By: centraljersey.com
The New Jersey State Library Talking Book & Braille Center is hosting a Children’s American Sign Language Story Hour on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at its headquarters at 2300 Stuyvesant Ave., Trenton.
Deaf storyteller Vicki Joy Sullivan of Lawrenceville will sign "Library Lion" by Michelle Knudsen. Students in grades two through four from the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf (MKSD), home-schooled hearing children, and the public are expected to attend.
"Library Lion" is a heartwarming story about libraries. When a lion shows up for story time, head librarian Ms. Merriweather makes it clear that the lion can only stay if he follows the rules. That means "no roaring." He loves story time and visits the library every day, even helping Ms. Merriweather by dusting shelves and licking envelopes. But what will happen when Ms. Merriweather takes a nasty tumble and the lion has to break the rules to help her out? Following the story, the children will be invited to "Color A Smile" in the cafeteria.
The state Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provides American Sign Language interpreters as part of this program, which promotes English literacy. For deaf children who have grown up with American Sign Language as their first language, the story hour provides a valuable opportunity to increase their English literacy skills. Assistive Listening Devices are available.
The public is welcome, but space is limited, and reserving a place at the story hour is necessary. Contact Christine Lam, (866) 326-6035 Direct VP or (888) 671-6983 Voice VP.
Ms. Sullivan is the program coordinator and support services specialist for Career Success Solutions for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals, located at Burlington County College’s Business and Career Development Center in Mt Holly. She is also the president of the New Jersey Association of the Deaf and a long-time advocate of the state’s deaf and hard of hearing community.
She graduated from California School for the Deaf in Berkeley, Gallaudet University and New York University graduate school. She holds a bachelor’s degree in developmental drama and a master’s degree in drama therapy.
Ms. Sullivan taught ASL for 30 years at various institutions, including George Washington University, the University of Pennsylvania, Georgian Court University, The College of New Jersey and Mercer County Community College.
Ms. Sullivan has worked on several research projects involving the qualitative study of deaf and hard of hearing people and developing products targeting sign language users. She has one hearing daughter and one deaf daughter, and enjoys creative art work with beads, sewing, photography, drawing and scrap-booking.
She resides in Lawrenceville with her husband, Chris and two teenagers.

