Kansas READS to Preschoolers - History Archive 2006

Back to:
KCFB Home

2006
Bunny Cakes
by Rosemary Wells


Governor Kathleen Sebelius reading BUNNY CAKES at the opening of the 2006 Kansas Book Festival, Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita September 30, 2006.	Joyce Armstrong, Library Director at Hamilton County Public Library, Syracuse, Rosemary Wells, author of BUNNY CAKES, and Denise Smith, Library Director at Stanton County Library.	Judge Joe Pierron, Kansas Appellate Court reading at Alford Branch, Wichita Public Library during Children’s Book Week.	Watercolor donated by Rosemary Wells.

The 2006 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers reading initiative, a project that was conceived and implemented by the State Library of Kansas, was very successful! The book, Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells, is a delightful tale about a brother and sister and the trials and tribulations of making a birthday cake for grandma! Children of all ages were at once familiar with Max and Ruby characters. Public Libraries, Childcare centers, and others partnered to produce activities for children birth to age five before and during Children’s Book Week, the week before Thanksgiving, November 13-19, 2006.

This reading initiative for preschoolers was initially kicked off at the first Kansas Book Festival, early Friday, September 30, at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium with Governor Kathleen Sebelius reading Bunny Cakes to over 300 children! Governor Sebelius was the Honorary Chair for the 2006 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers project. Additionally, the Kansas State Historical Society provided many activities for children in relation to Bunny Cakes in the Children’s Tent at the Kansas Book Festival. Many hundred’s of children made baker’s hats, bunny ears, and other coloring projects that first day of the festival.

Rosemary Wells, author and children’s advocate, arrived October 12 at the special invitation of the State Library. Wells did a program at Topeka Shawnee County Public Library for about 30 Kansas library staff. She followed the book signing and an advocacy program with an OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries). Wells was the keynote speaker and special guest of the Kansas Action for Children organization at an early evening reception held at Topeka Shawnee County Public Library for over 50 children’s advocates and librarians. The evening ended with a book signing at Barnes and Noble. Rosemary returned home to Greenwich, CT on Friday, October 13. All of Rosemary Wells programming was directed at children’s advocacy and introduction of her newest book, My Shining Star: Raising a Child Who is Ready to Learn.

The week of November 13 was kicked off with Judge Joe Pierron, Kansas Appellate Court, providing a reading program of Bunny Cakes at the Alford Branch of Wichita Public Library to over twenty children and their parents. Judge Pierron got the preschoolers attention when he began the program by standing on his head!!

Judge Pierron read Bunny Cakes to preschoolers at North High School, Wichita the next day. His stoic presentation style fascinated the toddlers and that fascinated Judge Pierron! Following the story time, Judge Pierron spoke to a class of teen parents. Most of the students had a child or two and some were expecting a baby. Joe spoke to them about the importance of reading to their children and did a credible job of holding the students attention.

All over Kansas during Children’s Book Week the State Librarian, Christie Brandau, led by example reading at an elementary school in Olathe. Brandau along with public and school libraries and childcare providers all partnered to provide story time and activities. A recent survey determined that 13,467 children 5 and under were read to that week with an additional 4,165 over 5 included or a total of 17,380. It was reported that these programs purchased (or had purchased for them) 1,945 copies of Bunny Cakes.

The survey instrument was designed by Richard Miller, North Central Kansas Library System Technology Consultant and put on the 2006 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers website at kansasreadstokids.org The survey was also put on kanlib-l, the listserv for Kansas public libraries as well as the Kansas Association for School (KASL) listserv.

Following are some of the comments libraries and childcare programs made in the survey taken January - February 2007:

The survey asked:

What did you learn &/or how was the community different after the 2006 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers? We also asked for general comments.

This was the first time we had lined up a reader to read the book in both English and Spanish. This was exciting to the children. We had a favorite book competition going on this week which excited both children and adults. We really took a look at our community and asked non-traditional people to come in and read. (Greely Co. PL)

COMMENTS: We read to 50 childcare settings. We did the “Bunny Pokey” with kids that was really fun! We played a game where we had pictures of things used in the baking of a cake and pictures of random things like a chair, leaves, etc. The kids had to tell us if the picture they drew was used in baking a cake. It was great when they drew a dinosaur and wanted to use it in a cake!! (Hays Area Children’s Center R&R)

I realized that many children have a tremendous amount of love and respect for their grandparents. Also, many of the children were in single parent family. All of their faces would light up when it came to their non-judgmental grandparents. We also didn’t know anything about that kind of candy! Girls loved telling about their brothers afterwards also. (Lib Dist #1, Doniphan Co)

Parents are more likely to respond to programs for preschoolers than elementary. Need lots of preplanning and help during the program. Most of these children had never been in the library. (Cedar Vale Memorial Library)

It was an opportunity for the library to partner with the preschools and community. (Lawrence PL)

…this was good PR for the library! (Herington PL)

Awareness seems to be growing about the importance of reading to very young children! (Iola PL)

That some daycare providers will go the extra mile and other not. (Oakley PL)

We found that we have a large number of children in our community that rarely get to purchase a book of their own. It was great to see their faces when we told them you get to keep the book!! (Goodland PL)

Conclusion:

The comments and what folks learned was overwhelmingly positive with reference to what they will do next year.

The 2006 Kansas Reads to Preschool project was done with left over money from 2005 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers, KPIRC, and donations for a budget of less than $5,000. Expenses were primarily for postcard flyers, Rosemary Wells author visit ($1,500 author fee), and about 50 copies of Bunny Cakes for promotion.

Rosemary Wells donated three watercolors to the project. The watercolors were used as prizes for program activity entries on the website. Winners were determined in three categories: urban/rural libraries and Early Childcare. Three original watercolors were presented at the Kansas Library Association Council meeting on January 26, 2007 at Topeka Shawnee County Public Library. Ten autographed posters were given to the ten runners-up. Rosemary Wells was extremely generous to Kansas libraries and Childcare providers. Her publisher, Penguin Group, provided her airfare and airport hotel expenses as well as donated 25 books for promotional use.

The website was very successful and cited in many comments from the survey. The webmaster was Sharon Moreland, library director at Tonganoxie with support from the original webmaster (2005), Tammie Benham.

Plans are currently under way to determine status of 2007 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers.

An ad hoc committee is being formed to take a look at the 2005 and 2006 Preschoolers projects and make suggestions to improve, expand, and involve more organizations for the 2008 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers project.

Back to ► Our History