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Joan Casper, center, seen here on Easter this year, is beloved for dressing up as Mother Goose and other characters to promote reading.
Joan Casper is probably better known as Mother Goose.
Casper has been donning costumes in western Nevada County for more than 15 years, using visual fantasy to encourage children to read.
“That's what I promote, is reading,” said Casper, who lives in Grass Valley. “If you go anywhere in the world, you have to know how to read. It can take you anywhere you want to go. Anywhere.”
When Casper became the librarian at Hennessy and Bell Hill Schools, she created “a magical land” out of the libraries there. Now retired, she recalled how the “kids couldn't wait to get in each week” to see who or what she was dressed up to portray.
Casper's involvement with make-believe began at an early age: She used to dress up in her mother's bridesmaid dress and wore it all the time, and she believed in fairies.
Now, she dresses up about once a month and for holidays, sticking to figures including Mother Goose and Martha Washington. She has appeared at most of the day care facilities in the area, and also gives a dressed-up presentation at Sierra Christian School about the California missions.
“I have a Martha Washington red-white-and-blue outfit (and) we talk about the Fourth of July,” Casper said.
Mother Goose is her favorite character. She has sewn all of her costumes herself.
“I had about 40 costumes, but I got rid of a lot of them,” she said.
When she started dressing up for the Sunday School children at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Grass Valley, she thought, “I think I'll just dress up. I don't know how it's going to go over,” Casper recalled.
The children loved it.
Casper's routine features a cart filled with books, fairy dust and magic tricks. She often reads pop-up books, going through about 15 in half an hour.
When school starts in August, she always goes to kindergartens “because they are crying and want their mothers. When I walk in and they see me, they just stop. They feel very comfortable.
“They're so visual, the little ones,” she added.
To contact Reader Liaison Angela Diaz, call 477-4203 or e-mail adiaz@theunion.com.
Casper has been donning costumes in western Nevada County for more than 15 years, using visual fantasy to encourage children to read.
“That's what I promote, is reading,” said Casper, who lives in Grass Valley. “If you go anywhere in the world, you have to know how to read. It can take you anywhere you want to go. Anywhere.”
When Casper became the librarian at Hennessy and Bell Hill Schools, she created “a magical land” out of the libraries there. Now retired, she recalled how the “kids couldn't wait to get in each week” to see who or what she was dressed up to portray.
Casper's involvement with make-believe began at an early age: She used to dress up in her mother's bridesmaid dress and wore it all the time, and she believed in fairies.
Now, she dresses up about once a month and for holidays, sticking to figures including Mother Goose and Martha Washington. She has appeared at most of the day care facilities in the area, and also gives a dressed-up presentation at Sierra Christian School about the California missions.
“I have a Martha Washington red-white-and-blue outfit (and) we talk about the Fourth of July,” Casper said.
Mother Goose is her favorite character. She has sewn all of her costumes herself.
“I had about 40 costumes, but I got rid of a lot of them,” she said.
When she started dressing up for the Sunday School children at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Grass Valley, she thought, “I think I'll just dress up. I don't know how it's going to go over,” Casper recalled.
The children loved it.
Casper's routine features a cart filled with books, fairy dust and magic tricks. She often reads pop-up books, going through about 15 in half an hour.
When school starts in August, she always goes to kindergartens “because they are crying and want their mothers. When I walk in and they see me, they just stop. They feel very comfortable.
“They're so visual, the little ones,” she added.
To contact Reader Liaison Angela Diaz, call 477-4203 or e-mail adiaz@theunion.com.
