Library cooks up literacy for breakfast

On some Saturday mornings at the Antigonish branch of the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library the air fills with the scent of fluffy pancakes mingled with the rhythm of storybooks. Families cook, connect, and feed their minds and bodies in equal measure.

Welcome to Rise and Shine Storytime where literacy meets breakfast and mixes with community in the Antigonish area.

The library landed an $1,800 grant from the Antigonish Town and County Community Health Board to assist with the program.

Up to 10 children at a time participate in Rise and Shine Storytime, said Kristel Fleuren-Hunter, branch manager and children’s services librarian. The age ranges from as young as four to about 11.

The branch regularly hosts story-telling sessions involving youngsters but Fleuren-Hunter wondered about trying something different, such as adding a meal to the experience.

“I spent several years on the community health board, so, I was familiar with key areas like food security, social inclusion and early childhood development. These themes were already part of our wellness plan and the focus areas we wanted to work on,” she said. “It felt like a great opportunity to bring people together over breakfast while enjoying stories. It really combined a lot of important elements in a simple, engaging way."

During the two-hours spent together, sometimes families make waffles, pancakes, fruit smoothies or whatever they can with the ingredients supplied. The library branch has its own kitchen facilities for programming purposes.

"With the community health board grant, we were able to get some equipment - things like a waffle iron and other cooking tools,” Fleuren-Hunter added. “We also provide kid-safe knives, along with little chef hats and aprons, so the children can actively take part in preparing the food." Community health board funding also covered costs of certifying library staffers in food handling.

Typically, participants read food-themed picture books, she said. One title example: A Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Rise and Shine Storytime began in 2023; the wellness grant support came last year.

The program wouldn’t have the longevity without the community health boards’ funding, Fleuren-Hunter said.

“The library's budget is really limited - especially when it comes to programming,” she explained. “Usually, we need some kind of grant to do anything like this, particularly if it involves buying equipment or even providing food on a regular basis. That kind of expense just isn’t built into our budget.”

Fleuren-Hunter credited library staff for leading the charge.

“We had tried to decide when to offer the program and Saturday mornings worked well - it meant we could reach slightly older kids who would normally be in school, rather than just those in daycare,” she said. “It was just nice to be able to offer it. Most of our kids' programs run during the week, so it was great to open things up a bit."

Photo of children cooking breakfast at the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library in Antigonish.