While many children have participated in a storytime at some point in their young lives, the experience often fades away when they enter school full-time. The Arlington Public Library invites families and their children to rediscover the joy of gathering together for a story at its first Read Aloud Hour, Sunday, January 10, at 3 p.m., at the Southeast Branch.

Librarian Bethany Fort said that in addition to the fun of hearing a reader bring words and characters to life vocally, the benefits of listening to stories read aloud are plentiful, with opportunities to enhance listening skills, learn new vocabulary, and bond with other listeners.

"The experience of sitting with your family and listening to a story has been around forever, from oral storytelling to radio programs to modern podcasts," Fort said. "I started thinking about how I could create that experience at the library, and realized that this would be a chance to connect or reconnect with our youngest patrons who have outgrown storytime but still love hearing stories."

The first Read Aloud Hour story will be Roald Dahl's Charlie and Chocolate Factory. The library will provide extra copies of the book for attendees who wish to follow along on paper, and Legos and coloring materials will be available to accommodate all manner of listeners. The program is intended for children in grades 1-5, but all ages are welcome.

Read Aloud Hour is scheduled on Sundays, January 10 through May 29, from 3-4 p.m. at the Southeast Branch, 900 SE Green Oaks Blvd. No registration is required and this program is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit http://morelibrary.org/program/read-aloud-hour.