Ormond Beach, FL – Uh, oh!  There’s an alligator in the bathtub and an iguana in the gym! Want to find out more? Head down to Rockefeller Gardens in Ormond Beach from June 7 to June 20 for a ‘story stroll’ where you can read about all the animals and their adventures from A-Z.

This free summer event is sponsored by The Casements, The Volusia County Public Library and Ormond Beach MainStreet.  It features a brand-new alphabet book by local artist Mary Wentzel – “Crazy’s A to Z For Kids”.  The giant pages of the book circle the park and provide a great activity for kids – and the adults they bring along – from early in the morning until the sun goes down.

“We had so much fun putting together our Holiday Story Stroll last December,” said Julia Truilo, Executive Director of Ormond Beach MainStreet, “that the three partner organizations wanted to start a summer version as well.  We hope this will become a tradition for local children for many years to come.”  (More than 3,000 people are estimated to have visited the Casements and the Holiday Story Stroll.) “It’s even more exciting that we can feature a brand-new book by a local author.”

Author Mary Wentzel is a well-known local freelance multimedia artist, book illustrator, museum curator, and art educator.  She was the Curator of Education at the Museum of Arts and Sciences, as well as Curator of Exhibitions and Outreach at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens. In addition, Ms. Wentzel served as the Programs Manager for the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. Her illustrations are in private collections around the world. “Crazy’s A to Z For Kids” will be available for purchase beginning in late June 2021.

Wentzel created the art for this book with a combination of pencil, pen & ink, and paint.  She is sharing six of her original black and white drawings as coloring pages for children who would like to put their own original spin on this alphabet book.  These free pages can be picked up at the visitor information desk inside The Casements or in the Children’s section of the Ormond Beach Regional Library.

Media Release: Ormond Beach Main Street, Julia Truilo