The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop

Published in1985, this classic tale is a great read aloud.

10-year-old William Lawrence is very upset when he learns his beloved housekeeper and nanny, Mrs. Phillips will be returning to England. Mrs. Phillips has taken care of William since he was a baby! As a parting gift, Mrs. Phillips gives William a wooden medieval castle that has been in her family for generations. The castle is really cool. It has a miniature drawbridge, a portcullis, and a silver knight! Yet, the gift of the castle cannot change the way William feels. He must find a way to keep Mrs. Phillips from leaving.

Then, something magical happens, sending William on a quest to save the silver knight's kingdom.

Winthrop adds just a right amount of realism to this satisfying fantasy.

Yes, ask us!

The fun part of our job in the Youth Services Department is when parents ask us for suggestions of books to read aloud to their children. They are looking for books that have more text than simple picture books do, and for older listeners a book to be read over a few days or weeks is usually more appealing.

Our first step is to conduct a short interview. 1. Have you read other books aloud to your child(ren)? 2. If so, what are some titles your child(ren) have enjoyed? These questions helps us identify your child’s interest and listening ability.

For preschool children some favorite picture book read alouds that offer a longer storyline include: Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, Anatole by Eve Titus, Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, or anything by Bill Peet.

We take delight in introducing children to their first foray into chapter books. It takes a new set of listening skills as the story is propelled using text and very few pictures. Luckily, there are a plethora of wonderful titles rich in language and memorable characters.

For those children listening to their first chapter book, some sure winners are: My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Holden Averill, and Sophie's Snail by Dick King-Smith.

As children become comfortable with fewer pictures try A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Rescuers by Margery Sharp, or Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald.

When suggesting titles, the Youth Services Department makes every effort to take into consideration a book's content. Many popular series books, with their movie tie-ins, contain themes that can be too mature for children, especially young children. In addition, a steady diet of plot driven novels that offer superficial or limited character development and no rich language can make it difficult for children to focus and appreciate those stories we consider quality literature.

Books that are made to savor; stories you remember long after you've read the last page include Sarah, Plain and Tall by Sarah MacLaughlin, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford, Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater or anything by E. Nesbit.

Stop in any time to ask us for suggestions. Or email us: kids@scarborough.lib.me.us

Stories without Words

Wordless picture books are books that have little or no text. It is the pictures that tell the story. What is so appealing about books without words? They ask readers to use their imagination to create a narrative. These books are not just for nonreaders, but for all ages to enjoy.

Children, who enjoy the inventions of Rube Goldberg, will like Arthur Geisert's book Hogwash. The illustrations depict enormous and complicated contraptions as Mama pig tries to get her little piglets clean.

In 2010, Jerry Pinkney won the Caldecott Award for his wordless picture book The Lion and the Mouse. Based on the fable by Aseop, Pinkney's visually stunning illustrations invite young listeners to make up their own story.

The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard, by Australian artist Gregory Rogers, finds a boy playing among the warehouses of London kicks a soccer ball into an abandoned theater. There he finds an enchanted cape that transports him back in time right onto the stage of one of William Shakespeare's plays. In Midsummer Knight, a swashbuckling tale, a bear is rescued by a fairy, lands in an enchanted wood and agrees to return the favor by leading the battle against a usurper who has imprisoned the king and queen, along with their loyal subjects, in the dungeon of their castle.

Don’t forget the classic wordless picture book, Mercer Mayer's A Boy, a Dog and a Frog tells of a boy's unsuccessful attempts at capturing a frog.

Andy Runton brings his beloved characters Owly and Wormy to a younger audience in Friends All Aflutter! Good friends Owly and Wormy are disappointed when their new plant attracts fat, green, bug-like things, instead of butterflies, until a metamorphosis occurs.

To search for more wordless picture books, search under the subject: Stories Without Words. Then, after a busy day curl up as a family and take turns enjoying the storytelling.

Warning: Be prepared for lots of laughter!

Summer Reading Reminder

Our summer reading program, One World, Many Stories, is drawing to a close. We have had a great time talking to your children about the books they have read over the past six weeks. Books on Dinosaurs, Fairy Tales, and cookbooks have been favorites.

We are glad that so many children did the Reading Challenge. Many have expressed their excitement at reading new topics.

Remember that all Reading Logs are due Saturday, August 6. (That's next week!) Participants must turn in their Reading Logs in order to attend the Grand Finale, which is on Thursday, August 11 from 4-6 pm. Don't miss the opportunity to eat ice cream, listen to music, and have your children receive their rewards for all the reading they did over the summer.

