Jamie Frockowiak has loved the book “But No Elephants” since she was a kid. So when the S.S. Palmer Elementary instructional assistant got her turn to record a story to be posted on the S.S. Palmer/Parkside Storytime page on Facebook, there was little doubt she would choose author Jerry Smath’s first children’s book.

Little did she know, however, that her video would attract the attention of the author’s daughter, Judy Smath.

“The first thing I noticed was how beat up her copy of the book was,” Judy said Wednesday from her home in New York state. “You could see from the condition of the book how well-loved it was, and it became really obvious this story meant a lot to Jamie. There were a lot of memories connected to that book for her.”

Judy boxed up her last new copy of “But No Elephants,” which Jerry penned in 1979, as well as numerous other books her father wrote and illustrated, and sent them to the school in Palmerton.

“My father passed away in September, and I have boxes of his books that I’ve been gradually trying to find good homes,” Judy said. “When I saw this video from the school, I thought it would be great to support their reading program in this way.”

Kim Nenscel, a math coach in the district, started the S.S. Palmer/Parkside Storytime Facebook page in the fall to help create a better a home/school connection for students, families and staff. She learned of the idea from a friend and thought it would work well in Palmerton. Each Sunday night, a video is posted on the page of someone associated with the district reading a story that has a personal meaning for them.

“The students really enjoy seeing the teachers reading the stories on a Sunday night,” Nenscel said. “A few told me that they will watch it as their bedtime story.”

Frockowiak’s story was posted on Feb. 2. She described “But No Elephants” as a story that she and her siblings thoroughly enjoyed as children.

“A deep love and respect for animals was instilled in us all at an early age by our mother,” Frockowiak said. “But No Elephants delightfully reinforces that message. This particular book was kept at our grandmother’s house. She would read it to us frequently. I personally think she related to the grandmother that softened her perspective with each visiting animal. Sharing stories like this, and others, is a gift that continues to give for generations.”

Former Palmerton school psychologist Robert Palazzo attended SUNY Oswego with Judy’s son Ian and got word to her about Frockowiak’s video.

“I was really touched when I saw it,” Judy said. “I know it would have meant a lot to my dad. He had a very childlike, whimsical mind and took a lot of pride in his work.”

The Storytime Facebook page has taken off in its short existence. Other readers have included Principal Mary Brumbach, school board member Tammy Recker, and a host of S.S. Palmer and Parkside Education Center employees.

“When we started the page, I really was hoping for 100-200 views each week,” Nenscel said. “There have been some stories that have gotten well over 1,000 views. Our PTO shares it, some of the teachers share, and it has just really gotten to be a cool thing for our school. The whole experience with Ms. Smath and her father’s books really just made it that much more special.”

Just as it did for Frockowiak, Judy is hopeful her father’s words continue to bring joy to readers of all ages.

“The passing of books down the line is a wonderful tradition,” Judy said, “and it’s really special to know another generation is enjoying these stories.”