Sentence 1

夏休みの前、あやは市立図書館の子ども向けのおはなし会を手伝うことになりました。

Before summer vacation, it was decided that Aya would help with the city library’s storytime for children.

Sentence 2

その行事は毎月一回行われていますが、今月は参加の申し込みがいつもより多かったそうです。

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

Sentence 3

図書館で働いている佐藤さんは、受付と会場の準備を分けて進めようと言いました。

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

Sentence 4

あやは絵本を並べる仕事ならできそうだと思って、早めに会場へ行きました。

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

Sentence 5

まず小さいいすを半円に並べて、後ろの人も見やすいように間をあけました。

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

Sentence 6

つぎに新しく入った絵本をテーマごとに分けて、机の上にきれいに並べました。

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

Sentence 7

題名だけでは内容が分かりにくい本もあったので、短い紹介の紙もいっしょに置きました。

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

Sentence 8

開始の一時間前になったころ、空が急に暗くなって、外で読む計画はむずかしくなりました。

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

Sentence 9

佐藤さんは雨が強くなるかもしれないから、会場を中の部屋に変えましょうとすぐに決めました。

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

Sentence 10

予定を変えるのは大変でしたが、みんなが落ち着いていたので、準備は思ったより早く進みました。

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

Sentence 11

あやは入り口の案内の紙を書き直して、ぬれないように透明のカバーをつけました。

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

Sentence 12

そのあいだに、ほかのボランティアはぬいぐるみや読み聞かせの道具を部屋に運んでくれました。

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

Sentence 13

一番人気がありそうな絵本は、動物の声をまねしながら読める本でした。

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

Sentence 14

練習のとき、あやは子どもの前で声を出すのが少し恥ずかしいと感じました。

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

Sentence 15

しかし佐藤さんに「ゆっくり読めばいいですよ」と言われて、だんだん緊張が小さくなりました。

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

Sentence 16

開始の時間になると、親子が次々と来て、部屋は思っていた以上ににぎやかになりました。

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

Sentence 17

小さい子は前の席に座り、後ろに座った親は静かにうなずきながら聞いていました。

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

Sentence 18

あやが一冊目を読み始めると、途中で一人の男の子が次の展開を先に言ってしまいました。

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

Sentence 19

みんなが笑いましたが、そのおかげで部屋の雰囲気はかえってやわらかくなりました。

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

Sentence 20

二冊目のあとで、佐藤さんは本に出てきた色や動物について短い質問をしました。

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

Sentence 21

子どもたちは手を高く上げて、話したいことがまだたくさんあるようでした。

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

Sentence 22

終わったあと、ある母親が「雨で場所が変わっても、案内が分かりやすかったので助かりました」と話してくれました。

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

Sentence 23

そのことばを聞いて、あやは目立たない準備も大切なんだと改めて思いました。

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

Sentence 24

本を元の棚に返し終わるころには、外の雨もかなり弱くなっていました。

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

Sentence 25

帰り道、あやは次のおはなし会ではもっと上手に読めるように、家でもう一度練習しようと決めました。

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.