Hit the Reading Trail with 3 Magnolia StoryWalks in August

Follow the signs outside the Magnolia Branch to find the StoryWalk®

With (somewhat) cooler temperatures this week, it’s the perfect time to explore Seattle’s wonderful parks with the young people in your life. In Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood, rotating StoryWalks® in three locations will be up through August, which means that you can get outside while reading amazing picture books installed along a trail. All featured books are by Native American authors.

If you’re not familiar with StoryWalks®, get ready to experience reading in a new and active way. A StoryWalk® encourages reading, imagination, fitness and exploring your community. Here are the three locations for the StoryWalks®.

The Seattle Public Library’s Magnolia Branch (2801 34th Ave. W.): Just look for the signs. And don’t forget to explore the Magnolia Branch, designed by celebrated architect Paul Hayden Kirk.

Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center (5011 Bernie Whitebear Way) will host a StoryWalk® at a nearby pond. There are three ponds to the east of Daybreak Star; the walk is around the biggest and top pond. See the Discovery Park map to find it. The StoryWalk at this location shows from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., when it can be staffed.

The Discovery Park Visitor Center (3801 Discovery Park Blvd.) hosts a StoryWalk® at the wonderful playground by the Visitor Center.

The three books rotating through the StoryWalk locations are:

“We are Water Protectors” by Carol Lindstrom, a proud member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe Indians
“Powwow Day” by Traci Sorell, a proud member of Cherokee Nation
“Kapaemahu” by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, a Native Hawaiian Māhū. find out more about this book at the Kapaemahu website, the Bishop Museum exhibition and a wonderful video on PBS.

Here is the schedule for how the books rotate at the three locations:

August 1-7: Daybreak Star – “We Are Water Protectors”; Visitor Center – “Powwow Day”; Magnolia Branch – “Kapaemahu”
August 8-14: Daybreak Star – “Kapaemahu”; Visitor Center – “We Are Water Protectors”; Magnolia Branch – “Powwow Day”
August 15-29: Daybreak Star – “Powwow Day”; Visitor Center – “Kapaemahu”; Magnolia Branch – “We Are Water Protectors”

Read all three stories with your family during the month of August!

Find more suggestions for children’s books by Native American authors and featuring Native American characters in this book list.

The Magnolia StoryWalks® are part of a collaboration between Seattle Parks & Recreation and The Seattle Public Library that started in 2021 to promote reading, community and outdoor fun.

United Indians of All Tribes Foundation is another key community partner for the Magnolia StoryWalks.

The StoryWalk™ Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library.