| 1 | 1 | | By: Fraser, et al. S.C.R. No. 38 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (King of Taylor) |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, For countless young readers, books open a window to |
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| 7 | 7 | | a realm of imagination and possibility, and in recent years, the |
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| 8 | 8 | | city of Abilene has undertaken a series of unique efforts to |
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| 9 | 9 | | showcase the wonders of children's literature; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Abilene is the home of the National Center for |
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| 11 | 11 | | Children's Illustrated Literature, the only museum in Texas that |
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| 12 | 12 | | exclusively collects artwork from best-selling, award-winning |
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| 13 | 13 | | children's book illustrators; established in 1996, the center has |
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| 14 | 14 | | curated and toured nearly 60 exhibits in close to 40 states, which |
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| 15 | 15 | | are enjoyed by one million people every year; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Further adding to the city's whimsical charm is its |
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| 17 | 17 | | extensive collection of outdoor sculptures based on characters from |
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| 18 | 18 | | children's classics; while walking the length of Everman Park, |
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| 19 | 19 | | visitors can encounter bronze statues in the likeness of |
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| 20 | 20 | | Dr. Seuss's creations, and heroes from the works of |
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| 21 | 21 | | author-illustrators William Joyce and David Shannon are brought to |
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| 22 | 22 | | life in locations throughout the city; young explorers can also |
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| 23 | 23 | | receive a "passport" to help them find Seymour, the character from |
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| 24 | 24 | | Walter Wick's Can You See What I See? books, who is hidden at |
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| 25 | 25 | | several arts and cultural landmarks; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, In total, 23 pieces have been commissioned by the |
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| 27 | 27 | | Abilene Cultural Affairs Council as part of its Storybook Sculpture |
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| 28 | 28 | | Project, thought to be the largest endeavor of its kind in any city; |
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| 29 | 29 | | each year, new additions to the project are dedicated at the |
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| 30 | 30 | | Children's Art & Literary Festival, a popular annual celebration |
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| 31 | 31 | | that includes family-friendly activities throughout downtown |
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| 32 | 32 | | Abilene; the festival is a collaborative effort of schools, |
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| 33 | 33 | | libraries, churches, civic groups, and city leaders, drawing crowds |
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| 34 | 34 | | of thousands from across the state and nation; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Literary works for children hold a cherished place |
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| 36 | 36 | | on the bookshelves of Texas families, and the true greats of the |
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| 37 | 37 | | genre weave captivating tales with dazzling artwork that is fondly |
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| 38 | 38 | | remembered for a lifetime; by embracing and promoting an essential |
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| 39 | 39 | | experience of childhood, residents of Abilene have established a |
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| 40 | 40 | | delightful tradition for young and old alike, and their efforts |
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| 41 | 41 | | have made the community a must-see destination for readers of all |
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| 42 | 42 | | ages; now, therefore, be it |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 44 | 44 | | hereby designate the city of Abilene as the official Storybook |
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| 45 | 45 | | Capital of Texas; and, be it further |
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| 46 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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| 47 | 47 | | 391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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| 48 | 48 | | until the 10th anniversary of its designation; and, be it further |
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| 49 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That the children of our great state live happily |
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| 50 | 50 | | ever after. |
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