Media

The moment guest reader Nisa Popper held up her colorful storybook, the roomful of 3-to 5-year-old ‘Future Foxes’ grew very excited.

“We want ‘The Snowy Day’,” they shouted.

The occasion – Jones Elementary School’s “Future Foxes Story Time” – was held in the library media center Friday afternoon. The guest reader was librarian Nisa Popper from Severna Park Community Library “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats as her first book.

“I was surprised the children knew the book,” Popper said. “It’s an old favorite written in the 1960’s. Most of the kids seemed familiar with the pictures and the words. Two little girls even told me when I missed a page.”

Reading teacher Karen Simpson, who’d welcomed everyone and introduced Popper, was pleased with the turnout. There were 19 children seated on carpet squares around the librarian and even more seated at tables with their parents.

Simpson said Future Foxes Story Times are an annual tradition.

“Media Specialist Kate Rogers and I created the event four years ago in collaboration with the Severna Park library as a way to promote early childhood literacy,” Simpson said. “It serves the dual purposes of introducing our soon-to-be students to reading and familiarizing them with our school.

Jones Elementary’s brightly hued library media center – complete with its pair of plush foxes – was a cozy setting for story time. The “fox” is the school mascot and also a nickname by which Jones students are known – hence the term “future foxes” in the event’s name.

An animated and expressive reader, Popper held her young audience’s attention throughout “The Snowy Day” and, between books; she charmed them with humorous songs and games. In keeping with her winter theme, she chose a newer book, “I Want Snow” by Tony Ross, for her second reading.

At the end of her appearance, Popper invited the children to visit her where she can usually be found…at the Severna Park branch of Anne Arundel County Public Library. Like her fellow librarians, she frequently visits elementary schools, middle schools and high schools bringing along scores of fascinating books.

Following the reading, it was time to make a fun craft developed by art teacher Amy Degenhard – bejeweled snowflakes that kids and parents could work on together.

The first children to begin making snowflakes at their table, under the watchful eyes of a fox mascot, were Holly Pierce and Ryan Rose. Soon they were joined by others.

Ryan’s mother, Tory, said it was her son’s first time visiting and as entertaining for her as him. At a smaller table, parents Jonathan and Ashley Rice were watching daughter Lola make an especially pretty snowflake.

“This is really fun,” Johnathan said. “Our daughter already loves books. We read to our children every night. But we wanted to come because she’ll be coming here in two years.”

Carly Knott, who was helping her daughter Elana and her friend Mary Merritt construct snowflakes, said both little girls were excited to come because they’ll be starting kindergarten at Jones next year.

“They’re really eager because Elana’s brother James is here in fifth grade and Mary has one sister in first grade and another in third,” Knott said.

Wielding a glue gun to apply the finishing touch to a final few snowflakes, Simpson said she was delighted with the response to the story Future Foxes Story Time invitation…especially since several families came back for the second year.

“We feel Future Foxes Story Time is beneficial for both us and the Severna Park library,” Simpson said. “We’re told the library has seen a boost in kids wanting to attend their story times and obtain their own library cards.

“For us, the event was also a perfect tie-in with Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ January campaign through social media @AACountySchools #aacpsReadWithMe” to get children interested in books. As a county, we’re trying hard to create a culture of literacy.”