Page 36 - The Buzz 09/04/2026

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Youth Authors, Storytimes, & Charactersouth Authors, Storytimes, & Characters

At the Fifth Annual Muskingum County Reading Festival, we want to foster
a love of books and literacy in the youngest members of our community. To
do this, we created special Storytimes presented by our Youth Literacy
Specialist, Nick Eling, or as he is better known as, Mr. Nick! Check out the
times below and the stories that will be read, then see who is coming to

visit us after Storytime! And don’t forget we are encouraging our guests,
young and old, to dress up as their favorite literary character!

Storytimes

10:30 AM
Elephant & Piggie:
There is a bird on

your head!

11:30 AM
Bluey: Road Trip!

12:30 PM
The Watermelon
Seed

Greg Blair Ashonda Cabrel,

The Lost Crystals LISW

Hometown: Cambridge, OH
Genre: YA Science Fiction You Can Say No
Aliens are real. Powerful relics exist. Hometown: Zanesville, OH
Two teenage boys are stuck in the Genre: Children’s Non-Fiction,
middle. This will be an adventure Social-Emotional Learning / Personal
that changes their lives forever. Safety & Body Autonomy
Greg and Clark are just normal teen- You Can Say No empowers chil-
agers until they have a run in with dren to understand that they are
a not-of-this-world visitor named in charge of their own bodies and
Graydor. Graydor is on Earth looking have the right to say “no” when
for his missing companions, and the something feels uncomfortable or
boys agree to help. Can Greg, Clark, unsafe — even when the person is
and Graydor get to the crystals first? an adult. Through age-appropriate
Or will Kill win out and use the un- scenarios, the book teaches body
limited powers of the crystals to autonomy, personal boundaries,
raise an army of undead ghouls and self-advocacy, and the importance
enslave the planet? of seeking help from trusted adults.
This story was created from both
my professional experience as a so-
cial worker and my personal “why”
for entering this field: helping chil-
dren feel seen, heard, supported,
and empowered to use their voices.

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