Decorate your Bookmobile or library with Book Banners!

I have started making banners out of tatty old books.  I use these to decorate the bookmobile, but you could use them for library displays or bulletin boards.

Here are the basics:

Rip the pages out of a damaged, but otherwise desirable book.

Measure the center of the bottom of the page and mark it with a little pencil marking.

Use a big paper cutter and go from the upper outside edges to your little mark at the bottom of the page.  You can cut about three or four pages at each chop.

Make your pile of triangles and put them in either a narrative or attractive order.  Some pages will be better than others!  I did not use the big tree page seen here, but used the reverse side instead.

Get some seam binding and your sewing machine.  I purchase seam binding at tag sales where it is about 25 cents a packet.  It's ten times that amount at fabric stores.  You can't be picky about your colors or widths.

Start sewing a tail of the binding with the 'opening' on the outside of your machine, like so:

Insert the triangles as you go, like so:

leave an inch or two between triangles.

You could add embellishments, such as little pumpkins or pom-poms.

Voila!  Here is the finished product:

And a different bird banner hanging in the bookmobile:

Yay!  Have fun making your own quick and easy pennant decorations!

Dogs!

Dogs!

Used or recommended Books:

Bark, George by Feiffer

Doggone Dogs by Beaumont

Don’t Lick the Dog by Wahman

Great Gracie Chase by Rylant

Great Smelly Slobbery by MacDonald

Harry the Dirty Dog by Zion

Not Afraid of Dogs by Pitzer

Say Hello to Zorro! By Goodrich

We found some puppies in the storytime apron!

We read this book on how to be safe around dogs...

I love it because it is full of useful information and it rhymes!

Then it's time for a flannel board story:  Dog's Colorful Day.

Dog gets a bath to wash away all of the spots.

Dog gets into bed and dreams of colorful bones!

Then we could sing a song or two:

Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?

Oh where oh where has my little dog gone?

(Look around)

Oh where oh where can he be?

(Hands out, palms up, shrug shoulders)

With his ears cut short

(Hands on ears)

And his tail cut long

(Wag hands behind back)

Oh where, oh where can he be?

(Look around)

Or do another flannel board with a song:
BINGO!

Or do an action rhyme:

Puppy’s Dog House

This is puppy’s dog house

(Tips of fingers together)

This is puppy’s bed.

(Hands flat, palms upward)

This is puppy’s pan of milk

(Cup hands together)

So he can be fed. (Lapping motion)

The puppy has a collar (hands around neck)

With his name upon it too.

Take a stick and throw it,

And he’ll bring it back to you!

This Is What My Dog Does

This is what my dog does

Whenever I’m around

(Point to self)

He wags his tail from side to side

(Waggle your ‘tail’)

Then chases round and round

(Roll fists rapidly)

And whenever I’m feeling down

(Look sad)

He licks my face and licks my face

(Make licking motions with hand on face)

And licks away my frown.

(Pull mouth into a smile)

Ten Little Puppies

(To the tune of Ten Little Indians)

One little, Two little, three little puppies,

Four little, five little, six little puppies,

Seven little, eight little, nine little puppies,

Ten little puppies, running and barking!

Five Little Puppies

Five little puppies were playing in the sun.

(hold up hands,fingers extended)

This one saw a rabbit, and he began to run. (bend down first finger)

This one saw a butterfly,and he began to race. (bend down secind finger)

This one saw a cat,and he began to chase. (bend down third finger)

This one tried to catch his tail,and he went round and round. (bend down fourth finger)

this one was so quiet,he never made a sound. (bend down thumb)

That Doggie in the Window?

How much is that doggie in the window? (Bark! Bark!)

The one with the waggly tail

How much is that doggie in the window? (Bark! Bark!)

I do hope that doggie's for sale!

 

This Old Man

This old man, he played one,

He played knick-knack on my thumb;

Knick-knack paddywhack,

Give a dog a bone,

This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played two,

He played knick-knack on my shoe;

Knick-knack paddywhack,

Give a dog a bone,

This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played three,

He played knick-knack on my knee;

Knick-knack paddywhack,

Give a dog a bone,

This old man came rolling home.

Finally, time for puppets!  I act out the story of Bark, George using puppets:

Go Away Monsters!

Monsters!

