BOOKS TO BORROW

"Charlotte's Web" by E. B. White, illustrated in B&W by Garth Williams, Harper & Row, 184 pages

Read aloud: age 7 and older

Read yourself: age 9, 10 and older

When Wilbur the pig is born, 8-year-old Fern pleads with her father to let her take care of him. When Wilbur grows bigger, he is sent to live with farmer Zuckerman, but the affectionate little pig is lonely. He wants a friend. Crying one night, he hears a voice call, "Do you want a friend, Wilbur? I'll be a friend to you. I've watched you all day and I like you."

Wilbur's new friend is Charlotte, a large gray spider. Charlotte is beautiful, wise and kind. When it becomes apparent that farmer Zimmerman intends to serve Wilbur for Christmas dinner, Charlotte is propelled into action and devises a plan to save her friend. In return, Wilbur does his best to show his friend Charlotte how much he loves her, too.

LIBRARIAN'S CHOICE

Library: The Stonington Free Library, 20 High St., Stonington

Library Director: Margaret Victoria

Children's/Teen Librarian: Maris Frey

Choices this week: "The Lion and the Mouse" by Jerry Pinkney; "The Magician's Elephant" by Kate DiCamillo; "The Underneath" by Kathi Appelt

AT THE BOOKSTORE

"Peanut Butter and Jellyfish" by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Alfred A. Knopf, 2014, 36 pages

Read aloud: age 3 and older

Read yourself: age 7

Peanut Butter, a seahorse, and Jellyfish are the best of friends. They spend their days swimming and exploring their ocean home. Unfortunately, they live near Crabby (yep, a crab) who constantly torments Peanut Butter and Jellyfish.

One day Peanut Butter and Jellyfish hear a faint sobbing. Crabby is caught in a lobster trap that is being lifted to the surface! Peanut Butter and Jellyfish know Crabby is in serious trouble, and despite how nasty Crabby has been to them, the two friends spring into action. Will they be able to rescue Crabby, and, if they can, will Crabby still be crabby?

"I Love You Just Enough" by Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen, illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen, Sleeping Bear Press, 2014, 40 pages

Read aloud: age 6 and older

Read yourself: age 7, 8 and older

On the first day of summer vacation, Heather finds a baby wood duck alone in the grass. The chick has been separated from its family, and Heather asks her father if she can take him home and keep him safe. Her father agrees but tells Heather that she must teach the chick how to be a duck and return him to his true family when he is old enough.

Heather takes her job seriously, and toward the end of the summer Mr. Peet the duck is almost ready to be on his own. Will Heather be able to let him go?

kendal@sunlink.net