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Children explore Mexico in their minds
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .At the close of her story time, Lindsay Bonilla (center) told her guests a secret- that great stories from around the world are available at the Austintown library.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .During the tale of the ram in the chile patch, Juan asks his dog friend to scare away the stubborn ram. After story teller Lindsay Bonilla found a volunteer in her audience, she asked budding actor Dez'jhen Moore to do his best impression of a dog.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Grace Cowis (right) added a bit of music to the Austintown library festivities during the telling of the traditional Mexican folk-tale.
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 Austintown 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 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 Javonte Willis, 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 Dez’jheauna Moore, 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 to finally run away.
“You see, bravery has nothing to do with size,” Bonilla explained. “Using your mind can get you just as far.”
Bonilla championed community libraries and shared that the Austintown 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.