PHOTO COURTESY OF KATRINA LINSCOTT
SOUTHWEST HARBOR — Visit the Southwest Harbor Public Library in October to view the colored pencil drawings of Katrina Linscott, including original images from her French and English children’s book “Disco and Me: An Unexpected Adventure in Quebec,” which received the Skipping Stones Honor Award for being an exceptional contribution to multicultural awareness in children’s literature.
“Disco and Me,” which Linscott wrote and illustrated, is the story of a boy whose wish to discover Quebec comes true when he meets Disco, a black Labrador.
As a K-8 French teacher for 17 years, Linscott saw the need for beginner to intermediate level French children’s books that integrate culture. She currently teaches French and social studies at Tremont Consolidated School, and previously taught French on the Cranberry Isles.
“French children’s books written for native speakers are often too advanced for my students. I wanted to write a book that integrated culture while teaching the language. That was the root of the inspiration. I was hiking one day in Acadia National Park and I heard a Québécois family calling to their dog in French and his name was Disco. I thought, ‘What a way to connect with kids.’ You know, kindergarteners don’t necessarily understand what French is. But if a dog can understand French, that makes it more accessible and fun for them. A lot of the story is connected to my travels in Quebec and I used photos from my trips to create the illustrations. For example, my husband and I went to Carnival one year so I could take photos, and we also staged a Quebec dinner with friends for more photos and inspiration. I am now working on illustrating another French children’s book set in Guadeloupe,” Linscott said.
For more information, call the library at (207) 244-7065, visit www.swhplibrary.org or email [email protected].
PHOTO COURTESY OF KATRINA LINSCOTT
