Category Archives: Picture Book Projects

The Postman Always Rings Mice

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It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood as you deliver some very special mail to some very special houses!

We read Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds by Marianne Dubuc ‎ (Kids Can Press, 2015). Diligent and determined, Mr. Postmouse piles his little wagon with letters, packages, parcels and baskets to deliver to the critters along his route, saving the best for last! From underground lairs, to high treetops, to deep ponds…this charmingly illustrated adventure is a wonderful read, with cute touches to keep you revisiting the pages!

The hands-on portion of our story time was very simple. We found these DIY paper mailboxes in the depths of our craft drawers, and the kids decorated them with markers and designed 6 custom mini postcards using this template.

Next, we gave each kid 6 pieces of construction paper “mail” to deliver to 6 different houses using a color-coded mail route list! Each of the domiciles had a mailbox with a delivery slot. And, just like the book’s illustrations, we made sure each house was unique to its owner!

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Wreck & Roll!

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Can you combine story time and demolition work? Well, in the eternal words of Bob the Builder, “Yes we CAN!” You should have seen the reactions when the library kids learned they were going to make wrecker crane costumes. And when we brought out dozens of foam bricks for them to stack up and knock down? Sheer joy!

We read Smashy Town, written by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino (Harper, 2020). Mr. Gilly has a very busy day ahead – he has to demolish multiple layers of an old building to make way for a new one. There’s lots of smashing, crashing, crumbling, and tumbling, which makes for an excellent story time read aloud!

You’ll need:

  • 1 file storage box
  • Box cutter
  • 1 wrecking ball crane template, printed on 8.5″ x 11″ card stock
  • Construction paper or poster board
  • 18″ piece of Styrofoam pool noodle
  • Ribbon
  • 22″ x 22″ piece of black plastic tablecloth
  • Handful of
  • Scissors, tape, masking tape, and glue for construction
  • Markers for decorating
  • Hot glue

With the exception of the wrecker arm, this crane is the same model we used for our jingle truck story time back in 2023! Use a box cutter to remove the bottom of a file storage box, then bend and hot glue the cardboard to create the front of the crane. You can use construction paper or poster board to cover the box, or simply decorate it with markers. Use the template to decorate the crane with a grill, safety stickers, and a vanity plate.

The oh-so-essential “wrecking ball” is a 22″ x 22″ piece of black plastic tablecloth stuffed with polyester fill. Secure the top of the ball with masking tape, then tightly knot a piece of ribbon around it. Thread the ribbon through an 18″ piece of pool noodle, then secure the ribbon to the base of the noodle with masking tape. Cut two slits in the bottom of the noodle, then slide it onto the front of the vehicle. Reinforce the noodle in place with plenty of hot glue and masking (or packing) tape – it’s going to get a lot of wrecking action!

To wear the costume, knot two pieces of ribbon through the open handles of the box, then slide the ribbon suspenders onto your shoulders. Done!

When the wrecker crane costumes were complete (and we also donned snazzy plastic hard hats), we brought out dozens of foam construction bricks to knock over. Originally, these bricks were used in our “planter gardens” at a Peter Rabbit Party event. From gardens to construction sites, they are very versatile!

The fun did not stop at the library, though. One young man was so enamored with his wrecker crane, he wore it the rest of the day! His mom emailed us some photos of him out and about town, hard at work!

My personal favorite…

A Real Hootenanny

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It’s a simple craft, but oh-so-dynamic when this owl family reveals itself to be a set of charming nesting dolls!

We read Owl Babies, written by Martin Waddell, and illustrated by Patrick Benson (Candlewick Press, 1992). Owl Mother is gone from the nest, and her three baby owls anxiously puzzle out where she could be. It’s not long before Mother returns, with much flapping, dancing, bouncing, and celebrating from her dear owlettes. A sweet tale of connection and family, this was one of Katie’s son’s favorites when he was a little guy. Now he’s a massive freshman at the University of Oklahoma. Just like owls, time flies!

You’ll need:

  • One small oatmeal container
  • One 14oz paper cup
  • One 8oz paper cup
  • One toilet paper tube
  • Construction paper
  • Scissors, tape, and glue for construction
  • Markers for decorating
  • Optional: feathers

As you can see, we did different combinations of construction paper, textures, and feathers to make each owl unique, but also to keep them visually cohesive as a family. If you can, we highly recommend brown AND white cups, just to give the nesting doll reveal a fun color-change.

For safely transporting their owl family home, we also gave a kids a “nest.” As you can see, it’s a paper bowl covered in brown paper. We made sure the paper was firmly flattened and glued in the bed of the bowl, so there would be no wobbly owl babies!