Teacup Café headed to Maine schools

The wonderful children’s book, The Teacup Café, which I reviewed in January, is headed to 570 Maine Schools, thanks to Central Maine Power Company. That’s great news because every Maine kid should read this book, which emphasizes that it’s what is inside of them that is important.

The author, Patricia Farrin, recently wrote me this message:

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for writing about my first children’s book, The Teacup Café in the Bangor Daily News. I own the little vintage 1967 camper on the cover of the book and bring it with me to book signings so readers can see the actual café, which is the setting to the story.

 

“The story is true and when I purchased the camper, it was covered with moss, it had rusted tire rims and it needed to be painted. I could see the beauty “within” and knew she was just perfect. I have designed teacups like the cups in the book and I am also in the process of designing a logo for inspirational clothing for children to remind them they are beautiful within.

 

“George, it meant so much to me that you would want to write about my book. Hilary Davis is a very talented artist and deserves the recognition for this book. Maine Author’s Publishing have been great to work with. Central Maine Power recently purchased 570 of my books to mail out to Maine schools and this book has been nominated for the Maine Literary award. I am thrilled that my message, which I feel is not a new concept but a gentle reminder, will reach so many children!”

 

Me too, Patty. Me too.

 

If you missed my review of this exceptional book, here it is.

 

The Teacup Café is a very special children’s book with an important message for all of us – beauty is what is inside each of us.

Teacup Café, written by Patty Farrin and published by Maine Authors Publishing, is a real gem, something you are going to want to share with all the kids in your family and community. I’ve already passed my copy on to our town library, hoping that every kid in town gets a chance to read this wonderful book.

The little girl in the book is very disappointed when her mom gets a beautiful cup, decorated with roses, while her cup is very plain. But as she gets to the bottom of her cup, she sees a beautiful and colorful heart with a message “Look for the beauty within.”

On the next page, we read: “Sometimes, true beauty cannot be seen with the human eye. Sometimes, we have to look with our hearts, deep down inside.” What a great lesson for this little girl and indeed for all of us.

The very colorful illustrations by Hilary Davis are also wonderful. Hilary is an Augusta, Maine native who owns Scrummy Afters Candy Shoppe in Hallowell. Patty Farrin is the owner of the Blue Willow Tea Room in Randolph.

Yes we have very talented people right here in central Maine!

 

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.