This week, four StoryWalks® outdoor reading experiences were installed in Seattle’s beautiful Magnolia neighborhood. The installations invite kids and their caregivers to read picture books by Indigenous authors as they wander outdoor trails.
“This is our fourth year of StoryWalks® in Magnolia with Daybreak Star Preschool,” said Mai Takahashi, children’s librarian at the Magnolia Branch, in a release about the newest StoryWalks. “I am so grateful to the teachers and excited that Magnolia as a community gets to learn more about Indigenous culture and traditions. It’s a great activity for summer!”
The StoryWalks® are located outside partner locations including the Daybreak Star Preschool, the Magnolia Farmers’ Market, The Seattle Public Library’s Magnolia Branch and the Discovery Park Visitor Center. Every other week, the books will rotate, moving to a different StoryWalk® location. They will stay up through Friday, Aug. 30.
Books by Indigenous authors
Daybreak Star Preschool teachers chose the featured books, all by Indigenous authors, to reflect the state’s Since Time Immemorial curriculum and help connect the public to Seattle’s urban Indigenous community.
The four books are:
- Drum from the Heart, by Ren Louie: When he is gifted a handmade drum by his mother, Ren learns the teachings of the drum that are also passed down to him, including the traditional songs of his Nuu-chah-nulth Nation.
- Otter Doesn’t Know, by Andrea Fritz: In this picture book featuring Coast Salish art and traditional storytelling techniques, a salmon and an otter learn to help each other even though they don’t have all the answers. Some hul’q’umi’num’ words are included in the text.
- Every Child Matters, by Phyllis Webstad: Orange Shirt Day founder Phyllis Webstad offers insights into a movement that honors the history and resiliency of Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island and also features words in hul’q’umi’num’.
- Mashkiki Road, by Elizabeth S. Barrett. Three young cousins explore the woods in search of medicines that heal and purify, also gathering advice from wise beings who offer life lessons cherished through generations.
How to do a StoryWalk
To get started, pick up a StoryWalk® booklet at the Magnolia Branch, the Magnolia Farmers’ Market, or the Discovery Park Visitor Center. Each booklet includes a map of locations, a “passport” you can check off as you visit the locations, and story starter questions.
Once you’ve read all four books, fill out and return the passport by Saturday, August 24 to be entered to win a gift bag with goodies from all four locations! Four winners will be announced on Saturday August 31.
How to find the walks
- Daybreak Star Preschool (5011 Bernie Whitebear Way): The StoryWalk® is located at a pond near Daybreak Star Preschool, located at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center. Parking is available at the north parking lot.
- The Discovery Park Visitor Center (3801 Discovery Park Blvd.) hosts a StoryWalk® at the playground by the Visitor Center. Take the trail to the left, as you face the Visitor Center, and continue past the pickleball courts to the playground. Booklets (as supplies last) are available during the Visitor Center’s open hours, Wednesday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Magnolia Branch (2801 34th Ave. W.): Look for the StoryWalk® outside the branch. Booklets are available (as supplies last) during the Magnolia Branch’s open hours. Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 8 p.m., and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Magnolia Farmers Market (W. McGraw Street & 33rd Avenue W. in Magnolia Village): Look for the StoryWalk® at the southwest intersection of McGraw and 32nd Avenue West during market hours, Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when you can also pick up booklets (as supplies last).
The Magnolia StoryWalks® are part of a collaboration between ARC, Daybreak Star Preschool, Magnolia Farmers Market, Seattle Parks & Recreation, The Seattle Public Library, and United Indians of all Tribes Foundation.
Read more:
Pop Up StoryWalk: ‘The Bear and the Piano’
It’s a walk, it’s a story, it’s a Pop-up StoryWalk
