Over the next month, kids and families in several Marin County locations might spot full-color text panels of a book that they can read together along popular walking routes. The Marin County Free Library (MCFL) collaborated with municipalities, businesses, and other organizations to launch the program called StoryWalk®, which runs locally through November 10.
The countywide project encourages families and children to explore their neighborhoods in the beautiful autumn weather while promoting literacy, learning and exercise through a book-inspired journey. StoryWalk® is designed to strengthen library and community connections by putting nearby businesses and other local organizations on the same path to shared literacy goals and a celebration of library services for all ages.
“We are excited to partner with the Marin County Free Library on such a unique, educational, and fun program that promotes literacy and being active,” said Katie Gauntlett, Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services for the City of Novato. “We hope the community enjoys visiting our beautiful Miwok Park to participate in the StoryWalk® in Novato.”
Several of the routes feature the book Agua, Agüita / Water, Little Water by Jorge Tetl Argueta, which shares the story of the water cycle from the perspective of one little droplet. The story is written in three languages: English, Spanish, and Nahuat. Argueta is an award-winning author of picture books and poetry for young children. He is also the founder of La Biblioteca de los Sueños/Library of Dreams in El Salvador. A native Salvadoran and Pipil-Nahua Indian, Argueta spent much of his life in rural El Salvador. He now divides his time between San Francisco and El Salvador.
Walking routes for Argueta’s book are in Novato’s Miwok Park and locations near the Bolinas, Civic Center, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Inverness, Point Reyes and Stinson Beach libraries. This particular StoryWalk® is presented in partnership with Arte Público Press, Luna’s Press Books, and the City of Novato. There are 78 other local business and organizational partners collaborating on the StoryWalk® project throughout the county.
The Marin City Library route features the book The Hike by Alison Farrell, about three young friends who set out to explore their local forest. Farrell is an illustrator and author living in Portland, Oregon. Before she became a picture book maker, Alison worked on farms and taught art in K-12 schools. This Storywalk® is in partnership with Chronicle Books, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, Sausalito Public Library, and Mill Valley Public Library.
StoryWalk® was created in 2007 by Anne Ferguson in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vermont. In recent years, StoryWalk® has grown in popularity and has been adopted by libraries across the country as a safe, outdoor literacy activity for families and caregivers.
Guides to the StoryWalk® routes are available at marinlibrary.org/storywalk.
MCFL? More like LGBT! I’m following your advice and questioning authority here – this might be indoctrination of our children. Even if it is not, we must remain vigilant against such attempts!