Iowa Elementary staff members recently created and auctioned off two paper maché cats to promote their library’s theme, “Iowa Grows Great Readers.” The two crafty cats decorated by Iowa staff members Joan Campbell and Sonja Hanschu raised $70 to purchase books for the media center.

The Iowa staff members added a bit of personality to the hand-crafted cats that they named “Miss Rumphius” and “Daisy.”  Campbell, Iowa's library media technician, used the award-winning children's book “Miss Rumphius,” by Barbara Cooney, as the inspiration for her cat.  Told by her grandfather to "make the world more beautiful," the book’s main character scatters seeds in her hometown.  The resulting flower explosion beautifies the town. Campbell decorated her cat creation with bright paint and colorful flowers.

Inspired by the phrase “Iowa Grows Great Readers,” first-grade teacher Hanschu decorated "Daisy" in a floral theme.  Hanschu and her family decorated "Daisy" with hand-drawn flowers, colored them in with markers and glued on buttons as the flower centers.  “Daisy” even sported a beaded collar with a heart-shaped nametag.

This auction sparked the attention of community members.  As a result, an anonymous donor presented 21 new hardcover Dr. Seuss books to Iowa staff. Another community member purchased new poetry books for the library.