KT Tanner, PC Players Readers Theater, School Program
As excited young students celebrated Reading Week in Litchfield Park’s Corte Sierra Elementary School, eight of our readers each joined a classroom to share the joy of reading. The readers displayed everything from animated story reading and discussion to poetry to storytelling and puppetry.
One of our well-traveled readers read Come Over to My House by Dr. Seuss about life and customs around the world. Ben Rides On by Matt Davies, Hooway for Wadney the Wat by Helen Lester, Picnic at Mudsock Meadow by Patricia Polacco and Miss Suzy’s Treehouse by Miriam Young are about children or animals in group settings. These stories encourage the appreciation of and respect for differences in others. One of our readers read Shel Silverstein children’s poetry using puppets to enhance her stories and poems. Students heard The Little Engine That Could by Wally Piper, a classic story of determination and perseverance. They heard How to Babysit A Grandma by Jean Reagan—a delightful tribute to the relationship between grandmas and grandchildren. Students enjoyed hearing Miss Nelson Is Missing by Harry Allard. Miss Nelson comes up with a clever plan to get her rowdy class under control. She “sends” a mean substitute, Miss Viola Swamp, to teach her class. They heard Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk. Little Miss Spider is very social and so disappointed when the guests she’s invited to her tea party scurry away afraid of her. Then a rainstorm gives her a chance to demonstrate her good intentions as she treats a rain-soaked moth with tea and sweets. The good news travels fast as others see what a kind little spider she is.
Classroom teachers have the students create their own class books where they write and illustrate to tell their story. This gives them a peek at how books are created and teaches them to appreciate the opportunity to sit down with a good book. PebbleCreek readers are pleased to work with these eager young children.