Children's Picture Book Reviews for Groovy Storytimes
Welcome to the Groovy Storytimes book review guidelines page! Here you'll find everything you need to put together your own storytime based on popular and widely-loved picture books. These reviews differ from the listings on the Groovy Storytimes Home Page in that these allow you more flexibility. The lesson plans on the Home Page are complete, but the Groovy Book Reviews offer you the raw materials to create your own storytime lesson plan. From here you'll find suggested books plus theme suggestions, scripture parallels, and song connections. Use these book reviews to help you design your own Christian story hour in your preschool, church, library, or homeschool. Just click the link to the left when you are ready to browse the picture book review listings.
How to use these reviews to help you develop your own storytime plan:
(Helpful definitions)
1. Word Density: This is my own subjective guide to how "wordy" a picture book is. In my storytelling experience, pages with high word density, (lots of words on a page,) tend to cause the audience's attention to waver. This depends, however, on the age group to which you are reading. Older or more mature listeners will attend longer. Interesting background music, sound effects, and engaging illustrations will also have an effect on audience attentiveness. A good rule of thumb is: the younger your audience, the fewer words per page in your storytime books.
2. My Recommended Age-Appropriateness:
Publishers use their own guides for recommending certain books for certain ages. My recommendations are based on my own experience, my own children, my audiences, and my gut feelings. You are free, of course, to make your own judgments regarding which books to use with which age groups. This category is simply offered to you as a guide based on my knowledge and experience with children and children's books.
3. Christian and Preschool Themes:
If you've spent some time browsing through my completed storytime plans, you've seen how I use popular picture books to draw out both preschool themes and Christian topics. This category in each listing provides you with ideas to link the featured picture book with a Bible lesson AND a Preschool theme. For example, if the featured story in a listing is Hans Christian Andersen's Ugly Duckling, the Christian Themes might be "God loves us just as we are," or "I am made in the image of God," or even "Joseph and his brothers" (the similarities between the two stories are striking!) The related Preschool Theme might be "Ducks," "Farm Animals," or "Famous Fairy Tales and Fables." With some practice, you'll see dual themes in every children's book you pick up!
4. Scripture Connections: These are simply Bible verse suggestions for each lesson based on the story's main ideas or the storytime theme. These Scripture Connections help tie your whole storytime together and underline your lesson's purpose.
5. Song Suggestions: Many of the suggested songs listed here are popular in Australia, and may have limited availability in the U.S. I HIGHLY recommend any song by highly-acclaimed performer and songwriter Colin Buchanan of Australia. He has a clear annointing for reaching children and adults through his music. You can hear song samples and see all his current CDs and DVDs at www.word.com.au and entering colin buchanan in the product search box.
PICTURE BOOK REVIEW LISTINGS A to Z
Book Review Sample:
Title: The Secret Birthday Message
Author/Illustrator: Eric Carle
Publisher: HaperCollins
Copyright: 1986
Word Density: Low
Age-Appropriateness: Toddler to 8
Summary: I get really, really excited about ANY of Eric Carles, books. But I get especially happy when I find a new one (or in this case, old one.) First published in West Germany in 1971, The Secret Birthday Message is a little gem. With characteristically wonderful artwork, Carle presents a simple idea. A boy named Tim discovers a mysterious coded message in his room on his birthday-eve. In it are specific instructions for where to find his birthday present. Full of symbols, shapes, and directional words like "in," "behind," and "through," Carle uses specially-cut pages that lead the reader literally on a treasure hunt through the book. And of course, in Carle fashion, there's a suprise at the end of the search. A thoroghly lovely and educational presentation by my favorite author, artist, philosopher, and universal grandpa, Eric Carle.
Preschool themes:
1. Secret messages/Pirates.
2. Birthdays.
3. Shapes.
4. Directional words.
Christian themes:
1. Follow the Savior.
2. Jesus' Birthday.
3. The Greatest Treasure is Peace With God.
4. God's message for us.
Scripture connections:
1. Matthew 6:19-21: "Don't store treasures for yourselves here on earth where moths and rust will destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them. But store your treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will be where your treasure is." (New Century Version)
2. John 8:12: "Later, Jesus talked to the people again, saying, "I am the light of the world. The person who follows me will never live in darkness but will have the light that gives life." (New Century Version)
3. Acts 10:36: "You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all." (NIV)
4. Ephesians 4:6: "[There is] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (NIV)
Song suggestions:
1. "Follow the Saviour" by Colin Buchanan from "Follow the Saviour" CD. Click HERE for a sample.
2. "The Greatest Treasure" by Colin Buchanan, from his "Practise Being Godly" CD. Click HERE for a sample.
3. "The Best Book to Read is the Bible" from Colin Buchanan's "Follow the Saviour" CD. Click HERE for a sample.
4. Song, "Luke, Chapter 9 Verse 23," from Colin Buchanan's "Practise Being Godly" CD. Click HERE for a sample. .
Enrichment:
Provide a "secret message" for the children to decode. Place a bag of treats in a hidden area. Draw a map using symbols and pictures, and show it to the children. Help them decipher the map and find the treats.
