No, it is not a beaver – it’s a groundhog! This mistaken identity issue popped up at Story Time this past week when youngsters and their mothers mistook the cute little groundhog puppet for the big toothed beaver.

“Bear Shadow” by Frank Asch tells the story of a bear who tries to get rid of his shadow. While fishing, his shadow scared a big fish away so Bear tries hammering it down with nails, running away, hiding, and locking it inside. None of these efforts work.  His shadow follows him everywhere. After the story, the children were invited to make their own shadows on a screen.  

Several groundhog books were shown, followed by brief discussion of Groundhog Day and shadows. The children then made their own groundhog puppets.  Attached to a craft stick, the puppet could slide up and down in a paper cup with a slit in the bottom. Just like a real groundhog pops out of his hole, they could make their puppets do the same. 

Story Time is each Thursday at 10:30 a.m. in the Children’s Room of the Wiscasset Public Library.