Actors Take Children on Literary Journey

The boy who cried “wolf,” the tortoise and his arrogant competitor the hare, and Snow White have something in common.

They’re all part of the magical world of books, according to actors with a new children’s literacy program who took that message Monday afternoon to 200 second-graders at Erwin Street Elementary School.

“Let’s open our books and fly through the air,” rapped Matt Dagle, as students cheered him on. “Hold on to your magic carpets and let’s go!”

The second-graders gripped the edges of 2-foot-square carpet pieces provided by the program, designed to visit 100 schools.

Dagle and his fellow thespians danced around the auditorium, enacting Aesop’s fables, Grimm’s fairy tales and poems by Shel Silverstein. For added effect, actor LoriAnn Freda adopted the voice of Minnie Mouse on helium.

The energetic 7- and 8-year-olds seemed to like most the interactive aspect of the program. When asked whether they were wolves, second-graders or wizards, those of the Harry Potter generation yelled out that they were, indeed, wizards.

Each performance concluded with a take-home message, such as the beseeching “always tell the truth,” the motivational “speed doesn’t always win the race, but never giving up always helps you reach your goal,” and the pithy “It’s better to be good than just good-looking.”

At the end of the one-hour presentation, the students kept their carpet squares and were each given a colorful Disney storybook, provide by the sponsor, Carpet Co-op.

“Totally cool,” Victor Haak, 7, said, as he gave the program a thumbs-up.