Libraries are always full of wonderful surprises and St Pete Public Libraries welcome song, dance and laughter at Storytime. And wowza, their librarians can do “Wheels On The Bus” with Motown-inspired moves you can’t help joining in on.
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Super Oysters Save the Bay!
And who knew oysters were amazing? I was as surprised as the 50+ Tampa summer campers who asked questions for an hour as our marine researcher explained how oysters clean our water and help protect us from hurricane flooding.
Super Oysters Save the Bay! comes from marine researcher Olivia Blondheim’s cool PhD research project at the USF College of Marine Science, and the questions our young artists asked before they illustrated this amazing story.
And if you haven’t visited the gorgeous waterfront DeSoto Park Recreation Center near Ybor City, it’s fabulous!
Many thanks to actors Vickie Daignault and Fanni Green (so grateful for their stage-trained voices in a huge room with campers clattering oyster shells!), Parks and Recreation Coordinator Althea Sampson for the kind invitation to do a story-making workshop, Gary Williams and Lawrence Hollyfield of Tampa Parks and Recreation, and much gratitude to Robin Nigh and Melissa Davies for funding thanks to the City of Tampa’s Department of Arts & Cultural Affairs.
Upcoming Performances in English + Spanish + ASL
We’re celebrating reading thanks to the wonderfully creative librarians at St. Pete’s beautiful West Community Library, with a free performance of We’re Reading Everywhere! in English, in Spanish and in ASL on Tuesday, August 5 at 10:30 am.
After a terrific performance by actors Fanni Green and Jessica Moraton and ASL interpreter Carol Downing – Creative Clay’s fabulous visual artists are leading an inclusive drawing session until noon, to illustrate a new Sparks video! Everyone’s welcome to grab a crayon and join in :)
Our heartiest thanks to the fabulous St Pete librarians Karrie Ballis, Elizabeth Deering and Mandy Minor and our terrific cast, Sparks translator Dora Arreola and intrepid director Jim Rayfield.
You can enjoy the lively voices of Dora Arreola and Fanni Green on the audio podcast the library’s been sharing :)
Enjoy Dora Arreola’s vivid storytelling and translation of Well, Gee, It’s Algae! – inspired by Art + Science Night at the USF College of Marine Science
New stories coming with Great Explorations!
Sparks will be performing Please Touch! inspired by Great Explorations Children’s Museum in English, Spanish and ASL and discovering the movement in this story made of verbs.
That’s Sunday, August 10 during Great Explorations’ wonderful sensory-friendly Great Connections family time.
Sparks will be there with crayons for drawing from 9 am to noon plus join-in performances of Please Touch! at 10 and 11 am with the fantastic team of actors Beth Gelman and Jan Neuberger, actor+dancer Fernando Chonqui and ASL interpreter Carol Downing! Videos coming soon in all 3 languages :)
Your ideas and feedback are always welcome at SparksArtStPete@gmail.com – and we take requests :)
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Thank you for sharing Sparks Creative Stories everywhere they can be helpful!
And thank you for subscribing to Sparks on YouTube – we’re trying hard to get on YouTube Kids, and grateful for your help. . .
These videos are delightful!