Story time! No two words seem to bring mesmerized children running to sit in a circle on the floor around a beaming reader quite like these. Anxious eyes await picture pages, mouths drop open and occasional gasps let out into the air as listeners transcend the library, classroom or bed and become part of a journey. Heroes protect fair maidens, mice travel the world, and each child goes with them on their adventures.

Kathy Weeks, a volunteer at the Magnolia Springs Public Library, offers finger puppets, arts and crafts and all manner of literary-infiltration devices to children in her Books Alive! program.

“Books Alive! is something I came up with many years ago when, in my school in Maine, we were trying to implement literacy in all areas of the curriculum,” Weeks recalled. “It seemed like music was just a natural place (to begin)—I read through hundreds of children’s books and came up with the idea of using songs, finger plays, puppets and actually making some books into mini plays.”

“It became so successful that I did some summer programs with kids of all ages in our town of South Paris. Our local-access, T.V. station started taping my program to show at local day cares and Head Start.”

She explained that a new place lended a new audience, in her mind.

“We bought our house here in Magnolia Springs three years ago. This was the first winter of being here and I needed someplace to get rid of my excess energy and creativity.”

Librarian Alida Givens fondly recalled the day Weeks brought her ‘excess energy and creativity’ to Magnolia Springs Public Library.

“Last fall, on a Saturday, a car pulled up in front of the library. The kids with me shouted, ‘It's from Maine!’ when they saw the front plate license tag. In walked Kathy and her husband. Before she got further than the door, she introduced herself and her husband and followed by saying, ‘I just love to work with 2, 3, and 4 year olds. I'd like to audition to do a few programs.’ I laughed, having seen the excitement in her eyes, and replied, ‘Lady, you're on! No audition needed!’ We began planning right then—forming a friendship and great children's programs, complete with song and dance.”

Givens went on to say that, “Kathy requested working with 2, 3, and 4 year olds, but her programs have been so popular, even 10 year olds couldn't stay away and parents love her as well.”

She admitted that Kathy has won even more hearts at the Magnolia Springs Public Library.

“Kathy and I had an immediate connection, having so much in common having worked with children for many years—our friendship has grown as we respect each other and enjoy the enthusiasm of working with young people,: she divulged. “Kathy becomes completely involved with children when she presents her programs, and they are enthralled and caught up in her energy. It is a joy to watch the children's excitement with her storytelling.”

Givens added, “Kathy is the best of volunteers, not only working with children, but offering wonderful suggestions to make our, now seven-month-old library the best place to be. She has been such an asset, and I call her one of our ‘Maine invasions’ as we have been so fortunate to have three ladies from Maine, who have made such a positive difference to our library world.”

Weeks said that entertaining and educating children is an extension of performing—and the stage and podium are places she’s quite comfortable.

“I've been doing Books Alive! for quite some time...just never really gave it a name,” she began. “I taught classroom music K(indergarten) through 6 and when I got bored with that I taught high school vocal music, American Music Theater, drama, and eventually Freshman English. I won a scholarship through the National Endowment for Humanities to study drama, acting and writing for a Master's degree at Middlebury College in Vermont. From that, I became a drama coach and English teacher. I ended my public teaching career with elementary music, bringing me full circle, and at the same time was assistant coach for a special high school women’s vocal group that sang at the White House.”

“I became a guest conductor for local adult choruses in Maine. I am a professional singer, albeit a bit rusty these days, and have performed in local theaters in southern Maine. My last big role was Sister Mary Amnesia in ‘Nunsense’ which I have done twice.”

Though Weeks left last week to spend four months in Maine and visit her grandchildren, she plans to eventually make Alabama her permanent residence, taking trips to see family, she said.

Givens explained that she and children at the library will keep a close eye on the calendar, in the meantime.

“Kathy will be terribly missed, and we already look forward to her return.”