Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star ~ Books You Can Sing & KID KANDY

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
By Jane Cabrera
(Holiday House, 2012)

We are all familiar with the song called "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

Jane Cabrera takes the song a few steps higher in her sparkly book. In Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Cabrera used twinkle, flicker, glisten, shimmer, and sparkle in a variety of worldwide habitats to show places that the little star shines. Bright colors were used to illustrate people and animals that gaze up and wonder about the star.

Young readers will love the familiar melody and twinkling star found in Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

KID KANDY:

Make a Sparkly Star

1. July 4th is almost here. Stars are seen everywhere when America celebrates her birthday. This is a perfect time to help little ones learn the star shape. Search and find stars any time you are out in the community.

2. Teach older children to draw stars. Help younger ones make stars. Practice on paper.

3. Draw large stars on cardboard. Adults only: Cut out the stars with a craft knife. Punch a hole in one point.

4. Put the stars on wax paper. Let your child paint the star with white school glue. Provide a shaker container of glitter and let your child cover the wet glue with glitter.

5. Let the glitter dry. Shake off the excess glitter and return it to the shaker for a future project.

6. Add a hanging loop of yarn or string.

7. Let your child find a spot to hang the glistening star.

Now you have to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" again!

Sing to the Tune - Terrific Tuesday Books You Can Sing & KID KANDY

Sing to the Tune
Compiled by Joye Smith and Rhonda Robbins-Reeves
(Woman's Missionary Union, 2009)

Piggyback songs. Have you heard the term?

A piggyback song is a song with new words that is created by using the tune of a very familiar song. The new song piggybacks on the previously known melody. This type of song is very easy to adjust to whatever theme, situation, or content that is necessary. Piggyback songs are usually very short and very simple. These songs are perfect for those who work with or have children.

Sing to the Tune is a compilation of piggyback songs that have been made-up by Mission Friends teachers and writers over the course of several years. The songs are divided into the Christian concept areas of God's Creation, God, Jesus, Bible, Church, Family, Self, Community, and World. Cleanup and transition songs as well as finger plays, rhymes, and action songs are included in Sing to the Tune. The wonderful index makes it very easy to look for the songs you would like to use.

I bet you've already made-up your own piggyback songs. Fun times for fun kids.

KID KANDY:

Sing a Song, Make Up Your Own Song

~ Choose a familiar song. "Happy Birthday" is a favorite. Or try "Are You Sleeping?"

~ Sing the old song. Hum the tune.

~ What type of song do you and your child want to make-up? Dogs? Cats? Farms? Babies?

~ Play around with words and make up a few phrases that follow the melody and rhythm of the base song.

~ Sing your new song. Share it with the family.


Here's an example.

Tune: "Are You Sleeping?"

Theme: cats

Cats are meowing,
Cats are climbing,
I hug cats. I love cats.
Do you see them racing?
Do you hear them purring?
Soft, soft, cats.
Furry, furry, cats.

See? Easy and fun.

Remember, word games help a child develop language and literacy skills. Have a go!

Today is Monday - Picture Book & KID KANDY - Books You Can Sing

Today is Monday
Pictures by Eric Carle
(Scholastic Inc., 1993)

Today IS Monday! What better book to read than Today is Monday by Eric Carle.

Join animals as they eat something different each day of the week. The animals are so good at remembering what they ate the day before, they repeat each day and meal for every new day. By the end of the week, the animals (readers) are working their way backwards from the current day of the week, listing both days and foods.

And, surprise, it's not really animals who are eating! Readers will find out who is eating the meals at the end of Today is Monday.

Yet another surprise is the musical sheet showing the melody for the song that goes with Today is Monday.

Children will enjoy singing the days of the week backwards and seeing all of the animals gobble their food. Don't forget to check out the page at the beginning where Eric Carle gives mealtime greetings in different languages!

KID KANDY:

Make Your Own Mealtime a Song

~ Make your own version of Today is Monday with your child.

~ For one week, write down the main dish you eat and the day of the week. Let your child do the writing or draw a little picture of the foods. (Example: Monday - pizza, Tuesday - tacos)

~ Once you have meals for Monday through Sunday, sing the song! If you are not a musician, make up any silly tune. Kids won't care. Just have fun.


