Hydie Blooms’ Lauren Kiss reads to Darcy Mitchell, 4, and Jeffery Wiltshire, 4.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Among the sweetly scented bouquets of floral blooms, local real estate rental listings and pharmaceuticals for sale in Mooroopna shops where trade takes place on any given week day, 137 little people sat with their listening ears on.
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Children from seven local kindergartens and Prep classes trudged up and down the CBD on August 25, eager to hear stories read to them by shop staff.
Mooroopna’s Community Reading Day is a popular annual event, which brings businesses and early learners together.
Flourish on McLennan owner Michelle Banfield reads to early learners who rain forced inside the shop from its outside nursery, while the shop cat looks over them.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
“We need to get engaged with the kids in the community, it’s nice,” Flourish on McLennan owner Michelle Banfield said.
“I just hope I’m entertaining enough; it’s good practice for my own grandchildren.”
Ms Banfield — who sells plants, house and garden ornaments and other treasures at her shop, read two books — Macca the Alpaca and Big Red Tractor Saves the Day — conscious of choosing something plant-related from the selection of titles GV Libraries offered.
Four-year-old pre-schoolers from Rodney Neighbourhood Steiner Kindergarten were her first audience of the day.
Rain had forced them from Ms Banfield’s usual setting in her outdoor nursery to inside, where the friendly shop cat kept a keen eye on them as the pages were turned.
Teacher Takarlya Fraser said her kindergarteners’ energy had been high while heading into the CBD that morning to visit two local businesses.
“It’s good to get out and about,” Ms Fraser said.
“We had some porridge first so the kids’ tummies were full.”
Cardamone Real Estate office manager Lindi Cardamone reads Feathers for Phoebe to the preschoolers.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Further up the street, children from Mooroopna Children and Families Centre listened to Lindi Cardamone read them Feathers for Phoebe and Mutt Dog at Cardamone Real Estate.
At Hydie Blooms, owner Lauren Kiss read the shop’s own published work, a sweetly illustrated hardcover book about the real-life local characters who drop in regularly to the florist, named The Apricot Flower Shop.
Lauren Kiss reads Hydie Blooms’ very own children's book, titled The Apricot Flower Shop, to kids from Undera Kindergarten.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Six kids from Undera Kindergarten enjoyed the experience among the flowers, where they also heard Ms Kiss read Lucy Cousins’ book A Good Place before catching their bus back to Undera.
Several other shops and businesses took part in the reading event, which, despite the grey sky, was enlightening.
Participants also received book bags and other takeaways from the day.
