Snowy Favorite- Trouble With Trolls

We had our first snow of the season this week and so it is only appropriate that the first StoryTime post is a snowy story.

Trouble With Trolls
by Jan Brett.
Best for ages 4 - 9
In this wintry book Treva and her dog Tuffi plan a visit to the other side of the Mountain. On their way up the snowy mountainside they run into some very persistent Trolls who are in search of a new pet - namely Tuffi. Treva uses her wits to outsmart the Trolls and saves Tuffi in a wonderfully clever ending.
Jan Brett's Scandinavian style drawings are detailed and colorful. There is something interesting to look at on every part of the page - pay careful attention to the boarders. A real treat with this book is the Troll's underground home drawn at the bottom of each page. As you read you can see how the happenings below ground effect what is happening above ground. Because the illustrations are so fun to look at it is a perfect laptime book for any little one. Since the text is longer I would start at age 4 for preschool storytime.

Laptime Activities:

1. Read with your favorite dog (real or a stuffy) at your side. Our dogs like to sit on the couch with us.
2. Take a walk in the snow and look for Trolls.
3. Make Marshmallow Hedgehogs (oops, I forgot to tell you that there is a hedgehog in the story). Take a big marshmallow and poke stick pretzels all around. Use raisins or chocolate chips for eyes.
4. Cover a table with a blanket and make a Troll House.
5. Get out the dress ups and dress up like Trolls.

Story Circle Activities:

1. Act out the story using a stuffed dog, sweater, mittens, hat, boots, a pot, and skis (short cardboard skis work). Let the children play the characters and act out each page (a different group of children for each page) while the teacher acts as the narrator and reads the story. I have used this book for a creative drama lesson successfully with children in preschool through sixth grade. If you have dress ups in your class, dress up like trolls to add the fun.
2. Make Marshmallow Hedgehogs for snack (see Laptime activities)
3. Make a Troll house with blocks and legos.
4. Make a special Troll pet out of clay or playdough.