingers)
That was a mistake!
Ah-choooo!
Add verses by counting down to one ant (optional)
Animal Sorting
Children sort animals into one of two labeled bins (e.g., furry/scaly, tame/
wild, small/big, land/water, etc.). To prepare, print pictures of 5 to 10 animals
and laminate them for durability (or use storytime felts). Modify categories
to suit your program and children’s ages.
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
PRINTABLE
Animal Food Matching
PRINTABLE
Help Animals Find Food
RECYCLING OLYMPICS
AGES
Children 8+ years
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Run a weekly program in a local park or forest! Families meet to hear sto-
ries about animals and ecosystems, to engage in fun recycling games, or to TIP:
clean up the trail or area. If you can partner with a park, have a park ranger You can also create
or volunteer give talks about local wildlife and environmental concerns. The instructions for crafts
made out of recycled
program can also be adapted to a cleanup walk near the library if a local
materials for participants
park is not an option. to take home. See
Chapter 04: Backyard
Recycling game ideas include Habitats for some ideas.
a sorting race, a water bot-
tle toss, and a litter relay, all
well-suited for teams of five
players or fewer. You might also
make simple modifications to
these games to suit your local
environment. For example, if Image source: Shutterstock
wetland turtles in your area can
choke on plastic bags or rings, set up the relay with those items instead of
paper. Suggested runtime: 90–120 minutes
RESOURCES
Books
Picture Books
Bathing in the Forest (2020) by Marc Ayats and Nívola Uyá (NF)
Mother Earth’s Lullaby: A Song for Endangered Animals (2018) by Terry
Pierce and Carol Heyer (NF)
A Peek-Through Pages Book of Endangered Animals (2019) by Tim Flach
(NF)
Room on Our Rock (2019) by Kate Temple et al. (F)
Early Readers
Join the No-Plastic Challenge!: A First Book of Reducing Waste (2019) by
Scot Ritchie (NF)
RESOURCES
Books
Picture Books
Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis (2019) (NF)
I Can Save the Ocean! (2010) by Alison Inches and Viviana Garofoli (NF)
If Polar Bears Disappeared (2018) by Lily Wiliams (NF)
Save the Arctic (2019) by Bethany Stahl (NF)
The Pout-Pout Fish Cleans Up the Ocean (2019) by Deborah Diesen and
Dan Hanna (F)
Save the Ocean (2019) by Bethany Stahl (NF)
Sea Bear: A Journey for Survival (2019) by Lindsay Moore (NF)
What’s That Noise? (2020) by Naomi Howarth (F)
Early Readers
Mr. Popper’s Penguins (1938) by Richard Atwater and Florence Atwater
(F)
River Rescue (2019) by Jennifer Keats Curtis and Tammy Yee (NF)
What a Waste (2019) by Jess French (NF)
201
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________
NO ANIMALS HERE:
VEGAN COOKBOOK CLUB TIP:
Consider combining
with Chapter 06: Animal
AGES Zines. Teens collaborate
on putting together a
Teens zine of their favorite
vegan recipes; each
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION teen gets a copy to take
home.
When teens decide to stop eating animal
products and go vegan, they usually have COPYRIGHT
to learn to cook for themselves. Start up a
vegan cookbook club to help them along!
NOTE:
This can be run in several different ways. Individual recipes
cannot be copyrighted
Teens can gather to discuss and swap
in the U.S., but this only
their favorite recipes or, if your library applies to the list of
has a kitchen, get basic cooking lessons. ingredients and basic
You could also make this into a passive instructions. Be sure that
program: Record yourself making simple teens do not reproduce
recipes and promote the videos/recipes images or descriptions
from published books
as part of your teen programming. Alter-
(i.e., they can retype
natively, teens might want to create and
the recipes but must
share videos of themselves making their Image source: Shutterstock
describe and/or illustrate
favorite vegan foods. Suggested runtime: 90 minutes them themselves).
RESOURCES TIP:
Remember the vegan
Vegan Cookbooks cookbook display!
BOSH!: Simple Recipes, Amazing Food, All Plants (2018) by Ian Theasby
and Henry David Firth (or any BOSH cookbook) TIP:
Eating Vegan: A Plant-Based Cookbook for Beginners (2020) by Dianne If sharing food in the
library, be sure to label
Wenz
dishes for allergens
Fuss-Free Vegan: 101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized (gluten, soy, corn, etc.).
(2017) by Sam Turnbull
Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy, Wildly Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every
Day of the Week (2013) by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Living Lively: 80 Plant-Based Recipes to Activate Your Power and Feed
your Potential (2020) by Haile Thomas
The Oh She Glows Cookbook (2014) by Angela Liddon
The Plant-Based Diet for Beginners (2019) by Gabriel Miller
Vegan for Everybody (2017) by America’s Test Kitchen
Vegan Nonfiction
Eating Animals (2009) by Jonathan Safran Foer
Generation V: The Complete Guide to Going, Being, and Staying Vegan as
a Teenager (2008) by Claire Askew (YA)
Joyful Vegan (2019) by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
More Plants, Less Waste: Plant-Based Recipes + Zero Waste Life Hacks
with Purpose (2020) by Max La Manna
Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat (2010) by Hal Herzog
Voices for Animal Liberation: Inspirational Accounts by Animal Rights
Activists (2020) by Brittany Michelson
PRINTABLE
Vegan Food Pyramid
ENDANGERED SPECIES
BOOKENDS
AGES
Teens
PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION
Teens choose from endangered
animal figurines to create book-
ends to take home (or leave for
the library’s teen shelves). Include Image source: Shutterstock
Set out animal figurines from which teens choose two to paint. While the
first coat of paint dries, discuss endangered animals, give quick facts, or
show video clips. After the second coat of paint dries, hot glue the painted
animals to the bases.
RESOURCES TIP:
For endangered species
Endangered Species Fiction nonfiction, see Chapter
Middle Grade 05: Endangered Species
Stop Motion Animation.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007) by Brian Selznkick
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp (2013) by Kathi Appelt
YA TIP:
Chomp (2012) by Carl Hiaasen Do your teens know
Endangered (2012) by Eliot Schrefer about Cli-Fi? The teen
fiction list on this page
Flashpoint (2011) by Sneed B. Collard III includes climate fiction
The Highest Tide (2006) by Jim Lynch titles featuring animals
and habitats.
The Last Mile (Lithia Trilogy Book #3) (2018) by Blair Richmond
Not a Drop to Drink (2014) by Mindy McGinnis
Scat (2012) by Carl Hiaasen
Skink (2015) by Carl Hiaasen
Stakeout (2011) by Bonnie Doerr
Trail of Lightening (2018) (The Sixth World #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse
Watership Down (2012 [1972]) by Richard Adams
Where Things Come Back (2012) by John Corey Whaley
Wolf Girl: Finding Myself in the Wild (2010) by Doniga Markegard (NF)
Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me (2011) by Kristen
Chandler
BACKYARD ANIMAL
FARMING
TIP:
AGES
Provide hand sanitizer to
Adults patrons before and after
Multigenerational handling live animals.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A guest speaker teaches participants how to care for backyard animals ADAPTATION:
such as chickens, rabbits, ducks, goats, or bees. If possible, they bring live For farming
creatures for demonstration. Check with local regulations (zoning, animal communities, you might
welfare, public health, and nuisance laws) to confirm what types of back- consider more technical
yard animals are allowed within your municipality or county. Remember presentations on the
the book display on small animal farming and/or homesteading! Suggested best methods for raising
runtime: 90–120 minutes larger animals.
RESOURCES
Web
4H group locator: https://4-h.org/find/
American Poultry Association: http://amerpoultryassn.com/
American Beekeeping Association: https://www.abfnet.org/
The Honeybee Conservancy: https://thehoneybeeconservancy.org/
Homesteading Nonfiction
The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How: Field-to-Table
Cooking Skills (2015) by Andrea Chesman
The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition: The
Original Manual for Living off the Land and Doing It Yourself (2019) by
Carla Emery
Start Your Farm: The Authoritative Guide to Becoming a Sustainable 21st
Century Farmer (2018) by Forrest Pritchard and Ellen Polishuk
Livestock Nonfiction
The Backyard Goat (2011) by Sue Weaver
The Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens (2019) by Anne Kuo
How to Speak Chicken: Why Your Chickens Do What They Do and Say
What They Say (2017) by Melissa Caughey
A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens (2015) by Melissa Caughney (middle
grade)
Smart Ass: How a Donkey Challenged Me to Accept His True Nature and
Rediscover My Own (2018) by Margaret Winslow
Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens, 4th ed. (2017) by Gail Demrow
Temple Grandin’s Guide to Working with Farm Animals: Safe, Humane
Livestock Handling Practices for the Small Farm (2017) by Temple
Grandin
TIP:
Bee and Pollinator Nonfiction For children’s pollinator
YA nonfiction, see Chapter
04: Backyard Habitats
Bees: An Up-Close Look at Pollinators Around the World (2015) by
Laurence Packer and Sam Droege
False Knees: An Illustrated Guide to Animal Behavior (2018) by Joshua
Barkman
Where Have All the Bees Gone?: Pollinators in Crisis (2020) by Rebecca
Hirsch
Adult
Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife (2019) by David
Mizejewski
The Bee Book: Discover the Wonder of Bees and How to Protect Them for
Generations to Come (2016) by DK
The Beginner’s Guide to Beekeeping, 2nd ed. (2019) by Samantha
Johnson and Daniel Johnson
Beekeeping for Beginners: How to Raise Your First Bee Colonies (2019)
by Amber Bradshaw
Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees (2018) by Thor Hanson
Feed the Birds: Attract and Identify 196 Common North American Birds
(2019) by Chris Earley
Handmade Bird, Bee and Bat Houses (2018) by Michele McKee Orsini
Mason Bee Revolution: How the Hardest Working Bee Can Save the
World One Backyard at a Time (2016) by Dave Hunter and Jill Ligthtner
Our Native Bees: North America’s Endangered Pollinators and the Fight
to Save Them (2018) by Paige Embry
The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with
Ecological Gardening (2020) by Kim Eierman
PET EXPO
AGES TIP:
Multigenerational Ask local rescue
organizations and
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION veterinarians for leads
on reliable pet care
Pet expo day at the library! This great family program is for anyone who
experts.
