Determined four-year-old Du Quoin youngster rings the bell for reading

Du Quoin Public Library director Kristina Benson describes four-year-old Cole Barnett as a "prolific reader."

"He's a committed library user," she says.

So, Mrs. Benson knew Cole would be the first youngster to ring the large City of Du Quoin bell in front of city hall as part of the library's "Ringing in Readers" program.

"Cole doesn't sight read," says Mrs. Benson. "He reads phonetically," meaning that instead of memorizing words he sounds them out.

"He has been working on his reading for a year," she said.

The program allows a young reader who successfully reads a beginning book to take the soft, over-sized drum mallets and play the city bell out front.

"Cole takes a word apart, smashes it all together and gets it right," Mrs. Benson said of his great phonetic abilities.

She said he chose a classic "Dick & Jane" reader for his book, took it home and worked with his mother Samantha Barrett to practice on the book, then came back to the library and read it out loud to her the next day.

He got to ring the bell, and received an excellence in reading award.