Angie Quantrell loves to make up silly songs. Today she was singing "Whining doesn't work at Nana's house, Nana's house, Nana's house. Whining doesn't work at Nana's house. She loves her kids." to the tune of "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush." The grands got the message and had fun.

What Is Your Language? - Picture Book & KID KANDY

What Is Your Language?
Song by Debra Leventhal
Pictures by Monica Wellington
(Scholastic Inc., 1999)

Musical notes are included for this book you can sing. If you can't play a piano, don't let that stop you. One can enjoy reading the book aloud just as much.

What Is Your Language? is the story of a little boy who goes on a long trip around the world to meet new friends. At each stop, he asks his new friends to tell him their language. The friends, dressed in simplified traditional clothes, answer the boy and use the word for 'yes' in their own language. After many stops and new friends, the boy must return home. Now all of the friends respond with 'no' in their language, "Don't go!"

Of course, the boy has to go home. But the reader can tell how much he learned on his international journey just by looking at his room.

What Is Your Language? is a simple and fun language book. Though readers will only learn yes and no in several different languages, they will see clothing and some of the attractions from each country the boy visits. The last page of the book gives a pronunciation guide and tells a little about languages around the world (for adults or older readers).

What Is Your Language? is a great book to introduce young children to different languages and new friends that live around the world.

KID KANDY:

Adopt a Country!

~ Let your child choose a country about which he or she is interested. Adopt it!

~ Check out library books to read more about your country.

~ Search online for tourist sites featuring your country. Find language links that let you listen to the spoken language of the country. Listen and practice some words.

~ Go out to dinner at a restaurant that serves foods from your country.

~ Collect dress-up clothes that look like traditional clothes from your country. Play dress-up.

~ Adults: Start a Pinterest board about your country. Search for pins and pin them to the board. This is a great source of images specific to countries. Show the board to your child.

~ Enjoy learning about other countries and people.

Angie Quantrell likes to use Pinterest to collect ideas and images from other countries. A few simple clicks and it's almost like you are visiting in person. Almost. Maybe she needs to prepare some of the traditional foods so it will also taste like she is visiting.

Jesus Loves Me - Books You Can Sing - Terrific Tuesday Book & Activity

Jesus Loves Me
Pictures by Hector Borlasca
(Zonderkidz, 2008)

The Terrific Tuesday book is Jesus Loves Me, a book you can read and sing. And if you are one of the fortunate and gifted ones, sheet music is included, so you can play along on a piano.

This version of Jesus Loves Me shares about five different verses. Jesus wears His usual robe, facial hair, and long hair. The children in the book, however, are modern boys and girls who hang out with Jesus at the playground, park, and beach. Pretty fun illustrations.

KID KANDY:

Make a Jesus Valentine!

1. Cut a large heart from pink cardstock.

2. Trace the heart onto patterned scrapping paper. Cut it out and glue it to the back of the cardstock heart.

3. Punch holes around the edge of the heart (about 1 inch apart).

4. Cut a long piece of yarn. Tie one end through the hole at the top of the heart (the center dip part). Wrap masking tape around the opposite end to create a safe needle. This is my favorite needle for kids. It also keeps the yarn from fraying.

5. Help lace around the heart. Tie a knot with both ends of yarn and make a hanging loop. Trim off excess.

6. Print a Bible thought or verse in the center of the pink heart. A good one is Jesus loves you (see John 15:12).

7. Decorate around the verse with markers, stickers, rubber stamps, decorative tape, buttons - whatever craft materials you have on hand. Dry.

Now you have a Jesus Valentine!

I appreciate you taking the time to read this blog. Sign up to receive blog posts in your email inbox. Thanks!

Angie Quantrell loves reading and singing books. One can never have too many books. Just not enough shelves.

Skidamarink - The "I LOVE YOU" Song ~ Picture Books You Can Sing

Skidamarink - The "I LOVE YOU" Song
Illustrated by Jacqueline East
(Scholastic Inc., 2007)

February is the month of love.

Time to learn and sing a new song! Skidamarink - The "I LOVE YOU" Song is one of my favorite songs for the month of Valentines Day. (Skidamarink is pronounced skid-UH-muh-rink.)

Skidamarink is illustrated by Jacqueline East. The bear family, very adorable with their cozy home and cuddly baby bear, sings their way through family life. The winter fun activities and home life shared in the book makes me want to go ice skating or cuddle up with hot cocoa. Young children will enjoy seeing the fun baby bear has with his mom and dad.

