'What was your first book?' review by Jannifer Zhan

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On Saturday, May 18^th, First Book-Seattle held its second annual big fundraiser at Hugo House, featuring local celebrities reading the first book they loved. Before the event started, the First Book-Seattle crew was busy getting the venue ready, including drawing with chalk on the sidewalk outside Hugo House to direct people to the front door. Many of our readers arrived earlier and as the time approached 10am, more and more audience members trickled in.  Parents settled down in the chairs while the kids sat criss-cross apple sauce on a rug closer to the stage. Some went to grab some snacks and refreshments, which were donated to us by Trader Joe’s and Eltana Bagels. Others went to the side alcove to check out our silent auction, which was filled with amazing prizes including a team-signed Sounders Jersey, which drew much interest. All the prizes were provided by generous donors.

Around 10, our host, “Voice of the Sounders” Ross Fletcher, stepped up to the stage with board members Jody Dorow and Megan Lehman to kick off the event. We had a great set of readers lined up for the event and each one was a natural at engaging the children in his or her respective books.

Our first reader Julie Trout, the 2012 Regional Teacher of the Year, after putting on her “teacher” glasses, read Mr. Pine’s Purple House, which she described as a book about “not being afraid to be a little different,” a lesson which she hoped the kids would remember always.

Husky Wide Receiver DiAndre Campbell looked very cool in his Husky jacket as he sat down to read The Giving Tree by Shel Shel Silverstein.

TV host from New Day Seattle Margaret Larson eschewed the reader’s chair and chose to sit on the edge of the stage nearer to the kids so that they could see the colorful pictures from her choice of book, Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss, whom she described as “a doctor of laughter.”

“Captain” Bjorn Toorun (aka Curt Nakon), who can usually be seen steering a Ride the Ducks boat in downtown Seattle, read One Duck Stuck and pronounced all the animal sound effects with great enthusiasm. Even more amusingly, he came prepared with a duck hat which would flap its wings when he tugged on the loop, which he would do each time the titular stuck duck called for help.

Anna Banana Freeze, a performer from the b-boy/b-girl group Massive Monkees, read Elephants Cannot Dance with all the different voices. She then lead the kids through a dancing exercise before showing off a few of her own moves. Before she started, she jokingly warned us that her dance style resembled the eccentric technique of the elephant in the book. She then told the kids to help her summon the music by rubbing their hands together. As the children started, music really did begin to play, which obviously can be attributed to the music gods and not at all to the Hugo House employee standing behind the audience adjusting an iPhone! It was a great half time performance.

Before Rachel Kessler, a poet performer from Typing Explosion, read aloud her Mouse Tails, she explained that this particular book was really important to her because it was the book that caused her to love reading chapter books.  Chef Tamara Murphy from Terra Plata read us Where the Wild things are by Maurice Sendak. This was one of the most popular choices with the children enthusiastic from the moment she mentioned the title.

Linda Neunzig, owner of Ninety Farms, was joined onstage by her son, Sam, and they read When the Rooster Crowed together. She remarked that the book was very relevant to her family as they are not fond of early-rising.

Before Seattle Sounder player Andy Rose began his book, Froggy Plays Soccer, he commented that he hopes to one day attain Froggy’s soccer skills. Meanwhile Seattle Seahawks kicker Carson Wiggs told us how pleased he was to be getting involved in the community after only having signed for the team in March. He read that old favourite The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

Our last reader, retired Rat City Rollergirl Shovey Chase (aka Jennifer Warnick) skated to the front of the room and asked all the kids to stand behind her onstage and make their best bear faces before joining her to read More Bears.

Finally, Ross Fletcher finished the event with some closing statements and invited everyone to visit the silent auction, as well as the book sale, where all the books that were read aloud were available for purchase.

In total, First Book-Seattle raised over $2000 from ticket sales, book sales, and auction sales, which means we can provide 800+ books to children in King County. What a successful fundraiser!