Humans have long held a fascination with the past. We want to know how and why, when and what for. Museums house artifacts with descriptions and theories of what is catalogued. Archaeologists uncover bones or objects or buildings buried long ago. People share stories of their ancestors, and each time we tell our own story to another we've created a tie. Maybe your story will be retold dozens or thousands of times by others.
Engage children in telling their stories - of their day, what they imagine, what they dream, what they hope for. We are our stories, and through them we connect, intersect, and carry on the oldest form of entertainment and the oldest form of therapy in the world.
Books to borrow
The following book is available at many public libraries.
"Mightiest Heart" by Lynn Cullen, illustrated by Laurel Long, Dial Books for Young Readers, 32 pages
Read aloud: age 5 and older.
Read yourself: age 7-8 and older.
Prince Llywelyn was lucky in many ways. He lived in a beautiful stone castle in Wales, had servants to grant his every wish, and enjoyed the finest foods. But above all else, the one thing Prince Llywelyn held closest to his heart was his dog, Gelert.
Gelert was as loyal as any companion could ever be. From the time Gelert was a puppy, his only desire was to be at Llywelyn's side. And so it was for many years, the two as constant companions and the best of friends.
Even when Gelert was pushed aside by Llwelyn's new wife, and was made to take less and less a place in Llywelyn's life, Gelert's loyalty never wavered. This faithful dog so loved his master that he laid down his life for him.
Based on the true story of Prince Llywelyn of Wales who lived several centuries ago and his loyal dog, Gelert, this enchanting and extraordinary tale of the love between a boy and his dog transcends time and place for anyone that has ever loved a pet.
Librarian's Choice
Library: Dayton Valley Branch Library, 321 Old Dayton Valley Road
Branch Manager: Theresa Kenneston
Choices this week: "Duck on a Bike" by David Shannon; "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" by Eileen Christelow; "It's Justin Time, Amber Brown" by Paula Danziger
Books to Buy
The following books are available at favorite bookstores.
"Lugalbanda: The Boy Who Got Caught Up in a War" told by Kathy Henderson, illustrated by Jane Ray, Candlewick, 2006, 77 pages, $16.99 hardcover
Read aloud: age 5-6 and older.
Read yourself: age 8 and older.
This is one of the oldest known stories in the world - older than the Torah, the Bible, the Koran, the Greek and Roman myths. It comes from Ancient Sumer, which is now Iraq, and was told aloud by storytellers 5,000 years ago. Pieced together from the world's first known writing, called cuneiform, the Lugalbanda poems were finally translated in the 1970s, bringing to life again in this extraordinary offering.
Rich with themes of family, love, reverence, the perils of excessive ambition and ensuing war, and the importance of peace, this ancient story affirms its timelessness and the connection of all humans, regardless of who, where, or when they lived.
"Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O'Hara" by Elvira Woodruff, illustrated by Adam Rex, Knopf, 2006, 32 pages, $15.95 hardcover
Read aloud: age 5 and older.
Read yourself: 8 and older.
When Darcy was born in 1845 in a small cottage in Ireland, Granny predicted that Darcy would one day "hold the very heart of our family in the palm of her hand."
Everywhere Darcy went she noticed the small beauties that life offered - a dew-covered spiderweb, a pebble, a flower, a butterfly wing. Darcy tucked some of the small beauties in the hem of her dress, and although Darcy and her family were very poor, her beauties made Darcy feel very rich.
When the potato famine forced Darcy and her family to seek a better future in America, Darcy's grandparents were too old to make the trip. With a heavy heart, Darcy and her beloved Granny said goodbye. And although Manhattan wasn't anything like home, Darcy made sure to connect old with the new and share that with her family, just like Granny had predicted.
Beautifully written and illustrated, this selection provides readers with a strong sense of family, the importance of memories, and the resulting stories that tie us together forever.
• Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached via e-mail: kendal@sunlink.net.
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