With a variety of humorous voices and the occasional squirt of a water bottle from behind the stage, puppeteer Gwen Ray kept the audience laughing during her energetic bilingual presentation of the traditional tale "Mariposa" at the Dusenberry-River Library, 5605 E. River Road.
The show last Thursday was one of many being held throughout the city as part of the Pima County Public Library's 11th annual celebration of El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros (Day of the Children/Day of Books).
"It's great for children to have live entertainment instead of just a screen in front of them," said Ray. "That's what's so great about public libraries."
Along with encouraging audience participation, Ray includes several Spanish words in the show that she hopes the kids will take home with them.
"A lot of the kids in the Foothills district are taking Spanish this year," she said.
People are also reading…
More than 30 preschool-age children attended the show, but the adults in the room were just as entertained.
"When I come the library, I feel like a kid again," said Mary Brown, who brought two grandchildren to see the show.
For a list of upcoming shows that are being held as part of El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros at other library branches, visit the library's Web site, www.library.pima.gov.
