Librarian adds Coastal twist to Christmas tale

This holiday season, one Biloxi artist used her talents to create a South Mississippi version of a popular Christmas Eve tale.

This holiday season, one biloxi- artist used her talents to- create a south mississippi- - - version of a popular christmas- eve tale.

- news 25's grant chighizola- visited the biloxi public - library - today to learn more about her - artistic method.- - children's librarian and- artist kelly der-ron has had to- adjust to a new way of- telling stories in the age of - covid-19.

- now, der-ron is reaching her- audience virtually every- week, with illustrated stories- that feature a south- mississippi flair.- sot-kelly derouen:- artist/illustrator "once we had the lockdown i got it started t- try to not only bring the - stories - to kids for storytime that they- miss on thursday mornings, but- to also let them- know that the same things that- they see in the cartoons, they- - - - could go take a walk in our own- nature and see themselves."

Standup - "kelly once used this studio setup for her stories.

She'd- place her phone on top and- record each illustration at the- bottom, but has since progresse- to using graphics - software."

For christmas time this year, - der-ron decided to put that - local - twist on a popular christmas ev- tale.

- 'twas the night before christma- on the causeway - features crew of animals native- to this area waiting for- santa by the popp's ferry - causeway.

- nats- sot-kelly derouen - - - santa by the popp's ferry - causeway.

- nats- sot-kelly derouen - "ive always liked the cajun night before christmas and i- read that every year to the - kids, that will always be a - favorite for everyone around- here, but i just wanted to- not to compete with it, but jus- to give something a little more- updated, and- something a little more local,- - - - because that's more louisiana."

Der-ron says the inclusion of - animal characters - within the plot--such as play - doh the pelican--helps- children relate to the story- better.

Sot-kelly derouen - "i just think the kids relate more to animals than they do to- - - people, and they don't- understand a lot of things we - tell them, but they can relate- when they see it in a - story with animals that they ca- recognize."

At the end of what has been a - tough year, the hope is that- this- coastal christmas tale will lif- everyone's- spirits, from pascagoula to pas- christian and beyond.

- sot kelly derouen - "i had to force myself to do things to bring my own spirits- up, and hopefully it will bring- everybody else up at the same - time."

- - nats- in biloxi, grant chighizola,- news 25.- -