Sunshine (Nursery Rhymes) & Stories

What is Sunshine & Stories?

Sunshine & Stories is a Colorado State Library podcast dedicated to all things public and school libraries. Our podcast aims to offer fresh insights, as well as spark creative and practical ideas for diverse public & school library settings. Whether you’re a veteran in the library world, a newbie looking for a little professional support, or someone who’s considering shaking things up in your library (a little or a lot), we hope this podcast will be a valuable resource for you. 

Ep. 209 Nursery Rhymes and Reasons

Episode Summary:

Kate Compton chats with Mary Lanni, the Youth Literacy and Outreach Specialist from Douglas County Libraries. Mary shares insights from her upcoming book on nursery rhymes in storytime, exploring their historical roots, cultural implications, and why they matter for early literacy. They dive into questions about inclusivity, evolving trends, and practical tips for creating welcoming storytimes in today’s diverse communities. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation as a way to reflect on your own storytime offerings. (Full transcript available here.)

00:19 – Meet Mary
01:22 – Why we need a closer look
02:51 – Common themes
07:25 – Why we sing nursery rhymes  
09:28 – New trends
14:25 – Resources  
14:14 – What’s next?
21:54 – Closing  

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Resources:

CLEL
Everychildreadytoread.org
www.imaginationlibrarycolorado.org
www.maryrlanni.com
YouTube and Spotify (@MaryLanniReads)
Storytime Solidarity 

Colorado State Library projects like this one are funded in part by the Grants to States program administered by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the Colorado State Library, Institute of Museum and Library Services, or the U.S. Government.