CASSOPOLIS — It’s sometimes hard to remember this is about reading, what with the raucous singing and the big, bad wolf trying to blame his bad image on the media in the “True Story of the Three Pigs.”

Thursday night Cass District Library hosted its second of six Prime Time family reading time programs, which as of Oct. 28 grew to 23 families. Participating children are ages 6 to 10.

“We are gaining such support for this Michigan Humanities Council-sponsored series, which also has support from many nationally-known and respected organizations,” Library Director Jennifer Ray said.

The program centers on award-winning literature combined with discussion of problems/issues the literature presents.

Under the leadership of Ruth Andrews of the Human Services Coordinating Council and storyteller Steve Barber, families enjoy stories, then engage in spirited discussions prompted by open-ended questions with a humanities focus — fairness, courage, blame.

Farmhouse Bakery supplies supper, which included spaghetti, salads and dessert.

Mason/Union Friends group donated a door prize basket.

David Carew, vocal music director at Southwestern Michigan College, lent three drama students for the “library commercial” which teased the wolf’s appearance.

Leader Publications furnished 25 Dowagiac Daily News so each family goes home with print under their arm.

While the older kids and parents took part in the lively discussion, younger kids with Holly Spoor made pig hand puppets out of construction paper.

In the space of 90 minutes, everyone ate, enjoyed some time together as a family and checked out the books to read for next week — Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock and The Talking Eggs.

The wolf claims the real story is that he was trying to borrow a cup of sugar to make a cake, sneezed a couple of times and rather than let two dead pigs spoil, enjoyed a ham dinner — twice.

Noelle, who carted away the prize basket, wasn’t buying it.

What about a collapsing pile of straw or even sticks would kill a pig?

Discussion ensues because some of the children suspect the wolf was framed.

“Some people think the wolf is guilty of this alleged crime and some not,” Andrews guides discussion. “When we read about crimes in the newspaper — and we have a reporter here — they have to be careful until the facts are known. Do you think there are two sides to every story? Is justice always served? Can an innocent person be put in jail?”

Carla believes the wolf is guilty of discrimination because he can’t even sneeze without being implicated.

“A bad rep can mean a bad rap,” she figures.

They think of examples of that “blame game” happening in their schools.

Another misunderstood animal that comes to their minds is “sweet” pit bulls.

Prime Time is an intergenerational family literacy program that uses the humanities as a tool to create excitement about reading.

It began in Michigan in 2008 with pilots at the Saginaw public libraries, South Haven Memorial Library and the Detroit public libraries. Programs had helped 2,234 Michigan citizens.

This year the Humanities Council implemented 23 additional programs within Michigan with the financial assistance of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Fund of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation.

Kalamazoo Public Library has participated individually in Prime Time since 2000 without council involvement.

Prime Time bonds families around reading to transform them into lifelong readers and creating a pre-condition for learning.

Prime Time is now offered in 38 states and the Virgin Islands and has reached 33,000 participants.

Prime Time won the Public Library Assocation’s 2003 Advancement of Literacy Award.