Bowmar presents Storybook Parade

Published 12:00 am Sunday, March 8, 2015

WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD: Zoe Jennings, Lion; Jane Hopson, Tin Man; Hannah Hopson, Scarecrow; Taylor Chewning, Dorothy; and Hyde, Toto, parade across the stage dressed as characters from “The Wizard of Oz.”

WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD: Zoe Jennings, Lion; Jane Hopson, Tin Man; Hannah Hopson, Scarecrow; Taylor Chewning, Dorothy; and Hyde, Toto, parade across the stage dressed as characters from “The Wizard of Oz.”

Bowmar Elementary Kindergartener Beau Bradley explains why he dressed up as a cat.

Bowmar Elementary Kindergartener Beau Bradley explains why he dressed up as a cat.

Adan Byrd

Adan Byrd

Elvis, Snow White and even some of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles walked across the stage at Bowmar Elementary School March 2 for their annual Storybook Parade.

Sixth grade teacher Carolyn Bradley said the event was previously held around Halloween every year, but it was moved to coincide with Dr. Suess’s birthday.

“It’s just a fun day to dress up as your favorite character,” she said. “They attached a summary of their book, so they have to have read the book, taken an AR test on it and be able to tell the main ideas from the book.”

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

Bradley said Storybook Parade is one of her favorite parts about Bowmar Elementary.

“Every year, Ms. Burris, our principal, selects the book the faculty will do,” she said. “We have done 101 Dalmatians; we’ve done Wizard of Oz. This year she chose Charlotte’s Web.

Faculty dressed up as livestock, farmers and Charlotte, said Bradley, who dressed as a cow.

“It’s a different way to get everyone involved,” she said. “It’s a fun break.”

Bradley said Storybook Parade is a fun way to encourage reading, especially younger children like her son Beau Bradley, who is a kindergartener at the school.

Beau said he dressed up cat after reading “Scribbles and Ink” by Ethan Long.

“In the book Ink drew a giant dog to scare the car,” he said. “He’s saying roar.”

Beau said he has one cat at home, Noah, who was sort of his inspiration, and next year he plans to dress up as a lion.

Fifth grader Adan Bryd dressed as the headless horseman from “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, and he said this was his sixth year to participate in Bowmar’s Storybook Parade.

“I’ve gotten a lot of comments from my classroom,” he said. “They said my costume was really creepy.”

Bryd said in previous years he has dressed as a soldier and as Big Nate.

Sixth grader Taylor Chewning dressed up with her friends as Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow and Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum.

The elaborately clad students were complemented by a Yorkshire terrier named Hyde who played the part of Toto.

“I came up with the idea,” Chewning said. “It’s our last year all together so we wanted to dress up together.”