Guest reader Mikki Nelson delights Neighbor to Neighbor preschoolers

A week ago, Mikki Nelson took her big voice and even bigger enthusiasm to the Brown Grand stage as the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

This morning she brought the same gusto to her role as guest reader for Neighbor to Neighbor’s Reading with Friends storytime.

The Jamestown resident captured the preschoolers with her lively and engaging reading of “Is Your Mama a Llama?” offered as part of the statewide Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Month, sponsored by the Kansas State Library.

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For many of the children taking part this morning, it was a story they knew — and they eagerly answered Nelson’s questions about what was going to happen next.

After the story, the makeshift “reading room” was quickly returned to its normal playroom status so the kids had playtime before heading home.

The storytime series for children ages 3, 4 and 5 is the second Friday of each month at Neighbor to Neighbor, 103 E. Sixth St. Before leaving, children receive a snack and a free copy of that month’s book.

The remaining sessions for the 2015-16 school year will be Dec. 11, Jan. 8 (2016), Feb. 12, March 11, April 8 and May 13.

There is a limit of 30 children so parents must register in advance by calling Neighbor to Neighbor at 785/262-4215 or emailing neighbortoneighbor@csjkansas.org.

This year’s “Reading with Friends” is funded by a grant from the Dane G. Hansen Fund, through the Community Foundation for Cloud County, and a gift from the Cloud County Attorney’s Diversion Fund, with continuing support from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, who operate Neighbor to Neighbor.