Storywalk Sabetha
"Night Gardener"
by Terry & Eric Fan
April 2026 | Main Street - Sabetha
"The Night Gardener" is a picture book about a lonely boy named William who lives in a gray, dreary town. One morning, he discovers a tree outside his window has been sculpted into a magnificent owl by a mysterious "Night Gardener."
Each night, more elaborate topiaries appear, bringing color, wonder, and life to the town, inspiring the residents to fix their homes and find joy, and eventually leading William to help the gardener and be changed by the experience.
What is a StoryWalk®?
StoryWalk® is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time.
To create this unique, outdoor reading experience a children’s book is deconstructed and the pages of the book are mounted and placed on signboards or in kiosks along a walking path or in downtown business windows.
April 2026
"The Night Gardener"
Written by Terry & Eric Fan
When you get to the end, share YOUR silly face by posting a picture and tagging us @MaryCottonPublicLibrary on Facebook or Instagram!
More About StoryWalks®
StoryWalk is an inspirational program created in 2007 by Anne Ferguson in Monteplier, Vermont when she worked for the Vermont Department of Public Health. She worked with her local library, the Kellogg-Hubbard Library and through their collective efforts, a StoryWalk® has been installed in “all 50 states and 12 foreign countries.”
As libraries and librarians continue to face obstacles related to the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the largest challenges has been finding ways to engage with the community’s youngest learners in order to ensure that they have access to and encouragement to develop life-long literacy skills. Many libraries across the country and around the world have utilized story-time outside in a way that is safe, fun for the whole family, and encourages a healthy lifestyle through accessible StoryWalks®.
Special thanks to Becky and Susan with Printing Impressions as well as Vicki Edelman and Aberle Ford for their efforts and generosity to get StoryWalks® launched in our community!
Interested in sponsoring a StoryWalk® in Sabetha? We'd love to hear your ideas.
