The Kids and GrampaT

Book excerpt: The Kids and GrampaT Here are 14 of the many stories written about The Kids and GrampaT by Jean Thibault Castagno, a relative to some and a friend to others. The settings are real and imaginary as are many of the events that unfold as one reads deeper into the tales of adventure. The author has always had a vivid imagination and a curious mind. These attributes, together with her desire to please others and to encourage their reading skills, combine nicely in tales of children and grownups playing and interacting together. Castagno also writes stories for adults that are meant to be inspiring and hope fulfilling. Castagno was raised on a farm in Coventry CT during World War II. Her series of stories about those years can be found on the Coventry CT website. She was the oldest of five children. Their mother worked very hard as can be expected when the father spends 12 hours a day at a war-related factory job 40 miles distant. The children were expected to help daily in tending to the animals, the gardens, and, every Fall, in harvesting the several acres of potatoes for sale to neighbors, friends and the local food stores. Castagno attended one room schools until 1943 when she and her 11 classmates transferred to either Manchester or Windham High Schools. Castagno has worked at many jobs: retail, insurance, and medical. On her fiftieth birthday in 1980, she decided to attend the nearby community college. She elected to study English because she thought she knew it, and Spanish because she didn’t. This led to a six year program of part-time studies and several honors degrees. She completed her courses in 1986 and taught at Oxford Academy, a private preparatory school for boys in Westbrook CT, until her retirement.