Suggested Age: Pre-School-K

Submitted by Lori Tonaki, School Librarian, Moanalua Elementary School

Book: One Witch by Laura Leuck

Activity #1: Halloween Finger Play / Counting

“One witch, on a hill, had an empty pot to fill. So what does that one witch do? She goes around to visit all her fiendish friends: two cats, three scarecrows, four goblins, five vampires, six mummies, seven owls, eight ghosts, nine skeletons, and ten werewolves. Count up and count down again as one witch gets ready for a fun-filled monster bash. Come along, they’ve got a special surprise waiting just—FOR YOU”!

After reading this story, you can sing this finger play with your child along with the puppet activity that is simple to make. You can also use visuals to help sing this song.

Activity 2: Song: “Three Little Witches” (adapted from bussongs.com) (Tune: “Ten Little Indians”)

• Words (and pictures)

“Three Little Witches”

One little, two little, three little witches
Riding on broomsticks
Flying over ditches
Sliding down haystacks without any hitches
Hi, Ho! Halloween is here!

Activity 3: Finger Play Puppet to go with song:

Materials:

• 3 Popsicle sticks
• Color crayons
• Printed pictures of witch heads and hats in circles (download template)
• Glue
  

Instructions:

1. Cut out six witch circles.
2. Glue two circles back to back onto one popsicle
3. Sing finger play using the popsicle sticks.
   

Note: Each child singing this finger play will need three witch puppet popsicle sticks.

Suggested Age: Grades K-2

Submitted by Imelda Corpuz-Amano, School Librarian, Manoa Elementary School

Book: Night Tree by Eve Bunting

Activities: Pre-reading and Post-reading Activities

Materials:

• One copy of the book, Night Tree

Instructions:

1. Chat with your child(ren) about what happens at Christmas (focusing on gift giving), the best gifts they’ve gotten and some of the best gifts they’ve given. What about gifts that don’t cost much? How are those gifts made?     OR
2. Chat with your child(ren) about the meaning of the word, tradition. If the child does not know, tell them that it is something special that happens once a week, once a month or once a year. Examples include Halloween, Christmas, birthdays.
3. Say, “After we read this story, see if you can tell me what the tradition is in the story. (What does the family do every year in winter that doesn’t cost too much to do?)
4. Read the story, “Hand Wreath” aloud.
5. Chat again about gifts and tradition.

Activity: Hand Wreath

Supplies:

• Colored paper marker or pencil
• Glue
• Ribbons
• Beads
• Scissors
  

Instructions:

1. Trace your hand on the colored paper.
2. Cut out the traced hands (need at least 10 traced hands).
3. Glue them together into a round shape.
4. Decorate hand wreath with ribbons, beads, glitter, crayons, etc.
   

RELATED BOOKS: The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown and The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston

Suggested Age: Preschool

Submitted by Hilda Comitini, State Librarian, Manoa Public Library

Book: Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham

Craft stick puppets are fun and easy to make. They are very entertaining and simple to create. Simply print, cut, and glue the characters mentioned in Mr. Gumpy’s Outing onto sticks. Use them while telling the story, and have children make them to take home.

Activity: Mr. Gumpy’s Outing Craft sticks puppet

Materials:

• Template of a boy, a girl and animals mentioned in the book. See colored and black-and-white templates below. Source: https://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/MrGumpyPopsicleStickPuppets.html
• Glue stick
• Markers
• Craft sticks

For the canoe:

• Brown construction paper
• Scissors
• Yarn
• A hole punch
• Paper towel tube

Instructions:

1. Print and cut out the templates of the characters mentioned in the book.
2. Glue a craft stick at the back of each paper character.
   
3. Fold the construction paper in half.
4. About a half inch from the fold line, make another fold.
5. Do this on both sides of the original fold.
   
6. Draw a canoe shape on the paper (make sure the folds are on the bottom of the canoe).
7. Cut the canoe shape and punch a few holes on each end.
   
8. Using a yarn, weave through the holes.
9. Cut several slits along the top of the tube for the crafts sticks to fit into.
10. Push the folder flat and insert the tube so that the canoe sits upright.
    
