On Tuesday, June 24, Ready Readers, a St. Louis nonprofit with the mission of expanding literacy for early readers, planted pages of the children’s picture book, “Shhh! The Baby’s Asleep” by author JaNay Brown-Wood and illustrator Elissambura, in The Gardens at SIUE. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is one of 14 locations this June taking part in this interactive reading activity, known as a Storybook Walk. Visiting The Gardens at SIUE is free of charge.

“The Gardens at SIUE is thrilled to partner with Ready Readers. The Storybook Walk combines reading and nature by displaying pages of 'Shhh! The Baby’s Asleep' by JaNay Brown-Wood, a children's picture book along our Woodland Shade Stroll for families to enjoy while visiting the Gardens,” said Carol Gardner, volunteer coordinator for The Gardens at SIUE.

Rebecca Dabbs, Director of SIUE’s Early Childhood Center, added, “Reading and nature are closely connected; the natural world provides a rich context for developing literacy skills.”

The Storybook Walk displays pages of the book on yard signs, which allow families to read the story aloud while touring this area of the 36-acre property. According to Ready Readers, this year's installations also include interactive prompts on every page, encouraging readers to hop, whisper, or act out scenes from the story, making the experience even more engaging.

"With our Storybook Walks, we're not just promoting literacy. We're inviting families to move, play, and read together through joyful, everyday moments," says Maggie Strube, Program Director of Ready Readers.

Ready Readers organizes hundreds of volunteer readers in the St. Louis metro region to participate in the Storytime program each week, distributing more than140,000 books a year. Now in its fifth year, the Storybook Walk represents a collaboration between Ready Readers, early childhood centers, community partners, and local parks, aimed at preventing summer learning loss and promoting literacy access beyond the classroom.

Lealia Williams, SIUE’s Student Care and Advocacy Coordinator, said, “The Storybook Walk on campus is a wonderful opportunity for SIUE families and the community. We're grateful to Ready Readers for partnering with us to make this possible. It’s a fun, interactive way to keep kids excited about reading over the summer. Thank you for helping us promote literacy at SIUE!” 
 
PHOTO:  The Ready Readers Storybook Walk installation at The Gardens at SIUE