has ever wanted a pet. Invite local rescue organizations to bring adoptable
pets and local experts to give pet care tips. You could also modify this pro-
gram to focus on the care of unusual pets (such as reptiles or birds), and ask
patrons to bring in their unusual pets for show and tell. For an expo-style TIP:
event, guest organizations set up information tables for participants to pe- If adoptable animals
ruse at their leisure; they could also give short presentations. You can tailor will be present, consider
the program to focus on adoption tips, pet health and nutrition, pet first aid, using a concierge
and/or pet training. Suggested strategy in which you
runtime: 120 minutes only allow in a certain
number of participants
For a passive version, work to interact with them at
with local shelters to make a time.
summer reading mascots out
of pets who need new homes.
Promote the mascots on a li-
brary bulletin board or on your TIP:
library’s social media. If hosting a presentation
on animal therapy or
assistive pets, hold the
MATERIALS AND Image source: Shutterstock presentation away from
PREPARATION the noise and crowds
of adoption and vendor
You may need:
events.
• Vendor tables
• A projector and AV equipment for presentations
• Audience chairs
• Poop bags
AMAZING
CREATURES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Early Literacy: Babies..............................................................................................................................214
213
EARLY LIT
BABIES
BABIES
READ
In English
Animal Babies (2018) by Charles Fuge. Simple rhymes with animal babies
and unlikely pairs of friends. EARLY
Big Green Crocodile: Rhymes to Say and Play (2020) by Anne Newberry LITERACY TIP:
and Caroline Rabei. This book of sixteen original play-rhymes for babies and Talk to babies, even if
they cannot talk back!
toddlers is a starred SLJ selection.
Babies whose parents
From 1 to 10 (2019) by Mies Van Hout. A counting book of animal body talk to them know about
parts that includes early literacy tips for caregivers. 300 more words by the
age of two than babies
Peek-a-Who? (2000) by Nina Laden. Keep babies and toddlers guessing and whose parents rarely talk
giggling with hidden animals and simple rhymes. to them. Asking questions,
Tails (2017) by Matthew Van Fleet. Irresistible book of interactive rhymes. pointing to objects, and
describing what you are
Touchable tails make this book slightly better for one-on-one than storytime.
doing all help baby’s
We’ve All Got Bellybuttons! (2005) by David Martin and Randy Cecil. Baby language development.
animals play with all the ways their bodies move. A rhythmic romp that ends
with a ticklefest.
Bilingual/Spanish
Little Elephants/Elefantitos (2017) by Susie Jaramillo. Bilingual counting book
based on “Un elefante se balanceaba.” (Bilingual)
Un elefante (2018) by Patty Rodriguez, Ariana Stein, and Citlali Reyes.
Inspired by “Un elefante se balanceaba,” one of the most beloved nursery
rhymes in Latin America, this book introduces bilingual counting for babies.
(Bilingual)
SING
Bounce: Elephants in the Bath Tub
Simple bounce for babies. For older children, this song can also be done as
a felt board. See video and felt patterns from Jbrary here: https://bit.ly/2zML-
G9F
One elephant in the bathtub
Going for a swim
Knock, knock (clap twice)
Splash, splash (slap knees twice)
Come on in! (motion with both hands to come in)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Five elephants in the bathtub
Aquarium Bags
Put blue hair gel (or water with blue food coloring) into heavy-duty freezer
bags. Add flat ocean toys (fish, sharks, starfish, etc.) or ocean shapes cut out
of flat kitchen sponges. Duct tape to reinforce the zippered seals. For small
groups, make a bag for each baby to play with.
TODDLERS
READ
In English
Animal Colors (2018) by Christopher Silas Neal. Bright and entertaining in-
troduction to color theory. Toddlers are sure to play along.
Crocopotamus (2015) by Mary Murphy. Cute book for toddler and preschool
wordplay. Especially good for one-on-one reading so they can flip the pages STORYTIME
themselves. TIP:
Deep in the Ocean (2019) by Lucie Brunellière. Beautiful ocean board book; Repeat, repeat, repeat!
comes with a soundtrack. Repetition of stories,
rhymes, and songs helps
Dino Duckling (2018) by Alison Murray. This toddler essential is a fresh twist toddlers to master word
on “The Ugly Ducking” and a fun storytime choice. and phrases, which
Get Out of My Bath! (2018) by Britta Teckentrup. Lively read-aloud about Ellie increases self-confidence
and primes them for
the elephant’s crowded bathtub.
more learning.
Go Get ‘Em, Tiger! (2020) by Sandra Moyle and Eunice Moyle. Dynamic illus-
trations and wise whimsy. A rhyming confidence-booster.
Hello, Hippo! Goodbye, Bird! (2016) by Kristyn Crow and Poly Bernatene. A
hilarious duo who go from frenemies to BFFs.
Old MacDino Had a Farm (2017) by Becky Davies and Ben Whitehouse. Lots
of actions in this fun story about dinosaurs on a farm, and children will want
to sing along.
One Lonely Fish (2017) by Andy Mansfield and Thomas Flintham. A playful,
interactive counting book with a surprise ending; great for an ocean theme.
A Pet for Petunia (2011) by Paul Schmid. A simple laugh-out-loud story
about Petunia’s pet skunk. Older toddlers and up.
A Unicorn Named Sparkle (2016) by Amy Young. A storytime hit with simple
watercolor illustrations and comedic storytelling.
Bilingual/Spanish
Amazing Me!/¡Soy soprendente! (2019) by Carol Thompson. No animals in
this bilingual board book, but it is great for a toddler storytime with musical
instruments. (Bilingual)
Animal Talk: Mexican Folk Art Animal Sounds in English and Spanish (2016)
by Cynthia Weill, Rubi Fuentes, and Efrain Boa. Illustrated by hand-carved
folk art, this is a fun storytime book for acting out animal sounds in both lan-
guages. Also good for preschoolers. (Bilingual)
Little rainbow fish swimming in the sea, (swim hands in front of body)
Teasing Mr. Shark, “You can’t catch me!” (shake finger as if teasing)
English/Spanish
Along come Mr. Shark as quiet as can be (hold one finger in front of lips)
shark = el tiburón
And SNAPS all the [color] fish
Right out of the sea! (vertical clap on “SNAPS”)
Fishing Hole
Purchase play fishing poles and
magnetic fish, or make your own
poles out of wooden dowels and
string with magnets on the end.
Glue magnets or paperclips to fish
cutouts and put them in a round
bin for children to fish out. For large
groups, add more ocean stations:
an ocean sensory bin (water beads
Image source: Shutterstock
with plastic fish, whales, and sea-
shells); a shark tent (purchased, or drape a blue sheet over chairs); a coloring
station; and/or aquarium bags (see Chapter 06: Babies).
TIP:
Creature Crawl
See Chapter 01:
Put pictures of animals, insects, reptiles and birds in a basket for children Preschool for a Simple
to draw. When they draw an animal, they show the group how that animal Animal Silhouettes
moves, then the rest of the children join in. printable.
PRINTABLE
UN ELEFANTE SE BALANCEABA
Tres (3)...
Cuatro (4)...
4
Cinco (5)...
5
2
PRESCHOOL
READ STORYTIME
TIP:
In English
For children transitioning
Beware of the Crocodile (2019) by Martin Jenkins and Satoshi Kitamura. A to kindergarten,
playful, STEM-friendly story about one of the world’s most dangerous ani- emphasize what it means
mals. to be a good student.
Practice the school rules
The Biggest Frog in Australia (1996) by Susan L. Roth. Striking illustrations of raising hands, listening
and zany antics that beg to be shared in a group read-aloud. to the teacher, and being
kind to each other. We
Dogosaurus Rex (2017) by Anna Staniszewski and Kevin Hawkes. A funny
Don’t Eat Our Classmates
story about a very special dog that is sure to be a storytime hit. (2018) by Ryan T. Higgins
Duck, Duck, Moose! (2014) by Sudipta Badhan-Quallen and Noah Z. Jones. is a good companion
book for this theme.
With only two words, toddlers and preschools can have fun reading along.
Fabulous Frogs (2018) by Martin Jenkins and Tim Hopgood. A great nonfic-
tion read-aloud for a frog theme.
