Paper Bag Puppets

Clear and simple with over 100 ready-to-use patterns, Paper Bag Puppets is a light-hearted guide for teachers and library media specialists who are searching for fun, innovative learning activities to enjoy with students. Easy directions guide the inexperienced puppet-maker through the process of creating puppets and incorporating them into lesson plans. The book begins with instructions on how to construct and manipulate the puppet. It has suggestions for types of paper to use directions on how to make and reproduce a pattern, and tips on coloring, cutting and pasting the puppet. Most of the chapters have three parts: suggestions for the use of the puppets, puppet patterns, and simple riddles for the puppeteer to use in presenting historical characters. A table of contents and index provide easy access. The puppet patterns in the book will enable the user to create puppets for special programs centered on national holidays, storytime, or historical figures. The "cast of characters" presented includes Susan B. Anthony, Joan of Arc, Thomas Jefferson, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Johnny Appleseed, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Halloween characters including a cat, a scarecrow, and a bat. Ideal for elementary teachers and librarians, Paper Bag Puppets is sure to provide hours of interesting educational activities.

Arden Druce (M.L.S., USC) was a school librarian for twenty-one years, serving elementary, junior, and senior high schools. Now retired, she also taught grades one through six and is the author of Library Lessons for Grades 7-9, Revised ed. (Scarecrow, 1996) and Chalk Talk Stories (Scarecrow, 1993).