Get out and read at Sharon's StoryWalk(TM) this summer

(SHARON, MA) – The Sharon Public Library (SPL) wants you to take a walk: a StoryWalk™ on the Sharon Exercise Trail. Bring your children and dogs, too!

Sponsored by the SPL and the Sharon Recreation Department, StoryWalk™ combines reading and walking with being outdoors in a unique and enjoyable experience for the mind and body. Laminated storyboards are posted on 32 stakes starting at the entrance to the Exercise Trail and ending at Station 5. Individuals, families, dog walkers and others are encouraged to stroll the path and savor the text and pictures along the way. Started in Vermont as a way to inspire parents and others to stimulate children’s interest in reading and the outdoors, StoryWalk™ has spread to 50 states and 11 countries. It is free and open to the public. Participants are invited to “Add Yourself to the Story!” by posting photos or comments on social media about the experience. Visit #SharonStorywalk to join the online conversation.

The book chosen for Sharon’s 2016 StoryWalk™ is, The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth.

It is based on a story by Leo Tolstoy and was selected because of its appeal across the generations.

"This book is about a boy, Nikolai, who seeks guidance from his animal friends, the heron, monkey, dog, and turtle, to answer the three questions,” explains SPL Children’s Librarian Jessica Henderson. “This book also first introduces a panda into Muth's writing. Muth is most known for his Zen books featuring the panda, Stillwater." The story features beautiful watercolor drawings and discussions of the questions: When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? Calling the picture book, “a complicated book I really like,” as well as “thoughtful” and “deep,” Henderson says her own children, ages 3 and 6, loved the animals in the story while she was drawn to the text.

“All day long there are people taking walks, walking their dogs, and walking together with their families in the park. I think they all will enjoy this story,” she observes

Families that prefer to do their summer reading in different settings will find an extensive menu of choices at the SPL. Visit the SPL website to join one of three Book Clubs for ages 6-10 or check out the list of Massachusetts Children’s Book Award titles available for a 2-week checkout. Hop into SPL summer fun by attending some of the SPL’s preschool summer programs, including Animal World Experience, Mike the Bubble Man, Storytime at Deborah Sampson Park and Community Beach, and Sparky’s Puppets. No preregistration is required.

With the goal of strengthening the SPL’s ‘tween and teen programs, the Youth Services Department is offering summer Book Clubs as well as drop-in clubs in art, Lego, Minecraft, and Magic: The Gathering. Drop-in board games, chess and other activities are also available for tweens and preteens. “We want to bring in kids and families of all ages and have the library become more of an afterschool destination,” explains SPL Youth Services Head Jonah Smiley. The summer StoryWalk™ is part of the library’s summer reading program. Go to http://www.sharonpubliclibrary.org/summerreading.asp to sign up.

For details about these and other SPL programs, contact the library at 781.784.1578, or email jhenderson@ocln.org or jsmiley@ocln.org.

ABOUT THE SHARON PUBLIC LIBRARY

A member of the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN) with a collection in a wide range of traditional and digital formats, the Sharon Public Library (SPL) is committed to serving the informational, educational, cultural and recreational needs of all members of the Sharon community by providing access to a professional staff, a state-of-the-art facility and quality materials, programs and services.

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