Note to adults: While kids will get it and love it, skidamarink is a silly, nonsense word that might trip up adults. Don't worry. It's fun to say and sing. And skidamarink rhymes perfectly with 'a dink a dink.'

KID KANDY:

~ Of course, one could choose any activity from the book and enjoy it as a family - ice skating, eating oatmeal, sledding, building a snowman, drinking hot cocoa, playing a game, painting pictures, or reading a book. I would encourage you to avoid getting sick though.

~ For those fortunate enough to have snow this year, get outside and paint some hearts. Mix red food coloring with water in a spray bottle or squirt gun. Head out and spray hearts and XOXO on snow banks.

~ If you are like us (no snow), dig out the sidewalk chalk. Go outside and draw chalk hearts and XOXO messages on the sidewalk or driveway.

~ Check out YouTube for videos of the motions that go with Skidamarink. Or just make up your own. It will be your own secret love language.

Spread the love! Keep singing Skidamarink while you have fun!

Happy Valentines Day from the Red Onion.

Angie Quantrell loves silly songs. Now she will be humming Skidamarink for the rest of the day.

The Christmas Song, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire - Christmas Picture Books You Can Sing

The Christmas Song, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
By Mel Torme and Robert Wells (1946)
Illustrated by Doris Barrette
(Scholastic, Inc., 2007)

Here is a beautifully illustrated Christmas picture book you can read and sing!

Everyone knows "The Christmas Song", though I would hazard a guess to say we instead call it "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire." Each year, as I go around humming this song to myself, I am again urged to go hunt down some chestnuts and throw them on an open fire. Tried that once and managed burnt chestnuts.

Now that certain home and cooking magazines have shown the correct way to prep and cook chestnuts, should I venture to purchase those chestnuts (which magically appear in the produce section of the grocery store come every December), I think my success would be much greater. Perhaps even tasty.

Go for it. Sing the song. I mean read this book. And sing the song.

And while you are at it, pick up some chestnuts. Watch an online video on how to cook them up proper.

And have a wonderful, beautiful Christmas.

Jingle Bells - Christmas Picture Books You Can Sing

Jingle Bells
Illustrated by Darcy May
(Scholastic Inc., 2001)

"Jingle Bells" is a simple and very much loved song, and now picture book, that children over the ages have repeated - ad nauseum. I don't think there are many that are not familiar with this melody and seasonal favorite.

The picture book, Jingle Bells, is just as delightful. Beautiful illustrations combined with song lyrics add meaning and help beginning readers to figure out text. The only problem is how fast one can turn the pages of Jingle Bells while singing a spirited version of "Jingle Bells."

If only I lived where loads of winter snow was the norm and I had a horse and a sleigh.

That would be a truly fantastic white Christmas.

Sing the song! Come on, jugs of jingle bells are on sale all over the country. Buy one and add bells to chenille stems. Twist the ends together and jingle away as you sing.

Better yet, head down your street and sing at the top of your voice(s). Neighbors love caroling!

The Twelve Days of Christmas - Christmas Picture Books You Can Sing

The Twelve Days of Christmas
Illustrated by Jan Brett
(G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1986)

Move over Youtube. It's time to sing some books. You know, those paper things with words and pictures?

Welcome to a favorite version of a much loved Christmas carol. The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett, offers delight for the mouth and the eyes.

I may have mentioned previously on this blog how much I enjoy books that can be read - with words and by illustrations - and books that can be enjoyed through song. Kids love that stuff!

Jan Brett is one of my favorite illustrators (just ask my students). Not only does she do an excellent job telling stories with her drawings, she adds so much detail that one is always finding something new. Her love of complete illustrations is obvious, as is her love of the Christmas and winter season. Animals and fantasy characters are evident in most of the books she has illustrated.

But her borders! I adore the way she gives story hints and adds complexity to the storytelling process by what she includes in her decorative borders included on most pages.

The Twelve Days of Christmas is a beautiful example of her signature artwork.

Sing, read, and look at The Twelve Days of Christmas. And while you are at it, check out Jan Brett as an author. She has quite the list of excellent books.

Extension Activity:

Do your own 12 days of Christmas. Count back from December 25 (that should be the 12th). On each day, make an ornament that matches the verse in the song (and book). Or add store bought ornaments that match. For example, add or make a partridge (or any bird) and a pear for day 1. Continue daily through the song. You will have a beautiful tree.

