Fifth Annual StoryWalk® to be Held Saturday, May 24th in the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum Alley

Exercising body and mind through the joy of reading and a walk in an alley in downtown Hattiesburg will be the centerpieces of StoryWalk®, a unique concept combining physical activity and literacy will be held for the fourth year in a row on Saturday, May 24^th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Pocket Museum.
 
StoryWalk® transforms the pages of a book into signs laid out on a trail inviting families,
children, caregivers, teachers and others to follow the path of pages. Created by Anne
Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, the now internationally popular StoryWalk® Project has taken place in all 50 states and beyond, including in Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea where projects have been installed. Many of these installations are permanent or semi-permanent.
 
The featured book for this year’s StoryWalk® will be Silly Sally written by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Don Wood.
 
Stacy Creel, Director of The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) School of Library and Information Science (SLIS), spearheaded the move to bring StoryWalk® to Hattiesburg through the support of a community collaboration.  “The School of Library and Information Science is excited to return to the Pocket Museum Alley for our 5^th annual StoryWalk®,” said Creel. “This exciting opportunity gets kids moving and reading and geared up for summer reading programs at their local libraries!”
 
The first 300 children arriving for the Hattiesburg StoryWalk® will be eligible to receive a free,
brand-new and age-appropriate book for their reading pleasure. Although StoryWalk® is
designed for younger children ages 1 – 7, older kids and adults can have fun too with other activities that will be provided as they experience the joys of reading and exercise in the uniquely creative environment the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum offers. 
 
“The Hattiesburg Pocket Museum is proud to welcome StoryWalk® again this year,” said Vicki Taylor, HPM’s volunteer curator.  “It is so special to see the faces of the children when they receive a new book to take home.”  “The wonderment that StoryWalk® creates is what the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum is all about,” continued Taylor.
 
The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County personnel will be on site promoting their Summer Reading Program, “Read Among the Stars”.  “We are excited for this StoryWalk® and for summer reading at the Library of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County,” said Miranda Davis, Youth Services Librarian.  “We hope that families will join us for space-themed fun at the library.”