In March 2021, Main Street America (MSA) published a blog post, written by Dr. Noah Lenstra, Founder & Director of Let’s Move in Libraries, that highlights how StoryWalks can bring reading and fun downtown!

“The three key ingredients to a successful downtown StoryWalk are: a picture book, a walking trail, and a partnership. The first partnership of most successful Main Street StoryWalks is between a downtown development organization and their public library.” – Dr. Noah Lenstra

That’s exactly what the Barbara Rose Johns Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library and Farmville Downtown Partnership (FDP) did, partnering alongside each other to bring an interactive storytelling experience to downtown.

This activity combines reading, outdoor exercise and exploring what Main Street has to offer – perfect for all ages. Farmville’s StoryWalk will feature the picture book Pokko and the Drum by Matthew Forsythe, and those that embark on this fun journey will find themselves marching along with young frog Pokko and her drum all through downtown Farmville! The StoryWalk begins at the intersection by the LOVE sign and continues south along Main Street, allowing you to discover pages of the picture book in the windows of participating storefronts.

Click here to learn more about what it takes to bring a StoryWalk to your downtown, how to customize this program to your community, what other StoryWalks around the country look like and how you can get started today!