REVIEW: Drag Queen Storytime With Noelle Diamond
6/3 @ Albany Public Library
Photos by Kiki Vassilakis
“Between the books, songs, and Noelle Diamond shining bright, there was a lot to celebrate.”
For the seventh year in a row, Noelle Diamond hosted Drag Queen Storytime as part of Albany Public Library’s Pride Month celebrations. This event was held on the second floor of the Washington Branch in the Kids and Youth area, and was a celebration of acceptance and inclusion, an overarching theme of Pride where diversity is celebrated, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.
Dressed as a ballerina doll, Noelle looked stunning in pink, with a measuring tape as a belt as if just assembled by a seamstress or toymaker. It was a very fitting look for the audience of children and their parents and caretakers. One could tell she is a natural performer and very comfortable in her own skin, something that children can look up to.
She started off the hour with some humor, asking if everyone was comfortable in their seats, before then asking everyone to stand up, which drew audible chuckles from the adults. She then led everyone in a rousing rendition of heads, shoulders, knees, and toes with the accompanying movements, three times through, prompting everyone to go faster each time. What better way to get some sillies out for the kids and prepare them for the first book?
The first book Noelle read was titled Neither, by Airlie Anderson. In a land of chicks and ducks, the main character is both, however ostracized for being neither according to the two groups. They then find the land of ‘This and That’, where everyone can be anything and acceptance is everything. Noelle then moved on to the second sing-along of the night—with a piano self-accompaniment—an old favorite, “Apples and Bananas”. It was a crowd-pleaser for all. Then came the next book, Bodies Are Cool, by Tyler Feder.
With another message of acceptance and inclusivity around our physical differences, Noelle had everyone say the tagline with her at the end of every page, which by the end of the book was a full-on unison of affirmation by all: “BODIES ARE COOL!” A message that cannot be said enough. Next, Noelle returned to the piano for another crowd pleaser, “Down By The Bay”. Noelle then read the final book of the night, Prince & Knight, by Daniel Haack. This was a modern take on the classic fairy tale trope of a knight saving a princess from a dragon, however in this version, the prince and male knight fall in love after working together to slay the dragon. A very fitting book for Pride, and for the theme of the night. This was then brought into real life with the craft portion of the evening, where the kids were able to make fire-breathing dragon crafts with toilet paper rolls, and other craft supplies. Before the crafts and photo ops with Noelle (with a makeshift photo booth hanging on the wall), it was time for a “Wheels on the Bus” remix. This entailed everyone standing once more and an .mp3 being played as Noelle led everyone through a modern take on the children’s classic. The changes created new intrigue and engaged everyone in the room, a fitting end to the storytime portion of the night.
Between the books, songs, and Noelle Diamond shining bright, there was a lot to celebrate. Acceptance, inclusion, and a shared love of reading, the room was filled with feelings of positivity, joy, and pride.
To keep up with Noelle and her upcoming events, follow @noelle.diamond on Instagram.
