Mini Page 2.18.14.Indd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
© 2015 Universal Uclick Curling Up on a Good Book from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick Cats in the Library Cats on patrol For thousands of years, cats have been the guardians of books. In ancient times, books were rare and expensive. Mice photos courtesy Cecil Bickley Library and rats ate the Story (above and right) loved to “help” paper and tore up the books to make kids with their homework. The library their nests. Cats protected the precious recently adopted Booky, a kitten someone books from the rodents. had dumped in the courthouse parking lot. Booky also loves to be with kids. Today, hundreds of libraries throughout the world have their own Reading with the animals Cat burglar cats. Cats don’t just keep mice away Two cats live at the Yoakum County/ “I’m a firm believer that cats and from books; they make libraries into Cecil Bickley Library in Denver City, libraries are a good idea,” Pat said. even friendlier places. And libraries Texas, along with fish, a tarantula, a The Cecil Bickley Library cats, Saber, offer many abandoned or shelter cats a gecko, a firebelly frog, gerbils and a Story and Story’s sister, Penny, were loving home. red-eared slider turtle. A sister library all rescued from a shelter. Saber and In celebration of Library Lovers’ in the county, Plains Library, has a Story have now retired and live full- Month, The Mini Page visits a matching set of all these animals, time with Pat. sampling of cats that love libraries except for the cats. Instead of cats, Story loves people. She is also and the libraries that love them. Plains has a cockatiel. mischievous. Pat said they had to Stone lions At first, librarians tried to keep a warn all the women that Story would guard the New cockatiel and a cat at the same library, take things out of their purses. If they York Public but that didn’t work out well. So now, Library. For couldn’t find their car keys, Story had thousands of the bird is at one library, and the cats probably sneaked away with them. years, people are at the other one. The more outgoing Story was, the have seen cats Pat McNabb, head librarian of the shyer her sister Penny became. “Penny as guardians two libraries, said, “The animals are a of books and is very loving and likes kids to pet her, drawing card for kids.” wisdom. photo by OptimumPX, courtesy of Wikimedia but she doesn’t approach them.” from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick Purrfect Places for Kitties Animal teachers Booky and Penny help beautify the Cecil Bickley “The reason that I have these Library. The cats not only animals in the libraries is that even bring kids into the library, though we’re in a very rural area, but, Pat said, “we have a lot of older people who are kids don’t see a lot of these kinds of in senior citizen homes or animals,” Pat McNabb said. living with their kids, and “Scorpions and taranatulas are they can’t have pets. They native here, but if people see them, come to the library to see animals and pet the cats. they kill them. I’m trying to educate They come to get their cat people that they’re beneficial but fix.” may just be in the wrong place when photo courtesy Cecil Bickley Library people see them.” Kitty People Pat, a former veterinarian love The Johnston Public Library Kitty, technician, said: “When kids come in Baxter Springs, Kansas, was Betty into the library, they learn to treat home to a cat named Thomas. He Burrows animals with respect. When the became good friends with Kitty, a said. kids pet the cat and that cat purrs, “She is neighborhood cat, librarian Betty sweet to they see the benefits of being kind. Burrows said. every- Everything in the library is here for When Thomas died, Kitty stopped one.” a reason. coming to the library for months. Kitty still “There is so little one-on-one goes Then she began turning up again. outside communication in our high-tech Her owners had to move, and they during world today that establishing a were afraid Kitty would run away the day. relationship with anything on a face- to try to find her way back to the to-face basis is a unique and valuable library. They asked if the library experience.” would take her permanently. photo courtesy Johnston Public Library from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick TM Library Cats Ready Resources C B K P I R D E N O D N A B A The Mini Page provides ideas for O L O I U D A R E T L E H S V websites, books or other resources that will Basset M R O O T R E R M C T E P L A Brown’s help you learn more about this week’s topics. M K A V K T R A E I A K K I L On the Web: Try U D S T E S Y L A P C T I B U • bit.ly/1wNJakH N E E P O R D K O O B E T R A • bit.ly/1KaQtxe ’n’ I W T V S L A M I N A D T A B At the library: Find T E S N A I D R A U G O E R L • “Homer the Library Cat” by Reeve Lindbergh Y Y N A I R A R B I L G N Y E • “Mr. Muggs the Library Cat” by Dave Gunson Words that remind us of library cats are hidden in the block above. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you can find: ABANDONED, • “Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library!” by Vicki ANIMALS, BOOKDROP, BOOKS, CAT, COMMUNITY, DEWEY, DOG, Myron and Bret Witter GUARDIANS, IDEA, KITTEN, KITTY, LAP, LIBRARIAN, LIBRARY, LOVE, MICE, PET, PURR, RARE, RAT, SET, SHELTER, VALUABLE. TM Mini Spy TM Rookie Cookie’s Recipe Mini Spy likes to visit the library cat in her Crispy Bagel Bites town. See if you can find: q exclamation mark These make good after-school snacks. q lips q bandage q ax q letter J You’ll need: q acorn q letter D q word MINI q ladder • 5 teaspoons lemon pepper • 12 plain mini bagels q letter M q sock q pumpkin q letter A • 1 teaspoon paprika • nonstick cooking spray q heart q number 3 q kite q letter H What to do: q mitten q letter T q musical note 1. In a small bowl, combine lemon pepper and paprika. Set aside. 2. With an adult’s help, halve the bagels lengthwise. Spray each bagel piece with cooking spray. 3. Sprinkle each piece evenly with the seasoning mixture. 4. Place pieces side by side on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. 5. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 5 minutes, then turn over and bake 5 minutes more. Makes 24 bagel bites. You will need an adult’s help with this recipe. from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick Meet Alan Mills Alan Mills was a folk singer and songwriter whose name you may not know. But you may have sung his most famous composition, “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.” He wrote the music to that song in 1952. Rose Bonne wrote the lyrics (LEAR-iks), or words. Singers Thomas Hellman and Emilie Clepper recently put out a new picture book/CD combination named after his famous song. The book and CD include the title song photo courtesy Smithsonian Folkways Recordings as well as other songs by Alan Mills. Alan was born in 1913 as Albert Miller. He grew up in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He began acting in local theaters when he was 16. As a young man, Alan worked as a newspaper reporter. His hobby was singing folk songs, and he left his newspaper job to concentrate on folk music. He hosted radio shows, including “Folk Songs for Young Folk.” Alan recorded more than 20 albums and wrote several books on folk music. He acted in several radio plays and wrote a play himself. He died in 1977. from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick TM TM Mighty Cardale Jones Funny’s Mini Jokes Gus In a team sport like football, a backup player spends All the following jokes have something in common. Can you Goodsport’s most of his time on the sidelines. He may practice and Supersport prepare, but the chance to play may never come. guess the common theme or category? Cardale Jones began the 2014 season as Ohio State’s third-string quarterback. By late November, however, the Cathy: What color is a contented cat? Buckeyes had lost their top two signal-callers to injury. Carl: Purr-ple! Cardale’s opportunity had come. And he was ready. Cardale led Ohio State on an amazing three-game run in which the Buckeyes captured a Big Ten Conference title against Wisconsin, knocked off No. 1 Alabama in the Cornelius: What’s a good name for a cat’s house? Sugar Bowl, and then defeated No. 2 Oregon 42-20 for the Charles: A scratch pad! Height: 6-5 first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship.