Tori Juster, left, of Amherst reads aloud from “The Hello, Goodbye Window,” written by her grandfather Norton Juster, center, as her mother, Emily Juster, turns the pages of a second copy for the benefit of Smith College Campus School kindergartners visiting at Christopher Heights in Northampton on Friday.
Tori Juster, left, of Amherst reads aloud from “The Hello, Goodbye Window,” written by her grandfather Norton Juster, center, as her mother, Emily Juster, turns the pages of a second copy for the benefit of Smith College Campus School kindergartners visiting at Christopher Heights in Northampton on Friday. Credit: STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING

NORTHAMPTON – Kindergartners from the Campus School of Smith College paid a visit to author and Christopher Heights resident Norton Juster on Friday and heard a first-person reading of “The Hello, Goodbye Window” by his granddaughter, Tori Juster, who is the featured voice in the 2005 book. Tori read the story aloud to the class  – and to several appreciative adults including local author Mo Willems and former Northampton Mayor Mary Ford – while her mother, Juster’s daughter, Emily Juster, held a second copy aloft and turned the pages for all to see the illustrations.

Afterward each child received a copy of the book and enjoyed cake and cookies with Emily who just happened to be celebrating her birthday. The two dozen kindergartners then formed a circle to sing a farewell to the Justers with their version of “Mail Myself to You” by Woody Guthrie.

Kevin Gutting can be reached at kgutting@gazettenet.com.