Enjoy!

Author Visit on Tuesday, July 26 at 3:30 pm.

Jan West Schrock, author of the much acclaimed children’s book Give a Goat, will appear at the Scarborough Public Library, 48 Gorham Road, on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 3:30 pm to share the true story of how one goat inspired a classroom of children and changed the life of a village in Uganda.

Jan’s father, Dan West, was a Midwestern farmer who served as a relief worker during the Spanish civil war. As he was handing out milk to needy children one day, he realized, "These children don't need a cup. They need a cow." West went on to found Heifers for Relief, sending its first shipment of heifers to Puerto Rico in 1944.

Jan herself spent twenty-eight years as a classroom teacher, special needs teacher, and administrator, both in the United States and abroad. She is now a senior advisor for Heifer International, an organization that has grown to serve over 8.5 million people in more than 125 countries. Jan lives in Westbrook, Maine, but travels the world to talk about "passing on the gift."

This inspiring program is suitable for children, families, and the general public. For additional information about this event and other programs offered at the Scarborough Public Library, visit http://www.library.scarborough.me.us/, or call 883-4723 option 3. This event is free and open to the public.

A Butterfly is Patient

A Butterfly is Patient

by Dianna Hutts Aston; Illustrated by Sylvia Long

Chronicle Books, 2011

ISBN: 9780811864794

“A Butterfly is Patient” is the newest offering by Dianna Hutts Aston and artist Sylvia Long. It is a stunning book you won’t want to miss. Readers of all ages will pour over Long’s delicate drawings that show a variety of butterflies as they make their journey from egg to adult.

Aston packs a lot of information about butterflies in this brief introduction. Each chapter is two pages in length and begins with a simple statement that highlights a butterfly’s life. The brief paragraph that follows gives enough information without being overwhelming.

The first chapter, “A Butterfly is Patient”, explains how life begins with “an egg beneath an umbrella of leaves.” We go on to learn of their transformation in “A butterfly is creative”. Long’s meticulous attention to detail is displayed in “A butterfly is spectacular!” when the two-page spread filled with a variety of unique butterflies and caterpillars are all identified.

The clearly labeled butterflies and caterpillars make this useful as an identification guide, especially the illustrations of caterpillars in the front and butterflies in the back.

Budding naturalists will also want to savor Aston and Long’s other two, equally mouth-watering science books:“An Egg is Quiet” and “A Seed is Sleepy”.

The Summer Slide

The Summer Slide is what teachers observe every fall with students who spend very little time reading during the summer. Studies show that children who continue to read while on school break do better when they return to school in the fall. Public libraries have been promoting summer reading long before the phrase Summer Slide was invented. Libraries know all too well the myriad of non-reading activities that lure children away from books in summer.

Experts will explain that to prevent summer slide children need to read at least six books over the summer. But unless a child is already a book lover, the thought of reading six books, especially at a time when they want to ‘chill out’, will send most children running for cover.

One of the stumbling blocks to children embracing summer reading is that all-too-often parents push books that are ‘on grade level’ or something a bit more challenging. Hey, it’s summer! Children need time to kick back, have fun, and r-e-l-a-x! Let them read anything they want. Magazines, newspapers, graphic novels, comic strips, even picture books. Reading should be a pleasurable activity.

Still wondering how to make it happen? Here is a suggestion that has proven to be successful for years! (I could say centuries)

And, it’s free!

Join the Scarborough Public Library’s Summer Reading Program. This year our theme is ‘One World, Many Stories’. Kick-Off is Monday, June 20 at 6 pm with Slugger, the Portland Sea Dog’s mascot and Baxter, the Coon Cat from the Maine State Library. The Gym Dandies Children’s Circus will also be there.

Our noncompetitive Summer Reading Program is easy. We require no set number of books, pages, or minutes. Sign up, read whatever you like over the summer. Record the titles on your Reading Log. Then, to qualify for a free book prize and invitation to our Grand Finale on August 11, just turn in the Reading Logs by August 6.

Easy, peasy.

The Library has plenty of books to keep even the most reluctant reader happy. Ask the Youth Services staff for book suggestions. We love finding just the right book to spark a child’s enthusiasm and get them hooked on reading.

Another option is listening to an audio book. Record the titles on the Reading Log. We do have a great selection.

And, if you can’t find it on our shelves, you can always request books, both print and audio, through Minerva.

There, we’ve made it simple for parents to help their children stop the dreaded Summer Slide.

We’ll see you this summer @ the Library!