Singing on the Story Steps

First and second graders listened to Linda Ashman's To the Beach today on the story steps. There were groans as each family member's forgotten item was retrieved from the house and extra groans when they turned around due to a storm. They especially loved Nadine Bernard Westcott's artwork. Most amazing was the aerial view of the family vehicle with all the gear piled atop it!

I brought many of the illustrator's other books to the story steps with me, and they were gone in a snap: The Eensy-Weensy Spider, There Once Was a Man Named Michael Finnegan, The Lady With the Alligator Purse, and Peanut Butter and Jelly (my sons' favorite when they were young). The most popular book though was Miss Mary Mack. When I held it up, children started spontaneously singing. They left the story steps in tune:

Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack

All dressed in black, black, black

With silver buttons, buttons, buttons,

All down her back, back, back.