Showing posts with label didja ever see a fishy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label didja ever see a fishy. Show all posts

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Down came the rain

It's raining. Again. Cold, too. I've gotten used to May in Kansas being pleasant and warm. Last week I had a fire in the wood stove. I'm considering having another today.

Or I could turn my attention further to water, to the summer reading theme Make a splash at your library. The program I'm offering for the theme is called Didja ever see a fishy? and it will be a medley of puppets, stories and songs. Trixie is considering wearing a shower cap, Ray the ray puppet will swim up out of the bag thanks to the "mistic hand." I'm certain that Prince, formerly known as Frog, will make an appearance. I suspect the baby will sing The Itsy Bitsy Tiger.

The title of the program is from a song I learned from another storyteller. Here it is:

Didja ever see a fishy on a hot summer day, (wipe sweat from brow)
Didja ever see a fishy all swimming in the bay, (mime fish swimming)
With her hands in her pockets and her pockets in her pants, (hands on front pockets, then on back)
Didja ever see a fishy do the hoochie koochie dance? (little dance)

You ne-ver did (clap, clap), you never will.

Didja ever see a fishy on a cold winter's day, (shiver)
Didja ever see a fishy all frozen in the bay, (mime hands forming a block of ice)
With his hands in his pockets and his pockets in his pants, (hands on front pockets, then on back)
Didja ever see a fishy do the hoochie koochie dance? (little dance)

You ne-ver did (clap, clap), you never will.

I'm still playing with stories. I'm thinking of The Pincoya's Daughter, a Chilean story about an old woman who finds a baby mermaid, and Little Crab's Magic Eyes. Maybe also Mud Puddle by Robert Munsch. I just found a newer story Munsch wrote called Down the drain that might work.

I'll keep you posted!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Meet Ray


In 2010, the summer reading theme in public libraries around the country is Make a Splash: Read! for younger kids, Make Waves at Your Library for young adults and Water Your Mind: Read for adults, with help from the Collaborative Summer Library Program.

As librarians begin contact me about performances for summer, I'm preparing. I'm offering a program called "Didja ever see a fishy?" which will be a mix of stories, songs and puppet hilarity for all ages. I expect we'll have a big fun time.

When found this eagle ray puppet, I was compelled to buy it. His name? Ray, of course. I'm still working on his voice and character. So far he's a bit of a wise guy.



Kids often ask how many puppets I have. I don't know, but I'd guess around 75, including those I let kids use. Some come out for a summer and then retreat to the puppet closet (yes, they have their own closet), some stay in the puppet bag forever, some make guest appearances from time to time.

Stay tuned for more news from Ray. I wonder if his last name is Dio. It's possible I'll get to tell stories in Raymore or Raytown, Missouri. I should get some mileage out of that.