SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Target of Port Charlotte staff members Laura Epperly, left, team leader, and Brooklyne Berry, human resources manager, dressed in costume as a hot dog and Mrs. Potato Head during Sallie Jones Elementary School’s Leaders are Readers program, Friday. Epperly and Berry read “The Halloweener” and “Toy Story 3” to children during the event, and provided free Target Frisbees to all students after the parade.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Christian Garcia, 4, a pre-kindergarten student of Disa Westby and Tammy Oleson’s class at Sallie Jones Elementary School, leads the Leaders are Readers character parade Friday afternoon, as he carries a book called “Clifford’s Family,” donning floppy red ears.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Pre-kindergartner Elizabeth Gardner of Disa Westby and Tammy Oleson’s class, dons a Dalmation costume as part of a book called “Lily Finds a Friend,” during Sallie Jones Elementary School’s Leaders are Readers character parade Friday. Students were encouraged to dress as their favorite story-book character for the parade.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Megan McKenna, a student of Jessica Cummings’ kindergarten class, dresses as Little Red Riding Hood during the Leaders are Readers character parade, hosted by Sallie Jones Elementary School.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Kindergarten student Elijah Spaulding of Jenny James’ class wears a frog costume from the book “Froggy Learns to Swim,” as he parades around the track at Sallie Jones Elementary School.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Sallie Jones Elementary School kindergarten teacher Jessica Cummings dressed as Nancy from “Fancy Nancy’s Favorite Fancy Words,” during the Leaders are Readers character parade.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Anthony Rema, a kindergarten student of Erin Brown’s class holds up “Go Away Big Green Monster,” while walking around with Jenny James, kindergarten teacher, dressed as the character from the book.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Maddie McQueen, 5, a kindergarten student of Trish Stancil’s class, wears a costume from the book “Pinkalicious.”

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Teachers and staff participated in the Leaders are Readers character parade at Sallie Jones Elementary School including from left: Jeana Kukuk, paraprofessional, Heidi Keegan, assistant principal, Jennie Hoke, principal, and Shana Moseley, lead teacher.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Dave Masony, assistant principal at Charlotte High School, stands alongside his son Matias Masony, 6, a first grader of Ryan McGill’s class. Young Masony dressed like his father for the Leaders are Readers character parade at Sallie Jones Elementary School, carrying one of his favorite books “The Teeny Tiny Teacher.”

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Students from Peggy Wikoff’s first-grade class dress as Star Wars characters, during the Leaders are Readers character parade at Sallie Jones Elementary School, recently. They are from left: Logan Sare, dressed as Boba Fett, Brandon Schneider, dressed as Luke Skywalker, Colin Keegan and Cade Flowers, dressed as Darth Vader, Shane Kiburz, dressed as Han Solo and Colby Flowers dressed as a Jawa.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Tyler Sanchez, a third grader in Rick Sheet’s class, dresses as the Sta-Puff Marshmallow guy from “Ghostbusters: The Other Side,” during Sallie Jones Elementary School’s Leaders are Readers character parade, Friday afternoon. Children received a free book to take home, through the school’s PTO.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Sallie Jones Elementary School third-grade teacher Rick Sheets wears the Evil Queen’s costume from Snow White, during the Leaders are Readers character parade, Friday.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Taylor Lemcke, 5, a kindergarten student of Erin Brown’s class, dresses as Olivia, from the book “Olivia the Princess,” during Sallie Jones Elementary School’s recent Leaders are Readers character parade.