Vegas Librarian Mixes Hip-Hop With Story Time to Help Kids Love Reading
Billy Allen, also known to families throughout Las Vegas as “Mr. Billy,” is introducing rhythm and rhyme to reading as part of his. “Hip-Hop Story Time.” This is a free…
Billy Allen, also known to families throughout Las Vegas as “Mr. Billy,” is introducing rhythm and rhyme to reading as part of his. “Hip-Hop Story Time.” This is a free weekly program being held at the Whitney Library every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. The event combines picture books with hip-hop beats and dancing and is meant to be fun and energetic for kids and their families.
Allen's innovative approach draws from his love of hip-hop and his background in performance, offering a fresh take on traditional library story times. “I used to work in another library system, and I'm like, okay, I don't do my story times like other people,” Allen said. “I like hip hop. I like being myself. I'm influenced by comedians, battle rap, all the stuff. I said, ‘Let me incorporate music.'”
The program's success lies not only in captivating children but also in engaging parents. “So if the kids are looking at them, I'm like, ‘Okay, mom bopping to the story,' that creates the thirst of reading,” Allen said. By encouraging adults to join in the fun, he helps foster a home environment where reading feels exciting and shared.
Parents have already noticed the impact. Families such as that of Daisy Reyes have noted remarkable changes — her 2-year-old son Aaron, once uninterested in books, has become engaged and eager to read after attending Allen's sessions. “That's how he started liking books. He didn't like books at all,” Reyes said.
Allen's mission extends beyond the library's walls. “I'll read this book 20 different times and you're going to get 20 different experiences,” Allen said. “My big picture is, can we get adults to look and mimic this? To be like, you can have fun reading. It's not a chore,” Allen said.
Through his vibrant storytelling and dedication to community engagement, Allen hopes to spark a lifelong love of reading that continues through middle and high school, boosting literacy rates and making reading a joyful part of everyday life across the Las Vegas Valley.
