Three Hastings Authors to Participate in Children's Book Fair at Sunnyside

Hasting resident Dan Greenburg, the author of four series of children's books, and his wife Judith C. Greenburg, author of an 18-book adventure series for children ages 6 through 10 will be two of the 50 writers and artists participating in the 13th annual presentation of "Celebrate Children's Day  at Sunnyside" on Sunday, Sept. 19.  

The program also includes author Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrator Ed Young and performer Carol Demis. The book fair will be held at Washington Irving's home and grounds in Tarrytown. 

The day's activities take place from noon until 6 p.m. Books by the Greenburgs will be available for purchase and signing will include Claws, Dan's recently published murder mystery for 10-to-14-year-olds, and Judith's latest addition to her 18-book  Andrew Lost series.  The Greenburgs will be signing at The Pasture from 2 to 4:30 p.m.  

The program provides a treasure trove of children's literature for book-buyers and an opportunity for readers of early ages to meet and mingle with a large assembly of writers. "No where else have I seen such a heavy concentration of luminaries in the children's book world gathered in one place," said Nick Bruel, a Tarrytown author.

The Sunnyside program includes book readings, demonstrations, magic tricks, live music, and book signing at author tables.

Costumed characters, dressed as figures from children's tales, will roam the grounds—including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Bunnicula, Biscuit, and Franklin the Turtle. Magician Dikki Ellis will entertain from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Carole Demas, a resident of Irvington and Paula Janis, the creators and stars of the legendary children's television show The Magic Garden, will appear from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Children's series written by Greenburg are: The Zack Files, Secrets of Dripping Fang, Weird Planet, and Maximum Boy. Sales of The Zack Files have exceeded two million copies; the series was translated into 20 languages and generated an award-winning 52-episode television series.

If the name Dan Greenburg sounds familiar, that's because he is also the author of How to be a Jewish Mother, How to Make Yourself Miserable, Love Kills, Exes, and How to Avoid Love and Marriage, all targeted for a slightly more mature crowd. 

How to be a Jewish Mother and How to Make Yourself Miserable have been in print for more than 30 years and made the Publishers Weekly's list of all-time bestsellers. He also wrote the Broadway shows, "Oh! Calcutta!" and "Free to be You and Me."

Born and raised in Chicago, he received a BFA degree from the University of Illinois, and an MFA from UCLA.

Judith C. Greenburg's humorous science adventure series is intended for children ages 6 through 10. Her three main characters are 10-year-old inventor Andrew, his skeptical older cousin Judy, and his super-smart pocket robot Thudd. They accidentally zoom back to the beginning of the universe, explore the oddities of the oceans and "barely escape from garbage dumps, bat caves, and jungles."

Born in Brooklyn, Alyssa Satin Capucilli graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and pursued careers in professional dancing and dance instruction. She wrote stories, poems, and staged puppet shows as a child but didn't take up writing until after her two children were born. Since 1994, she has written more than 15 books for children including two series: Biscuit, about a small yellow puppy, and Katy Duck, about a ballerina-in-the-making.  Capucilli will be available for signing at The Pasture from noon to 2:30 p.m.

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 and later lived in Hong Kong. 

A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, he taught at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, Yale University, Naropa Institute, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. He illustrated the newly published children's book Moon Bear by Brenda Z. Guiberson.

Bonus for attendees: Free tour of Washington Irving's home

As an added incentive to attend the Children's Day event, all registrants will be offered free tours of the Sunnyside estate's cottage. Washington Irving was the writer of two of literature's most famous short stories: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle; he also wrote The Life of George Washington and A History of New York—the latter under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker.

Celebrate Children's Day was produced by Beth Vetare-Civitello and Susan Brandes and is sponsored by Sunnyside Federal Savings and Loan of Irvington.

Picnic food will be offered for purchase at the fair, provided by Geordanes, a food basket specialist with a shop in Irvington.

The admission cost is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $6 for children 5 to 17, and free for children under 5 and Historic Hudson Valley members. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.hudsonvalley.org. 

Washington Irving's Sunnyside, a Historic Hudson Valley site, is located on South Broadway (Route 9) at its intersection with West Sunnyside Lane in Tarrytown, approximately one mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge. 914-631-8200.