11. Insert the craft stick one by one into the tube as you tell the story.

Color and Black-and-White Templates

Suggested Age: Toddler-Grade 1

Submitted by Sri TenCate, State Librarian, Molokai Public Library

Books: A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza and Are You My Mother? By P. D. Eastman

The Molokai Public Library holds a monthly “READ TO ME Family Night.” We start the program with the introductory song, “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and sing songs related to the monthly theme. One of our regular volunteers is a musician who plays her Vietnamese bamboo instrument and accompanies the singers, which include parents, volunteers, children, and staff. At times, her husband comes with a guitar and forms a “band.” Then we share theme-related books to read aloud. The read-aloud is followed by craft activities with supplies provided. After the completion of the activities, every child chooses a new book to keep.

Activity: Mother’s Day Card

Materials:

• 1 sheet of colored 8 ½” x 11” index card- weight paper for picture background.
• Several sheets of colored paper for flowers.
• Pens or pencils
• Glue

Templates

• Download Flower Template

Instructions:

1. Fold the paper in half to create a card.
2. Draw and cut out a vase.
3. Draw and cut out colored paper stems, flower petals and leaves for the flowers.
4. Make flowers by gluing cut-out colored paper stems, flower petals, and leaves.
5. Very lightly outline the vase.
6. Arrange flowers in the “Happy Mother’s Day” vase.
7. Paste flowers onto the vase outline.
8. Paste cut out vase over flowers.

Suggested Age: 4-6 Years Old

Submitted by Joyce Garrigus, Retired Librarian, Hawaiian Mission Academy

Book: Moonbear’s Skyfire by Frank Asch

When Moonbear sees his first rainbow, he thinks the sky is on fire in this charming reissue of a beloved classic by award-winning author and illustrator Frank Asch. When Moonbear looks out his window and sees a rainbow for the first time, he’s sure the sky is on fire. He is determined to put out the skyfire, but Little Bird has other ideas.

Materials:

• Paper plate
• Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet markers
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Cut a paper plate in half.
2. Draw the bands of the rainbow on the paper plate. Make sure to put them in the correct order: red (on the outside), orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and then violet.
   

Suggested age: Kindergarten to 2^nd grade

Submitted by Tisha Aragaki, State Librarian, Hawaii State Library

Books:

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

If Rocks Could Sing: a Discovered Alphabet by Leslie McGuirk

This storytime and activity is a fun way to explore rocks in both fantastical and realistic form. The books are great introductions to varying shapes sizes and compositions of rocks and minerals. The activity itself is more for tactile play but can be more appropriately adapted by putting various types of minerals in the rocks as treasures. Polished rocks and minerals can easily be found at educational toy stores. To keep the content(s) of the rock a surprise, parents can prepare the “magic treasure rocks” for their children, or they can do the craft together.

Activity: Magic Treasure Rocks

The activity is from the parenting blog, www.growingajeweledrose.com, and was shared with us through Maryknoll Librarian, Tina Arakawa.

Materials

• Baking soda
• water
• Food coloring or washable watercolors to make the rocks.
• Vinegar
• A large bowl to dissolve the rocks in later

Instructions:

1. Add the baking soda into a large bowl, as much as desired.
2. If you’d like color or sparkle, add a few drops of food coloring and a dash or two of glitter.
3. Slowly add water and mix. Gradually add more water until the mixture is damp and moldable, but not wet and mushy. (It is easy to add too much water. If you do accidentally add too much water, just add a little more baking soda.)
4. Once mixed, mold the baking soda dough into balls, hiding treasures inside. We have used polished crystals (most exciting and even better for discussing rocks and minerals), plastic jewels, old coins and other small toys.
5. Then put the rocks on a cookie sheet or similar to dry. Drying will take roughly 24 hours.
6. Once dry you can either give them right to your child or hide them by burying outside or perhaps in a treasure chest. (At the library we have used colorful shredded paper in a chest to make discovery fun and relatively clean.)

7. After the treasure rocks have been “found,” fill your large bowl with vinegar and let your child put the rocks in one at a time.

8. The treasure rocks will dissolve into a fun, bubbly fizz and reveal the treasure in the middle! They can also be cracked open, as the rocks fall apart easily, or sprayed with vinegar for a slightly more suspenseful dissolve.

