An exciting new series called Children’s International Story Hour (CISH) brought the world to Wisconsin’s public libraries this past semester. The Wisconsin International Resource Consortium (WIRC), a collaboration among the nine UW–Madison area studies centers, partnered with Wisconsin Public Libraries to give children and their caregivers an engaging way to explore global arts, cultures, and languages without ever leaving their local community.
In the weekly CISH series, each session spotlights a different country. The active format featured engaging storytelling, lively music, hands-on crafts, and interactive cultural experiences led by expert guest speakers. Participants also tasted cuisine from different cultures—with the Nigerian puff-puff being a recent favorite.
CISH is an expansion of the long-standing Children’s African Story Hour (CASH) run by the African Studies Program. In partnership with the Madison Public Library, theAfrican Center for Community Development, and University Apartments, CASH sessions share award-winning children’s literature, along with food, music, and activities that celebrate the diversity of cultures and languages across the African continent.
Olayinka Olagbegi-Adegbite, assistant director of the African Studies Program, said she looks forward to every CISH and CASH session because each story hour is unique.
“Sometimes, it’s a bunch of curious kids that ask inquisitive questions before and during the storytelling. Kids like that encourage other kids to pay closer attention,” said Olagbegi-Adegbite. “Other times, it is the enthusiastic parents who have finally found a country representative to address or answer all their long-kept beliefs or questions about the target country.”
From September through December, the schedule offered an international literary collection that began with Africa Is Not a Country and Where Are You From?, then traveled to the Dominican Republic-USA with Islandborn and France with Step into My Shoes.
Subsequent weeks showcased books like the Chinese story A Big Mooncake for Little Star, followed by the Nigerian tale I’ll See You in Ijebu, and the Mexican-USA narrative Dreamers. The series continued its global exploration with Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine, The Taste of Home from Sierra Leone, the Korean book The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story, and the Ukrainian story Threads: Zlata’s Ukrainian Shirt, concluding with Zamzam from Egypt and Malaysian Children’s Favorite Stories.
In combining the depth of the long-running African program with a new, broader international scope, CISH is fully maximizing its outreach impact in local communities. Visit the Wisconsin International Resource Consortium website to learn more about CISH and upcoming events.
Story by Kayla Daum