{"id":71,"date":"2007-11-06T09:39:21","date_gmt":"2007-11-06T16:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=71"},"modified":"2008-08-01T09:55:54","modified_gmt":"2008-08-01T16:55:54","slug":"i-like-to-move-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2007\/11\/i-like-to-move-it\/","title":{"rendered":"I Like to Move It"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>(I’m posting a day early due to the fact that I will be at a summer reading program workshop all day tomorrow and won’t have access to a computer.)<\/p>\n

We’ve entered the eating season, ladies and gentlemen. We’re sick of the fun sized candy bars and we’re thinking about our Thanksgiving menu (does anyone remember Thanksgiving being three weeks after Halloween? Or am I just getting older?). Then comes Christmas cookies and Hanukkah\u00a0latkes.\u00a0 Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and\/or Kwanzaa, delicious and very special feasts probably play important roles in your celebration.<\/p>\n

We also celebrate dance during this season. At this time, ballet companies and schools are in preparation for their biggest event\/fundraiser of the year-the annual performance of the Nutcracker (Jennifer Fisher wrote a fascinating book titled Nutcracker Nation: How An Old World Ballet Became a Christmas Tradition in the New World<\/strong> that I highly recommend).<\/p>\n

Dance is also a great stress reliever and cardiac\/calorie buster\u00a0workout. As we anticipate turkeys and tutus, let’s take a look at some dance-themed picture books that are great for a high-energy toddler\/preschool storytime.<\/p>\n

\"wiggle.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m sure I’m not telling you anything new when I tell you that Doreen Cronin’s Wiggle<\/strong> and Bounce<\/strong> books are perfect for a dance\/movement storytime. While some books in rhyme have a forced and awkward rhyme scheme, Cronin’s text trips perfectly along your tongue. Not only do they invite (but not demand) audience participation, there are plenty of gags sure to make your toddlers\/preschoolers giggle (“Feeling extra silly? Wiggle in your underwear!” Underwear is always funny-even the mere mention of it.).<\/p>\n

Not only does Jonathan London’s Who Bop?<\/strong> include rabbits and frogs “boppin, hip-hop hoppin,” but it also includes the sax-playin’ Jazz Bo (a cool cat, naturally) and his drum and piano playing friends. It’s sock hop night at the jazz club, and everyone is getting down.\u00a0 You’ll definitely want to practice this one before your storytime, or\u00a0you might stumble\u00a0on the quick rhythm of the text. The font is also quite jazzy, which makes it a little tricky for the story reader. However, the illustrations are crisp and clear, and the “story” is infectiously fun.<\/p>\n

Books that are heavy on rhythm and slight on story can be delightful, but if you include too many in one storytime, children’s attention spans will probably drift. Bill Martin Jr’s Barn Dance <\/strong>definitely includes rhyme and rhythm, but there’s also a genuine story twirling through the text (a young boy discovers animals dancing the night away). Illustrations of a scarecrow and pumpkins are prominent, so it’s perfect for the fall season.<\/p>\n

\"bigbearball.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I sense a subtheme going here….dancing animals! Here’s another one to throw into that theme: Joanne Ryder’s Big Bear Ball<\/strong>. This is a genuine country hoedown, complete with a caller and fiddlers. The caller is the narrator of the story; he’s busy calling out the steps and describing the illustrations. Bears of all sorts, from brown bears, polar bears (I think that’s what the white bears are supposed to be), to panda bears arrive by hot air balloon (why not?) for a fun-filled night of swinging and two stepping. Toddlers will love it, but older preschoolers may think they are too old for it.<\/p>\n

\"hopjump.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Our final\u00a0book involves an\u00a0individual and independent-minded\u00a0frog who basks in the joy of dance. Betsy would rather dance than hop or jump; as a frog, this puts her into a problematic situation. The other frogs tell her that there’s no room for dancing; however, they are soon intrigued by Betsy’s new style of locomotion. Sure enough, everyfrog but one is twisting and hopping. This guy insists that there is no room for dancing, until Betsy tells him otherwise. Simple text, a solid storyline, and large, clear, and uncluttered illustrations make Hop Jump<\/strong>\u00a0a terrific choice for toddlers and young preschoolers.<\/p>\n

That’s only a handful of dance-themed books. I’d love to hear your suggestions!<\/p>\n

Fingerplays and action rhymes are easy for this storytime! Although these books involve animals, you can save your animal-themed fingerplays for another storytime. This is a great time to break out your tried and true. The children who already know the songs will love performing them, and it’s a great way to introduce standards to families that are not familiar with them. Here are just a few suggestions:<\/p>\n