Bringing Books to Life! is a preschool literacy program created by Nashville Public Library together with early childhood educators. Developed around the Nashville Public Library's award-winning marionette shows, BBTL is committed to promoting a "whole" child approach to learning - one that is age appropriate and offered to the widest possible audience. BBTL seeks to foster children's reading readiness by incorporating tools and activities for teachers, children and their families. Bringing Books to Life! is an outreach of the Nashville Public Library Foundation.

This program includes:

In-service with teachers #1: Review of Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory presenting a "whole child" approach to learning and read-aloud techniques for pre-kindergarten children. Teachers are presented with tools and books for their classroom. (90 minutes)

In-service with teachers #2: Teachers share ideas on how to incorporate literature into all classroom areas, and plan how to apply the MI approach to expanding literature use in their classroom. (90 minutes)

Story-time: A story hour in each classroom with the children by BBTL staff that will reinforce lessons learned in the training component. (1 hour)

Marionette Performance: The Public Library's Puppet Truck will visit the center, bringing a very special performance that enhances the literacy theme of BBTL.

Meet and Greet: BBTL staff briefly meets with parents (during the drop off/pick up time) at the center to talk about program and invite families to a Family Literacy Celebration.

Family Literacy Celebration: Families are invited to a Nashville Public Library branch, introducing them to the library and the relevant resources and services available. Families have dinner, see featured artwork and performances by their children, books are given away, and information regarding the importance of reading aloud to preschoolers is reinforced. (90 minutes)