Have fun singing the song!

Baby Beluga - Books You Can Sing

Baby Beluga
Song by Raffi
Illustrated by Ashley Wolff
(Crown Publishers, Inc., 1980)

We can listen to the song "Baby Beluga" approximately 5 times from my front door to the school where I pick up my grandson.

The boss (aka, Khloe, three-year-old backseat driver and order-er of music) sits in her carseat, happily singing along and chattering about Baby Beluga as we listen. Again. For the 900th time.

Seriously. I woke up two times last night with the lyrics and melody running through my head.

If you do not like to repeat songs, do not listen to and/or read Baby Beluga. But if you don't mind a little repeating, go ahead! It's a great song. Fabulous in fact.

After doing a little research, I found out that the beluga whale who inspired Raffi to pen this favorite children's song just recently passed away in Vancouver, B.C. Too sad! But this song and board book will keep Baby Beluga alive in the hearts and minds of preschoolers for years to come.

And in the subconscious of their parents, teachers, and grandparents.

What's next?

A few ideas for fun extension activities after reading and singing Baby Beluga:

~ Dig out the plastic dishtub. Fill it with water and give your child plastic fish. Hopefully, whales will be in your fish collection. I've seen ocean animal sets at Michaels and toy stores. Beware. The song may have to be playing in the background.

~ Help your child use crayons to outline a whale on construction paper. Color the whale white with crayons. Add seaweed, other fish, and so on. Paint over the whole picture with blue watercolor paints to make a crayon resist picture of Baby Beluga. Put on the fridge.

~ Visit an aquarium. Look for beluga whales. If your aquarium does not have a beluga whale (they do need a very cold climate, after all) look for other types of ocean life. Take lots of pictures and explore educational aquarium programs. The bookstore may have a book on whales. Get it. Read. Sing. Repeat.


Maybe, just maybe, your child will let you introduce a new song and book. Perhaps one about going to the Zoo or a few naughty monkeys jumping on a bed.

But until then, enjoy the read-sing-repeat ride. Your child will only be in this stage for a short time. Before you know it, you will be reading and singing to your grandchildren!

Like me.



Thanks for reading this blog. To receive this blog in your email inbox, sign up at the bottom of blog entries. Thanks!

Spider on the Floor - Books You Can Sing

Spider on the Floor by Raffi
Illustrated by True Kelley (Alfred A. Knopf, 2002, First Board Book)

What's that scribbling across your neck? Does it have eight legs? Little furry feet? Sticky webbing? Aaahhhhhhhhh . . .

Fall is soon to be upon us.

With that seasonal change, it seems that spiders are dashing to get inside before the first freeze. Baby spiders have grown up into big, hairy scurrying arachnids. Spider on the Floor is the perfect bridge between screaming in terror as a spider scuttles across your bare toes and mollifying your children so that they can accept the importance of spiders in the food chain systems of the Earth!

Children love Raffi and his Songs to Read. Or as I phrase it, Books You Can Sing.

Meet the spider. On the floor.

This voraciously web-spinning spider takes on bigger and bigger things - until he catches all of you. And he jumps off. To start all over again.

Fingers work great for the spider - which travels up one's body. Or, buy those plastic spider rings to use while singing and acting out the song. They work perfect.

Listen to "Spider on the Floor" on Youtube or purchase a CD that contains this delightful and fun children's song. Either way, it will be a definite hit!

And while you're at it, here are some fun activities to do about spiders.

1. Get or make a bug catcher cage. Go on a spider hunt to catch one. As per lesson learned at personal experience, release one spider before adding another spider, or they may fight and eat each other! You can try to catch prey for them and watch them suck out the juices.

2. As soon as the dew starts collecting in the cool mornings, go on a web walk. Take a camera. Watch for beautiful droplet-decorated webs. Shoot away.

3. Read some books. The libraries are full of great spider books. Check out an identification book so that you can name that beautiful guy hanging out in the garden.

4. Make a spider. Use a Styrofoam ball for the body (you can paint it whatever color you want). Add chenille stems for legs (8, remember?). Glue on googly eyes (again, 8 is the perfect number) and short pieces of chenille stems for the pedipalps (those little finger things by the spider's mouth that help hold the prey) and chelicerae (sharp beak looking parts near the mouth) . Hang from the ceiling with string or hide in a spot to scare someone!

