Puppeteer offers tales of ordinary animals and extraordinary deeds
YORK VILLAGE - Storyteller and puppeteer Pat Spalding will bring the magic of stories to the York Public Library on Thursday, July 27, at 10:30 a.m.In keeping with the summer reading program's theme of "Paws, Claws, Scales, and Tales," she will tell tales about ordinary animals doing extraordinary deeds. The stories will be appropriate for all ages, and admission is free.
Long a part of the nation's storytelling scene, Spalding toured the United States as a puppeteer with Ha'Penny Theater and now performs what she calls "kinesthetic storytelling," using movement to enhance both traditional and original stories.
She tells stories to adult and children's audiences and has served as artist-in-residence at the York Middle School, helping to organize a storytelling concert by middle-schoolers.
York Public Library Director Robert Waldman recalls Spalding's wonderful stories from his days as a library director in New Hampshire in the 1980s.
"Ever since that time, she's been a special artist to me. We're so lucky to have her as a part of our summer family fun series, underwritten by Kennebunk Savings Bank and the Friends of the York Library," he said.
The program will feature some of Spalding's favorite animal tales.
She will use puppets to help tell three stories, "Koala Lou," in which a young koala bear struggles to be noticed by her busy mother; "Pierre," about a boy who doesn't care about anything - not even hungry lions, and her own story, "Lucille."
She will also offer two traditionally-told tales, Aesop's fable of "The Lion and the Mouse" and the Mali folktale "The Magic Gourd."
The York Public Library is located at 15 Long Sands Road in the village.
For more information, contact Kathleen Whalin at 363-2818.