Flight School (2014) by Lita Judge. Storytime hit about a penguin with the
soul of an eagle.
Get off that Camel! (2019) by A.H. Benjamin and Bala Shenoi. A little girl
learns empathy through an obsession with her unique new pet. A catchy
refrain will entice children to join in.
Giraffes Can’t Dance (2012) by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees. Inspiring
rhymes and rhythm for the read-aloud crowd.
Great, Now We’ve got Barbarians! (2017) by Jason Carter Eaton and Mark
Fearing. A messy room attracts all kinds of pests; a goofy read-aloud for
older preschoolers.
Hero Cat (2011) by Eileen Spinelli and Jo Ellen McAllister Stammen. Based on
a real story about a cat who saved her kittens from a burning building. Good
for heroic animal-themed read-alouds.
Hippos Are Huge (2017) by Jonathan London and Matthew Trueman. This
title stands out as a solid nonfiction read-aloud about the deadliest animal in
Africa.
Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise (2015) by Sean Taylor and Jean Jullien. Striking
illustrations and tongue-in-beak narration. Recommended across the board.
Koala Lou (1994) by Mem Fox. An Aussi read-aloud favorite that is perfect
for an Australia theme.
Lion Lessons (2016) by John Agee. Engaging read-aloud about what it takes
to be a lion.
Never Let a Unicorn Scribble (2019) by Diane Alber. A little girl has trouble
teaching a unicorn to scribble, with magical results. STORYTIME
Not Quite Narwhal (2017) by Jesse Sima. This highly recommended update TIP:
on “The Ugly Duckling” story makes for a whimsical storytime. For children transitioning
Ocean Animals from Head to Tail (2016) by Stacy Roderick and Kwanchai to kindergarten,
emphasize social skills
Moriya. A playful ocean-themed guessing game that makes for a lively read-
and empathy. Pass out
aloud.
simple animal faces with
Possum Magic (1991) by Mem Fox. Magic bush possums. Another Aussi different expressions and
favorite. ask, for example, how
the animal would feel if
The Skunk (2015) by Mac Barnett and Patrick McDonnell. Tight pacing and you broke its favorite toy.
charming story makes this a good storytime choice that both children and How would the animal
grown-ups will enjoy. feel if you painted it a
beautiful picture? How
Snap! (1996) by Marcia Vaughan and Sarah Hutchinson. A playful, fast- would the animal feel if it
paced classic about animals Down Under. did not know anyone in
Stubby: A True Story of Friendship (2018) by Michael Foreman. An Army dog the class?
becomes a hero in WWI; a starred SLJ selection.
Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great (2013) by Bob Shea. Vivid illustrations and
a silly storytime.
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates (2018) by Ryan T. Higgins. A fun read-aloud EARLY
about Penelope the dinosaur’s first day of school. Great for preschoolers LITERACY TIP:
transitioning to kindergarten. When reading picture
You Don’t Want a Unicorn! (2017) by Ame Dyckman and Liz Climo. A books with children,
almost 95% of their focus
crowd-pleaser about how a pet unicorn might ruin your life.
is on the pictures. To
The Wonky Donkey (2009) by Craig Smith and Cowly Katz. A rhyming cumu- keep them engaged, stop
lative read-aloud sure to elicit laughs. reading occasionally and
ask open-ended questions
about the pictures.
Bilingual/Spanish
Adoptar un dinosaurio (2019) by José Carlos Andrés and Ana Sanfelippo. APP RECOM-
After listing a cacophony of potential pets, a little girl ends up with a pet
MENDATIONS:
dinosaur. Charming art. (Spanish; also available in English)
Miximal, Loopimal,
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos (2017) by Monica Brown and John Parra. Drawnimal, and Bandimal
Lively book about Frida Kahlo’s unique pets. (English with Spanish words) by Yatatoy. These apps
all use humorous animals
La Princesa and the Pea (2017) by Susan Middleton Elya. A Peruvian twist
to engage children in
and a bilingual retelling of the classic fairy tale, with many beautifully illus- different activities, such
trated animals as peripheral characters. Lively rhymes for a fun read-aloud. as drawing, wordplay,
(English with Spanish words) or music. Because each
activity is open-ended,
Waiting for the Biblioburro (2011) by Monica Brown and John Parra. This fun
adults can engage with
story about a library donkey in rural Columbia, with onomatopoeic Spanish children as they play and
words, is perfect for read-alouds. (English with Spanish words) explore.
PLAY TIP:
See Chapter 05:
Frozen Sea Creatures Scrub a Dub Dub for more
Freeze narwhals, sea lions, walruses, and other plastic arctic creatures in preschool activity ideas.
ice, then put them in a sensory bin or table. Add blue food coloring to ice
cubes to create depth and make the display more interesting.
PRINTABLE
Color-by-Letter Whale
PRINTABLE
KINDERGARTEN READINESS
search for it out in the world (on license plates, in store names, etc.)
• Draw pictures.
ANIMAL HEROES
SCAVENGER HUNT ADAPTATIONS:
You could also apply
AGES the trading card idea
to animal scientists
Children 6+ years (Chapter 03: Who
Helped Me?) or ugly
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION animals (Chapter 06:
Axolotl and Other
Animal heroes everywhere you turn! Every week or two, hide a new animal Weirdos). See Printables
hero somewhere in the library. When children find that animal, they take for a simple animal
one of its trading cards (see Printables for template). They must come to the scavenger hunt.
library throughout the summer to collect the whole set. You can also have
them vote for their favorite animal hero, which you can display at the end of
the summer. This is a great program to adapt to whichever animal heroes
you have in your collection.
For each scavenger hunt location, make a poster with a large picture of the
animal hero as well as a few facts for older children to read. Make sure the
text is big enough to be read from a distance. Fill a pocket with copies of the
week’s animal trading card, and remember to list library materials related to TIP:
that animal hero. Add fun facts or an
animal texture to the
You can make the trading cards yourself or order them online. To make your
back of your trading
own, download the PowerPoint slides (Animal Hero Trading Card Templates)
cards.
from the online manual. Fill in the blanks and/or modify the cards to suit your
vision, then print them nine to a page to make 2.5 x 3.5” trading cards. Op-
tionally, laminate each sheet before you cut them.
RESOURCES
Web
Online trading cards: https://bit.ly/3bPGZcJ
Time Magazine’s Top 10 Heroic Animals: https://bit.ly/3dV7vTe
On Paddy, the Australian police horse: https://bit.ly/369Bynw TIP:
On Jake, the Hurricane Katrina rescue dog: https://nbcnews.to/3cIHCpJ For YA and adult books
about animal heroes,
Animal Heroes Nonfiction see Chapter 03: Career
Dogs.
Picture Books
Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library (2009) by Vicki Myron et al.
My Little Golden Book About Balto (2019) by Charles Lovitt and Sophie
Allsopp
Poop Detectives: Working Dogs in the Field (2016) by Ginger
Wadsworth
Swift (2007) by Robert J. Blake
Togo (2002) by Robert J. Blake
Middle Grade
Avalanche Dog Heroes: Piper and Friends Learn to Search the Snow
(2018) by Elizabeth Rusch
Cher Ami: WWI Homing Pigeon (2011) by Joeming Dunn and Ben Dunn
Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart (Young Readers Edition)
(2017) by Dion Leonard
Navy Seal Dogs: My Tale of Training Canines for Combat (2013) by Mike
Ritland
No Better Friend: A Man, a Dog, and Their Incredible True Story of
Friendship
and Survival in WWII (Young Readers’ Edition) (2018) by Robert
Weintraub
Owen and Mzee (2016) by Isabella Hatkoff et al.
Pet Heroes (2011) by Nicole Corse
Search and Rescue Dogs on the Job (2017) by Mirella S. Miller
Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I’s Bravest Dog (2018)
by Ann Bausum
Wildlives: 50 Extraordinary Animals That Made History (2020) by Ben
Lerwill and Sarah Walsh
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
230
5 Which astronaut has a NASA portrait with two rescue dogs?
|
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Passive games about weird animals! Chil-
dren can either hunt for axolotl or answer
T/F facts about weird animals to decode a
secret word. For the axolotl-only version,
hide four axolotl pictures throughout the
library, one fact associated with each pic-
ture. After children fill in their answer keys
with all four facts, they bring their finished Image source: Shutterstock
sheets to a librarian for a small prize.
For a more challenging, multiple-animal version, children decide whether a
series of animal facts are true or false; the right answers decode a special
word. Once they complete the word, they get a small prize.
RESOURCES
Web
Axolotl facts: https://factanimal.com/axolotl/
Middle Grade
A Curious Collection of Peculiar Creatures (2020) by Sami Bayly (NF)
Weird but True Animals (2018) by National Geographic Kids (NF)
Weird Sea Creatures (2013) by Erich Hoyt (NF)
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
RESIZABLE DOWNLOAD
(SEE ONLINE MANUAL OR USB)
BLOBFISH SLIME
AGES
Children 8+ years
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
After a blobfish storytime, give children ADAPTATION:
premeasured ingredients to make their own Let younger children
slime! This program’s slime innovation is to play with premade
blobfish slime.
add googly eyes, which turn your ho-hum
mound of slime into a quivering blobfish.
Suggested runtime: 60–90 minutes
Slime Recipe
Step 1: Mix 1 cup of white glue and 1½ cups of shaving cream into a bowl.