See https://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/01/magic-treasure-rocks.html

Suggested Age: Preschool

Submitted by Hilda Comitini, State Librarian, Manoa Public Library

Book: Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Activity: Llama Craft

This adorable clothes-pin llama is an easy and inexpensive craft for kids. Decorate the llama’s pajama with your own creativity. He even stands up all by himself! Kids will love making it.

Materials:

• Template of a llama
• Brown card stock
• Scissors
• 2 clip-style wooden clothespins
• Wiggly eyes
• Brown construction paper
• Colored paper
• Stickers

Templates

• Download Llama Template

Instructions:

1. Copy or print the llama’s body template on the brown card stock.
2. Cut it out.
   
3. Dress and decorate the llama.
   
4. For the legs, attach two clothespins to the body.
5. For the hooves, cut two pieces of dark brown construction paper and glue them to the clothespins.
   

Suggested Age: Read-aloud to Kindergarten- Grade 4, Independent reading for Grades 2 and up

Submitted by Lori Bruner Okamura, School Librarian, Hongwanji Mission School

Book: Kamishibai Man by Allen Say

Story Summary:
Jiichan (Grandpa) decides to ride his bicycle that carries a wooden theater box of stories and Japanese sweets to town. Many years have passed since he last clacked his wooden clappers to gather the children. Jiichan remembers the old days when he would tell his stories and show the pictures to young children and gets a surprise as he tells his stories again.

Story Lessons:
Kamishibai or Puppet Theater preceded television which was called denki (electric) kamishibai in the 1950s. Japanese storytelling; puppet theater; storyboards; advent of television; manga and anime.

Activity Ideas:

• Read the story together. Notice the details of Japan and Japanese culture in the illustrations and narrative. How did the city change over time?
• Compare Jiichan’s home, the countryside and the crowded city to places in Hawaii. What looks the same? How are Japan and Hawaii different?
• Ask your child: How do you feel when the children stop listening to Jiichan’s stories? Why do they not want to listen to his kamishibai? How is kamishibai better and worse than watching TV? How is kamishibai like a story book? How is it different?
• Make your own kamishibai using sheets of paper to illustrate the beginning, middle and end of the story. Add extra sheets of drawings to show important parts of your story. Number the pages in the back to keep them in order. Now, re-tell your story aloud using the sheets of paper for the illustrations.
• Visit Japanese Culture Center and Honolulu Museum of Art. Ask to see their examples of kamishibai.
• Make a digital kamishibai. Find images or draw your own story pages.   Write down the story and record the script as you read aloud to accompany your illustrations.

Suggested age: Preschool

Submitted by Hilda Comitini, State Librarian, Manoa Public Library

Book: In the Tall, Tall Grass by author/illustrator Denise Fleming

With a few choice words, the author traces a caterpillar’s journey for the day. The caterpillar observes, among other things, “pull, tug, ants lug,” “dart, dip, hummingbirds sip,” “strum, drum, bees hum,” “ritch, ratch, moles scratch,” “zip, zap, tongues snap,” and “stop, go, fireflies glow.” The beautifully illustrated book is filled with other music, rhyme, rhythm, and sounds that transport the reader to another world In the Tall, Tall Grass.

Activity: In the Tall, Tall Grass Craft

This is a fun and creative craft in which the children will enjoy making their own In the Tall, Tall Grass craft. The children will have a fun time coloring the insects and animals, then “hiding” them in their own grass.

Materials:

• Green poster board
• Green streamers
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Cutouts of bugs and animals mentioned in the book

Templates

• Download Insects & Animals Template

Instructions:

1. Start by folding a long green cardboard in half, creating a center crease.
   
2. Fold in half again on both sides of the crease.
3. Cut out the insects and animals printed from the template.
4. Color them.
   
5. Glue and decorate all the insects and animals on the board.
6. Cut 2”-long green streamers.
7. Glue the streamers all along the top of the board.
   

Final product:

Suggested Grade Level: Preschool – Grade 4

Submitted By: Dori Seatriz, School Librarian, Mililani Ike Elementary School

Book: The Hungry Pua’a and the Sweet Sweet Potato by Leonard J. Villanueva 

A hungry pua’a (pig) comes upon a sweet potato in the forest. He is so proud of his find that he can’t help but brag about it and show it off to his forest friends. Hungry pua’a later learns the importance of friendship and sharing.

