図書館のおはなし会の準備

That event is held once every month, but this month the applications to participate were apparently more than usual.

Ms. Sato, who works at the library, said, “Let’s split up the reception and the venue preparation and move ahead.”

Thinking that arranging picture books seemed like a job she could do, Aya went to the venue early.

First they arranged the small chairs in a semicircle and left space so that the people in the back could also see easily.

Next they divided the newly arrived picture books by theme and arranged them neatly on top of the tables.

Because there were also books whose content was hard to understand from only the title, they also placed short introduction cards together with them.

Around the time it became one hour before the start, the sky suddenly turned dark, and the plan to read outside became difficult.

Because Ms. Sato thought the rain might grow stronger, she decided right away, “Let’s change the venue to an inside room.”

Changing the plan was difficult, but because everyone stayed calm, the preparation moved faster than Aya had thought.

Aya rewrote the sign for the entrance and put a clear cover on it so that it would not get wet.

Meanwhile, the other volunteers carried the stuffed animals and the read-aloud tools into the room for them.

The picture book that seemed likely to be the most popular was one that could be read while imitating animal voices.

During practice, Aya felt that speaking out in front of children was a little embarrassing.

However, when Ms. Sato told her, “It’s fine if you read slowly,” her nervousness gradually grew smaller.

When it became the start time, parents and children came one after another, and the room became livelier than she had expected.

The small children sat in the front seats, and the parents who sat in the back listened while quietly nodding.

When Aya began reading the first book, one boy said the next part first in the middle.

Everyone laughed, but because of that the atmosphere in the room instead grew softer.

After the second book, Ms. Sato asked short questions about the colors and animals that had appeared in the book.

The children raised their hands high, and it seemed that there were still many things they wanted to say.

After it ended, one mother said, “Even though the place changed because of rain, the guidance was easy to understand, so it really helped.”

Hearing those words, Aya thought again that even preparation that does not stand out is important.

By around the time they finished returning the books to the original shelves, the rain outside had also become quite light.

On the way home, Aya decided that she would practice once more at home too, so that at the next storytime she could read more skillfully.