Community celebrities read to second graders Thursday at University Elementary School

Staff report

Bloomington, Indiana – October 27, 2023

Prominent members of the Bloomington community, including City of Bloomington Firefighter Robert Morgan, Monroe County Public Library Children’s Librarian Raegan Zelaya, and retired head of the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department Paula McDevitt, visited University Elementary School on Thursday to read to second graders.

These volunteers participated in the celebrity reader program and shared the book “With Lots of Love” by Jenny Torres Sanchez with Ms. Samantha Eastes’ second-grade class at University Elementary School on Thursday afternoon. The book is written in both Spanish and English, with Zelaya reading the Spanish portions to the students.

According to the description on Amazon’s website, the book tells a lyrical story about a girl who relocates from her home in Central America to the United States, leaving behind everything she holds dear, especially her Abuela (grandmother), as she embarks on a new life.

Rocio has spent her childhood in Central America, but now she and her family are making the move to the United States. Rocio strives to adapt to her new way of life, yet she yearns for many things from her old life, including Abuela’s cooking, Abuela’s pinata creations, Abuela’s warm hugs, and, above all, Abuela herself. Fortunately, Abuela finds a way to send Rocio a special gift just in time for her birthday, filled with lots of love, which fills Rocio with joy.