Visit the library in October to view the colored pencil drawings of Katrina Linscott including original images from her French and English children's book Disco and Me: An Unexpected Adventure in Quebec/Disco et Moi: une aventure inattendue au Québec. She both wrote and illustrated the story about a boy whose wish to discover Quebec comes true when he meets Disco, a black Labrador. Disco et Moi received the Skipping Stones Honor Award for being an exceptional contribution to multicultural awareness in children’s literature.

Katrina will have other artwork, also created with Prismacolor Soft Core pencils, on display at the library. As a K-8 French teacher for 17 years, Katrina saw the need for beginner to intermediate level French children's books that integrate culture. Katrina currently teaches French and social studies at Tremont Consolidated School, and also previously taught French on the Cranberry Isles. “I also have always loved colored pencil, in part because of reading and loving Leo Leoni's illustrations in Fish is Fish as a child.”

“French children's books written for native speakers are often too  advanced for my students. I wanted to write a book that integrated  culture while teaching the language. That was the root of the inspiration. I was hiking one day in Acadia National Park and I heard a Québécois  family calling to their dog in French and his name was Disco. I thought, ‘What a way to connect with kids.’ You know, kindergarteners don’t  necessarily understand what French is. But if a dog can understand French, that makes it more accessible and fun for them. A lot of the story is connected to my travels in Quebec and I used photos from my trips to  create the illustrations. For example, my husband and I went to Carnival one year so I could take photos, and we also staged a Quebec dinner with friends for more photos and inspiration. I am now working on illustrating another French children’s book set in Guadeloupe.”

For questions or for more information call the Library at 207-244-7065, visit www.swhplibrary.org, or email exhibits@swhplibrary.org.