1623 Central Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28205
United States
505 Main Street
Suite 100
Pineville, NC 28134
United States
June 17, 2025
All summer long, join the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Frontline Puppeteers for any of our music-filled puppet show: Travel the World! This is a 30-minute puppet show that incorporates songs, folk tales, and stories from children's picture books featuring countries like Germany, Mexico, Australia, and Africa, followed by a puppet-making activity and a chance for attending children to meet our friendly puppets. The show is geared toward children ages PreK-Gr. 2, but all ages are welcome.
The puppet show is traveling to all 20 library branches throughout the summer months, so join us for one or for them all!
More information about the shows can be found on our events page HERE.
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Frontline Puppeteers are a troupe of trained puppeteers who work for various branches of the library. We have been bringing puppet shows and silly voices to Charlotte since 2018.
This blog was written by Jennifer Williams-Cannon, a librarian at North County Regional Library
What are social narratives (social stories) and why are they beneficial?
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the Autism Society of North Carolina have been trusted resources within our community for years. Both organizations work to improve lives and to build stronger communities. Together, we have developed comprehensive social narratives for all Mecklenburg County residents to ensure a more inclusive society that fosters compassion and equal access to library resources and community opportunities.
Social narratives help individuals of all ages, particularly those with autism or other developmental differences, understand and navigate social situations, reduce anxiety, and improve social skills. Originally called “social stories”, which were developed by Carol Gray in 1989 as a social learning tool designed to help individuals with autism understand and navigate social situations. (Gray, 2015) They are not just stories, but a structured method with specific criteria to ensure they are descriptive, meaningful, and personalized for the individual.
Each narrative, typically one sentence, uses visual cues to aid in understanding. While some individuals read and retain written information easily, many others need pictures to support comprehension. Many individuals with autism are visual learners and rely on visual cues to understand and process information around them. These “social narratives” break complex interactions into smaller, more manageable steps. The stories are meant to be engaging while also sharing information that can be practiced in different situations. This can lead to increased independence, confidence, and improved communication skills. In essence, social narratives act as a guide, helping individuals with autism and other developmental differences to participate more fully in social settings and build meaningful connections with others.
If you would like to learn more about social narratives or about the resources in your community, visit Carol Gray's website and Autism Society of North Carolina.
The following social narratives offer a description of (story time expectations, library rules, and how to care for your library books) while visiting the North County Regional Library in Huntersville, North Carolina.