5. Start a nature journal. Sketch your live spider on the first page. Add details like where you found it, how large it is, and so on. Color it with colored pencils. Add to your journal each time you find an interesting specimen.

6. Need I say web? Make your own spider web (get permission first) by stringing masking tape back and forth on the walls down a hallway. Try and navigate the web crossing without getting stuck!


Have fun with those eight-legged arachnids of the scary category. "There's a spider on the floor, on the floor. . .

Thanks, Raffi.

Over in the Meadow - Books You Can Sing

Over in the Meadow, based on the original version by Olive A. Wadsworth, illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats (Scholastic, Inc., 1971)

Over in the meadow, in the sand, in the sun . . .

I cannot NOT sing this book. If I read the title, it instantly transforms into a song - complete with melody, animal sounds, and fumblings with who does what and when. I love this book!

The illustrations are adorable and opportunities for learning about life in the meadow many. Just think about it. Sing and learn. Young children learn so much when they can sing, act out, and explore nature and life in general when everything is accompanied by music.

Use this captivating book as a spring board for exploring and discovering nature.

Some fun things you can do:

~ Read and sing the book. Admire the illustrations and discuss the animals featured in the book.

~ Gather a magnifying glass or two and head out for a nature walk. How many bugs can you find?

~ Use a notebook (cheap this time of year at back-to-school sales) and make an observation journal. Date a page and draw a simple picture of each living thing that catches the interest of your child. Help draw and color with colored pencils. Add to the nature journal during subsequent walks.

~ Find a bug hotel at a thrift store or yard sale. Catch - observe - and release.

~ Hunt by phone. Or camera. Or Ipad. Make a slideshow of the photos. Do some scientific research to identify those critters you've electronically captured.

~ Go to the library. Check out books that will help identify and explain the findings from your investigations.

~ Put out the watercolor paints. Draw simple animals with a permanent marker. Fill in the lines. Or just paint and have fun. Rubber stamp animals and insects could easily be stamped on top of dry watercolor paintings.

Go nuts. Enjoy nature with a song in your mouth.

Shake My Sillies Out - Books You Can Sing

Shake My Sillies Out by Raffi (Troubadour Learning, 1987)

Oh, the joy preschool and kindergarten children have had with this book you can (and definitely should) read and sing! I've used Shake My Sillies Out for many a transition and steam releasing activity.

Illustrated by David Allender, this song-turned-picture-book delights with colors, words, and story line. Any person working with or loving young children needs this song in their arsenal of wiggle controlling delight producing "things to do with kiddos."

Some ways to use Shake My Sillies Out:

~ Learn the song first. Search Raffi and download the song. Teach to and wiggle with children before picking up the book.

~ Read the book as a picture book.

~ Read the book and sing at the same time. This has the added bonus of getting kids to pay attention to words and page turns.

~ Add props as you sing and wiggle - scarves, ribbons, crepe paper, or other flow-y materials.

~ View the illustrations and get children to help you make up a story that goes with the pictures.

~ Make a shaker by adding buttons to paper towel tubes and taping the ends shut. Let kiddos use markers to decorate the shakers. Sing and shake those sillies! (Caution: Supervise buttons - choking hazard if put into mouths - and securely tape ends closed.)

You may have to act silly and make a fool of yourself! But it's all in fun. Be a kid again.

Wiggle those waggles away.

Five Green and Speckled Frogs - Books You Can Sing

Five Green and Speckled Frogs - Illustrated by Constanza Basaluzzo
(Scholastic, Inc., 2008)

What do you get with five green speckled frogs, a great book, music, and a room full of children?

Silly, singing children having lots of fun.

This is one of the all time favorite songs and books of my kinders. No matter which version we sing, they love the story, melody, and motions. We read and sing through each as often as I can stand it.

Motions?
Of course. I always add or make-up and then add motions - the sillier, the better.

Props?
You bet. Some examples are:

~ large cardstock frogs that are colored and laminated. These are held up by five students and go down one by one as the frogs jump into the pool.

~ plastic toy frogs. Just what it sounds like. Those funny, greenish plastic tub or play toys. They love this activity when I also provide a blue towel (the cool pool) and a bumpy, messy log (the speckled log).

