If you happened to stop by Bookbug on a Thursday morning in the last 8 years or so, there’s a good chance you’ve witnessed the magic that is Storytime with Miss Shirley.

Every Thursday at 10am, from March 2013 until March 2020, Shirley Freeman, better known to many as Miss Shirley, has hosted a special storytime gathering for local kids and caregivers. In the last year, of course, Storytime has had to move online, but Miss Shirley has faithfully kept up with her devoted followers on our this is a youtube channel.

Each week, Miss Shirley chooses a theme – inspired by an important holiday, the changing seasons, or just something nice like “hugs” or “birds” – and reads books that talk about that theme. One of her favorite themes, which she revisits each summer, is “blueberries,” featuring Blueberries for Sal and a special snack for each child.

There are songs, like “Hello, Friends” and “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon!” and usually a craft or activity. She has even welcomed special guests, like the Very Hungry Caterpillar!

In “normal” times, the Storytime crowd has tended to be made up of some of the very youngest kiddos — pre-preschoolers, often with a Grammie or Papa in tow. During summers and school breaks, older siblings love to come back and see Miss Shirley again. And you’d better bet she remembers all of their names.

Shirley started working at Bookbug in September of 2012. After her own three children had grown up and “flown the nest,” she was thrilled to see a job post looking for someone to join the team for a couple of evenings each week. She jumped at the opportunity to work at one of her favorite local stores and be around books and kids – two of her favorite things!

Miss Shirley is an avid reader of books for grown-ups too, reading broadly among new fiction releases, as well as memoirs and books on social justice issues. Some of her recent favorites include:

Caste (adult non-fiction)
The Bad Muslim Discount (adult fiction)
Love is the Way (adult non-fiction)
How to Mars (adult fiction, due out in May)
Morningside Heights (adult fiction, due out in June)
Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame (middle-grade)
Just Like That (middle-grade)

In addition to reading, Shirley loves being outdoors – hiking, biking, swimming, and cross-country skiing. She and her husband, Jim, even made the trek to-and-from South Haven on the KalHaven Trail last fall!

Shirley and Jim also love traveling – from hiking in the Adirondaks to biking in Portugal, and a memorable family trip to Australia. One small up-side to the last year, Shirley said, was that she can record Storytime from anywhere, including while visiting two of her favorite kids (her granddaughters!) last summer.

We are so glad that Miss Shirley is part of our Bookbug family! We are grateful for all the wamrth, kindness, and joy she has shared with the families of Kalamazoo over the years. Here’s to many more Thursday Storytimes (in person again as soon as it is safe and wise to do so) in the years to come!