Building Block Award Winners -- 9/2/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

10 Little Ninjas by Miranda Paul
Naked! by Michael Ian Black
Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos

Books:
Dandy by Ame Dyckman
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont
I'm Terrified of Bath Time by Simon Rich
NO Is All I Know! by Chris Grabenstein
Press Here by Herve Tullet
Pug Meets Pig by Sue Gallion

Craft: Mustache Baby
- Print template (at left) onto cardstock or heavy paper
- Cut out pieces (baby, mustache)

- Color pieces

- Glue mustache to baby's face

Extension Activities:

- Practice voting.  Have your child(ren) vote on different things such as favorite food, book, game, etc.

- Visit https://molib.wildapricot.org/Building-Block-Award to learn more about the Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award and to discover the past winning books.

Naked! Story Time -- 6/27/23

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Naked! by Michael Ian Black
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

Books:

Catch That Baby! by Nancy Coffelt

Cold Turkey by Corey Rosen Schwartz

Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown

How to Dress a Dragon by Thelma Lynne Godin

Maggie and Michael Get Dressed by Denise Fleming

No Pants! by Jacob Grant

The Skeleton in the Closet by Alice Schertle

Craft: Naked Mole Rat Paper Doll

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (naked mole rat, clothes)

- Color pieces

- Glue clothes to naked mole rat

Extension Activities:

- Discuss the importance of clothes.  Talk about what clothes is appropriate for which situations.  Ask your child to create outfits for different occasions.  

- Make a tie-dye t-shirt with your child.  Have your child rubberband a t-shirt in various places.  They can do as much or as few rubberbands as they like.  Then dye the t-shirt using the directions on the dye packet.

Template --

Picture Book Genres: All About Me! -- 6/7/22

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am and Tuesday evenings at 6:00 pm.  Online Story Times will be posted weekly on Tuesday mornings.  (The video is available to watch for one week before a new one is uploaded.)

Click HERE for this week's Story Time video.

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont
I'm Bored by Michel Ian Black

Books: (Body Parts, Emotions, Self-Control, Self Esteem, etc.)

Chill, Chomp, Chill! by Chris Ayala-Kronos

Don't Hug Doug (He Doesn't Like It) by Carrie Finison

Happy in Our Skin by Fran Manushkin

I Feel . . . by DJ Corchin

Incredible Me! by Kathi Appelt

Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers
Parts by Tedd Arnold

Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis

When Sophie Gets Angry -- Really, Really Angry . . .  by Molly Bang

Craft: Flamingo

- Print out template on heavy paper or cardstock

- Color pieces (body, wing) and cut out

- Glue wing onto flamingo's body

- Hole punch at bottom of flamingo's body

- Thread pipe cleaner through hole and twist to stay in place.  Bend pipe cleaner so flamingo standing on one leg.

Extension Activities:

- Review body parts with your child.  Ask your child to name the different body parts as you point to them.  

- Sing some "ME" songs such as Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, If You're Happy and You Know It, etc.

Template --

The Alphabet: NO -- 3/22/22

Join us weekly on Tuesdays for an online Story Time featuring books read by Miss Amy.  The video will be available for a week before a new online Story Time is posted.

Click HERE for this week's Story Time video.

Mosquitoes Can't Bite Ninjas by Jordan P. Novak
Naked! by Michael Ian Black
Baz & Benz by Heidi McKinnon

Books:
Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor
How to Put an Octopus to Bed by Sherry Duskey Rinker
I Want That Nut by Madeline Valentine
Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward
The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House by Eric Litwin
Octopants by Suzy Senior

Craft: O is for Owl
- Print template on cardstock or heavy paper
- Color pieces of owl (O body, head with beak, wings, feet) before cutting out pieces
- Glue head to top of body
- Glue wings to sides of body
- Glue feet to bottom of body


Extension Activities:
- Make a Name Puzzle.  Write your child's name on a long piece of paper.  Have your child decorate the paper before cutting it into pieces so each letter is on a different piece.  See if your child can put their name back together again.
- Get messy by making some painted O art.  Place a small amount of paint in a shallow dish.  Then let your child stamp Os on a piece of paper using a variety of things (i.e. paper towel tubes, drinking straws, round plastic lids, etc.).


Template --

Our Bodies: Bottoms Story Time: November 18-19, 2019

Books:
Chicken Butt by Erica Perl
Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black
Parts by Tedd Arnold *
We've All Got Bellybuttons by Bill Martin Jr. *

Craft: Person Puzzle
Children were given a large gingerbread man cutout in pieces.  They glued the pieces onto a piece a paper reassembling into a person.  They then colored the person.


Extension Activities:
- Ask your child what movements different body parts can do.  (i.e. toes can wiggle, fingers can snap, arms can stretch, etc.).
- Chicken Cheeks gives synonyms for "derriere".  Ask your child if they can come up with synonyms for other body parts.  (i.e. toes = piggies)

Building Block Award Past Winners Story Time: September 3, 2019

Books:
Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos *
Naked! by Michael Ian Black *
Pug Meets Pig by Sue Gallion *

Craft: Person
The kids colored a large person cutout and glued on sparkles so it was no longer naked.

Extension Activities:
- Pug Meets Pig is all about friendship and sharing.  Schedule a play date for your kids stressing good friendship and sharing beforehand.
- The character of Beard Baby is introduced at the end of Mustache Baby.  Ask your child what they think would happen after Mustache and Beard Babies meet.  Then read the other books in the series to see how it is the same or different.

