Two things of note for this storytime (check out the PDF here):
1. This is not my preferred version of Herman the Worm (or “Hermie the Wormie”). I have included mine below. I feel very strongly about Herman the Worm – I grew up with it, and this is the version I have known and loved all these years.
2. In case you’re wondering, “Extreme” Thumbkin is actually just regular Thumbkin with Extreme Animal finger puppets (elephants, tigers, etc.)
Books for Older Children
The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog – Ana Martin-Larranaga
Cowboy & Octopus – Jon Scieszka
Harry the Dirty Dog – Gene Zion
The Mightiest – Keiko Kasza
Snip-Snap – Mara Bergman
Tacky the Penguin – Helen Lester
Books for Younger Children
Little Gorilla – Ruth Bornstein
Peek-a-Zoo – Marie Torres Cimarusti and Stephanie Petersen
Polar Bear, Polar Bear – Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle
Seals on the Bus – Lenny Hort & G. Brian Karas
Through the Heart of the Jungle – Jonathan Emmett & Elena Gomez
Zookeeper Sue – Chris L. Demarest
Stretchers
Extreme Thumbkin
Baby Shark
Ants Go Marching
Hermie the Wormie
Bingo Was His Name-O
5 Little Ducks
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Herman the Worm (the real version)
Chorus:
I was sittin’ on my back porch,
Chewin’ my bubble gum (smack-smack-smack-smack)
Playin’ with my yo-yo (woo-up, woo-up)
…when along came Herman the Worm,
and he was THIS BIG! (hold hands about six inches apart)
And I said, “Hermie, baby, whaaat happened?”
He said, “I ate my sister.†(hands on belly)
And I said, “Hermie, I’ve told you once, I’ve told you twice: you can’t eat your mama, or your papa, or your sister, or your brother!”
And he said, “I know,” and he slithered away. (slithering motion with hands)
Chorus
…when along came Herman the Worm,
and he was THIS BIG! (hands about a foot apart)
And I said, “Hermie, baby, whaaat happened?”
He said, “I ate my brother.”
And I said, “Hermie, I’ve told you once, I’ve told you twice, I’ve told you a hundred times: you can’t eat your mama, or your papa, or your sister, or your brother!”
And he said, “I know,” and he slithered away. (slithering motion with hands)
Chorus
…when along came Herman the Worm,
and he was THIS BIG! (hands a couple feet apart)
And I said, “Hermie, baby, whaaat happened?”
He said, “I ate my mom.”
And I said, “Hermie, I’ve told you once, I’ve told you twice, I’ve told you a THOUSAND times: you can’t eat your mama, or your papa, or your sister, or your brother!”
And he said, “I know,” and he slithered away. (slithering motion with hands)
Chorus
…when along came Herman the Worm,
and he was THIS BIG!!! (hands as far apart as they can go)
And I said, “Hermie, baby, whaaat happened?”
He said, “I ate my dad.”
And I said, “Hermie, I’ve told you once, I’ve told you twice, I’ve told you a hundred million kabillion (etc.) times: you can’t eat your mama, or your papa, or your sister, or your brother!”
And he said, “I know,” and he slithered away. (slithering motion with hands)
Chorus
(Here, we often said stuff like, “And ten million years later…”)
…when along came Herman the Worm,
and he was (small voice) this big. (tiny!)
And I said, “Hermie, baby, whaaat happened?”
He said, “I burped!” (big burping sound)
The Grave, James Heneghan
Kathleen: The Celtic Knot