
DATE: Friday, April 4, 1997                 TAG: 9704020115

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 10   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   82 lines

STORYTELLER ENTERTAINS KIDS WITH PROPS AT HILLARD LIBRARY

If you want to get children intrigued with books, bring in an expert who knows how to get kids hooked on reading.

The Major Hillard branch of the Chesapeake Public Library system has done just that. When it comes time for its monthly Family Storytimes, the branch has enlisted the skills of volunteer storyteller Inez H. Clement, a retired Norfolk Public Schools elementary school teacher and librarian.

She will use her considerable skills this Monday to entertain and teach children through the magic of stories and books at the Major Hillard branch.

She said she came to the volunteer job quite by accident.

``I was at the library with one of my granddaughters when I heard a couple of the librarians discussing story telling and story times,'' Clement said. ``I couldn't help overhear them, and I told them that I have experience in story telling. They asked me if I would be interested in telling stories at their branch and I readily accepted.''

Now Clement enthralls an audience of children and parents at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of the month. She has been telling stories at Hillard since September.

Clement brings more than 30 years of experience to the library. She taught third grade at Larrymore and Camp Allen elementary schools and settled in at Coleman Place Elementary School where she was its librarian for 17 years. She is also a member of the Norfolk Story League, a group of volunteer educators, book enthusiasts and storytellers who spin their yarns at churches, schools, nursing homes, libraries and day-care centers.

``Books are my life and children are my joy,'' Clement said.

Clement and her husband lived in Norfolk's Azalea Acres neighborhood for 36 years. They moved to Deep Creek six years ago to be near their four grandchildren.

``I have a giant collection of stories,'' she said. ``I'm always on the lookout for good stories. I find them in children's books, children's magazines and sometimes I write my own. I have a room in my house that's wall-to-wall stories.''

She said kids respond best to animal stories, and classic fairy tales still hold everybody's interest.

``But I like to tell something different,'' she said. ``I'm always looking for new stories.''

Clement said she tries to inject some type of moral or lesson into each story but tries not to hit her audience over the head. And usually when she tells a tale, she brings along something to tie in with the story that kids can either eat, take home or enjoy.

``When I told a story called `Doughnut Hole' I brought along a box of those Dunkin Donuts' doughnut holes for the children to enjoy,'' she said. ``Another time I told a story I wrote about a robin and her nest. With that story I brought along some take-home print-outs for the children on building bird feeders in a back yard.''

And besides those goodies, Clement believes in the power of visuals for her stories.

``I love props,'' she said, ``It helps keep children focused on the story and helps drive home the point.''

Clement said she has used everything from stuffed animals to her own family as props for her tales.

``Once I told a story called `Jenny's New Hat' and I used one of my granddaughters,'' she said. ``I put a plain hat on her and as we read the story we slowly began to decorate the hat.''

And sometimes ``props'' ad lib.

``I was telling a story called `Joey Runs Away' about a baby kangaroo who runs away from home because he thinks there's too much work to do,'' she said. ``When he runs away, he takes his things with him wrapped in a red bandana placed at the end of a stick. After I said this, my granddaughter picked up the red bandana on the stick I brought in, put it on her shoulder and hopped out of the room. It fit perfectly and everybody loved it. It was positively delightful.'' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

WANT TO GO?

What: First Mondays Family Storytime, open to children of all

ages and their parents.

Who: Storyteller Inez H. Clement will bring along new stories and

surprises.

When: The first Monday of each month. The next session takes

place this Monday.

Where: Major Hillard Library, 949 N. George Washington Highway.

Free: No registration is required.

Call: For more information about the storytime, call the library

at 485-1543.