Local Author Storytime perfect for all ages

The summer literally vanished in a puff of smoke, giving way for the cool temperatures and the slow shift in colors of the leaves.

As the last RVs leave Sandpoint in a cloud of dust, we enter a transitional period where the sounds of splashing water and cries for ice cream are replaced by the growl of school bus engines and the ringing of bells. This transition can make finding family-friendly activities challenging, to say the least. Fortunately, there are still two local author story times occurring at the library this autumn.

Storytime is about more than just killing an hour away from home, however. It’s an important event for children and parents alike. Storytime directly helps children by developing literacy skills, as well as speaking skills. It promotes an interest in reading for joy, which helps make reading for school or work fun and enjoyable. Additionally, it helps fill a social void in a day and age where we need to be at an arm’s length at all times, for our own safety.

For me personally, reading as a child helped develop my imagination, which helped me connect to other kids and also be less restless during times when I was alone. It also built the foundation for my love of both reading and writing later in life, which I feel are both core pillars of who I am as an adult — especially in an age dominated by text.

Storytime helps parents develop skills in step with their children. It allows parents to connect with their children through reading, while also learning vital storytelling skills from experienced storytellers. This helps parents and children bond in a way that television or toy-based playtime simply doesn’t.

Local Author Storytime events are a great way for parents to meet other parents and creators in the community, and open up avenues for pursuing goals some may never have realized they could obtain. Have you always wanted to publish a children’s book, but didn’t know where to start?

Join us on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m. in welcoming local author Paul Graves and illustrator Julie Coyle as they read their children’s book: “Sox Looks For Home”. Based on a true story of an adventurous, homesick feline, “Sox Looks For Home” details the adventures of the titular cat, Sox, as he regales his feline friend, Pepper about his extraordinary escapades.

Don’t forget to mark Oct. 9 on your calendar as well, for the final Local Author Storytime in the series, as the library welcomes Bill Borders for a reading of his children’s book “A Horn is Born”. The library will also be showcasing a unique display of antique shoe horns from the Pend Oreille Arts Council in lead-up to the event. Still worried about forgetting about the event? Don’t worry. Keep an eye on the Daily Bee over the next few weeks for another reminder, and we’ll see you there.

Brenden Bobby can be reached at the East Bonner County Library, 1407 Cedar Street, Sandpoint, by phone at (208)263-6930, or email at brenden@ebonnerlibrary.org .