Make Way for Readers

Toddler-PreS—A variety of young and curious animals ride and roll to a grassy nook by a pond for Miss Bingo's storytime. Miss Bingo, a flamingo, leads the enthusiastic group through songs, dances, and Mother Goose rhymes. The little ones are rapt as she reads them stories of kittens with lost mittens, and Miss Muffet's tuffet. The animals are kind and encouraging to one another, especially when little Annabelle Mouse's toe is trod upon by Rufus, a clumsy crocodile. Gentle Rory the fox steps in to save the day by making Annabelle smile and giggle, and Miss Bingo leads the crowd in a cheer for their storytime hero. Even when the last story is read and it's time to leave, Rory remembers his favorite storytime moments. Short rhyming sentences and a large, easy to read font make this a great choice for toddler storytime. There are plenty of opportunities to invite the group into discussion and action through prompts such as "How did you get to storytime today?" or "Let's stretch up high like Miss Bingo." The soft and inviting colored pencil illustrations emphasize the interactions among the children as they navigate their world. The uncluttered background and simple compositions keep the focus on the energetic and lovable characters.