Mystical figure stirs children’s imagination
Staff writer
Colorful images painted on walls in a children’s reading nook at Peabody Township Library provoke wonderment and delight in visitors.
The room used to be a coat closet but hadn’t been used for years. A tiny storage room at the back is now fitted with a soft seat where children can sit and read.
Stephanie Ax-Lago, a Peabody artisan and member of the library board, designed and painted the wall display. Books pictured are actual library pieces. Many themes are portrayed, some reflecting children and adults living in Peabody Township.
The room was dubbed Figment’s Realm after an image of a dragon named Figment on the wall. He is a mystery figure who writes thank you letters to children who enter the nook and read stories aloud.
Figment’s notes show up not in the mail but at a site where the children are going to be.
The library’s website, https://peabody.lib.nckls.org, affords visitors a 360-degree view of the room. There’s also a Figment’s Realm video.
“It’s a lot of fun,” librarian Rodger Charles said. “We wanted to spark kids’ imaginations. They love it. They can stand in the middle of the room and look for hours.”