When Dinosaurs Roamed the Library

At the Schuyler Library, there are parents and children gathered around a table laid out with dinosaur and patriotic red, white, and blue cookies. There are doting grandparents, representatives of Nebraska Growing Readers (NGR), and the librarian. There is the local Scout troop. And, in the midst of it all, there is a 10-foot orange-brown T-Rex working the crowd.

This is what a literacy community looks like.

Why is this unusual mix of characters gathered? To hear two recently released NGR books written by local author Sheri Balak read aloud. Balak is a lifelong community member of Schuyler who worked as a school speech and language pathologist for 44 years and who has penned Rex Visits Schuyler and What Scouts Do. The books came about as part of an NGR writers workshop held in the town. Balak is proud of her community and said she wrote the books because she wanted to “introduce the people who live in Schuyler to a little bit of the history.”

Rex the dinosaur is a local celeb in Schuyler, and Balak knew of his annual Labor Day book walk through the community park. On the walk, Rex leads a group of parents and children along its paths, where he stops at various spots along the way to read. This acted as a model for Balak’s book in which she highlights Rex stopping at Schuyler’s museum, library, golf course, police station, and hospital, among others. The book not only highlighted Rex but also featured local children in the text.

Balak’s scouting book also acted as a vehicle to explore Schuyler, with the troop’s headquarters, the local food pantry, and the American Legion Hall featured. In addition, the text covers some of the tasks and community service the scouts engage in, as well as things they accomplish to move forward in their roles.

Both books were made possible by NGR’s (a Nebraska Children and Families Foundation initiative) partnership with Unite for Literacy, who printed the books and made them available for distribution at the reading. As part of the literacy landscape, Schuyler and NGR have also partnered to create a Community Book Garden that offers free books at five locations.

Balak said she “always used literature to support the language activities” that she did in speech and language pathology and that she’d “always wanted to do some writing.” When she heard of the NGR writers workshop, she knew she had found a venue for exercising her creative talents. The idea for the Rex book was developed there.

She approached Rex (the local County Assessor), who she said “was very cooperative. He loves being in the community.” It just so happened that while they were taking photos of Rex at various locations that some local children became curious. Balak took some shots with Rex and the children and loved them so much, she went back and restaged earlier photos so that the kids were included. It thus became a community event, from the local celeb and venues to the young members of Schuyler.

On the day of the reading, over 50 community members showed up to hear Balak read the books and sign copies. The Scoutmaster was thrilled with the scout book and wanted to share it online. Parents shared their excitement about the Rex book as well. Balak said, “It’s exciting to see the kids who are in the books see themselves and to hear their mothers tell the stories of how thrilled they are to see themselves.” Balak was also pleasantly surprised that her entire family showed up from Lincoln to attend the event.

Since NGR began its work in Nebraska communities, Schuyler has been eager to participate in every available way, showing along the way that it is truly a literacy-focused town. As Balak puts it, “we have some really devoted, dedicated, passionate people that are working hard for our community.” According to her, even members who no longer reside in Schuyler have taken an interest. One of her friends who now lives in California is interested in supporting the work NGR is doing in the community.

From the 12 participants involved in the Schuyler NGR writers workshop, 5 books have already been produced, and it looks like more may be in the works. Balak says she envisions a whole series of Rex books set in the community. Now, she just needs to get the dino onboard. To do that, they may have to answer the question that a local community leader’s grandchild kept asking at the reading, “where is Rex’s secret hideout?” No doubt he will come out of hiding for the next installment, as Rex represents the strong community spirit of Schuyler and their commitment toward literacy..

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