NEWBURY PARK : A New World Opens Up for Preschoolers

Two dozen energetic preschoolers eagerly settled down Thursday in front of a brightly colored mural at the Newbury Park branch of the Thousand Oaks Library.

All eyes were on April Judge as she read books, displayed the pictures and led songs and games.

Maybe it was the overcast skies or wishful thinking, but most of the stories dealt with rain and spring.

After reading “Mushroom in the Rain,” a popular children’s book by Mirra Ginsburg, Judge asked the children if they knew why all the little animals could fit under the mushroom after the rainstorm.

“It grew!” they chorused.

When asked what else grows in the rain, they eagerly called out: “Flowers,” “grass,” “strawberries” and even “vegetables.”

Judge was leading a weekly program designed to familiarize children with the library and its resources. While geared to 3- to 5-year-olds, younger and older children are not turned away, Judge said. The library is at 2855 Borchard Road.

“It’s to introduce reading and books to children,” Judge said. “They gain listening and comprehension skills and also develop motor skills through the games and exercises” incorporating puppets, she said.

Some of the children were familiar with some of the books. “I’ve seen that one,” one boy shouted as Judge held up “Will It Rain?”, a popular book by Holly Keller.

Several mothers watched, occasionally holding brothers or sisters too young to participate. Karen Cayley of Newbury Park held 7-month-old Jeff while her daughter Erin, 2, listened to the stories and joined in the games.

“She’s not old enough for preschool yet, so this is her only contact with other kids,” Cayley said. “She loves the stories and dancing around. As soon as I found out about the program, I started bringing her every week.”