Doctor Androbox the drag king draws crowd of loyal subjects at St. John's bookstore

A drag king held court fora gaggle of tiny, loyal subjects at Chapters in St. John's on Sunday afternoon.

Doctor Androbox the drag king, a character created by Taylor Stocks, read three children's storiesto about 40 kids as part ofRaise Up Fundraising's Drag Storytime event.

The event brought tears to the eyes of parent Claudette Foran, and not just because male penguins Roy and Silo manage to finally hatch a daughter in And Tango Makes Three.

Foran's10-year-old daughter, Noah, is transgender.

"Ididn't know it would be so emotional," Foran said, laughing as she wiped away her tears.

"Ithink [this event is]great,I think we need more of them."

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Androbox agrees.

"We're reading stories about trans kids and about gay parents and I think that having those books read in a public space is a really important piece of education that needs to happen in the city," he said, adding that kids also get to see an older person wearing fun costumes playing with gender norms.

The event will support programs run by the Parents of Gender Creative Kids group a group thathas supported Foran's daughter.

"She only really transitioned fully over the summer last year but she's doing wonderful and she's happy," Foran said.

There has been a lot of support from the community, said Foran, and the experience for her daughter and her familyso far "has been wonderful."

Sunday's event was the second Drag Storytime and Charles Murphy, who volunteers with Raise Up Fundraising, said there were at least twice as many people there as for the first one.

Chapters staff had to bring out a second table for the crown-making workshop after the stories.

"There's a lot of rhinestones, a lot of glitter pretty much everything you need to live your best drag life," said Androbox as the kids gathered around to make their crowns.

Androbox will join drag queen IrmaGerd for another Drag Storytime event in May.