Andrea Johnson/MDN Kristi Feist interacts with children during the regular story hour at Main Street Books in downtown Minot on Friday.

Preschoolers seem to love storytime with Miss Kristi.

Kristi Feist, a former preschool teacher, also loves spending time with the kids.

“This is the perfect job,” she said, with all of the fun of teaching preschool but none of the less enjoyable parts like disciplining a class. She has been doing the story time at Main Street Books in downtown Minot for about a year.

During a half hour to 45 minute story time period, which is held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11 a.m., Feist gets to read to children, dance and play, and sometimes do a craft related to the book she has read to the group. Parents or grandparents or other adults bring the children and stay during the activity.

Some parents and grandparents have told her that children like to pretend they are Ms. Kristi doing story time when they play at home.

“It’s great for kids to learn that reading is fun,” said Feist, and it is also good for them to socialize with other kids at story time.

Feist said storytime is attended by kids who range from infants up to about the age of 5 or 6.

Feist said many of the families come back from week to week and it is fun for her to watch babies grow into toddlers who become active participants in storytime.

Storytimes are also held at the Minot Public Library, Ward County Library, and Barnes & Noble Book Store in Minot.