Skip Navigation
 

DIY Digital Storytime: Tall Tales

If you just can't make it to storytime at the library, share these stories at home, at school, or at daycare for the next best thing.  All you need is your library card and a computer, tablet, or smartphone with an Internet connection.

Large baby building log cabin

Over the next few weeks I'll introduce you to great digital tools you have at your fingertips to help build your child's reading skills.  Today we're going to use a new database, Bookflix, to read some entertaining kids books.  To get to Bookflix, go the Kids Library webpage and look for the purple icon.  Then login with your library card.

Bookflix icon

Bookflix icon. You'll need to login with your library card.

Bookflix is a great literacy resource for kids who are just learning to read, designed with pre-readers through 3rd graders in mind.  With all the pictures and icons that speak, even non-readers can easily navigate the website for themselves.  Kids get to watch the video version of a storybook, then read (or listen to) a non-fiction book about a similar topic.  After that, there are fun games and activities to play, educational websites to visit, and interesting information about the author. For teachers, each book pair comes with a lesson plan as well as a "Curriculum Correlations" tool to easily see how the lesson aligns with the Kansas College and Career Ready Standards.

Follow along below for a fun storytime.  In keeping with the Big Read, we're focusing on the Frontier days all February long.

This week's theme:  Tall Tales

Read the exciting tale of Angelica Longrider, also known as Swamp Angel, who wrestles Thundering Tarnation, a huge bear with a bottomless appetite, to save the winter supplies of the settlers in Tennessee.  You can get to it in the "Imagination" section or if you already logged in, just click on the cover above.  Before you read, introduce your kids to the word of the daylasso- a rope with a loop at the end, used to catch a cow or horse.

Imagination icon

After that learn about some of the interesting creatures who live in swamps by reading or listening to A Home in the Swamp.

A Home in the Swamp book cover

When you're done reading, try some of the fun puzzlers with your older kids.

Bookflix puzzlers icons

If you're working with younger kids, enjoy this swampy ABC song together.  (Tip:  Turn on the closed captions if you'd like to sing along.)

For a fun post-reading activity, encourage your kids to write, tell, draw, or act out their own original tall tales.

 

 
Back to Top