On November 17th, the Macksville City Library participated in the statewide program, Kansas Reads to Preschoolers.  This preschool reading initiative is sponsored by the State Library’s Kansas Center for the Book and promotes the importance of reading to Kansas preschoolers and other youth. This year’s book, written by Katherine Ayres and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott, is Up, Down and Around.  It is a fun rhyming story that shows how different vegetables grow.  We read the book to both the three and the four-year-old Pre-K classes at Macksville Grade School.

Our guest reader and speaker was Glenn Newdigger, K-State Research & Extension agent for Stafford County.  After reading the story to students, Mr. Newdigger led them in a planting activity.  Preschoolers planted lima bean seeds and special grand champion wheat seeds, with the goal of observing how they (hopefully) sprout and grow over time.

After planting their seeds, students joined librarian, Jody Suiter, in singing two action songs.  Hands, feet and even heads went up, down and around!  Students discussed their favorite veggies and how they grow.  Stop by the Macksville City Library if you want to check out Up,Down, and Around,  our new picture book from the State Library!  🙂