Making clawing gestures with his hands, 2-year-old Leo Foxwell of Lindenhurst gave his best “roarrr” outside the Lake Villa District Library.
Dressed in a light green dinosaur costume — the same one he wore for Halloween — Leo also waved at, and then ran away from, a Tyrannosaurus rex that was let loose out on the lawn of the building.
The animatronics costume, worn and operated by someone inside, called Frankie the T-Rex made an appearance during the library’s dinosaur story time Friday.
After listening to the reading of dinosaur-themed books, such as “Dinosaur vs. the Library” by author Bob Shea and “Duck, Duck, Dinosaur” by Kallie George, children got to mingle with Frankie.
Many walked right up to the theropod and petted him on the head, and underneath his face.
Others preferred to see Frankie from a few feet away, safely tucked in their parents’ arms or between their legs.
And some, well, they wanted nothing to do with Frankie so they screamed their way out of the scene.
But that wasn’t the case with 6-year-old twins Charlotte and Annabelle VanDyke, who really liked being near Frankie and walked alongside him as he made his way around the lawn to greet all the guests.
Charlotte said Frankie felt like a real dinosaur, “soft but hard.”
Annabelle said, “He only eats hamburgers and hot dogs. He doesn’t eat humans.”
More Top Picks Pet
The event is one of many summer activities planned at the library.
“We just want to make literacy fun for kids,” said Lora Siebert, youth services collection development librarian.
Adding that events like these are a great way to introduce little ones to the library, Siebert said that the best thing about it is that it’s all free.
Kids can pick out books, listen to storytelling, songs and music. And sometimes, they get to play with a T-rex.
Siebert said other things parents can do for their young kids to foster a love for literacy is to always have books around them.
She recommends that even little ones who can’t yet read have books in their toy boxes or toy areas.
“Even if they just open them and chew on them; that’s a way they’re discovering a book,” Siebert said.
Of course, she discourages that if they’re library books.
Another tip for parents is to always be communicating with their kids.
“Narrate your life as it’s happening, but don’t talk down to them,” she said.
Instead, talk about what you’re doing, because kids are always listening, Siebert said.
Lastly, library officials said having a routine that includes reading helps everyone in the family develop a reading habit.
The Lake Villa District Library has programming for youths and adults that encourages and rewards reading.
Until Aug. 14, the summer reading program gives readers a chance to not only read books, but also enter into many drawings by winning tickets.
For youth, the prizes are themed gift bags and for adults there are gift cards.
