Popular Authors will Mark 10th Anniversary of Celebrate Children's Book Day at Sunnyside

A Chance to meet Jules Feiffer, Alyssa Capucilli, Plus Dozens More;
Clifford, Curious George, Liz, and Biscuit Will Be There, Too

TARRYTOWN, NY (Sept. 5, 2007) — Pulitzer-winning cartoonist and children’s author Jules Feiffer and Alyssa Capucilli, author of the popular Biscuit series, will be among the more than 60 children’s book authors and illustrators participating in a one-day gala devoted to children’s literature and filled with readings, demonstrations, and book signings at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside on Sunday, Sept. 23.

The event, which takes place from 11-5 p.m., is sponsored by Sunnyside Federal Savings and Loan of Irvington.

In addition to author appearances, costumed characters like Clifford, the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Biscuit, and Liz, will be roaming the grounds. The creators and stars of the legendary children’s television show The Magic Garden, Carole Demas of Irvington and Paula Janis, will be performing from 3:30-4:30.

New faces to Book Day this year include Kate Feiffer, author of Henry, the Dog With No Tail; Howard Fine, illustrator of Piggie Pie; Charise Mericle Harper, author/illustrator of Just Grace; Gloria Koster, author of The Peanut-Free Café; Jamison Odone, author/illustrator of Honey Badgers; and Lee Welles, author of the Gaia Girls series.

Returning favorites include several from Westchester County:

From Bedford Hills: Katie Davis, author/illustrator of Kindergarten Rocks.

From Briarcliff Manor: Alice Low, author of Summer.

From Chappaqua: Jean Craighead George, author of My Side of the Mountain; Mara Van Fleet, author of Mama Loves Me; Matt Van Fleet, author/illustrator of Tails; and Jean Van Leeuwen, author of the Amanda and Oliver Pig series.

From Croton: Jerry Pinkney, illustrator of The All-I-Ever-Want Christmas Doll; Gloria Pinkney, author of Music From Our Lord's Holy Heaven; Lloyd Moss, author of Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin; and Susan Jeffers, illustrator of The Nutcracker.

From Hartsdale: Eric Velasquez, illustrator of Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive.

From Hastings: Alyssa Capucilli, author of the Biscuit series; Pat Schories, author/illustrator of Breakfast for Jack and illustrator of the Biscuit series; Ed Young, illustrator of Tiger of the Snows; Roni Schotter, author of When the Wizzy Foot Goes Walking; Dan Greenburg, author of The Secrets of Dripping Fang series; and J.C. Greenburg, author of Andrew Lost series.

From Larchmont: Todd Strasser, author of CON-fidence.

From Mamaroneck: Charise Mericle Harper, author/illustrator of Just Grace.

From Ossining: Susanna Reich, author of Penelope Bailey Takes the Stage.

From Pound Ridge: Gloria Koster, author of The Peanut-Free Café.

From Scarsdale: Bernard Most, author/illustrator of Littlest Dinosaurs.

From Tarrytown: Nick Bruel, author/illustrator of Bad Kitty; and Peter Sis, author/illustrator of The Wall.

From White Plains: Howard Fine, illustrator of Piggie Pie; Yumi Heo, illustrator of Henry’s First Moon Birthday; and Phyllis Shalant, author of The Great Cape Rescue.

From Yorktown: Marisabina Russo, author of Bunnies Are Not in Their Beds.

Author and illustrator appearances, including readings and demonstrations, will be broken into 90-minute segments taking place throughout the day. Visitors may check www.hudsonvalley.org one week prior to the event to see when their favorites will be appearing. Books by all of the attending writers and illustrators will be available for purchase and signing.

“For kids who are readers, this is a chance to meet their ‘heroes,’ the men and women who write and illustrate the special books that they love and cherish,” said Dina Rose Friedman of Irvington, site director at Sunnyside.

Other returning authors and illustrators planning to attend include: Mark Teague, illustrator of How Do Dinosaurs Go To School; Karen Romano Young, author/illustrator of Across the Wide Ocean; Michael Rex, author/illustrator of You Can Do Anything, Daddy; Monica Wellington, author/illustrator of Firefighter Frank; Barbara McClintock, author/illustrator of Adele & Simon; Alan Katz, author of Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs; Bruce Degen, illustrator of The Magic Schoolbus series; Nora Raleigh Baskin, author of Basketball (or Something Like It); Richard Brenner, author of Superstars: Tom Brady, Ladainian Tomlinson; Gail Carson Levine, author of Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand; Wendell Minor, illustrator of Ghost Ship; Raul Colón, illustrator of How to Bake an American Pie; Tony Abbott, author of Secrets of Droon series; Stephanie Spinner, author of Quicksilver; Judith Caseley, author/illustrator of The Kissing Diary; Rafe Martin, author of Rough-Face Girl; Jean Marzollo, author of I Spy series; Peter Lerangis, author of The Drama Club Series; Joan Goodman, author of Paradise; Chris Kubie, composer of Music of the Thirteen Moons; David Johnson, illustrator of Attack of the Turtles; Karen Kaufman Orloff, author of I Wanna Iguana; Arthur Howard, author/illustrator of Serious Trouble; Lyn Rossiter McFarland and Jim McFarland, author/illustrator team of Widget and the Puppy; Christopher Hart, author/cartoonist of Manga Mania; Tim Tocher, author of Chief Sunrise, John McGraw and Me; Florence Minor, author of Christmas Tree; David Gavril, author/illustrator of Penelope Nuthatch and the Big Surprise; and Wendy Mass, author of Sleeping Beauty: The One Who Took the Really Long Nap.

Food from Irvington-based Geordane’s will be available for picnickers.

The event is produced by Beth Vetare-Civitello and Susan Brandes of S&B Books.

Admission to Sunnyside is $12 for adults; $10 for seniors and students 18-25 with ID; $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. For information: 914-591-8763, 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.

Historic Hudson Valley is a network of six historic sites in Sleepy Hollow Country and the Great Estates region; Washington Irving’s Sunnyside; Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, a historic site of the National Trust; Philipsburg Manor; the Union Church of Pocantico Hills; Van Cortlandt Manor; and Montgomery Place Historic Estate.