*Speedy Reader's Book Reviews

Poppy and Rye:
Poppy goes to find Ragweed’s mother, father, and family. She brings her friend Ereth with her. Ereth’s a porcupine. It was hard to find Ragweed’s family because beavers built dams and they flood the land around them. Rye, one of Ragweed’s brothers, tries to stop them from building dams. They trap Rye in a bamboo cage. Poppy makes a plan to save Rye. Will she rescue him before the river overflows? Find out in Poppy and Rye by Avi.

Tuck Everlasting:
A girl named Winnie gets kidnapped by a family named Tuck: Mae Tuck, Angus Tuck, Jesse Tuck, and Miles Tuck. They found out about a spring in Winnie’s woods. They drink from it and now live forever. Read the book for fun and entertainment. Tuck Everlasting is written by Natalie Babbitt. (This book is available in print, on audio cassette and CD, at the library).

*Speedy Reader is a Fauquier County teen writer and reader*

New critters @ Bealeton library

Sad news from Bealeton

"Sugar"

RIP

Sugar (Gerbil) died on September 3, 2007 at the Bealeton Library following an acute Labor Day illness. The exact cause of death is unknown, but some speculate that Sugar took the phrase "Labor Day" too literally and died from overexertion in shredding cardboard tubes. Library staff had also observed a general malaise since the demise of Spice, Sugar’s one known sibling, four months ago. The two had forged an unusually close bond as co-performers in the "Sugar and Spice" comedy revue headquartered at the Bealeton Library, Sugar serving as the straight foil to Spice’s "funny man" routine. Sugar lived by the motto "the show must go on," but sadly it went on only so long.

Sugar, who kept his male gender a secret until his death, was aptly named not only because of his white albino coat, but also because of his sweet and self-effacing personality. Although he shredded several times as much cardboard during his short life as Spice did, he never boasted of the fact. His generous nature led him to become an organ donor: his powerful front teeth and beady red eyes will go to another gerbil in need.

Sugar’s passing was marked by one controversy: the local chapter of GNAWERS (Gerbil National Association for WEe RodentS) complained that library staff acted insensitively by immediately replacing the gerbils’ glass enclosure with a cage of hermit crabs. Library representatives have assured GNAWERS that no offense was intended: "There is no moral equivalency between crabs and gerbils." They promise that new gerbils will be hired shortly.

No funeral is planned; those wishing to commemorate Sugar's life may contribute to GNAWERS or to the Bealeton Library Gerbil Replacement Fund.

Remember Spice.

Mother of the Year

"In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans that could be found quickly, were a litter of weaner pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops?? Take a look........ you won't believe your eyes!!"

Link to article

Play in the sand on vacation!

Sand Art
time = 2:19


Sandcastles: Great Projects from Mermaids to Monuments

By Patti Mitchell with Leap ...Imagination in Learning

Hitting the beach this summer? What would you build if you had enough sand to fill a dumptruck? Unbelievable sand sculptures! Read this books for some grandiose ideas!


Sand Animation of Animals
Time = 55 seconds

"Sand animation "animal". Made by Sigrid Astrup (http://www.blogger.com/www.sigridastrup.com) during spring 2005."

Jellyfish

The Jellyfish and the Clam from Jeff Moss’s Bone Poems

Said the clam to the pink jellyfish,
"You're no more than a lump of wet squish!"
You've no backbone or brain,
You're too dull to explain,
When they look at you, people go 'Ish!'"

Said the jellyfish back to the clam,
"I may look like thin raspberry jam,
But you're just a thick shell
And you don't even jell,
So I'm happy to be what I am!"

Well, I say let's give three big cheers
For these two and their lengthy careers.
Though they both may be dull,
With no spine and no skull,
Still they've lasted a half-billion years!

Ernie of Bealeton

6 toes on each foot, like the Hemingway cats

Grave at the Library

Please Bury Me in the Library written by J. Patrick Lewis

Please bury me in the Library
In the clean, well-lighted stacks
Of Novels, History, Poetry,
Right next to the Paperbacks,

Where the Kids' Books dance
With True Romance
And the Dictionary dozes.
Please bury me in the library
With a dozen long-stemmed proses.

Way back by a rack of Magazines,
I won't be sad too often,
If they bury me in the library
With Bookworms in my coffin.

Gerbil mourned at the Bealeton Library

"Spice"
R.I.P.

Spice (Gerbil) passed away in Bealeton, Virginia on Tuesday afternoon, May 1, 2007 after a brief illness. Bealeton Library Manager Muriel McCabe rushed him to the Compassion Animal Hospital when he began exhibiting symptoms of distress, but sadly he died before treatment could begin. The cause of death remains undetermined, although some believe his ailment was exacerbated by the stress of being labeled a female, with consequent gender identity crises. Identity stress issues also arose over repeatedly being labeled a mouse, a rat, and a hamster. No autopsy will be performed.

Spice was born in 2005 to anonymous parents. He is best remembered as half of the gerbil duo, "Sugar and Spice," a popular southern-Fauquier entertainment act headquartered at the Bealeton Library. His merry antics entranced children of all ages, and it is estimated that he shredded at least 30 tons of cardboard during his brief life. Spice always endeavored to live up to the achievements of his heroes and mentors, the late "Kanga" and "Roo".

Spice is survived by one known sibling, Sugar, of indeterminate gender. S/he states that the act will go on; "it’s what he would have wanted."

No funeral is planned; the body was cremated. Sugar asks that donations be made to the Gerbil National Association for the Wee (GNAW).

Charles Has a Licking Problem!

Burpee's

This ear of corn was meant to tempt seed buyers to buy from Burpee's Seeds.
It came from an 1879 issue of the American Agriculturist.

Dutch Warmblood?

What breed of horse are you? Your Result: Thoroughbred Your fast, hyper and occasionally spookish, though with the right care can be very, very sweet. Your perfect for the race track because of your natural unfaltering speed and quick reflexes.
Welsh Pony
Appaloosa
Quarter Horse
Dutch Warmblood
What breed of horse are you? Make Your Own Quiz

This illustration of a carriage or buggy came from an 1880 advertisement for John P. Miller's Carriage & Wagon Manufactory of Polo, Illinois.

Scottie Tails: My Date with Barney, the First Dog

Ice Storm