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Children explore Mexico at Boardman library
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Melic Kermagi (right) added a bit of music to the Boardman library festivities during the telling of the traditional Mexican folk-tale.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .As Lindsay Bonilla explained how the character of Juan continued to attempt to kick the ram out of the chile patch, ram Caden Fleet continued to munch on his favorite spicy treat.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Although Boardman library guest Caden Fleet (left) looked friendly, storyteller Lindsay Bonilla (right) asked him to become the villain in her tale of the ram in the chile patch.
By SARAH FOOR
World of Difference storyteller Lindsay Bonilla tells tales that let her travel the world without the need of planes, trains or automobiles. On Aug. 10, she invited guests at the Boardman library to Mexico to explore the folktale of the ram in the chile patch.
Wearing long dark braids in her hair and dressed in traditional Mexican clothing, Bonilla explained that her role in the story was of a farmer who sells chile peppers at a local market. She introduced her son, Juan, who was played by audience volunteer Scott Cross, and entrusted him to watch over her chile patch.
Juan, unfortunately, chose to play with his friends rather than watch the chilies, and a hard-headed ram, played by Caden Fleet, settled in to start eating her favorite treat.
Juan finds his friends, a dog and rooster, but their shows of strength fail to scare away the ram who continues to munch away at chiles.
It is only a clever ant, who bites the ram, that gets the stubborn chile-pepper stealer finally run away.
“You see, bravery has nothing to do with size,” Bonilla explained. “You can do great things even when you are small.”
Bonilla championed community libraries and shared that the Boardman library owns many books about the fun places, foods, and culture of the country of Mexico. She urged the group to explore more Mexican folktales available in the library.
“My ideas for story times come from reading a lot and traveling, and then it’s all about putting my own spin on it. I always urge the kids I meet to do exactly the same and explore the world in their own way,” said Bonilla at the end of the event.