KAYSVILLE -- KUED and Country Inn & Suites in Bountiful are hosting a Reading Rainbow Contest kick-off event on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. The Reading Rainbow contest is in its 14th year, and children will participate in hands-on story time with Causeway the Buffalo from the Davis Reads program. Author and illustrator team Caralyn and Mark Buehner will teach children about the elements of a good story through activities. Then children will be able to map out their own story to submit to the contest.

Children from the community are invited to participate in the kick-off event. Representatives from the hotel and KUED-TV will be on hand with local book authors and Deseret Book with additional details about the competition.

The Reading Rainbow Youth Writers & Illustrators Contest encourages students from kindergarten through third grade to write and illustrate an original story and submit it to the nation-wide contest. The goal is to develop children's writing and story-telling skills.

The Young Writers and Illustrators nationwide competition officially begins on Friday, Feb. 29.

sroberts@davisclipper.com