Children's story hour begins at ASU's Rock Art Center

The fall 2011 season of Ollie’s Storybook Adventures begins Friday, Sept. 30, at Arizona State University’s Deer Valley Rock Art Center, 3711 W. Deer Valley Road, Phoenix.

Storybook is an educational program that offers fun and interactive ways for children to learn about Native American cultures as well as the plants, animals, and archaeology of the American southwest. Each adventure includes a story, art activity, music, and outdoor game.

Times are 10-11 a.m. on Fridays, Sept. 30, Oct. 14, Oct. 28, Nov. 22 and Dec. 2.

Storybook kicks off on Sept. 30 with the theme “Caring for Our World.” The book is “Dear Children of the Earth,” by Schim Schimmel.

On Oct. 14, with “Butterflies” as the theme, the book is “How Butterflies Came to Be (a Papago Legend)."

Oct. 28’s storybook hour will look at “Desert Tortoises,” with “Life in the Slow Lane – A Desert Tortoise Tale,” by Conrad Storad.

On Nov. 11, Jean Ekman, children’s author and illustrator, will read and sign copies of her newest book, “A Cowgirl and Her Horse.”

The fall season concludes on Dec. 2 with “Native American Music” as the theme. The book is “Night Dancer” by Marcia Vaughn.

Ollie’s Storybook Adventures is for children ages 3 to 6 and their parents. Each session is limited to 12 children. Reservations are required. Please call (623) 582-8007 to sign up.

Cost: $2.50 per child; older siblings are $2; members and accompanying adults are free; and additional adults are $2.

The Deer Valley Rock Art Center has the largest concentration of Native American petroglyphs in the Phoenix Valley. Visitors hike a quarter-mile trail to view more than 1,500 petroglyphs made between 500 and 7,000 years ago. The museum aims to promote preservation, connection and respect for the site and is a destination for families to learn about archaeology in their own backyard. The Center is managed by one of the top archaeology programs in the country – the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University.

More information is available at http://dvrac.asu.edu or by calling (623) 582-8007.