DECATUR - Victoria Brase thought she had it all figured out.

The 8-year-old from Moweaqua pop ;ped to the top of the stairs in the Deca ;tur Public Library's children's department, asking, "Where's Santa Claus?"

Victoria, who participates in the American Sign Language Story Telling Time, was just certain that last year's Santa Claus, portrayed by Charles Hawkins, would be a returning guest Saturday.

But no, Hawkins, though wearing a Santa hat, sat through a story signed by Wendy Carrington along with other adults and the children attending the second Saturday event. The storytime is sponsored by Soyland Access to Independent Living and the library.

Carrington signed and interpreted the book, "The Fright Before Christmas" by James Howe, before asking, "Who's coming? Just make a guess."

With the right answer from the children, Carrington went on a search, leading the children on an imaginary hunt for Santa, when he appeared from a room at the back.

"Ho, ho, ho!" he signed, shaking his Santa-size belly.

"Merry Christmas," he also signed.

"I'm an old man," Santa teased. "I've been riding a sleigh all night long."

Then, continuing to sign, he said, "I'm deaf. I'm a deaf Santa Claus."

But that didn't keep him from asking the usual Santa questions.

"Have you been good in school?" he asked. "Have you been good for mom and dad? That's great."

Before leaving, Santa Claus, whose other name is Edwin Carrington of Morton, passed out treats, wishing all a "Merry Christmas."

In addition to the Santa and story events, children were treated to original storybooks written by students of Jason Doty, who teaches freshmen and sophomore English in Maroa-Forsyth High School. Students read the books for the children as LaVerle Carrington, deaf services advocate for Soyland, also signed the stories for them.

Students worked in teams, starting in October, Doty said, to write and illustrate the books. The only criteria required was the story had to have some kind of moral lesson, he added. For example, one book the students wrote dealt with Halloween safety, another was the story of a dog who wouldn't stop trying.

amannlein@herald-review.com|421-6976