FARMINGTON – Children have a natural love of books, Mallett School librarian Betsy Turcotte said Thursday.

To encourage that tendency, Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers of Farmington has partnered with Turcotte to plan a weeklong series of literacy events designed to be fun for everyone and benefit the school library.

“Autumn Community Book Week – A Circle of Readers” will take place from Nov. 17 to 22 to target young readers as well as the public, she said.

Maine author Alan Sockabasin will read and share his life as a storyteller Monday at a kickoff assembly planned for 2 p.m. at the Mallett school gym. A book signing for his award-winning book, “Thanks to the Animals,” will follow for parents and community members.

Sockabasin, a Passamaquoddy who teaches and has worked to preserve his native language, was one of the first choices for Turcotte when Kenny Brechner of DDG Booksellers offered to arrange for authors to take part in the events.

Vermont author Elizabeth Bluemle will read for Wednesday’s 11th annual Prime Time Reading Night. Bluemle, dressed in pajamas, will join pajama-clad children and parents on a giant bed in the school gym to read from her book, “Dogs on the Bed,” Turcotte said. Brechner and Karen West will also read stories. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m.

Mallett students can also participate in a Write a Book Review contest. After reading new galleys of yet unpublished works, the students may write a review for prizes, Brechner said.

DDG Booksellers will offer a weeklong book fair at the store where a percentage of purchases made through the book fair will be donated to the W.G. Mallett School library.

“We just learned that the library budget is frozen,” Turcotte said.

After Turcotte realized that the Children’s Book Council had moved the normally scheduled November book week to May, she and Brechner began to talk about ideas for a fall literacy event.

The event name included “circle of readers” based on a circle in the school library attributed to Abenaki author Joseph Bruchac’s native American storytelling, she said. The circle represents four parts for learning . . . to listen, to observe, to remember and to share . . . we’re all learners and all doing this together, she added.

The week also represents the value of working together and sharing resources, Brechner said about his partnership with Turcotte. It is an opportunity to “join hands, minds and hearts in our love for books and reading . . .,” the event brochure states.

For more information about the events, call DD&G at 778-3454 or Mallett school at 778-3529.