Walker Memorial Library hosts exhibit of children's, young adult books

The Walker Memorial Library, a Family Place Library, is hosting an exhibit of children's books — the "Cream of the Crop" — through March 31. Parents, teachers, young readers and anyone interested in the best and latest books for children and young adults are urged to review these out standing books while they are on display in Westbrook, the library noted.

The collection contains more than 100 picture book, fiction, and non-fiction titles selected by librarians in southern Maine. Included in the collection are titles that have received either Maine or national awards such as the Maine Library Associations' Lupine Award and the American Library Association's Caldecott and Newbery Awards.

The Cream of the Crop titles are selected from a larger collection of publisher review titles known as the Maine Examination Collection of Children's and Young Adult Books, the library reported. Each year, the Southern Maine Library District, a regional office of the Maine State Library located in the Portland Public Library, receives almost 3,000 books to review. The SMLD maintains the collection and sponsors monthly book review meetings for children's librarians. It holds an annual, statewide children's literature conference, called Reading Roundup, each spring in Augusta.

The Cream of the Crop travels to schools and libraries throughout Maine during the year. Although these books may not circulate, they are available for assistance in book selection. Once the year is over, the titles are dispersed to the school and public libraries whose librarians reviewed them.

Further information about the Cream of the Crop and Main Examination Collection is available through the SMLD Office, 871-1766. Specific information about Walker Memorial Library and its Cream of the Crop exhibit is available from Corinne Henning-Sachs, Youth Services Librarian at (854) 0630, ext. 255.