November is National Family Literacy Month, and there’s no better way to celebrate than by enjoying a cozy fall StoryWalk with your family! Each StoryWalk features pages from a picture book displayed along a walking path, paired with prompts and simple activities to spark conversation and keep families reading and exploring together.
This month’s featured stories, both written by Indigenous authors, encourage connection, kindness, and a love of the natural world.
At the Dubuque Arboretum, the StoryWalk is on the Legacy Tree Trail. Crunch in the leaves while you follow We All Play by Julie Flett, a joyful celebration of how children and animals move, play, and live in harmony with nature. With Flett’s gentle rhythm and beautiful illustrations inspired by her Cree-Métis heritage, this story reminds readers that play connects us all.
At the Bee Branch, park in the 22nd Street lot and start at the flag poles to read You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith and Danielle Daniel, a tender, affirming story that celebrates empathy, respect, and the importance of lifting one another up. This meaningful read encourages families to pause, reflect, and talk about the ways we show care and kindness in our everyday lives.
Bundle up, enjoy the fall colors, and celebrate National Family Literacy Month with stories that bring us closer – to nature, to one another, and to the community that we share.