BRODHEAD - This is a story about stories, and the woman who has read hundreds of them to the children of Brodhead over the last 10 years.
The storyteller, Chris Dieckhoff, said her goodbyes to about 20 boys and girls Friday at the Brodhead Memorial Public Library. She is ending her decade in charge of the library's pre-school children's story times, although she will continue as a member of the library staff.
Lisa Schumacher, who directs programs for teenagers at the library, will assume Dieckhoff's storytelling responsibilities. Dieckhoff will still be on hand to fill in when her successor is absent.
Thus ends a chapter that began with a want ad and was enriched over the years through the retelling of stories of handsome princes and lovely princesses, talking pigs and flying elephants, chugging trains and steaming tugboats.
Dieckhoff was a school teacher, housewife and floral designer, among other challenges, before a newspaper ad 10 years ago caught her eye. The Brodhead library was looking for a children's librarian.
"I came in and was interviewed and Gloria invited me to take the position, and the rest is history," Dieckhoff said, referring to Gloria Rosa, the library director in Brodhead. Among Dieckhoff's duties was presenting regular story times for pre-schoolers. The programs, at 10 a.m. Fridays, have become a favorite event at the library.
Rosa credits Dieckhoff's ability to relate to children as the key to the success of the story program.
"She knows every child after their first visit to story time," Rosa said. "She always greets children by name, and very, very seldom forgets a child's name. I don't know how she does that, but it is impressive."
At a typical session, Dieckhoff reads three stories to the children, selected from books in the library's 14,000-volume children's collection. A craft time follows. Over the 10 years, Dieckhoff has presided over about 400 of these programs, reading 1,000 stories or more to hundreds of children.
The kids obviously love it, as do their parents, who often watch and listen from the sidelines. Children call her "Miss Chris" and seem to regard her as a grandmother, which she is, five times over.
To call the story times spontaneous and unrehearsed would be an understatement. There always are surprises. Friday's session began when five-year-old Abi Gratz jumped up excitedly to announce, "I have my very first wiggly tooth." Abi gave Dieckhoff a close-up view as her mother, Kelly Gratz, looked on.
For her final session as the library's regular storyteller, Dieckhoff read a story by Mike Thaler, "The Librarian from the Black Lagoon." The librarian in the story, Mrs. Beamster, is the antithesis of Dieckhoff. Mrs. Beamster is crabby.
The kids fear that, if they make any noise, she will laminate them between sheets of plastic. Mrs. Beamster redeems herself at the end of the story, however, by finding a book of knock-knock jokes for the children.
At 62, Dieckhoff views giving up the story-telling gig, while she continues to work as an assistant librarian, as a step toward a smooth transition.
Friday's story hour ended, appropriately and as usual, with the children joining Dieckhoff in a farewell verse, which concludes:
"Look around.
Wave good-bye to a friend.
Story time Is about to end."
The storyteller, Chris Dieckhoff, said her goodbyes to about 20 boys and girls Friday at the Brodhead Memorial Public Library. She is ending her decade in charge of the library's pre-school children's story times, although she will continue as a member of the library staff.
Lisa Schumacher, who directs programs for teenagers at the library, will assume Dieckhoff's storytelling responsibilities. Dieckhoff will still be on hand to fill in when her successor is absent.
Thus ends a chapter that began with a want ad and was enriched over the years through the retelling of stories of handsome princes and lovely princesses, talking pigs and flying elephants, chugging trains and steaming tugboats.
Dieckhoff was a school teacher, housewife and floral designer, among other challenges, before a newspaper ad 10 years ago caught her eye. The Brodhead library was looking for a children's librarian.
"I came in and was interviewed and Gloria invited me to take the position, and the rest is history," Dieckhoff said, referring to Gloria Rosa, the library director in Brodhead. Among Dieckhoff's duties was presenting regular story times for pre-schoolers. The programs, at 10 a.m. Fridays, have become a favorite event at the library.
Rosa credits Dieckhoff's ability to relate to children as the key to the success of the story program.
"She knows every child after their first visit to story time," Rosa said. "She always greets children by name, and very, very seldom forgets a child's name. I don't know how she does that, but it is impressive."
At a typical session, Dieckhoff reads three stories to the children, selected from books in the library's 14,000-volume children's collection. A craft time follows. Over the 10 years, Dieckhoff has presided over about 400 of these programs, reading 1,000 stories or more to hundreds of children.
The kids obviously love it, as do their parents, who often watch and listen from the sidelines. Children call her "Miss Chris" and seem to regard her as a grandmother, which she is, five times over.
To call the story times spontaneous and unrehearsed would be an understatement. There always are surprises. Friday's session began when five-year-old Abi Gratz jumped up excitedly to announce, "I have my very first wiggly tooth." Abi gave Dieckhoff a close-up view as her mother, Kelly Gratz, looked on.
For her final session as the library's regular storyteller, Dieckhoff read a story by Mike Thaler, "The Librarian from the Black Lagoon." The librarian in the story, Mrs. Beamster, is the antithesis of Dieckhoff. Mrs. Beamster is crabby.
The kids fear that, if they make any noise, she will laminate them between sheets of plastic. Mrs. Beamster redeems herself at the end of the story, however, by finding a book of knock-knock jokes for the children.
At 62, Dieckhoff views giving up the story-telling gig, while she continues to work as an assistant librarian, as a step toward a smooth transition.
Friday's story hour ended, appropriately and as usual, with the children joining Dieckhoff in a farewell verse, which concludes:
"Look around.
Wave good-bye to a friend.
Story time Is about to end."