Step 2: Add ½ teaspoon of baking soda and stir.
Step 3: Add 3 drops of food coloring.
Step 4: Add squirts of saline solution until the slime is no longer sticky. TIP:
Step 5: Add 2 tablespoons of lotion to make the slime stretchy. Remember plastic
Step 6: Add googly eyes to finish. baggies for taking home
the slime!
Make an example blobfish. Divide children into small groups to make the
slime recipe, or give out premade slime and let them add their own googly
eyes.
RESOURCES
Books
Blobfish Book (2016) by Jessica Olien and Margaret Caton (early reader NF)
Blobfish Throws a Party (2017) by Miranda Paul (picture book)
Everything Is Connected (2019) by Jason Gruhl and Ignasi Font (picture
book NF)
Pink Is for Blobfish (2016) by Jess Keating (early reader NF)
TERRIFIC TARDIGRADES
AGES
Children 8+ years
Multigenerational ADAPTATION:
For preschoolers, read
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION a version of “Goldilocks
and the Three Bears,”
What are tardigrades? They are microscopic water bears! This program
but replace bears with
requires some prep but is a fun multigenerational event. Read a book about water bears. You could
tardigrades, such as My Tiny Pet by Jessie Hartland, share photos and facts, do this by printing
or show brief YouTube videos. Then let photos and laminating
participants cycle though the stations them to create a felt
you have set up from the following board set, then send
children to the gummy
options:
water bears and
Station 1: Gummy Water Bears watercolor stations
Station 2: Tardigrade Watercolors (with crayons instead
of watercolors). Talk
Station 3: Microscope
about how water bears
Station 4: Tardigrade Buttons are also known as
Station 5: Tardigrade Shrinky Dinks tardigrades and moss
piglets, and be sure to
Suggested runtime: 120 minutes Image source: Shutterstock
set out photos!
Set out paper and watercolor supplies. Optionally, print tardigrade silhou-
ettes on the watercolor paper or cardstock.
Station 3: Microscope
You will need:
• A microscope
TIP:
• Tardigrade slides
If you divide the
participants into groups,
Prepare individual slides before the program. consider making
tardigrade buttons in
Station 4: Tardigrade Buttons different colors, one for
You will need: each group to wear.
• A button maker
• Button-making supplies
• Printed images at the correct scale (see Printables)
TIP:
Station 5: Tardigrade Shrinky Dinks You can also purchase
You will need: printable plastic on
• Shrink film (#6 plastic) which to print the
tardigrade images (see
• Tardigrade images (see Printables)
Printables). Participants
• Toaster oven (325 degrees) color the tardigrades
• Cookie sheet before shrinking.
• Two pieces of cardstock
• An oven mitt WARNING:
• A spatula
#6 plastic leeches
• A trivet for the hot cookie sheet styrene, a known
• A hole punch or peel-and-stick pins carcinogen, when
• Set out precut plastic, printed tardigrade images, and alcohol-based heated. Using a craft-
markers. Participants draw or trace a tardigrade on the plastic. only toaster oven and
• Punch holes in the plastic before baking. a disposable cookie
• Line the cookie sheet with cardstock, place the tardigrades on top (not sheet and spatula is
recommended.
touching each other), and cover with the second piece of cardstock.
• Baking time: 2–4 minutes at 325 degrees. Watch carefully!
• Put the hot cookie sheet on a heat-resistant surface or trivet.
• As soon as they are out of the oven, use your spatula to peel off the top
layer of cardstock and flatten each tardigrade individually. If they do not
flatten, put them back in the oven to reheat and redo.
RESOURCES
Web
Tardigrade YouTube videos:
• https://youtu.be/eXBkmLzBHZk
• https://youtu.be/-irqb99btZY
• https://youtu.be/Ysu0Ex2l4JE
• https://youtu.be/TSaVEEXEZnw
Tardigrade Books
Picture Books
My Tiny Pet (2019) by Jessie Hartland (F)
Willow the Water Bear (2018) by Houston Kidd (F)
Early Readers
Extreme Survivors: Animals That Time Forgot (2017) by Kimberley Ridley
(NF)
Middle Grade
Leaf Litter Creatures (2018) by Leslie Bulion and Robert Meganck (NF)
Unseen Worlds: Real-Life Microscopic Organisms Hiding All Around Us
(2019) by Hélène Rajcak and Damien Laverdunt (NF)
Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth’s
Strangest Creatures (2014) by Michael Hearst et al. (NF)
Early Readers
Actual Size (2004) by Steve Jenkins
Extreme Survivors (2014) by Connie Roop and Peter Roop
Stinkiest! 20 Smelly Animals (2018) by Steve Jenkins
Teensy, Weensy Animals (2015) by Joan Emerson
Middle Grade
Deadliest Animals (2011) by Melissa Stewart
Encyclopedia of Strangely Named Animals (2019) by Fredrik Colting
Giant Squid (2016) by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann
Masters of Disguise: Amazing Animal Tricksters (2016) by Rebecca L.
Johnson
PRINTABLE
Tardigrade Silhouette
PRINTABLE
Tardigrade 2.5” Inkjet Button Template
RESOURCES
MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY
Animal Hero Movies ANIMAL MOVIES:
Balto (1995) G, 71 min • Because of Winn-Dixie (2005) PG
Bolt (2018) PG, 96 min • A Dog’s Purpose (2017) PG
Dolphin Tale (2011) PG, 113 min • Doolittle (2020) PG
Free Willy (1993) PG, 112 min • Lady and the Tramp (2019) PG
G-Force (2009) PG, 88 min • Marley and Me (2008) PG
Homeward Bound (1993) G, 85 min • Max (2015) PG
Madagascar (2005) PG, 86 min • Red Dog (2011) PG
Rango (2011) PG, 107 min • Togo (2019) PG
Sgt. Stubby (2019) PG, 85 min • We Bought a Zoo (2011) PG
Underdog (2007) PG, 84 min
Books
Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen (2018) by Candace Fleming
and Eric Rohmann (middle grade)
AIR-DRY ANIMAL
MAGNETS
AGES
Children 8+ years
Teens
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Teens make mini animals out of clay, then
turn them into magnets, pins, or earrings!
This program is easily adapted to any animal
theme. The clay does not take long to dry for
small pieces, but make it a two-part program if Image source: Shutterstock
RESOURCES
Web
Simply air-dry clay earrings tutorial: https://bit.ly/3fZxHOp
DESCRIPTION
ADAPTATION:
Older children take apart their old toys
For teens or adults,
and put them back together again!
partner with a
Asking participants to bring their old Makerspace (or local
toys from home will minimize costs, equivalent) and
but be prepared with extras on hand have teens or adults
for those who do not bring any. Give break/remake their
out nametags for both participants old electronics. This
and the monstrosities they create. For adaptation would
younger children or quicker programs, require more complex
supplies, such as hand
dissemble toys beforehand. Suggested
tools, work gloves, eye
runtime: 90–120 minutes Image source: Martha Matthews of MidPointe Library System
protection, a first aid
kid, and a soldering iron.
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION Be aware that some
electronics may contain
Make or gather pictures of examples (search “frankentoys”) to help spark their hazardous components,
imaginations. You might also provide reference books of different animals. such as heavy metals.
RESOURCES
Web
Frankentoys from Teen Services Underground blog: https://bit.
ly/2LGmgNK
Bulk wooden plaques: https://amzn.to/2WIwKTd
Tech Take Apart from School Library Journal: https://bit.ly/3cIwdWF
Tech Take Apart The Travelin’ Librarian blog: https://bit.ly/2yhq84I
Fiction
Middle Grade
Brilliant (2015) by Roddy Doyle and Emily Hughes
YA
Alice In Wonderland (1865) by Lewis Carroll
Beast Heart (Steambound #1) (2020) by Kyle Richardson
The Beast Is an Animal (2017) by Peternelle Van Arsdale
The Beast Player (2019) by Nahoko Uehashi
Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2) (2015) by William Ritter
Unhooked (2016) by Lisa Maxwell
Some Kind of Animal (2020) by Maria Romasco Moore
Adult Nonfiction
The Big Book of Hacks (2018) by Popular Science
Crap Taxidermy (2014) by Kat Su
Unscrewed (2011) by Ed Sobey
RESOURCES TIP:
Adult writers and
Web cartoonists also make
One-page zine folding instructions: https://bit.ly/2zQZgZy and distribute zines, so
check your community
Zine guide from Vice: https://bit.ly/2zQJkqa for people who might be
Zine guide from Barnard College: https://bit.ly/2zcBmIb willing to help run this
workshop.
