AUBURN - Area children and their families are invited to a show put on by The Milkweed Puppet Theater Tuesday, July 8, at the Auburn Public Library. "The Lost Half Hour" is a charming fairy tale written by Maine author and naturalist Henry Beston.

Adapted for a cast of wild animal characters, this hand-puppet production features Bobo, an earnest and ever-smiling possum who simply has no sense. He works in the palace of a prankster buzzard, Princess Zenza, and befriends Tilda, the kindly cook.

Setting off one day to find the half-hour that the princess lost by oversleeping, Bobo meets a grieving King who has lost a true treasure, rides a flying starlight horse, finds someone's lost temper and fights a hungry dragon.

This is a funny and wise story for all ages, which allows a little time to look for true treasures.

The Milkweed Puppet Theater is a one-woman troupe consisting of Nancy Tyndall of Unity. She has traveled throughout Maine for more than 20 years, entertaining audiences and teaching puppetry workshops. Her preparation for this career included a childhood spent reading while perched in trees, a bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College, and graduate studies with Observation, Experimentation and Experience. She also volunteers as a nature guide with Friends of Unity Wetlands and Maine Audubon.

This production is best for school-age children and older. It will begin at 2 p.m. in the Androscoggin Community Room. For more information, stop by the library; call 333-6640, extension 2004; or visit www.auburnpubliclibrary.org.