Rivertowns Authors Well Represented at Children's Book Fair Sunday

The largest contingent of authors and illustrators participating in the 14th annual  "Celebrate Children's Day at Sunnyside" book fair come from Hastings and Irvington—where else?

They make up twelve percent of the 60 participants representing the children's literary world at the fair scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 25 on the grounds of Washington Irving's estate in Tarrytown.

Notable locals making appearances are Alyssa Capucilli, Dan and Judith C. Greenburg, Roni Schotter and Ed Young from Hastings, and Alan Richardson and Karen Tack from Irvington. Their latest published work and many of their earlier books will be on display and available for purchase and signing including:

• The Biscuit series. Author: Alyssa Capucilli. Signing at Daffodil Hill from noon to 2:30 p.m. 
• The Secrets of Dripping Fang series. Author: Dan Greenburg. Signing at the Pasture from 2 to 4:30 p.m. 
• Andrew Lost series. Author: Judith C. Greenburg. Signing at the Pasture from 2 to 4:30 p.m. 
• The Hello Cupcake series. Alan Richardson and Karen Tack. Signing at the Pasture from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
• Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street. Author: Roni Schotter. Signing at the Pasture from noon to 2:30 p.m.
• Moon Bear. Illustrator: Ed Young. Signing at Daffodil Hill from noon to 2:30 p.m. The book was written by Brenda Z. Guiberson.

Capucilli will read from Starring Katy Duck as well as from some of her other books. Her next book, My First Ballet Class, will be based on her experiences teaching dance to young children. "This will be my first effort, in a planned series of interactive photo essays that offer a creative approach to introducing young child to the world of dance and other experiences," she said.  Capucilli launched the Biscuit series 15 years ago. 

Dan and Judith C. Greenburg, both veteran writers of children's books, will sign recently published books. Dan has just finished revising the first book in his series of stories about famous figures in American History, as told by their slightly disdainful cats. The book is called The Amazing True Adventures of Benjamin Franklin's Cat. He is also adding the final touches to a book in a series about dinosaurs in present day Manhattan. Look for both works at the 2012 fair.

Dan is also the author of the adult books: How to be a Jewish Mother, How to Make Yourself Miserable, Love Kills, Exes, and How to Avoid Love and Marriage.

Judith C. Greenburg, author of an 18-book adventure series for children ages 6 through 10, is developing a series of books about a boy who gets bitten by an octopus and develops the ability to transform himself into other animals. This should be ready for introduction at next year's fair too.

Ed Young has illustrated more than eighty books for children, seventeen of which he has also written. He was born in Tientsin, China, grew up in Shanghai, later lived in Hong Kong and has taught at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, Yale University, Naropa Institute, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. 

Authors bowing in at the book fair 

Author/illustrator Daniel Kirk, a rising figure in children's book publishing, will make his first appearance at the fair and will read from one or two of his Library Mouse books, sing a song or two about reading and writing while strumming his guitar, and autograph books. 

"My Library Mouse series encourages kids to write their own stories and think of themselves as authors," Kirk said. The center of attention in his stories is a young mouse who lives in a library and spends his nights reading. He decides to write his own tales and slip them into the library shelves where children discover them and learn how they can create their own books. Each of the 32-page books in the series is illustrated and sells for $15.95.

Other authors making their first appearance are Peter Brown, author/illustrator of You Will Be My Friend!, Jerry Davis author of Little Chicken’s Big Day, Will Moses, author/illustrator of Mary and Her Little Lamb, Lena Roy, author of Edges, and Helen Perelman, author of the Candy Fairies series.

The non-profit Historic Hudson Valley (HHV) owns and operates Sunnyside, the homestead of Washington Irving, the author best known for writing The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle.

The fair is sponsored by Sunnyside Federal Savings and Loan of Irvington and produced by Beth Vetare-Civitello and Susan Brandes. 

The hours are noon to 6 p.m. The admission cost is $12 for adults; $10 for seniors; $6 for children 5-17; and free for children under 5 and HHV members. Tours of Irving’s house are included in the price of admission. Tickets can be purchased online at www.hudsonvalley.org. Washington Irving’s Sunnyside is at 89 West Sunnyside Lane in Tarrytown, one mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge, off Route 9.