Recommended Readings / Related Books:

Kaipo and the Mighty Ahi written and illustrated by Leonard J. Villanueva

Too Many Mangos: A Story About Sharing by Tammy Paikai

The Boy Who Wouldn’t Share by Mike Reiss

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Williams

Activity #1: Make Sweet Potato Desserts from Hawai’i

Websites to visit for delicious recipes:

2. https://www.ilovehawaiianfoodrecipes.com/recipes/sweet-potato-haupia-pie/
3. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/pie/sweet-potato-haupia-pie.html

Activity #2: Character Stick Puppets to Retell the Story:

Materials:

• 5 Popsicle sticks
• Markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils
• Tape
• Scissors
• Character printout

Instructions:

1. Print the attached character printouts.
2. Color with markers, crayons, and or colored pencils.
3. Cut around characters.
4. Tape popsicle sticks to the back of characters.
5. Use the puppets when reading the story aloud. Then use puppets to recall story elements (characters, setting, events, problem, and solution).

The Hungry Pua’a and the Sweet Sweet Potato

Suggested Age: Preschool-Elementary

Submitted by Tisha Aragaki, State Librarian, Hawaii State Library

Books:

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Mr. Tuggle’s Troubles by LeeAnn Blankenship

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

This is a fun storytime and activity combination, as the stories are silly and the craft is lively, exciting and ultimately wearable. Caps for Sale and Mr. Tuggle’s Troubles are particularly fun stories to act out with children, as they are full of energy. The underlying messages in Mr. Tuggle’s Troubles and the I Want my Hat Back series by Jon Klassen, are more mature than Caps for Sale and can be better appreciated by children in the elementary age range, but younger children will still be able to appreciate some of the humor and vivid illustrations. The craft itself is noisy and fun, and hats can be decorated anyway you want!

Activity: Big floppy paper hat

Materials:

• Newspaper, full-page spread of the daily newspaper or cut a similarly sized piece of butcher paper or newsprint.
• Masking tape
• Decorations: Ribbons, feathers, and other decorative items

Instructions:

1. Center the sheet of paper over your child’s head, and drape the paper down all the way around the head. This part of the process can be loud as the paper is crunching around the child’s ears, so be sure to warn your child that it may be noisy. Also, make sure younger children in particular are comfortable as this step requires the paper covering their eyes. Losing sight of people can be a little alarming for some children, so talk to your child throughout the process.
2. Use masking tape to make a band around your child’s head. This creates a hatband that will mold the hat to his or her head. Try to align the front part of the hat band right above the eyebrows. Make sure you don’t make it too tight or too loose or it won’t stay on the head. It usually takes 2 or 3 wraps around the head to create a sufficient hat-band.
   
3. Take the ends of the paper that are draped around the child’s head and crunch and roll them up almost all the way to the hatband, to make the brim of the hat. It is up to you how wide or short you make the brim.
   
4. Once the brim of the hat is completed, take the hat off, and decorate however you like. Ribbons, punched shapes and crepe paper fun to decorate with; but use your imagination and be as creative as you want!
   

Suggested Age: 4-6 Years Old

Submitted by Joyce Garrigus, Retired Librarian, Hawaiian Mission Academy

Book:The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

The story is about an arrogant ladybug, who challenges another ladybug to a fight over some aphids but then decides he isn’t large enough to be worth fighting. He then travels around the world and encounters a series of increasingly larger animals, challenging each to a fight but then declining and looking for a larger animal. Eventually, he encounters a blue whale, who slaps him with his tail and sends him flying back to where he started. He then decides to be nice and share the aphids with the fellow ladybug. The book is unusual in that the size of the page is not the same throughout the book, but increases with the animal size. Also, the blue whale’s tail takes up a page in itself and turning it is meant to represent the slapping motion. The time of day is also shown at the side of each page.

Activity: A Ladybug

Materials:

• Red construction paper
• Black felt-tipped pen
• Scotch tape
• Pencil
• Scissors

Templates:

• Download Ladybug Template

Instructions:

1. Fold a piece of red construction paper in half.
2. Use a pencil to draw the outline of half the ladybug on the red construction paper.
   
3. Cut the folded paper along the outline.
   
4. Unfold the ladybug. Use a black felt-tipped pen to draw the laybug’s dots and other markings.
   
5. Cut out the ladybug’s antennae, color them black, and tape them to the ladybug’s head.