Teens and zines from School Library Journal: https://bit.ly/2ZcLPhr
Broken Pencil magazine’s list of zine fairs: https://bit.ly/3cK0nZQ
Teen Nonfiction
How to Make Books: Fold, Cut & Stitch Your Way to a One-of-a Kind Book by
Esther K. Smith (2007)
Make a Zine!: Start Your Own Underground Publishing Revolution (2017) by
Joe Biel and Bill Brent
Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine? (2006) by Mark Todd and Esther Pearl
Watson
RESOURCE
Web
Felt pocket sloth tutorial: https://bit.ly/2WHM02r
Repurposed sock sloth tutorial: https://bit.ly/2ZmvZRv
Easy whipstitch tutorial: https://www.wikihow.com/Whipstitch
Basic embroidery stitches: https://bit.ly/3dV92IY
Nonfiction
Sewing for Kids: 30 Fun Projects to Hand and Machine Sew (2019) by Alexa
Ward (middle grade)
Sewing School Fashion Design: Make Your Own Wardrobe…(2019) by Amy
Petronia Plumley and Andria Lisle (middle grade)
The Little Booth of Sloth Philosophy (2018) by Jennifer McCartney (YA)
Sloth Fiction
A Little Book of Sloth (2013) by Lucy Cooke (picture book)
Bat and Sloth Hang Around (2020) by Leslie Kimmelman and Seb Braun
(early reader)
Lea Leads the Way (2016) by Lisa Yee and Sarah Davis (middle grade)
Peter and Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths (2018) (or any Peter and Ernesto
book) by Annabelle Graham (middle grade)
Slothilda: Living the Sloth Life (2018) by Dante Fabiero (YA)
PRINTABLES
Pocket Sloth Template
INTERACTIVE MOVIE:
FINDING NEMO ADAPTATIONS:
If you have children or
AGES teens with mobility issues,
you may want to modify
Children 8+ years the script to minimize
Teens jumping and chair-
Multigenerational switching. Remember
closed captioning to
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION include deaf patrons.
You could also hold up
Most older children and teens are familiar with Finding Nemo, but playing number cards to prompt
along with the movie is a new twist! Everyone gets an interactive script and a participants when to join
bag filled with props and snacks. Before you start the movie, practice the bo- in.
nus actions as a group warm-up. This is a fun multigenerational program. Be
sure to ask for help with cleanup after the screening. Suggested runtime: 120
minutes
PRINTABLE
FINDING NEMO INTERACTIVE SCRIPT
SCENE ACTION
1. When you see a big shark in the reef... 1. Run around your chair yelling “Aaahh,
shark!”
2. When Marlin tells Nemo to brush his teeth... 2. Eat your mint.
3. When the fish asks Marlin to tell a joke... 3. Tell your neighbor a joke.
5. When Nemo touches the butt... 5. Poke your neighbor’s shoulder and whisper,
“He touched my butt.”
6. When Marlin swims after the boat that 6. Do jumping jacks until he loses the boat.
took Nemo...
10. When Nemo wakes up in the fish tank... 10. Draw a picture of a fish tank.
14. When Dory starts singing “just keep 14. Sing along.
swimming”...
15. When Marlin and Dory see the pretty 15. Break your glow stick.
light...
16. When Dory reads the mask... 16. Pretend to study your fish tank.
17. When they turn on the “ring of fire”... 17. Blow your bubbles.
18. When the school of fish gives them 18. Draw a map with directions.
directions...
19. When Dory gets shocked by the jellyfish... 19. Shake and sizzle like you’ve been zapped.
20. When Merlin and Dory hop on jellyfish... 20. Jump up and down in front of your chair.
PAGE 2
FINDING NEMO INTERACTIVE SCRIPT
SCENE
SCENE ACTION
ACTION
1.21.
When you
When see atries
Nemo big to
shark
put in
thethe reef...in the
pebble 1.21.
Run around
Blow yourballoon
on your chair yelling
and try“Aaahh,
to keep it in
fan... shark!”
the air as long as possible.
2.22.
When Marlin
When tells turtles
the baby Nemo to brush
crowd his teeth... 2.22.
Merlin... EatHug
your mint. in the room.
someone
3.23.
When the
When fish
the askscall
birds Marlin to tell a joke...
“Mine!”... 3.23.
Tell your
Yell neighbor
“Mine!” with athem.
joke.
4.24.
When they
When Gillmake Pearl squirt...
tells everyone to be dirtier... 4.24.
Eat your gushers.
Throw everything on the floor (then pick it
back up).
5. When Nemo touches the butt... 5. Poke your neighbor’s shoulder and whisper,
25. When Dory and Merlin are eaten be the “He
25. touched myone
Eat all but butt.”
of your goldfish.
whale...
6. When Marlin swims after the boat that 6. Do jumping jacks until he loses the boat.
took Nemo...
26. When the tank turns green... 26. Scribble all over your picture of the fish
tank.
7. When Dory crashes into Marlin... 7. Fall down dramatically.
27. When Nemo gets in the plastic bag... 27. Gasp.
8. When they pass the “balloons”... 8. Blow up your balloon.
28. When Darla shakes Nemo... 28. Shake your bag with the single goldfish.
9. When Bruce introduces himself... 9. Say, “Hi, Bruce.”
29. When Dory realizes who Nemo is... 29. Gasp as loud as you can.
10. When Nemo wakes up in the fish tank... 10. Draw a picture of a fish tank.
30. When Nemo, Marlin, and Dory save the 30. High-five your neighbor.
11. When Deb introduces Flo... 11. Yell “Flooooooo!”
fish...
12. When Nemo gets unstuck... 12. Move to a new chair.
31. When the rest of the fish escape in plastic 31. Pop your balloon and eat your last
bags...
13. When they lose the mask... goldfish.
13. Yell “Nooooooo!”
14. When Dory starts singing “just keep 14. Sing along.
swimming”...
BONUS! WHENEVER THIS HAPPENS... DO THIS
15. WhenDory
1. When Marlin and Dory
forgets whatsee thedoing...
she’s pretty 15.
1. Break your glow
Say “Wait, stick.
what?” in a confused voice.
light... Light your flashlight above your head when
16. When Dory reads the mask... shePretend
16. figures to
it out.
study your fish tank.
2. When
17. Whensomething chases
they turn on Doryofand
the “ring Marlin... 17.
fire”... 2. Run
Blowaround your chair.
your bubbles.
3. When
18. WhenCrush says of
the school “Dude”...
fish gives them 3. High-five
18. at least
Draw a map with one person.
directions.
directions...
4. When they mention Darla... 4. Yell, “Oh, no!”
19. WhenDory
5. When Doryspeaks
gets shocked by the jellyfish...
Whale... 19. Shake Whale
5. Speak and sizzle
withlike you’ve been zapped.
her.
20. Whensomeone
6. When Merlin and Dory
says “P.hop on jellyfish...
Sherman, 42 20. Jump“P.
6. Say upSherman,
and down42inWallaby
front of your
Way,chair.
Wallaby Way, Sydney.” Sydney.”
SKETCHBOOK PROJECT
Be sure to remind
patrons to sign and date
their pages!
AGES
TIP:
Teens
With artist permission,
Adults post sketchbook
excerpts on social
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION media. Local art is
always a crowd-pleaser
Calling all artists and doodlers to a summer-long sketchbook swap! Here
and will help generate
is how it works: Participants check out a sketchbook for two–three weeks interest. You could also
and fill it with animals (however many pages they want and in any style). At turn favorite drawings
the end of the loan period, they return it for another sketchbook (if desired) from the sketchbooks
and continue. The only rule is that the sketches must be of animals (or ani- into bookmarks or
mal-like—insects, monsters, and magical creatures are great!). The end result posters to promote
library programming.
is a playful cross-section of art and animal observations from your communi-
ty. At the end of the summer, you might create a slideshow of some favorite
drawings and host a meet-and-greet for participants. If you have space, con- ADAPTATION:
sider shelving the series. Inspired by the Sketchbook Project of the Brooklyn For children, host an
Art Library. animal draw-a-thon!
Make simple booklets
out of printer paper and
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION let each child fill up their
Buy a set of matching hardbound sketchbooks. Number and catalog them own booklet. Hold a
contest to see who can
for ease of checkout. Set up an eye-catching sketchbook display, and create
draw the most animals
a handout with the rules and regulations for your library’s sketchbook proj-
in the time allotted (and/
ect, including the date for any end-of-summer festivities. Paste a copy of the or the most detailed,
rules onto the inside cover of each sketchbook. the most realistic, the
most colorful, the cutest/
RESOURCES scariest, etc.). Give
animal-themed prizes.
Web
The Sketchbook Project: https://www.sketchbookproject.com/
Graire, Virginie. Animals, 2015. Arena, Jen and Blanca Gomez. Besos for Baby: A
Little Book of Kisses, 2014. (English with Spanish
Hill, Eric. Where’s Spot? 2003. words)
Laden, Nina. Peek-a-Moo! 2017. Davis, Katie. Who Hops?/¿Quién salta? 2006.
Laden, Nina. Peek-a-Who? 2000. (Bilingual)
Laden, Nina. Peek-a-Zoo! 2014. Dee Flores, Carolyn. Canta, rana, canta/Sing,
Martin, Bill Jr. and Eric Carle. Brown Bear, Brown Froggie, Sing, 2013. (Bilingual)
Bear, What Do You See? Del Monte, Katherine. Animals, Animales, 2015.
Marzollo, Jean and Laura Regan. Mama Mama, (Bilingual)
1999. Dominguez, Angela. How Are You? Como estas?
Murphy, Mary. I Kissed the Baby! 2004. 2018. (Bilingual)
Newberry, Anne and Carolina Rabei. Big Green Fox, Mem and Judy Horacek. ¿Donde esta la
Crocodile: Rhymes to Say and Play, 2020. oveja verde? Where Is the Green Sheep? 2010.
