THOMASTON — Join Maine children’s novelist Diane Madden and Neeps the tortoise, to hear The Story of Neeps and Tattie, in a live event Sunday, Aug. 11, at 2 p.m., at the Thomaston Public Library. The Cushing Public Library co-sponsoring this collaborative event, which is free and open to the public.

Madden and her sister-in-law, Amy Johnson, dreamed about writing a children’s book for years, but finding the right story, and the time to write it, eluded them. During a trip to Scotland to celebrate their husbands’ birthdays, they found the story they had been seeking. While waiting for the Loch Ness tourist boat, they met a woman who lived on the shore. As they chatted with her, they learned that she cared for two tortoises, both at least 50 years old, that lived in the little pond next to her house. Intrigued, Madden and Johnson learned everything they could about tortoises. These animals can live to be 100 years old and are common pets in the UK. Since they live so long, one owner wills them to their next owner, to ensure they are cared for.

The Story of Neeps and Tattie begins when 10-year-old Annie adopts two tortoises from a glen near her home in Loch Ness. Now 62 years old, Annie continues to care for the tortoises in their natural habitats – except when they hibernate in a very special place during the winter. The book was acknowledged by the Kirkus Review with a “Starred Review” and is on the short list of the Maine’s Chickadee Award Book Selection for 2024.  

Diane Madden has lived her entire life in Maine and is the former director of a statewide children’s health and literacy program. A lifelong bookworm, she is most likely to be found reading with her granddaughters. Amy Johnson, a former teacher, raised her four children in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and is an enthusiastic dog lover. Her husband has lost track of the number of rescue dogs she has brought home over the years.

For further information, call Wendy Roberts at 691-0833 or email wrobertsmaine63@gmail.com.