NEW Summer Series: Outdoor Storytime at Bookshop’s Reading Benches!

Join Billie Harris as she reads some of our favorite children’s books in local playgrounds this summer. In celebration of our 50th anniversary last year, Bookshop commissioned three “artful reading benches” to create reading spots for children in our local parks. This summer we hope to bring reading to life with a series of outdoor storytimes, one at each bench, and to continue to gather with friends and neighbors in our local parks. More on this series.

Our final outdoor storytime of the summer will take place at the San Lorenzo Park reading bench from 4:00–5:00 pm on Sunday, August 20th. Children’s books with environmental themes will be featured at this reading, which is cosponsored by Coastal Watershed Council. All are welcome to this free outdoor story time!

Designed by local artist Terra Dawson, the San Lorenzo Park Artful Reading Bench was officially dedicated to the City of Santa Cruz with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at San Lorenzo Park on October 25, 2016.

Billie Harris loves reading stories to children. She did so on a weekly basis through her Saturday morning radio show on KUSP where she read children’s stories from 1976–2005 and as the storytime reader for Capitola Book Café for many years. An actress with both Shakespeare Santa Cruz and Cabrillo Stage, Billie combines her theatrical training, soothing voice and love for children to create a memorable storytelling experience for all ages.