just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water

Thanksgiving does not exist, at least not for this week's storytime. I have moaned about my themed storytime misadventures elsewhere, but this is not about that. Honestly I sort of forgot about it until yesterday (though some incredibly racist Thanksgiving-themed window art in my neighborhood makes it a little hard to overlook) so whatever. I had been thinking about books I wanted to for a while already and Thanksgiving just got lost in the shuffle. Chalk it up to being a little busy with other stuff.

Writing about how I forgot to think about Thanksgiving books for storytime did remind me to order pumpkin pie, so that's a bonus. But that's not the point. On to what we are going to do:

1.  Opening:  Hello Song [with Gareth]
2.  Song/Activity:  Open Them, Shut Them

3.  STORY: Ginger / Charlotte Voake

This may be the "gentlest" story we have tried in a while. I want them to love it so very much, because I love it so very much. I think it will go over well, especially since we are starting with it.

4.  Stretch: Hickory Dickory Dock
5.  FP: Balloons

6.  STORY: Don't Squish the Sasquatch! / Kent Redeker

I have been itching to use this book in storytime for a bit, ever since I reviewed it for ACL a while back. The art is great, the story is silly, and I think it will be a hit. But will it? Stay tuned. Also: I was going to do The Little Red Hen flannel board story in this spot, but I am thinking shakers and flannel boards are a bit much this week. Purely from a logistical, how-do-I-carry-all-of-this-junk perspective, really. Maybe next time, when I take a week off from shakers.

7.  Song/Activity: Baby Shark

Oh boy! I have been waiting to do this one as well. I am borrowing the version used by great children's librarian Jim Jeske at SFPL. I think the original is a camp song (or something) that can get pretty gory; rest assured, this version focuses on a bunch of sharks that love each other. Hooray!

8.  Stretch: Chocolate
9.  FP: One Two Buckle My Shoe

10.  STORY: Chicken Butt! / Erica Perl
11.  Song/Activity: Can You Shake Your Egg with Me?
12.  Closing:  The More We Get Together [with Gareth]