Throughout August, REC Reads welcomed a very special guest: Kenton Brett! On August 5 and August 19, Kenton surprised Rosenthal Education Center (REC) visitors with lively storytimes and hands-on art-making activities featuring some of his original puppet drawings.

According to Kenton’s son, Quincy, his dad is the best storyteller around. REC visitors got to see why! From funny voices to silly scenes, Kenton brought each story to life and kept families engaged from start to finish. He selected a few of his favorite books to read with his son for storytime, and you can find the full list at the end of this post.

Kenton Brett’s special exhibition beacon:beckon explores ocean themes, sea life, and - of course - lighthouses! Now through November 8, be sure to visit Kenton’s interactive exhibition and spend some time exploring Beacon Beach.

Check out the books Kenton shared during his guest storytime!

Henry the Sailor Cat by Mary Calhoun

The Octopus’ Den by Deirdre Langeland

Ride a Purple Pelican by Jack Prelutsky

Becoming Blue by Ellen Tarlow

Art & Max by David Wiesner

Stop and Smell the Cookies by Gibson Frazier

The Rabbit, the Dark, and the Cookie Tin by Nicola O’Byrne

Sharing a Shell by Julia Donaldson

Want to keep the creativity going at home? Create your own puppet using drawings by Kenton Brett! Print out different pages, cut out the shapes, and attach them together to make funky puppet creatures for a show of your own.