(Bilingual)
Pixton, Amy and Stephen Lomp. Baby Animals
(Indestructibles), 2017. Gutman, Anne. Los besitos, 2003. (Spanish; also
available in English)
Smee, Nicola. Clip-Clop! 2007.
Jaramillo, Susie. Little Chickies/Los pollitos, 2016.
Thimmesh, Catherine. A Baby Like You, 2019.
(Bilingual)
Thomas, Jan. Is Everyone Ready for Fun? 2011.
Rayner, Jacqueline. Hats Are Not for Cats! 2019. Brown, Margaret Wise. El gran granero rojo,
1984. (Spanish; also available in English)
Read, Kate. One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller,
2019. Campoy, Isabel and Maribel Suarez. Mamá
Goose: A Latino Nursery Treasury, 2005. (Bilin-
Rosen, Michael and Kevin Waldron. Tiny Little gual)
Fly, 2010.
Carle, Eric. La oruga muy hambrienta, 2002.
Rubin, Adam and Daniel Samieri. Dragons Love (Spanish; also available in English)
Tacos, 2012.
Dominguez, Angela. How Do You say?/¿Cómo se
Schmid, Paul. A Pet for Petunia, 2011. dice? 2016. (Bilingual)
Scholastic and Eone. Peppa Goes to the Zoo, Elya, Susan Middleton and Juana Martinez-Neal.
2019. La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for los Niños,
Seder, Rufus Butlee. Waddle!: A Scanimation 2016. (English with Spanish words)
Book, 2009. Elya, Susan Middleton and Loretta Lopez. Say
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Blue, 2018. Hola to Spanish, 2013. (English with Spanish
Snape, Emily and K-Fai Steele. Old MacDonald words)
Had a Baby, 2019. Elya, Susan Middleton and Melissa Sweet. Rubia
Stead, Philip C. and Erin E. Stead. A Sick Day for and the Three Osos, 2010. (English with Spanish
Amos McGee, 2010. words)
Stewart, Melissa and Steve Jenkins. Can an Isern, Susanna and Nora Hilb. ¿De qué tienes
Aardvark Bark? 2017. miedo, Ratoncito? 2015. (Spanish; also available
in English)
Teckentrup, Britta. Don’t Wake Up the Tiger,
2016. Kalan, Robert. Salta, ranita, salta! 1994. (Span-
ish; also available in English)
Tsvetayeva, Elena. Where Birdie Lives: A Lift-
the-Flap Book, 2019. Kent, Derek Taylor and Jed Henry. El perro con
sombrero: A Bilingual Tale, 2015. (Bilingual)
Wenzel, Brendan. They All Saw a Cat, 2016.
Laínez, René Colato and Elwood Smith. Señor
Willis, Jeanne. I’m in Charge, 2018.
Pancho Had a Rancho, 2014. (English with
Wilson, Karma and Suzanne Watts. Hilda Must Spanish words)
Be Dancing, 2004.
Murphy, Mary, F. Isabel Campoy, and Alma Flor
Wan, Joyce. Peek-a-Boo Zoo, 2015. Ada, 2008. I Like it When…/Me gusta cuando…
Won, Brian, Hooray for Hat, 2016. (Bilingual)
Yoon, Salina. Do Cows Meow? 2012. Sullivan, Kyle and Derek Sullivan. Don’t Eat Me,
Chupacabra!/¡No me comas, chupacabra! 2018.
Young, Amy. A Unicorn Named Sparkle, 2016.
(English with Spanish words)
Young, Jessica and Daniel Wiseman. Pet this
Thompson, Carol. Amazing Me! ¡Soy soprenden-
Book, 2018.
te! 2019. (Bilingual)
Bilingual/Spanish (Toddlers) Velasquez, Eric. Looking for Bongo, 2016. (En-
glish with Spanish words)
Ada, Alma Flor, F. Isabel Campoy, and Maribel
Saurez. Mamá Goose: Bilingual Lullabies-Nanas, Walsh, Ellen Stoll. Pintura de ratón/Mouse Paint,
2019. (Bilingual) 2010. (Bilingual)
Judge, Lita. Flight School, 2014. Rosen, Michael and Helen Oxenbury. We’re Go-
ing on a Bear Hunt, 1997.
Keating, Jess. Shark Lady: The True Story of
How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Roth, Susan L. The Biggest Frog in Australia,
Fearless Scientist, 2017. 1996.
Kempter, Christa and Amélie Jackowski. Doctor Salyer, Hannah. Packs: Strength in Numbers,
Mouse, 2020. 2020.
Koehler, Lana. Ah-choo! 2016. Schertle, Alice and Jill McElmurry. Good Night,
Little Blue Truck, 2019.
Kvasnosky, Laura McGee and Kate Harvey Mc-
Gee. Squeak! 2019. Selznick, Brian. Baby Monkey, Private Eye, 2018.
Lang, Suzanne and Max Land. Grumpy Monkey, Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are,
2018. 1963.
Larkin, Shabazz. The Thing About Bees: A Love Seuss, Dr. If I Ran the Zoo, 1977.
Letter, 2019. Shea, Bob and Zachariah Ohora. Who Wet My
LaRochelle, David. Moo! 2013. Pants? 2019.
Lee, Chinlun. Good Dog, Paw! 2004. Shea, Bob. Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great,
2013.
London, Jonathan and Matthew Trueman. Hip-
pos Are Huge, 2017. Sima, Jesse. Not Quite Narwhal, 2017.
Lunde, Darrin and Kelsey Oseid. Whose Foot- Smith, Craig and Cowly Katz. The Wonky Don-
print Is That? 2019. key, 2009.
Mantchev, Lisa and Taeeeun Yoo. Strictly No Spinelli, Eileen. Hero Cat, 2011.
Elephants, 2015. Sung Na, Il. Welcome Home, Bear: A Book of
McKee, David. Elmer and the Hippos, 2010. Animal Habitats, 2015.
Meno, Pato. The Perfect Siesta, 2017. Taylor, Sean. Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise,
2015.
Miller, Kelly Leigh. I Am a Wolf, 2019.
Townsend, John. Life-Sized Animal Tracks, 2018.
Morris, Richard T. and LeUyen Pham. Bear
Came Along, 2019. Valdez, Patricia and Felicita Sala. Joan Procter,
Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Rep-
Naumann-Villemin and Kris Di Giacomo. When tiles, 2018.
a Wolf is Hungry, 2017.
Vaughan, Marcia and Sarah Hutchinson. Snap,
Nelson, Kadir. If You Plant a Seed, 2015. 1996.
Novak, Jordan P. Mosquitoes Can’t Bite Nin- Wardlaw, Lee and Eugene Yelchin. Won-Ton. A
jas! 2017. Cat Tale Told in Haiku, 2011.
Papp, Lisa. Madeline Finn and the Library Dog, Whalley, Jim and Stephen Collins. Baby’s First
2020. Bank Heist, 2019.
Papp, Lisa. Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog, Willems, Mo. The Pigeon Has to Go to School,
2019. 2019.
Pizzoli, Greg. The Book Hog, 2019. Wilson, Karma. Hogwash, 2011.
Peck, Jan and Valeria Petrone. Way Far Away Wardlaw, Lee and Eugene Yelchin. Won-Ton: A
on a Wild Safari, 2006. Cat Tale Told in Haiku, 2011.
Penn, Audrey and Barbara Gibson. Chester Willems, Mo. Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep!
Raccoon and the Almost Perfect Sleepover, 2010
2017. Wilson, Karma and Jane Chapman. Bear Snores
Pierce, Terry and Carol Heyer. Mother Earth’s On, 2005.
Lullaby: A Song for Endangered Animals, 2018. Wilson, Karma and Suzanne Watts. Hilda Must
Pignataro, Anna. The Heart of a Whale, 2020. Be Dancing, 2008.
Pinkney, Jerry. Little Red Riding Hood, 2007. Woollvin, Bethin. Little Red, 2016.
Pizzoli, Greg. Good Night Owl, 2016. Zenz, Aaron. The Hiccupotamus, 2006.
Posada, Mia. Who Was Here? Discovering Wild Zoboli, Giovanna and Mariachiara Di Giorgio.
Animal Tracks, 2014. Professional Crocodile, 2017.
Inches, Alison and Viviana Garofoli. I Can Save Myron, Vicki Brett Witter and Steve James. Dew-
the Ocean! 2010. ey: There’s a Cat in the Library, 2009.
Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page. Creature Fea- Na, Il Sung. Welcome Home Bear, 2015.
tures: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look the Packham, Chris and Jason Cockcroft. Amazing
Way They Do, 2014. Animal Homes, 2018.
Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page. What Do You Do Patterson, Susan, James Patterson, and Hsin-
If You Work at the Zoo? 2020. ping Pan. Cuddly Critters for Little Geniuses,
Jenkins, Steve. Actual Size, 2004. 2018.
Jenkins, Steve. What Do You Do with a Tail Like Paul, Michael. Chomp: A Shark Romp, 2019.
This? 2003. Portis, Antoinette. Hey, Water! 2019.
Keating, Jess and Marta Alvarez Miguens. Shark Sisson, Stephanie Ross. Spring After Spring:
Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Be- How Rachel Carson Inspired the Environmental
came the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist, 2017. Movement, 2018.
