My Happy Place: Confessions of a first-timer’s story time

By Stephanie Espinoza

 

About to work with youth librarians who knew the industry, who could recite the Dewey Decimal system by heart, who had hundreds of lesson plans on file from years’ worth of story times, I started out feeling just a little too embarrassed to admit that I didn’t actually know what this “Ellison Die” was (I am now, however, an expert). I had come to the Green Valley Library fairly fresh from college, my library experience limited to being a middle and high school library aid when I was in middle and high school. Thus, naturally, the idea of my very first solo story time was the epitome of intimidation. I had to sing, perform for and hold the attention of a room filled with 25 toddlers.

 

Granted, I did not walk into this experience unprepared. I’d observed story times at Malcolm, Gibson, Paseo Verde and Green Valley, not to mention a library job shadowing in middle school and my own personal story times I still remembered from childhood (an avid library patron since age two). Each situation taught me something new as I began to learn from each wonderful librarian what worked best, which kinds of personality types fit which kinds of activities and what approaches I liked. I soon gained insight from our story time training module and also children’s craft activities that I planned and executed myself. But now it was time for the big one.

 

As I stood at the front of the room, practicing my routine to the empty air 10 minutes before showtime (passerby patrons that could see me through our program room’s glass doors must have thought I was nuts), I realized something important. I was nervous. But not that nervous. My stomach wasn’t churning. My heartbeat wasn’t fast. I knew what I was doing and -- though a shy person by nature with a sub par singing voice -- I secretly loved this. I loved performing and singing. I loved organizing and seeing my efforts come to fruition. I loved children and I loved children’s books. So this was nothing. This was me in my element, in my happy place.

 

After the toddlers arrived I went through the story time just as I had practiced. I adjusted for time and attention spans. I got kids stretching, dancing, handing me letters for the felt board, clapping at the end of each story and actually listening when I tried to maintain order by randomly calling out, “Eyes on me!” I had toddlers complete a family portrait craft. Perhaps the greatest success -- thank you, God -- no one cried!

 

I am no longer a story time newbie. I am by no means a pro, but I also know that there is nothing to be afraid of. I did it.

 

Now I just have to do it again next week….