~ hand-made puppets. They love making their own green speckled frogs from paper plates, markers, felt, googly eyes, glue, and staplers. Tip: Fold paper plate in half, color the outside green, draw a red tongue on the inside (a strip of red construction paper works better), glue on googly eyes, and add a strap on the top outside to help students to grip the puppet.

Other ideas:

~ felt frog stickers on top of wide craft sticks

~ magazine frog cut-outs, glued to cardboard

~ oh, I almost forgot the absolute favorite - froggy bean bags

Music?

Definitely. Our favorites are Raffi and CJ's Fundamentals.

You will have so much fun, you may find yourself outside with a net, digging through mucky ponds, hoping to secure a green and speckled frog for your terrarium!

Who Stole the Cookies? - Books You Can Sing

Who Stole the Cookies? by Judith Moffatt (Grosett & Dunlap, Inc., 1996)

Yes, many of my books-you-can-sing are old and well-loved. That is the truth of the matter between books, children, parents, teachers - if you love them, sing them, read them - they will look like it. It reminds me of The Velveteen Rabbit.

Who Stole the Cookies? is a favorite of every young student I have had in class. They love to read and chant the book. This cut-paper illustrated version shows a young girl predicting, using clues, and enlisting animal friends to help solve the mystery of who snitched the cookies. This may be the only time is is OK to steal something!

After our read/sing/chant aloud, we always sit in a circle and play the game that goes hand-in-hand with the book. In the game, each child has a chance to be blamed. I think this may be the only time they want to be blamed for something. I always continue until all have had a turn. And then we make-up who we think stole the cookies.

Eating real cookies after the book and game is the perfect ending.


Game:

All: Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?

Me (or student who was just it): Khloe stole the cookies from the cookie jar!

Khloe: Who me?

All: Yes, you!

Khloe: Couldn't be!

All: Then who?

Khloe: Hayden stole the cookie from the cookie jar!

And then Hayden has a turn. The entire game is echo and response. The more drama, the better. They love it!

Old MacDonald Had a Farm - Books You Can Sing

Old MacDonald Had a Farm with Pictures By Holly Berry (Scholastic, 1994).

I may have had this book since it was published in 1994! The edges certainly look well loved.

I love singing books, which leads to children memorizing the words and singing books, which leads to children connecting memorized words to text on pages, which leads to reading and the love of books! What a fun and amazing ride!

Old MacDonald Had a Farm makes its appearance each fall when the FARM theme comes to life. Most students and children are familiar with this song utilizing farm animal sounds. We have a grand time singing, making animal noises, and acting out animal movements.

Berry enlivens this popular children's song by adding the element of animal participation - by allowing them to become band members who play and sing with the Old MacDonald. And a fun time was had by all . . .

You know it. You are humming the song. E-I-E-I-O.

America the Beautiful - Books You Can Sing

America the Beautiful (Scholastic Inc., 2001)

Just in time for the 4th of July, check out America the Beautiful.

Put out by Scholastic Inc., this small book delivers big on photographs of the natural beauty, space, vastness, and variety of our country. Large text words spread throughout the book of the first verse can be read, ignored, or enjoyed with the proper melody.

Share what makes our country great.

The Lady with the Alligator Purse - Books You Can Sing

The Lady with the Alligator Purse by Nadine Bernard Westcott (Megan Tingley Books, Little, Brown and Company, 1998)

My absolute favorite books (you will find that I use those words quite a bit - my favorite books) are ones that I can read or sing to children. Once the rhythm and melody are in their heads, children easily memorize the words and can then go on to apply that knowledge to decode words and read to themselves. No, that is not my ulterior motive.

Actually, yes, it may be. I do want children to read to themselves - and love it!

But mostly, I want children to love singing and reading and become lifelong readers. So let's give a hip hip hooray for books you can sing!

The Lady with the Alligator Purse by Nadine Bernard Westcott is a perfect example. Though the words and tune are old (I remember singing them as a child, and I've reached the 50+ category), this board book is an adorable adaptation of the popular children's chant. Not only for reading, this book/song is also a hand-slapping rhythm game - the type you do with a partner. I've even heard the song being used as a jump rope rhyme.

Let's bring back those singing, clapping, slapping, jumping, and rhythm songs. And while we're at it, let's pull in the book version to give our children links to the printed word.

(Humming) Miss Lucy had a baby. His name was Tiny Tim ...