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From Page to Stage: BES 1st Grade Students Attend Children’s Book Festival

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Camille White, Communications Specialist

Oxford, Mississippi – Last Friday, first-grade students at Bramlett Elementary School traveled to the Ford Center on the campus of the University of Mississippi to attend the 12th Annual Children’s Book Festival.

This year’s featured book for first-grade students was One Mississippi, written by Steve Azar and illustrated by local artist Sarah Frances Hardy. Prior to the event, each first-grade student received a copy of the book, thanks to the generosity of local donors.

In the days leading up to the festival, volunteers from the Lafayette County Literacy Council visited Bramlett to read the story with students during library time.

At the Ford Center, students heard from both the author and illustrator, sang along to the book’s accompanying song, and watched the story come to life on a large screen as it was read aloud, with the illustrator sharing fun facts about each image she created. To close the event, some students participated in a Q & A session, where they asked the author and illustrator questions and learned more about the creation of the story.

“I have had the blessing to attend all 12 [children’s book festival] events, and to see the joy in the children's expressions as they interact at the events is the highlight of my career!” said Bramlett Elementary School librarian Connie Robinson.

We are grateful for the opportunity to have our students participate in this annual event, which continues to help inspire a love of reading and learning amongst young students.

To learn more about this initiative, please visit: OxfordConferenceForTheBook.com/childrens-book-festival

  • BES
A group of young students, both boys and girls, are seated on the floor of a classroom surrounded by various educational materials and displays on the walls.

Ms. Adams’ class with the One Mississippi book.

A large auditorium with a stage and projection screen, filled with an audience seated in rows of red chairs, watching a presentation or performance on the screen.

Local illustrator Sarah Frances Hardy presents to first-grade students from across Lafayette County, including Bramlett Elementary School students, at the Ford Center during the Children’s Book Festival.

Three young children, two girls and one boy, are holding up pieces of paper in a theater, with a red curtain visible in the background.

Bramlett Elementary School students stand at the microphone to ask author Steve Azar and illustrator Sarah Frances Hardy questions about One Mississippi during the Children’s Book Festival.