JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Children got out Saturday, enjoying the 'Summer Reading Party' at the Mississippi Agriculture Museum in Jackson.
The Natural Science Museum was on hand, allowing folks to get up close and personal with some Mississippi native snakes.
"Someone let me put the snake around my neck. It was cool!" says young James Shelton of Jackson.
Along with that, children of all ages participated in games and activities related to books on their summer reading lists. The books range from favorites like "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" for youngsters, and "The Outsiders" for teens.
The PBS show "The Electric Company" was present as well, putting on a show with Shock, an imaginative character who tours the country to deliver fun and educational performances.
"What the Electric Company does is encourage kids to use words, sounds, get them excited about reading so they'll be prepared to go back to school in the fall," says Randell Bynum, a Senior Director with the Sesame Workshop out of New York.
Ronnie Agnew is Director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting, which brought the event to Jackson. He says adults can be kids again for a day.
"We hope to grow this every year, make it bigger, get the whole state involved at some point. Maybe take it around the state is what my vision is for this," Agnew says.
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