Ole Miss Bookstore Hosts Kids Reading Corner with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Savannah Woods 
HottyToddy.com Contributor
 
Every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., you can find children filling the lobby of the Ole Miss Bookstore to attend a Kids Reading Corner. Since April 2017, the bookstore has hosted this free event filled with reading, snacks, and arts and crafts for children of all ages to enjoy. 

Department Manager Katie Wallace said this event happens year round except for the two weeks that the University of Mississippi starts back to school in August due to the high demand for textbooks. The event started when the bookstore moved into its new space at the Jackson Avenue Center. 

“When we first moved into this temporary space (the Jackson Avenue Center), it gave us better access to the Oxford community,” Wallace said. “On campus it is difficult for people to find parking and reach our old location in the Student Union, so once we moved over here we wanted to do something fun to involve the Oxford community and University community for kids.” 
Today the selected reading was The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and guest speaker Miss Black Tennessee US Ambassador Arielle Hudson read to the children. 

“I contacted the Ole Miss Bookstore and we came up with reading the The Very Hungry Caterpillar for today and the caterpillar arts and craft activity,” Hudson said. “My platform is on literacy and I have gone to a lot of different schools and community events reading to kids while trying to spread a love for literacy.” 
After the reading, the children did a hands-on caterpillar craft and received caterpillar-themed snacks. Wallace says that this event is a great way to get children engaged and out of the house during the day.
“During the summer we see quite a bit more kids coming to the event, but during the school year it gives kids that are too young to go to school yet something to do during the day,” Wallace said. “We tried to align it so we weren’t competing with any other reading events in town so they can come to as many as possible.” 

Wallace said during the story time children are encouraged to interact during the reading and answer questions to help better develop a love for reading at an early age. 
Next Thursday, July 26th, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. the Kids Reading Corner story will be Hello Red Fox by Eric Carle with an interactive craft and snack. 

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