Children hunt for leprechauns at library
Leprechauns tend to make an appearance around St. Patrick's Day, even at Solano County libraries.
On Thursday, the Vacaville Town Square Library held its annual leprechaun hunt for Solano County children.
When each child entered the library's meeting room, Youth Services Librarian Kristen Murray greeted them and asked them to sit on the carpet so she could read them a special book.
That book is called “How to Trap a Leprechaun,” written by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Emma Randall.
Once the children were taught how to catch leprechauns by listening to the story, Murray instructed them to sit at the craft tables to construct their very own “hat of invisibility.”
This hat, Murray explained, would allow them to hide from the leprechauns as they searched for them throughout the library's “grown-up section”.
She told the children that the leprechauns decided to hide in the “grown-up section” of books because they knew the kids would find them too easily in the children's book section.
Each child used stickers, pipe cleaners, construction paper, staples, tape, pencils, as well as foam stickers to create their “hats of invisibility”.
Once the hats were complete, Murray had all the kids line up at the door. They then snuck quietly out into the main library and began searching for leprechauns.
Leprechauns were printed on a green piece of paper and cut out. They were hidden between books in both the non-fiction and fiction sections.
Once the children acquired a pesky leprechaun, they could head back to the meeting room to claim their “treasure” from Murray.
That treasure included chocolate gold coins, a shamrock beaded necklace and a rainbow craft kit.
“I've been here five years and this event has been a tradition since before me,” said Murray.
Murray also said that last year, the leprechaun hunt was the first indoor in-person event held since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. She said there were 130 kids at last year's event.
As the children collected their treasure and headed for the parking lot, several leprechauns still remained hidden amongst the books as if four-leaf clovers camouflaged in a field of green, left to continue their shenanigans until next year.
To view upcoming events at Solano County libraries, visit https://solanolibrary.evanced. info/signup/calendar.