The lights are flashing, music is playing, and the smell of something fried and probably covered in sugar is drifting through the air.
It must be fair time.
For young readers, a trip to the fair can begin before the family ever leaves home. Night at the Fair by Donald Crews takes children into the colorful world of a county fair, complete with rides, games, animals, food, and all the excitement that comes when the fairgrounds come alive.
Crews, an award-winning author and illustrator, uses simple language and bold illustrations to tell the story, making the book especially appealing to younger readers.
Reading about the fair before visiting one also gives families something fun to look for once they arrive.
How many animals can you find? Which ride looks most like one in the book? What sounds do you hear? What food smells the best? Which attraction would you put into your own book about the fair?
Then comes the best part: Let the child become the author.
After the visit, encourage young readers to draw a picture of their favorite fair experience and write a sentence or paragraph about it. Older children can make a list of their five favorite things, write a review of the fair, or create a story about spending a night at the fairgrounds after everyone has gone home.
East Tennessee families have a timely opportunity to put that idea into action with the Tennessee Valley Fair, an annual Knoxville tradition featuring rides, exhibits, competitions, entertainment, food, and plenty for children to discover.
Share your young reader’s fair story: After your trip to the fair, have your child draw a picture or write a short story about a favorite fair memory. Parents and grandparents can send it to susan@knoxtntoday.com with the child’s first name and age. We may feature some of our young readers’ creations in a future Young Reader’s Shelf.
Books do not always have to take children somewhere they’ve never been. Sometimes the best books prepare them to look more closely at places they are about to go.
Read the book. Visit the fair. Then ask your young reader to tell the story.
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