Although today's children can enjoy professional puppetry on television, there is nothing like experiencing a live performance. Live presentations, most of which are amateur productions, delight children now just as they have done in years past. This book will be a resource for schools, libraries, and other community groups that present puppet shows. The 31 plays are for children, pre-school through the primary grades. Some celebrate seasons and holidays, and others are appropriate for any time of year. Several of the shows invite young viewers to participate, and a final section is "just for libraries," dealing with topics that concern children applying for a library card, borrowing and taking care of books, joining a summer reading club, and visiting the library, both as individuals and with a school class. Each play is accompanied by production notes, so beginners will know exactly how to go about putting on a show. In addition to information about staging the plays, there are suggestions about planning programs, manipulating puppets, pre-taping, and using music to enhance the production. Simple patterns for making both hand and mouth action puppets are also included.

This is a book for anyone who tells stories-teachers, parents, and especially children's librarians. Although the storyteller must draw during the presentation, artistic ability is not necessary for success. All stories and poems in this collection of stories and poems with chalk-board drawings have been tested in library story hours and in visits to schools. Several are intended for the pre-kindergarten age group, and most are suitable for older children as well.