McArthur Library

McArthur Public Library, Biddeford, Maine

Today I did the last event for my "One Book/One School/One Library" in Biddeford, Maine.  As you can see from the photo of the McArthur Public Library, it was gorgeous day outside.  Which is often not good weather for a library event. 

When it's this beautiful outside (especially on a weekend after a long winter), families want to be outdoors. 

   So I came, ready for a small group. But about 40 adults and children joined me. Thank you to everyone who came!  

After spending three days last week at the middle and intermediate schools, I missed the kids!  So it was fun to look up and see some familar faces. Some of the middle/intermediate students brought their younger brothers and sisters to my storytime.

After I talked about Hot Rod Hamster and read the book, Deanna, the children's librarian, had set up lots of fun activities:  build a little paper hot rod, draw a hot rod, and even RACE little hot rods. 



All the activities were a big hit, but the racing was extra fun!



It was a "great day, grin day" and a wonderful ending to my time in Biddeford.  Thank you to everyone in Biddeford, but especially to Susan Dee and Deanna Gouzie, who not only made my visit amazing, but they were the winners of the Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Grant Award from the American Library Association.

From ALA's website:

The Association for Library Service to Children has awarded the 2011 Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Visit Award to the McArthur Public Library and Biddeford (Maine) Intermediate School Literacy Team. The award, sponsored by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, is designed to provide up to $4,000 to an ALSC member library to fund a visit from an author/illustrator who will speak to children that might otherwise not have had the opportunity to hear from a nationally-known author/illustrator.

Susan and Deanna submitted the winning grant entry and I was their author. 


Susan Dee of Biddeford Intermediate School, me and Deanna Gouzie of the McArthur Library

So thank you to ALA, as well.