Keating, Jess. Gross as a Snot Otter, 2019. Stahl, Bethany. Save the Arctic, 2019.
BOOK LIST 265
Stahl, Bethany. Save the Bees, 2020. Emerson, Joan. Little but Fierce, 2020.
Stahl, Bethany. Save the Ocean, 2019. Florence, Debbi Michiko and Melanie Demmer.
Thomas, Isabel and Daniel Egnéus. Moth, 2019. Truman the Dog, 2019.
Valdez, Patricia and Felicita Sala. Joan Procter, Green, John Patrick. Hippopotamister, 2016.
Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Rep- Green, Poppy and Jennifer A. Bell. A New Friend
tiles, 2018. (Adventures of Sophie Mouse #1), 2015.
van Frankenhuyzen, Robbyn Smith and Gijsbert Hay, Sam and Marek Jaguicki. Spy Penguins,
van Frankenhuyzen. Saving Samantha, 2004. 2018.
Wadsworth, Ginger. Poop Detectives: Working Hecht, Tracey and Kate Liebman. The Noctur-
Dogs in the Field, 2016. nals: The Mysterious Abductions (Nocturnals #1),
Williams, Lily. If Polar Bears Disappeared, 2018. 2017.
Winter, Jeannette. The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Higgins, Ryan T. and Mo Willems. What About
Life with the Chimps, 2011. Worms!? (Elephant and Piggie Like Reading #7),
2020.
Yolen, Jane, Adam Stemple, and Elizabeth
Dulemba. Crow Not Crow, 2018. James, Laura and Emily Fox. The Case of the
Missing Hippo (Fabio the World’s Greatest Fla-
mingo Detective #1), 2019.
EARLY READER FICTION Jamieson, Victoria. The Great Pet Escape (Pets
Anderson, Derek. The Shark Report, 2020. on the Loose #1), 2016.
Applegate, Katherine. Wishtree, 2017. Kelly, Jacqueline, Teagan White, and Jennifer L.
Atwater, Richard and Florence Atwater. Mr. Meyer. Skunked! (Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet #1),
Popper’s Penguins, 1938. 2016.
Birney, Betty G. The World According to Hum- Kimmelman, Leslie and Seb Braun. Bat and Sloth
phrey (According to Humphrey #1), 2004. Hang Around, 2020.
Bruel, Nick. Bad Kitty: Kitten Trouble (Bad Kitty Kügler, Tina. Snail and Worm: Three Stories
#15), 2019. About Two Friends, (Snail and Worm #1), 2019.
Bunting, Eve and Josée Mass. Party at the Pond Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends (Frog
(Frog and Friends #1), 2011. and Toad I Can Read #1), 1970.
Butler, Dori Hillestad and Kevan Atteburry. Dear Moss, Helen and Misa Saburi. Time Dogs: Balto
Beast, 2020. and the Race Against Time, 2020.
Chaconas, Dori and Lisa McCue. The Collectors O’Neill, Katie. Dewdrop, 2020.
(Cork and Fuzz #3), 2010. Parish, Peggy. Scruffy, 1990.
Clanton, Ben. Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (Nar- Peters, Helen and Ellie Snowdon. Jasmine Green
whal and Jelly #1), 2016. Rescues: A Piglet Called Truffle, 2020.
Cole, Henry. Brambleheart, 2016. Ransom, Jeannie Franz and Stephen Axelsen.
Colfer, Eoin and P.J. Lynch. The Dog Who Lost What Really Happened to Humpty? 2010.
His Bark, 2019. Ruzzier, Sergio. The Party and Other Stories (Fox
Delacre, Lulu. Rafi and Rosi: Carnival! (Rafi and and Chick #1), 2018.
Rosi), 2016. Schwartz, Corey Rosen and Dan Santat. Ninja
DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson to the Rescue Red Riding Hood, 2014.
(Mercy Watson #1), 2005. Smith, Alex T. Claude in the City (Claude #1),
Eliott, Rebecca. Eva’s Treetop Festival (Owl Dia- 2013.
ries #1), 2015.
Anderson, John David. Granted, 2018. Engle, Margarita, Aleksey Ivanov, and Olga Iva-
nov. Mountain Dog, 2013.
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fight For Life, 2007.
Farley, Walter. Black Stallion, 1941.
Annabelle, Graham. A Tale of Two Sloths (Peter
and Ernesto #1), 2018. French, Jackie. Rover, 2007.
Appelt, Kathi and David Small. The Underneath, Gaiman, Neil. Coraline, 2002.
2008. Galante, Cecilia. Strays Like Us, 2018.
Appelt, Kathi. The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Garlick, Nicholas. Storm Horse, 2017.
Man Swamp, 2013. Gemeinhart, Dan. Good Dog, 2018.
Applegate, K.A. and Patricia Castelao. The One Gough, Julian. Rabbit’s Bad Habits (Rabbit and
and Only Ivan, 2015. Bear #1), 2019.
Bagnold, Enid. National Velvet, 1935 (2019). Green, John Patrick. InvestiGators, 2020.
Bailey, Linda and Victoria Jamieson. The Tiny Griffin, Paul. Saving Marty, 2017.
Hero of Ferny Creek Library, 2017.
Griffin, Paul. When Friendship Followed Me
Baker, Kim. The Water Bears, 2020. Home, 2016.
Bauer, Joan. Almost Home, 2012. Henry, Marguerite. Misty of Chincoteague, 1947.
Benton, Jim. Clyde, 2019. Holm, Jennifer and Matthew Holm. Queen of the
Blabey, Aaron. The Bad Guys, 2016. World! (Babymouse #1), 2005.
Burks, James. Bird and Squirrel on the Run (Bird Howe, Deborah and James Howe. Bunnicula: A
and Squirrel #1), 2012. Rabbit Tale of Mystery (Bunnicula and Friends
Camper, Cathy and Raúl the Third. Lowriders in #1), 2011.
Space (Low Riders in Space #1), 2014. Hunter, Erin and Dave Stevenson. Warriors: Into
Cervantes, Angela. Lety Out Loud, 2019. the Wild (Warriors: The Prophecy Beings #1),
2003.
Coco, Simon. The Purr-fect Scoop (Sprinkle Sun-
days #3), 2018. Kanata, Konomi. Chi’s Sweet Adventures (Vols.
1–3).
Connor, Leslie. A Home for Goddesses and
Dogs, 2020. Kanata, Konomi. The Complete Chi’s Sweet
Home (Vols. 1–4).
Coville, Katherine. Ivy, 2017.
Keenan, Sheila and Nathan Fox. Dogs of War,
Creech, Sharon. Saving Winslow, 2018. 2013.
Cuevas, Michelle. The Care and Feeding of a Pet Kelaher, Catherine. Amanda the Teen Activist:
Black Hole, 2018. Feathers and Freedom, 2016.
Deedy, Carmen Agra, Randall Wright, and Barry Kelly, Jacqueline. The Evolution of Calpurnia
Moser. The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tate, 2009.
Tale, 2011.
Koromo. A Polar Bear in Love (Vols. 1–4). Sherlock, Patti. Letters from Wolfie, 2004.
Leonard, M.G. Beetle Boy (Beetle Boy #1), 2016. Shotz, Jennifer Li. Max: Best Friend, Hero, Ma-
rine, 2015.
Lewis, C.S. The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles
of Narnia Book #3), 2007 (1954). Slade, Christian. Korgi (Korgi #1), 2007.
Leyh, Kat. Snapdragon, 2020. Smiley, Jane. Riding Lessons (An Ellen and Ned
Book), 2018.
Lofting, Hugh. The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle,
2019 (1922). Smith, Alex T. Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure
(Mr. Penguin #1), 2019.
Martin, Ann M. A Dog’s Life, 2010.
St. John, Lauren. Kat Wolfe Investigates (Wolfe
Martin, Ann M. Everything for a Dog, 2009. and Lamb #1), 2019.
Martin, Ann M. Rain Reign, 2014. Steinbeck, John. The Red Pony, 1937.
McGovern, Cammie. Chester and Gus, 2017. Steveson, Nanci Turner. Lizzie Flying Solo, 2018.
Messner, Kate. Rescue on the Oregon Trail Tillery, Paul IV and Meg Wittwer. Thundercluck!
(Ranger in Time #1), 2015. Chicken of Thor (Thundercluck! #1), 2018.
Morpurgo, Michael. War Horse, 2011. Tubb, Kristin O’Donnell. A Dog Like Daisy, 2017.
Noel, Kaela. Coo, 2020. Yardi, Robin. Owl’s Outstanding Donuts, 2019.
O’Hara, Mary. My Friend Flicka, 2008 (1940). Yee, Lisa and Sarah Davis. Lea Leads the Way,
Parry, Roseanne and Mónica Armiño. A Wolf 2016.
Called Wander, 2019.
Paulsen, Gary and Jim Paulsen. Road Trip, 2014.
MIDDLE GRADE NONFICTION
Pennypacker, Sara and Jon Klassen. Pax, 2016.
Andrekson, Judy and David Parkins. Brigadier:
Pilkey, Dav. Dog Man (Dog Man #1), 2016. Gentle Hero, 2009.
