Young readers ‘make art out of words’

Participants in the Ozark County Volunteer Library’s summer reading program for kids show their “make art out of words” craft projects inspired by the children’s books Fear the Bunny by Richard T. Morris and The Fox and The Box by Yvonne Ivinson. From left: Simcha, Avi, Tseidle, Eli, Gabe and Ethan Emunah show the foxes and bunnies they made using recycled copies of the Ozark County Times. Library volunteer Aletta Moore, who directed the summer program, said this year’s theme was “Tails and Tales,” with a focus on animal books. The youngsters read different versions of the Three Little Pigs stories (the original, then one told from the viewpoint of the misunderstood wolf, and other versions as well). Moore said the young readers also read and talked about stories describing reluctant friendships between predator and prey, and about farm animals behaving in unusual ways to solve their problems. In Click Clack Moo, for example, the cows obtain a typewriter and send notes to the farmer demanding warm blankets for use in their cold barn. The library’s summer program ended Tuesday, July 20, with the children receiving their incentive awards and prizes for the reading they’ve done. Then, after a few more stories connecting animals with reading and libraries, they celebrated their accomplishments with cake and lemonade, Moore said.