Released April 1, 2005

HATTIESBURG – Scholastic Library Publishing, a division of Scholastic Inc., will host a special storytelling event to kick off The University of Southern Mississippi's 38th annual Faye B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival, which is set for April 6-8 at the Hattiesburg Lake Terrace Convention Center.

The storytelling session on Wednesday, April 6, will feature children's author and storyteller Coleen Salley. Salley will read to approximately 250 kindergarten through third-grade students from Lillie Burney Elementary School. Scholastic is also planning to donate books to all of the children who attend the event.

"Scholastic Library Publishing is thrilled to celebrate the opening of this year's Children's Book Festival with this storytelling session, which we hope will inspire students with a love of books, reading and learning," said Leora Madden, Scholastic account executive and Southern Miss alumna.

For more information about this event, contact Madden at (601) 842-5581. For more information about the Children's Book Festival, call (601) 266-4349.

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