Fountain Valley storyteller produces online videos to keep children engaged with reading during pandemic

With schools and libraries closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Penny Runyan is hoping to keep children engaged with reading with online storytelling videos filmed out of her Fountain Valley garage.

Using professional film lighting, cameras and a green screen, Runyan and her husband Ron Fenley have spent weeks shooting and editing videos of popular children’s books, as a resource for parents and teachers trying to keep kids focused on learning.

The videos are a return to form for Runyan, who was a popular storyteller at the Huntington Beach Central Library from 1998 to 2006.

For the videos, Runyan goes by the moniker “Miss Penny,” the name she used during her run at the library.

“I want to encourage all children to read,” Runyan said. “I want them to love books, and if they become readers they will be more successful in life.”

Penny Runyan, a former storyteller at the Huntington Beach Central Library, is now filming storytime videos at her home in Fountain Valley.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

Runyan began producing the videos at the end of March following the statewide stay-at-home orders.

Fenley, a director who runs his own production company, TurnKey MultiMedia, films and edits the videos.

Though the videos run about 10 minutes, the whole production takes about a week. They merge puppetry and flannel board images with Runyan’s voiceover.

There are currently three episodes online, featuring popular books including “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” “The Very Busy Spider,” “The Pig in the Pond” and “Hi, Pizza Man!”

Each episode features three or four stories.

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To get people interested, Runyan has been posting on her Facebook page and contacting local preschools. The first couple of episodes have a few hundred views, but the third has more than 3,000.

Patricia Young, who owns Patti’s Preschool in Huntington Beach, shared Runyan’s videos with her students and their families. Young was even inspired by Runyan to make her own videos for her students.

“She really is a role model and knows what she is doing,” Young said of Runyan. “I wanted to stay connected to my students and families this way ... I admire what Penny is doing. Her videos are much more professional. She is a fantastic storyteller.”

Penny Runyan films storytime videos with the help of her director husband, Ron Fenley.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

Runyan’s shows at the Huntington Beach library attracted hundreds, and Time Warner even filmed her shows for a few years.

Runyan remembered one time when a mother recognized her from the television show while shopping.

“It was exciting,” Runyan said of being filmed. “It helped me reach more kids in Orange County. I tried to make it all as much fun as I could.”

Runyan ended her run as Miss Penny when she moved to the East Coast for a few years for family reasons. She’s not the only one who’s glad about her return to storytelling.

Dana Stimmler watched Miss Penny shows at the Huntington Beach library when she was growing up. Now, her 2-year-old is tuning into the online videos.

Stimmler said it’s important to keep kids engaged in reading, and the videos also give her a nice break.

“I have a really high-energy toddler who needs lots of attention,” Stimmler said. “When Penny releases a new video I can relax for 10 minutes. It keeps her busy the whole time. It really helps.”

Visit the “Miss Penny’s Storytime” YouTube channel to listen to her stories.

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