A Wonderful Way To Celebrate

The StoryWalk selections at The Village Green in Cashiers reflect the changing of the seasons.

If you and your loved ones have taken to strolling through StoryWalk at The Village Green in Cashiers, you’re going to witness changes just as dramatic as the seasons unfolding around you.

This month you’ll be treated to Frozen , the beloved Disney version of The Snow Queen that’s captured the imaginations of children around the world. According to The Village Green’s Ashlie Mitchell, kids and the grown-ups who loved them are welcome to belt out Let It Go at the top of their lungs. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the end of winter.

That’ll set the stage for the installation of Run Little Chaski Run Little ChaskiCorrez Pequeno by Mariana Llanos and Mariana Ruiz Johnson in April. This tale is warm and funny and illustrated with cheerful springtime colors.

StoryWalk is part of a national move - ment to encourage storytelling and exercise in a unique, fun combination. Pages from a children’s book are installed along a path in a public park, in this case The Village Green, and as children and families stroll along a path, they have the opportunity to read pages of the chosen story.

Often, pages are accompanied by activities or information that encourages interaction.

“These are fully bilingual, as well,” said Serenity Richards, branch librarian of the Albert Cashiers-Carlton Community Library. “We switch the books out every 6-8 weeks so that families can continue to enjoy the walk throughout the year.

“All of the groups involved in bringing StoryWalk to the community are very committed to having the book chosen to be presented as bilingual. We want the walk to be engaging for as many families as possible. Having a bilingual

StoryWalk allows us to serve a broader range of area families and visitors to our area.”

Books for StoryWalk are chosen in conjunction with the library and the Literacy Council of Cashiers.

“We take into consideration age appropriateness of the material, variety of reading levels, availability in English and Spanish, topics of community interest, and possible activities that can be created to encourage interaction with the book and each other,” explained Richards. “Activities are created to showcase the text, encourage physical activity, deepen understanding of vocabulary and concepts included in the book, and to draw all members of the family into the action.”

by Luke Osteen