The Webster School District’s youngest students danced, laughed, sang, and saw several children’s books come to life last Friday June 5 at the third annual Preschool Book Performance, organized and hosted by Webster Schroeder preschool teacher Jamie Palmer.
More than 300 preschool students, teachers and aides from the district’s seven elementary schools and Schroeder and Thomas high schools attended the performance in the Schroeder auditorium. As the audience members filed in and settled with great excitement into their seats, behind the curtain, an assortment of characters (including a wolf, cows, a dragon, bear, lion, donkey, duck, sheep, Elephant and Piggie, Ballet Cat and more) got into their costumes and arranged their props.
Ballet Cat herself (Jamie Palmer in her bright pink tutu) introduced the performance, which featured several of the preschoolers’ favorite children’s books and authors:
- Ballet Cat: the Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea
- What’s Your Favorite Favorite? by Bob Shea
- A Delicious Story by Barney Saltzberg
- Oh! Are You Awake? by Bob Shea
- Elephant and Piggie: Let’s Go for a Drive! by Mo Willems
- My Friends Make Me Happy by Jan Thomas
- My Toothbrush is Missing! by Jan Thomas
In between books, as cast members prepared behind the curtain, the young audience members danced and clapped to songs performed by Webster Public Library (WPL) Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole, and laughed at some pretty bad knock-knock jokes.
Palmer was supported by a talented cast of WPL staff members, Webster School District (WCSD) staff members and Schroeder students. I even got to play the supporting role of Grandma in What’s Your Favorite Favorite? Other performers included:
- WPL Children and Family Experiences Librarian Hannah Baumgartner
- WPL Assistant Director Shana Lynott
- WCSD Special Education Consultant Teacher Bill Ambler
- Webster Schroeder Librarian Jennifer Strege
- WCSD Security Sentry Lynne Weeks
- Webster Schroeder students Brody Walrath and Tanner Peters
You could definitely see the joy in the faces of the preschoolers as they danced and sang, laughed and clapped, and watched with delight as their favorite book characters came to life. And since there’s a new crop of preschoolers every year, you can bet this won’t be the last of these shows.
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(posted 6/8/2026)
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