Books Shared or Recommended:

Bear Feels Scared by Wilson

Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters by Yolen

Go Away Big Green Monster by Emberley

Good Night Little Monster by Ketteman

If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Emberley

Leonardo The Terrible Monster by Willems

Monster Hug! By Stein

Squeeky Door by MacDonald

Where the Wild Things Are by Sendak

Oh no!  We found some monsters in the storytime apron this month!  Here they are:

I then talk about how sometimes I get scared when I see a scary thing on television or a scary picture.  What can we do if we're afraid?  I read The Squeaky Door by Margaret Read MacDonald and explain that here's a book about a little boy who is afraid.  What is he afraid of?  Who helps him?  It is a wonderful read aloud.  The children really get into the rhythm of grandma tip-toeing out of the room, turning out the light (click), and closing the door (Squeak).  I love reading excellent books like this one because it looks like I'll be reading this one about 37 times this month!  Needless to say, I have it memorized.

  Then I take two of the monsters off of the flannel board and do "Five Hairy Monsters".

Five Hairy Monsters (Count on fingers)

Five hairy monsters howling out a roar,

One ran away and then there were four.

Four hairy monsters hiding in a tree,

One fell out and then there were three.

Three hairy monsters eating spider stew,

One got full and then there were two.

Two hairy monsters having lots of fun

One ran away and then there was one.
One hairy monster, afraid to be the hero.
He ran off and then there were zero.

Then it's time for Go Away Big Green Monster.   Here's the flannel board version:

The children practice using their words:  "Go away big green monster!"

If it's fidgety time, we go on a:

Monster Hunt

We’re going on a monster hunt.

We’re going to find a big one!

We’re not afraid, but…

What if he’s under the bed? (Peek under)

Better go over it, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

(Walk fingers over legs)

What if he’s in the closet? (Open door)

Better close it, SLAM! (Clap hands loudly)

What if he’s behind the curtains? (Peek hands)

Better open them, SWISH! (Fly hands apart)

What if he’s in the hallway?  (Shade eyes)

Better tiptoe down it (Tiptoe)

What if he’s in the garage?  (Shade eyes)

Better stomp through it  (Stomp feet)

SHHH!  (Put fingers to lips)  What’s that?

AHHH!  It’s a monster!  (Scream and wave arms)

Stomp thru garage (Stomp feet)

Tiptoe thru the hallway (Tiptoe)

Close the curtains (Fly hands together)

Open the closet (Pretend to open door)

Turn on the lights (Snap fingers)

And jump into bed (Jump)  PHEW!! (brush brow)

We’re not going on a monster hunt again! (NO)

We can sing Five Little Monsters Jumping on the Bed:

Or sing these songs:

SONGS

Monster Song

Sung to If You Ever See a Lassie

If you ever see a monster, a monster, a monster,

If you ever see a monster, here’s what you do.

Make this face and that face

And this face and that face

If you ever see a monster…Be sure to shout BOO!

Monster, Monster

Monster, monster, turn around.

Monster, monster, touch the ground.

Monster, monster, reach up high.

Monster, monster, squint your eye.

Monster, monster, show your teeth,

Monster, monster, stamp your feet.

Monster, monster, make a frown,

Monster, monster, sit right down!

Ten Little Monsters

(Sing to ten little Indians)

1 little, 2 little, 3 little monster

4 little, 5 little, 6 little monsters

7 little, 8 little, 9 little monsters

10 little monsters roaring at me!

10 little, 9 little, 8 little monsters

7 little, 6 little, 5 little monsters

4 little, 3 little, 2 little monsters

1 little monster can’t scare me!

If You’re a Monster…(If You’re Happy)

If you’re a monster and you know it,

wave your arms!

If you’re a monster and you know it,

Wave your arms!

If you’re a monster and you know it,

Then your growl will surely show it,

If you’re a monster and you know it,

Wave your arms!  (Other verses)

Show your claws, gnash your teeth,

stomp your feet, growl like me!

Monsters Galore

Monsters galore, can you roar?  (ROAR)

Monster galore, can you soar?  (Flying motion)

Monsters galore, please shut the door.  (Clap)

Monsters galore, fall on the floor!  (Sit down)

Action Rhyme:  Monster Stomp

If you want to be a monster, now’s your chance.

“Cauce everybody’s doing the monster dance.

You just stomp your feet, wave your arms around.

Stretch ‘em up, stretch ‘em up!  (Stretch arms)

Then put them on the ground.(Hands on floor)

‘Cause you’re doing the monster stomp.

(Feet stomp)

That’s right!  You’re doing the monster stomp.

(Stomp Feet)

Music:

“Looking for Dracula” song from Ten Carrot Diamond CD by Charlotte Diamond

“Monster” song on Can You Sound Like Me CD  by Red  Grammer

Finally, it's time for the special visitors from the library:  a little boy named Max who is dressed up in a wolf suit.  I tell his story of Where the Wild Things Are.    "The night Max wore his wolf suit..."

Max gets to tell the children the bookmobile rules and he also gets to sing the goodbye song!

Go away scary monsters!  Our family can help us, we can use our words, or we can be King of the Wild Things (Monsters!).  YAY!