Prager, Ellen and Antonio Javier Caparo. The Arnosky, Jim. Wild Tracks: A Guide to Nature’s
Shark Whisperer (Tristan Hunt and the Sea Footprints, 2008.
Guardians), 2014.
Bausum, Ann. Stubby the War Dog: The True
Pyron, Bobbie. Stay, 2019. Story of World War I’s Bravest Dog, 2018.
Quinn, Spencer. Woof (Boswer and Birdie #1), Bayly, Sammy. A Curious Collection of Peculiar
2016. Creatures: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 2020.
Ryan, Pam Munoz. Paint The Wind, 2007. Bedell, J.M. So, You Want to Work with Ani-
Said, S.F. Varjak Paw, 2009. mals?: Discover Fantastic Ways to Work with
Animals, from Veterinary Science to Aquatic
Salamon, Julie and Jill Weber. Mutt’s Promise,
Biology, 2017.
2016.
Berne, Jennifer and Eric Puybaret. Manfish: A
Santat, Dan. Sidekicks, 2011.
Story of Jacques Cousteau, 2008.
Schrefer, Eliot and Emilia Dziubak. Mez’s Magic
Bernhardt, Carolyn. Super Simple Backyard
(The Lost Rainforest #1), 2018.
Projects: Fun and Easy Animal Environment
Selden, George and Garth Williams. The Cricket Activities, 2016.
in Times Square, 2014 (1960).
Bruce, W. Cameron. Ellie’s Story (or any Dog’s
Purpose Puppy Tales), 2015.
Marsico, Katie. Humane Society, 2016. Rooney, Anne and Lucy Rose. Animal Atlas,
2019.
Martin, Steve and Roberto Blefari. I like Ani-
mals…What Jobs Are There? 2019. Rusch, Elizabeth. Avalanche Dog Heroes: Piper
and Friends Learn to Search the Snow, 2018.
McCarthy, Megan. All That Trash: The Story of
the 1987 Garbage Barge and Our Problem with Santo, Nicole Miyuki. The Kids’ Book of Hand
Stuff, 2018. Lettering: 20 Lessons and Projects to Decorate
Your World, 2018.
McCormick, Patricia. Sergeant Reckless: The
True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Scholastic. Harry Potter Origami, 2019.
Hero, 2017. Schulz, Karen. CSI Expert! Forensic Science for
Miettunen, Anita. Big Blue Forever: The Story of Kids, 2008.
Canada’s Largest Blue Whale Skeleton, 2017. Sidman, Joyce. The Girl Who Drew Butterflies:
Miller, Mirella S. Search and Rescue Dogs on How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science,
the Job, 2017. 2018.
Montgomery, Sy and Keith Ellenbogen. The Smith, Robyn. Horse Life: The Ultimate Guide to
Great White Shark Scientist, 2016. Caring for and Riding Horses for Kids, 2020.
Montgomery, Sy and Temple Grandin. Temple Spinner, Stephanie and Meilo So. Alex the Par-
Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Em- rot, 2012.
braced Autism and Changed the World, 2014. Stephens, Cassie. Clay Lab For Kids: 52 Projects
Montgomery, Sy and Tianne Strombeck. Con- to Make, Model, and Mold With Air-Dry, Poly-
dor Comeback, 2020. mer, and Homemade Clay, 2017.
Montroll, John. Easy Origami, 1992. Swinburne, Stephen R. Sea Turtle Scientist,
2015.
National Geographic Kids. Funny Animals:
Critter Comedians, Punny Pets, and Hilarious Thomas, William David. Marine Biologist, 2019.
Hijinks, 2019. Thompson, Veronica. Earth-Friendly Earth Day
National Geographic Kids. Weird but True Ani- Crafts, 2019.
mals, 2018. Thornhill, Jan. The Triumphant Tale of the House
Newman, Patricia and Annie Crawley. Zoo Sci- Sparrow, 2018.
entists to the Rescue, 2017. Ward, Alexa. Sewing for Kids: 30 Fun Projects to
Petty, Kate. Horse Heroes: True Stories of Hand and Machine Sew, 2019.
Amazing Horses, 2012. Wilson, Mark. Owling: Enter the World of Myste-
Plumley, Amy Petronis and Andria Lisle. Sewing rious Birds of the Night, 2019.
School Fashion Design: Make Your Own Ward- Woodcock, Jon. Projects in Scratch: A Step-By-
robe with Mix-and-Match Projects Including Step Visual Guide to Coding Your Own Anima-
Tops, Skirts and Shorts, 2019. tions, Games, Simulations, and More! 2019.
Pringle, Laurence. Owls: Strange and Wonder- Wunderlick, Richard. Caring for Marine Animals,
ful, 2016. 2016.
Rae, Rowena. Rachel Carson and Ecology for
Kids: Her Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities and
Experiments, 2020.
Sepetys, Ruta. The Salt to the Sea, 2016. Castaldo, Nancy F. Back from the Brink: Saving
Animals from Extinction, 2018.
Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty, 1877.
Child, Jessica. Animal Welfare 101: How to Raise
Shah, London. The Light at the Bottom of the Unique Pets Such as Amphibians, Cats, Dogs,
World, 2019. Fish, Reptiles, and More from A to Z, 2019.
Silverman, G.G. Vegan Teenage Zombie Hunt- Colman, David. The Art of Animal Character De-
ress, 2014. sign, 2nd ed., 2014.
Smith, Andrew. Grasshopper Jungle, 2014. Coultas, Harland. The Insectarium: Collecting, Ar-
Stiefvater, Maggie. The Scorpio Races, 2011. ranging, and Preserving Bugs Beetles, Butterflies
Strasser, Todd. The Beast of Cretacea, 2015. and More, 2018.
Takaya, Natsuki. Fruits Basket (Vols. 1–12). Dembicki, Matt. Wild Ocean: Sharks, Whales,
Rays, and Other Endangered Sea Creatures,
Takei, Hiroyuki. Nekogahara (Vols. 1–5).
2014.
Thomas, Scarlett. PopCo, 2005.
DK Publishing. Smithsonian Dinosaurs and Pre-
Uehashi, Nahoko. The Beast Player, 2019. historic Life, 2019.
Van Arsdale, Peternelle. The Beast Is an Animal, Field, Shelly. Career Opportunities Working with
2017. Animals, 2011.
Whaley, John Corey. Where Things Come Back, Foer, Jonathan Safran. Eating Animals, 2009.
2012.
Haber, Louis. Black Pioneers of Science and In-
Wilkin, Corban. Grand Theft Horse, 2018. vention, 1992.
Williams, Tad. Tailchaser’s Song, 2000 (1985). Haines, Tim and Paul Chamber. Complete Guide
Wilson, Diane Lee. Firehorse, 2006. to Prehistoric Life, 2006.
Yates, Alexander. How We Became Wicked, Hart, Christopher. The Master Guide to Drawing
2019. Anime, 2015.
Hayashi, Hikaru. How to Draw Manga Vol. 36:
Animals, 2015.
YA NONFICTION
Herman, Sarah. Brick Flicks, 2014.
Allman, Toney. Careers if You Like Animals,
2017. Herzog, Hal. Some We Love, Some We Hate,
Some We Eat, 2010.
Amberlyn, J.C. Drawing Manga Animals, Chibis,
and Other Adorable Creatures, 2009. Hirsch, Rebecca. Where Have All the Bees
Gone?: Pollinators in Crisis, 2020.
America’s Test Kitchen. Vegan for Everybody,
2017. Hoose, Phillip. The Race to Save the Lord God
Bird, 2010.
Askew, Claire. Generation V: The Complete
Guide to Going, Being, and Staying Vegan as a Hoshi, Mitsuki. Super Easy Amigurumi: Crochet
Teenager, 2008. Cute Animals, 2017.
Moskowitz, Isa Chandra. Isa Does It: Amazingly Walsh, Christopher. Stop Motion Filmmaking:
Easy, Wildly Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every The Complete Guide to Fabrication and Anima-
Day of the Week, 2013. tion, 2019.
Nelson-Bunge, Terr Ann. Vegan Recipes in 30 Weintraub, Robert. No Better Friend: A Man, a
Minutes, 2014. Dog, and Their Incredible True Story of Friend-
ship and Survival in WWII (Young Readers’
Nelson, Matt. We Rate Dogs, 2017. Edition), 2018.
Noguchi, Hideshi Márcio and Seth Friedman. Wenz, Dianne. Eating Vegan: A Plant-Based
Manga Origami, 2016. Cookbook for Beginners, 2020.
Nye, Naomi Shibab. Cast Away: Poems for Our Whitlatch, Terry. Principles of Creature Design:
Time, 2020. Creating Imaginary Animals, 2015.
O’Connell, Caitlin. The Elephant Scientist, 2016.
Ottaviani, Jim and Maris Wicks. Primates: The
Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey,
and Biruté Galdikas, 2015.
Packer, Laurence and Sam Droege. Bees: An
Up-Close Look at Pollinators Around the World,
2015.
Patrick-Goudreau, Colleen. Joyful Vegan, 2019.
279
EARLY LIT
PRINTABLE
Bilingual Animal Sounds
PRINTABLE
Pig
PRINTABLE
Duck
PRINTABLE
Turtle and Bunny
PRINTABLE
Armadillo
PRINTABLE
Koala
PRINTABLE
Giraffes
PRINTABLE
Penguin