Hello there! I’m Ryan Lagaan, and today we’re going to have a fun storytime with Craig Tobey and our special guest reader, Oscar Otto. We’re so excited to share a wonderful story with you. If you enjoy it, don’t forget to tell us by clicking subscribe or leaving a comment!
This story is dedicated to Mrs. Taylor’s class at Woodville Elementary in Lafayette, Louisiana. Thank you for joining us! Today, we’re reading “The Christmas Selfie Contest” by Rosy Greeny, with pictures by Clare Fennell. Let’s dive into the story!
In a big, busy workshop filled with toys, the elves were hard at work. They were making lots of noise as they hammered and chatted, working together as a team. But one elf named Alfie was a bit different. He liked to work alone and often boasted about his toys, saying, “I’m great! I make the best toys!”
One day, the other elves got tired of Alfie’s bragging. The head elf suggested, “Alfie, why don’t you take a walk?” So, Alfie went out and saw a poster at the gingerbread store. It announced a selfie contest by Santa! “Send in your photos, and he’ll pick the best!” it said. Alfie was sure he would win!
Alfie was excited and started taking selfies. First, he asked some polar bears to pose, but one sneezed and ruined the picture. Then, he tried with a whale, but got splashed with water! Finally, he asked some owls, but it was too dark, and the pictures were blurry.
Nothing was going right for Alfie. Someone suggested, “Maybe you should help the other elves instead.” Alfie thought about it and decided to go back to the workshop. The elves welcomed him, and together, they finished making toys. Alfie realized that working as a team was much better!
With a big smile, Alfie had an idea. “Let’s take a selfie together!” he said. All the elves gathered, and they took a wonderful picture. When they sent it to Santa, they won first prize! The prize was a sleigh ride with Santa himself!
Alfie was so happy and invited all his friends to join him. When Santa arrived with his sleigh, the elves hopped in, and they flew into the sky. Alfie was glad he shared his prize with everyone.
Thank you for listening to “The Christmas Selfie Contest” by Rosy Greeny. We hope you enjoyed the story! If you want to hear more stories, remember to click subscribe. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. See you next time!
Teamwork Toy Building: Gather some building blocks or LEGO pieces. Work with a friend or family member to build a toy together. Discuss how working together helps you build faster and come up with new ideas. What was your favorite part about building as a team?
Selfie Adventure: Just like Alfie, go on a selfie adventure around your home or neighborhood. Take pictures with different objects or people. Try to capture a moment where you are helping someone or working together. Share your favorite selfie with your class and explain why you chose it.
Elf Workshop Observation: Imagine you are an elf in the workshop. Observe a group activity at home or school, like setting the table or cleaning up. Notice how everyone works together. What happens when someone helps out? What happens when someone doesn’t? Draw a picture of your observation and share it with your class.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hey, I’m Ryan Lagaan, and welcome to Storytime with Craig Tobey and our special guest reader, Oscar Otto! Remember, if you like what you see, click subscribe, give us a like, or leave a comment.
This next story is dedicated to Mrs. Taylor’s second-grade class from Woodville Elementary in Lafayette, Louisiana. Thanks for setting this up! Today’s book is “The Christmas Selfie Contest” by Rosy Greeny, illustrated by Clare Fennell.
I don’t know about you, but I think I’m ready to start reading right now!
Okay, here we go!
“The Christmas Selfie Contest” by Rosy Greeny, illustrated by Clare Fennell.
In a big busy workshop with shelves full of toys, the elves worked hard and made lots of noise. They hammered, clattered, chattered, and played, working as a team on the toys they made. But Alfie was different from all the rest; he didn’t like teamwork; he liked being the best. He boasted about all the toys he created and showed them to everyone, shouting, “I’m great! I make the best toys!”
Some say he should be proud, but maybe he should be a little less boastful. One morning, the elves were so tired of his talk that the head elf said, “Alfie, please go for a walk.”
So Alfie went out to the gingerbread store and noticed a poster he hadn’t seen before. It said, “Santa is holding a selfie contest! Send in your photos, and he’ll pick the best!” A selfie contest in the North Pole!
“Can we still submit?” Craig asked. “Oh, get your phone! Take a picture!”
Young Alfie was certain he’d win with ease. “I’ll take the best selfie; it sounds like a breeze!” he told all his friends, but they just got annoyed. “There’s no time for selfies; we need to make toys!”
Young Alfie ignored them and wanted to try out some selfie ideas. He ran to the polar bears chilling outside. “Please pose for a selfie!” he eagerly cried. The bears made a tower, but one of them just had to sneeze!
Alfie rushed off to a whale in the sea. “Will you pose for a selfie with me?” But as Alfie’s camera went off with the flash, the whale spurted water on him with a splash!
Then, as it grew darker, owls fluttered past. “Will you take a selfie with me?” Alfie asked. The group had a hoot, but it still wouldn’t do; the sky was too dark, and the selfies were too blurry.
Not going well! Every time Alfie tried to take a selfie, something bad happened.
“Should you just quit and go back and help out with the other elves? It’s kind of the right thing to do,” someone suggested.
“Yeah, you know what they say: if at first, or second, or third you don’t succeed, try again!”
Poor Alfie ran back to the workshop in tears.
“Forget about selfies,” the other elves said. “Let’s finish these toys with some teamwork instead.”
The elves got to work, and at last, Alfie saw that when they worked as a team, they could do so much more!
They sanded and painted with painstaking care, and soon there were colorful toys everywhere. The workshop looked magical!
Young Alfie then had an idea. “Let’s pose for a selfie!” he said with a grin. “With all of us in it, this selfie could win!”
He sent off the selfie, and to his surprise, he got a reply saying, “You’ve won first prize! Your prize is a sleigh ride with Santa himself! Congrats on your selfie; you’re one lucky elf!”
Young Alfie was thrilled and knew what to do. He showed all his friends and said, “You should come too!”
When Santa arrived in his beautiful sleigh, the elves clambered in, and then they went on their way. As Santa’s reindeer soared into the skies, young Alfie was glad they had all shared his prize.
The Christmas Selfie Contest by Rosy Greeny, illustrated by Clare Fennell.
Well, thanks for watching Storytime with Ryan Lagaan and Craig Tobey! If you loved that book and want to see more, please click subscribe. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We’ll see you next time!
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This version removes any informal language, unclear phrases, and maintains a more polished tone while preserving the essence of the story.
