Local residents are invited to take a short drive to the Reading Public Museum's arboretum, where they can enjoy a StoryWalk trail that is being offered by the museum in partnership with Berks County Public Libraries. The current story featured on the trail is "Shoot for the Moon, Snoopy!"

The bilingual StoryWalk features laminated pages from storybooks that are attached to metal posts, which have been installed along the arboretum path. As visitors walk along the path, they will be directed to the next page of the story.

Inspired by Charles Schulz, "Shoot for the Moon, Snoopy!" centers on the popular dog from the Peanuts series who prepares to go to the moon. He quickly realizes, though, that training for space is hard work, especially when Peppermint Patty and Marcie decide to become his personal coaches. The book was written by Jason Cooper and illustrated by Vicki Scott.

The storybook is based on the Peanuts partnership with NASA, which is further explored in the museum's current exhibition "To the Moon: Snoopy Soars With NASA," curated by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, Santa Rosa, Calif.

The current book featured on the trail began on Feb. 27 and will continue for the next several months. The featured story is changed periodically to coincide with what is exhibited at the museum.

"We (choose the book) and order the signposts and the poster backgrounds, and we configure the layout and pass that on to the museum," explained Emily Orischak, community relations coordinator for Berks County Public Libraries. "We pair our story selection with the museum's exhibits."

The Reading Public Museum and the Berks County Public Libraries established the StoryWalk in September of 2021. "It was inspired by pandemic-related concerns at the time," said Orischak. "We wanted to connect with people without them having to go into a library. This brings literature and storytelling out in nature. It bring two things together."

For those not familiar with the arboretum, it is a 25-acre park with large exotic trees as well as indigenous trees and shrubs. The Wyomissing Creek flows through the arboretum.

"People can park in the museum parking lot and walk the trail, which is open from sunrise to sunset," said Orischak. "It's a nice trail with a few bridges to cross. It is quite beautiful, especially in the spring when the flowering trees are in bloom. (The StoryWalk) is a great accompaniment to an already beautiful place."

After completing the StoryWalk, visitors may stop inside the museum to request an activity bag.

The Reading Public Museum is located at 500 Museum Road, Reading. For more information about the arboretum, visit http://www.readingpublicmuseum.org/arboretum.

Berks County Public Libraries cardholders can borrow other Snoopy-inspired books and Reading Public Museum admission passes from any county library, including the Village Library of Morgantown and Boone Area Library in Birdsboro.