New children’s book to be released on Story Book Lane

A favorite New Philadelphia Christmas activity for nearly 70 years will soon be an instant classic children’s book. The Story Book Lane display has been a favorite since 1956 when it was first located on East High Avenue. Due to its popularity and the high volume of traffic, the display is now located in Tuscora Park during the holiday season.

The history of Story Book Lane and its 24 nursery rhymes and verse boards have been captured in a book by former teacher Karen Jenkins.

The book is being released by the New Philadelphia Rotary Club with proceeds from the sale going to support Story Book Lane. Pre-orders are now being accepted with delivery of the book expected in February 2026.

Inspiration for the book came after Jenkin’s became a grandmother twice in 2024.

“I was buying Christmas presents for them,” Jenkins said. “And I thought we could take them through Story Book Lane, and I thought why has there never been a children's book of Story Book Lane? It's nursery rhymes. It's the perfect match.”

The idea wouldn’t leave Jenkins alone. She couldn’t sleep one night and began thinking of everything that needed to be done to make the book a reality. After contacting a couple of New Philadelphia Rotary members, she put together a proposal including the costs to present to the group’s board as a fundraiser. She included costs from five different publishing companies for comparison.

The original idea was to use illustrations of each display.

“When the proposal went to the board, they said we don't want to lose the historical aspect of Story Book Lane,” Jenkins said. “We think it should be the actual pictures, rather than, drawings of the pictures.”

Jenkins coordinated with Greg Scott to design the cover illustration and maintain a children's book appeal. Photographer Jim Celuch will take photographs of each display once it is set up for the season.

The book will feature photos of the many popular nursery rhyme displays that make up Story Book Lane, including “Hey Diddle Diddle” (the cow jumped over the moon), “Jack and Jill,” “The Three Blind Mice,” “Little Miss Muffet,” “Old Mother Hubbard,” “Little Bo Peep,” “Little Jack Horner,” “The Cat and the Fiddle,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Ding Dong Bell,” “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and “Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son.”

Liz Hicks, whose grandfather Vic Marsh began Storybook Lane, spoke on the history of the beloved display.

“Grandpa decided that he wanted to do this amazing surprise for East High Avenue,” Hicks said. Marsh has seen other displays throughout his travels and wanted to have something similar locally. “I think it was Fourth to Eighth streets on East High Avenue. So, on New Year's Eve, he went out and started knocking on doors and presenting this idea to the neighbors, and every neighbor was on board. They were so excited."

The plan was to have a nursery rhyme on each lawn. Many with motors so they'd be movable. Initially, the project was top secret, with the paintings being done in a barn on East High Avenue.

“My sister and I would often go down and watch them paint,” Hicks said. “I can still remember going into that barn and just seeing these pictures.”

Hick’s grandmother would often send the girls to the barn with a pitcher of grape juice and popcorn for the men working on the project.

“It was Saturday before Christmas in 1956 the display was revealed on East High Avenue,” Hicks said. “I can still remember walking down that first night with all of us.”

The enthusiasm for Story Book Lane has not waned. In addition to the photos of the current display, the book will have a code to scan that will go to a video of the display. The video will make the display available to people everywhere.

The cost of initial publishing was covered by donations from the Tuscarawas County Community Foundation and by the Marsh family.

To preorder a book for pickup in February go to newphiladelphiarotary.com/page/storybooklane-book to ensure your keepsake of the holiday display that has become a cherished community event. The book is $20.

“It's like a dream come true for all of us,” Hicks said of what the book means to the family of Vic Marsh.