Elephant & Piggie: I'm a Frog! Story Time: June 17-18, 2019

Books:
Archie and the Bear by Zanni Louise
The Birthday Box by Leslie Patracelli
For Just One Day by Laura Leuck *
I'm a Frog! by Mo Willems *
I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black *
On My Way to the Bath by Sarah Maizes

Craft: Frog on Lilypad
This week's craft was based on the picture at left.  The children colored a paper plate as a lilypad and a flower to glue onto the plate.  They also colored a frog cutout.  The frog was attached to the plate by a piece of accordian-folded paper to the frog will "hop".

Extension Activities:
- Engage in some pretend play.  Ask you child to act as various types of animals.
- Pick an animal to learn more about.  There are great informational books for kids at the library to learn about animals.


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Good Night Story Time: March 27-28, 2017

Books:
Bubble Bath Pirates by Jarrett Krosoczka *
Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas *
Mitchell's License by Hallie Durand
Naked! by Michael Ian Black *

Craft: Moon and Stars Mobile
This week's craft was based on the picture at left.  The children were given a cloud, moon, and four star cutouts to color.  They then tied the moon and stars to the cloud with yarn to turn into a mobile.

Literacy Extensions:
- Bedtime stories is a great way to end the day with your child.  Make it a tradition in your family to read a story or two before bedtime.
- Practice counting by trying to see how many stars your child can count in the night sky.


Template --

Naked! Story Time: February 1-2, 2016

Books:
Naked! by Michael Ian Black *
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems *
You Can't Go to School Naked! by Dianne Billstrom *

Craft: Naked Mole Rat Paper Doll
The children were given a cardstock cutout of a naked mole rat.  They then also got a sheet of "clothes" that could be colored and cut out to put onto their naked mole rat.  The craft came from the Mo Willems website at http://www.pigeonpresents.com/teachersguides/molerat_event_kit.pdf.

Literacy Activtities:
- After reading You Can't Go to School Naked, ask your child to come up with more reasons why you need to wear clothes.
- The Mo Willems website has several more great activities to go with Naked Mole Gets Dressed at http://www.pigeonpresents.com/teachersguides/molerat_event_kit.pdf.


Notes:
Naked! by Michael Ian Black was just awarded the Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award for 2015 as the favorite picture book as chosen by preschool children.

2015 Building Block Award Nominees Story Time: September 28-29, 2015

Books:
Digger Dog by William Bee *
I'm My Own Dog by David Ezra Stein *
Naked! by Michael Ian Black *

Craft: Digger
The children colored and then glued together cardstock pieces to make a digger.  The template can be found at the bottom of this entry.

Literacy Extensions:
- After reading Digger Dog, talk about being a paleontologist who searches for dinosaur fossils.
- After reading I'm My Own Dog, learn about dog training.  Several books are available at the library on dog training.


Notes:
Attendees at this week's story times were able to vote for their choice for the Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award.  You are still able to vote even though you didn't attend by visiting the Kansas City Public Library's online voting at http://www.kclibrary.org/kids/missouri-building-block-2015 or by voting at the Arnold Branch during the month of December.

Template for Digger Craft

Favorite Books of 2014: December 8-9, 2014

Books:
Found by Salina Yoon *
Froodle by Antoinette Portis
How to Cheer Up Dad by Fred Koehler
How to Lose a Lemur by Frann Preston-Gannon *
Naked! by Michael Ian Black *

Craft: Lemur
We made a lemur today where the kids colored the various body part and glued them together to make a lemur.  The template can be found on the DLTK kids page.

Literacy Extensions:
- Discuss the importance of clothes.  Talk about what is appropriate clothing for various situations. (i.e. Naked!)
- Talk about how it feels to lose a favorite toy or animal.  Then discuss how it feels to give a formerly cherished toy or animal to a friend.  Select a toy or animal to donate to a charity for the needy.
(i.e. Found)


Notes:
All of the stories we read this week were really short. I probably should have added a fourth book to the story time.

Tummy & Tushie Story Time: November 17-18, 2014

Books:
The Belly Book by Joe Harris *
The Butt Book by Artie Bennett
Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black *
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont *
Mother Mother I Feel Sick Send for the Doctor Quick Quick Quick  
          by Remy Charlip

Craft: Gingerbread Person
Each child was given a coloring sheet of a gingerbread person.  They were directed to color it like they would like to paint themselves (i.e. I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!).  I also handed out sparkles for those who would like to add them to their picture.

Literacy Extensions:
- Explain how different words can mean the same thing (i.e. Chicken Cheeks).  See if your child can come up with some examples.
- Use The Belly Book as an opening to talk about healthy eating.

Notes:
While I love all of the books I used this week, they really do go over best with the older children.  The Belly Book was a little long for the toddlers we had.  Also, the humor of Chicken Cheeks goes over better with slightly older children.  Although I did hear a lot of snickering from the parents on that one.

Building Block 2013 Nominees Story Time: September 16-17, 2013

Books:
Find a Cow Now by Janet Stevens *
I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black *
It's a Tiger! by David LaRochelle *

Craft: Flamingo
Children were given a flamingo body cut out of cardstock to color.  They could then choose a piece of pipe cleaner to bend in half and tape on as legs.

Literacy Extensions:
- Talk with your child about how they know what certain animals are like in Find a Cow Now.
- Figure out what you can do with a potato that might be fun (I'm Bored).