By Teri Stiles
Staff Writer
Brandon schools – Harvey-Swanson Second grade teacher Amy Kipp was excited when her students participated with a very special reader in the ‘Read Across America? program last week.
‘I was as excited as the kids were,? said Kipp after she explained to her class that Michigan Senator Deb Cherry would be the special guest who would read to the class.
Cherry said she reads to children as often as she can throughout the year.
The book she read to Kipp’s second grade class was called ‘Fibblestax?, written by WDIV news anchor Devin Scillian and illustrated by K.L. Darnell.
Although Cherry was unaware that Scillian is a popular news anchor in the Detroit area, she said the book is one of her favorites because it is a good story and has a good message.
‘Fibblestax? is a story of a boy, with the same name, who is charged by the town mayor to come up with names for everything. Most notably the final word Fibblestax is challenged to comes up with is the word for the dreamy feeling people get when a special friends is near.
‘It’s a story about what is important in life,? Cherry told the group before reading the story.
‘The book is about love.?
After reading the story, Cherry gave a simple government lesson, then explained to the second graders that the copy of ‘Fibblestax? she was giving to the class was signed by herself, Lieutenant Governor John Cherry, Michigan governor, Jennifer Granholm.
Cherry said after she first read the book she bought a case of them and gives them to each classroom she reads to, which she says she does as often as she can throughout the year.
Scillian, who also reads to area students, says he knew of a few people who were reading his book to classes but was unaware that ‘Fibblestax? was Senator Cherry’s book of choice and that the governor had signed them.
‘That’s very sweet news to hear,? said Scillian. ‘I didn’t know she was doing that.?
Look for more information about Devin Scillian and the books he has written in an upcoming issue of The Citizen.