BOOKS TO BORROW

“The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer, Knopf, 279 pages

Read aloud: age 8 and older

Read yourself: age 10, 11 and older

First published in 1961, The Phantom Tollbooth is a “must read” book for kids of many ages.

Milo is the sort of boy who doesn’t pay close attention to much of anything. As far as he is concerned, “‘there’s nothing for me to do, nowhere I’d care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing.’”

One afternoon Milo receives an enormous package containing the parts to construct his very own Genuine Turnpike Tollbooth. With nothing better to do, Milo puts his tollbooth together, gets into his small electric automobile, and sets off for what will be a life-changing adventure. 

LIBRARIAN’S CHOICE

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

Library Director: Belinda de Kay

Children’s Librarian: Maris Frey

Choices this week: “Yummy Eight Favorite Fairy Tales” by Lucy Cousins; “The Lion and the Mouse” by Jerry Pinkney; “Toys Go Out” by Emily Jekins 

BOOKS TO BUY

“It Came in the Mail” by Ben Clanton, Simon & Schuster, 2016, 40 pages, $17.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 4 to 8

Read yourself: age 7 and 8

“Liam loved to get mail. Too bad he never got any.” Despite how many millions of times Liam looked in his mailbox, it was always the same — nothing there.

Then one day, Liam had an idea: if HE sent some mail he might get mail in return! So, not knowing who else to write to, Liam wrote a letter to his mailbox, asking it to send him something big. Presto Change-o! The mailbox delivered in ways Liam never could have anticipated.

“The Forgetful Knight” by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Fred Blunt, Dial, 2016, 36 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 4 to 8

Read yourself: age 7 and 8

Get ready for a suspenseful, hilarious tale of a knight who was brave, daring and brimming with courage (or is he?).

The narrator of this fun story explains that the knight in his armor carries half a sandwich in his hand (no, wait; that would be a sword, not a sandwich) on his way to battle the big, green and mean dragon. It has been reported that this dragon was fond of eating people’s pets, which mustn’t be allowed. Then, to the knight’s horror, the dragon eats the knight’s best mate, Sir Clopalot! Well, that just won’t do.

The knight has to act, and act he does, although it is sometimes difficult due to his forgetful nature and lack of true knightliness. But when the knight’s pants are set on fire by the dragon, well, that is the final straw!

Told in rhyme with a jaunty rhythm, loads of punch lines, and questions that prompt kids to put their two cents into the story, “The Forgetful Knight” is a wonderfully executed tale of imagination and big, big fun. Don’t zip through the book; take time for kids to peruse the hilarious, detailed illustrations.

kendal@sunlink.net