KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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Over 900 students gathered for the Franklin County Children's Literature Festival on Wednesday to explore their love for reading.
Community member Gerry Getty had a vision for every child in Franklin County to meet with authors and share excitement over reading. In 2002, her dream was realized. Getty became too ill and passed away before she could attend a second Franklin County Children's Literature Festival, but 25 years later, her legacy lives on.
More than 23,000 students across Franklin County have attended the festival over the years. In a digital age, students recognize the importance of reading.
“When you’re sitting on a phone or an iPad, you’re making your brain all mushy, technically, but whenever you’re reading a book or doing that, your brain is learning," said Henley, a third-grader.
Lindsay H. Metcalf is one of the authors who read their books and presented to students at Ottawa University on Wednesday. She knows how to connect with kids growing up in Kansas.
“No," Metcalf said when asked if she knew she'd be an author. "I grew up in Kansas — Concordia, Kansas — and I never met an author.”
Metcalf read her book "Tomatoes on Trial: The Fruit V. Vegetable Showdown" and gave students insight into how she wrote the historically accurate book.
“I kind of feel inspired, but I also feel knowledgeable because now I know a bunch of different ways to get information in case I want to write a book," said Weston, a fifth-grader.
Metcalf said the festival shows reading isn't always about doing homework—it's about the joy of discovery.
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