Doreen Cronin, award-winning children’s author, center right, danced with students Monday at the Lawrence Public Library as part of Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week. The group participated in a mini-movement session with Danielle Lawrence, an instructor with Lawrence Parks and Recreation.

It might have taken a few minutes for the group of about 40 preschoolers to stop wiggling around. But as soon as author Doreen Cronin began reading her book Monday afternoon at the Lawrence Public Library, the children were all ears.

As part of Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week, Cronin is making a few stops in the state to read with children and meet with library staff members. This year’s theme is fitness, and Cronin’s series of three books, “Wiggle,” “Bounce” and “Stretch” go right along with the plan to get kids moving and reading.

“They’ve got to get their energy out, and they’ve got to get their exercise,” Cronin said. “If you can make it fun and if you can do it with a book, then I think it’s a perfect match.”

Students also were treated to a mini-movement session with Lawrence Parks and Recreation dance teacher Danielle Lawrence, who led the group in a light workout to some kid-friendly tunes.

In past Kansas Reads to Preschoolers weeks, more than 20,000 preschoolers in the state heard books from everyone from parents to elected officials.

Cronin hails from Brooklyn, N.Y., and spent time in the publishing industry and as a lawyer before turning to writing children’s books. Her first, “Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type” became a Caldecott Honor Book. She was inspired to write “Wiggle” after seeing a picture drawn by Scott Menchin, who illustrated all three books in the series.