What a delight to see Piggy Wiglet and the Great Adventure is still out there chasing the sun after fifty-two years. SHANNON PAULEY, Head of Youth Services at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, Pennsylvania, has released a video about the book, her lifetime connection to it, and our recent correspondence. Shannon, thank you so much. I love your recording and am delight for Piggy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaFdnuRSGSg&list=PLa8qQDQUaFBD8ApLKz_RO2XCACtZxk6uM&index=2 I loved it that the book you see first, on the table by co-sponsor, Miss Linda, is Thankful, by my friend and colleague, EILEEN SPINELLI!
Our son JEFF sent me a link to a woman reading a favorite story of mine, Piggy Wiglet and the Great Adventure, which was published in 1973. https://youtu.be/tV-FlJ6w2lA?feature=shared
I found Ms. Shannon (SHANNON PAULEY), who is Head of Youth Services for the Peter Township Public Library in McMurray, Pennsylvania, and sent her a letter of gratitude for reading my old story. Yesterday I received a lovely response from my new friend. Now I know that Shannon has liked Piggy for more than thirty years. In second grade it became her favorite book and she checked it out from her school library every week. While in high school, her old school librarian found the book and presented it to her. You can see her name on the check out card. Shannon had it on display at her high school graduation party.
In college, Shannon earned an elementary education degree and took her copy of Piggy Wiglet to school when she was student teaching and subbing and shared her story about the book with the kids. Because of the important role that libraries had played in her life, Shannon went on to get a Masters in Library Science. She says that every year, usually in March around National Pig Day, she uses Piggy Wiglet in her story time programs.
Shannon concludes her letter with this. “I feel strongly that my joy of going to both the library at my school and the library in our community growing up made me want to be a librarian. I feel so blessed to do what I do and help get books into the hands of children so thank you … for doing a part of leading me to this life.” If that isn’t enough to make me want to drive to McMurray, Pennsylvania to hug Shannon, I don’t know what else would. Thank you, Shannon. May you and Piggy Wiglet go right on chasing the sun.
Children's Author David L. Harrison's Blog 