First Lady’s Storytime mixes fun with love of reading
Posted on May 29, 2020 in Capitol Connection, Featured
Good news for parents looking for a safe, virtual way to inspire a love of reading among their children. First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige has launched a weekly storytime on her Facebook page that people can access anytime. Mrs. Ige’s book choices combine positive messages with fun activities to help families enjoy their time together at home.
The first program featured the book “Rosie Revere, Engineer,” about a little girl who dreams big dreams. “By day, Rosie is a shy little girl. By night, she’s an engineer who transforms ordinary items into extraordinary gadgets,” explained Mrs. Ige. “I chose this as the first book because Rosie never quits — she perseveres. I think that’s an important message as we deal with COVID-19. I hear stories every day about how creative people are finding solutions to their problems.”
Mrs. Ige with “Rosie Revere, Engineer,” the first book in the Storytime series.
As a former 3rd grade teacher and vice-principal, the first lady knows the value of developing a reading habit. As a parent, she recalled, “The governor and I used to read to our children every night. During the summers, we went together to the library and signed up for reading programs.” Now, as first lady, she has launched the ‘Ohana Readers program as a pilot project on Moloka‘i, which partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to provide free books to children under five years of age.
“I want to thank every single person across the state for doing their part in keeping our communities safe and healthy,” she said, adding that the state Department of Health has a resource called “The Parentline” that provides resources for parents and caregivers. Anyone can visit theparentline.org or call 526-1222 or toll-free at 1-800-816-1222.