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As Excitement Builds for the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival… Teachers and Librarians Explain Why!

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The Chappaqaua Children’s Book Festival is less that a week away, and excitement is building! The CCBF, with over 8,000 visitors each year, has become one of one of the largest children’s book festivals in the country.

The 11th annual event, held September 28, 2024 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Chappaqua train station.

The festival will feature 160 authors including Laura Numeroff (the “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” series), 2024 Caldecott Medal winner Vashti Harrison, festival favorite Victoria Kann (“Pinkalicious”), Dan Gutman (the “My Weird School” series) and so many more!

The festival gives kids and families a chance to meet and interact with the authors of their favorite books and discover more. The fun-filled day includes food trucks, activities and more for all to enjoy. 

I asked some familiar faces around town who they are looking forward to meeting this year!

Who are you excited about seeing at the CCBF this year?

David Forsberg, 4th Grade teacher, Roaring Brook School:

This event has grown into a truly special day. Upon arriving, you sense excitement from children and parents as they walk around with new books that they can’t wait to take home and enjoy.  The authors from the festival are world renowned and may be familiar to Chappaqua students.  There are always new exciting authors that have something new to offer to the festival. 

Last year, our 4th grade students were able to meet Sayantani DasGupta at an author’s day visit at RBS.  Students and teachers were engaged listening to the incredible experiences and writing methods she shared.  Dr. DasGupta grew up in Ohio and shared about how she was always addicted to reading and loved learning about how authors came up with their own ideas.  She became a pediatrician and children’s author.  Our 4th grade students were immediately captured by her energy, disposition and her impressive accomplishments. 

I hope that families take advantage and attend the festival with their children this year!  You can’t go wrong.

Robbin Freidman, Chappaqua Library:

I’m looking forward to meeting Katie Yamasaki, the author and illustrator of several warm and inspiring picture books. In addition to creating books, Yamasaki is a muralist and her picture book illustrations bring the same kind of vibrancy and scope as her murals. For my first book club session of the school year (the book club is for middle school students with an adult, usually a parent), we read “Turtles of the Midnight Moon” by María José Fitzgerald, so I know all those readers and I are hoping to say hello to her.

Mercy Garland, Chappaqua Library:

I am looking forward to meeting Rajani LaRocca because I love her novels-in-verse (“Red, White and Whole” AND “Mirror to Mirror”).  I also look forward to meeting Nicole Melleby because she creates really deep characters dealing with complex problems and issues.  For illustrators- I would love to meet E.B Lewis because his work is always so beautiful.  

Julie Ann Polasko, Chappaqua Library:

As a Children’s Librarian, I am continually learning from our new books. I am so excited to meet M.O. Yuksel and tell her how grateful I am for her books, because they represent those of the Muslim faith, and educate others. Examples are her picture book In My Mosque, and the biography One Wish, about Fatima al-Fihri, the founder of the oldest continuously operating University in the world!

I’m also looking forward to seeing Carrie Finison. Her “Dozens of Doughnuts” is one of my go-to suggestions for a funny picture book. It features a bear preparing for hibernation by making doughnuts (as one does)–but has she been too generous when all of her woodland friends come knocking?

Teresa Bueti, Chappaqua Library:

I’m hoping to meet author & illustrator Dan Santat. I’ve loved so many of his own books, from the Caldecott-Award-winning “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend”, to the sensitive “After the Fall”, to his middle school graphic memoir “A First Time for Everything”, and then there are the ones he’s illustrated for other authors, like Minh Lé’s “Drawn Together”.   I enjoy his energy and humor–his work is incredibly varied, but so distinctive.

Chris Eidem, Chappaqua School Librarian:

I am looking forward to meeting Kyle Lukoff (“Too Bright to See”) and am excited to talk with him about his Newbery Honor and Stonewall awards and thank him for writing books that support our LGBTQ adolescents. I also look forward to seeing Phil Bildner (“A High Five for Glenn Burke”) whom I have met on several occasions and who is a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community, and also is a baseball fan!

Hudson Talbot is a favorite author friend who I have hosted at Roaring Brook for Author Day several years ago.  We have a connection with Hudson NY, my hometown, and where I attended an exhibit of his illustrations. He lives across the river near Catskill and I visit with him when I am home at my mom’s house.

One of the greatest experiences for a librarian and an author is not only connecting a student with the right book at the right time, but witnessing it changing their life.  Hudson wrote his autobiographical book “A Walk in the Words” describing and illustrating his struggle with dyslexia as a child. I was so pleased to give this book to our reading teacher specifically for a student who was struggling with reading. This book allowed the student to recognize his disability and know that he was not alone, and now has been able to grow as a reader with the support and understanding he needed. It was life changing. That to me is the ultimate “Why”  for what we strive to do every day.

We are so very lucky to have this event in our own backyard, bringing the best and largest selection of authors and illustrators for all ages.  I look forward to it each year and am so pleased to have supported this project from its earliest conception to now being in its 11th year.

Cayne Letizia, English teacher, Horace Greeley High School:

As a high school English teacher at Horace Greeley High School, I’m particularly excited about the inclusion of a few young adult authors at this year’s Chappaqua Book Festival, like Dhonielle Clayton and Erik J. Brown. These writers offer stories that resonate with the age group I teach. Engaging with authors who understand the challenges and experiences of adolescents is a great way to inspire my students. I’m also looking forward to seeing my students volunteer and give back to the community–it’s an amazing opportunity for them to contribute and be part of something much larger than themselves.

I’m looking forward to seeing Torrey Maldonado at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival because my son and I both enjoyed reading his books “Tight” and “What Lane?” Meeting Torrey will be a great experience for both of us!

For more information, a list of authors, or to volunteer, visit http://www.ccbfestival.org/ or follow the CCBF at www.facebook.com/chappaquachildrensbookfestival.

 

 

Storytellers Unite: Meet the Authors of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

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By Mollie Roth

The upcoming Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival will be an opportunity for young readers and their parents to connect with the authors who make reading hour and bedtime come alive. Local librarians, educators, and volunteers have planned a fantastic event where children can come together with the authors that spark their imaginations.

Headlining the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is Mary Pope Osborne, author of the beloved Magic Tree House series. Young and old, fans of Jack and Annie’s time-traveling and global-trotting adventures will have the opportunity to speak to Osborne about all their favorite stories, as well as learn about her newest books. Meeting authors like Osborne is an opportunity for children to form personal connections to books new or beloved. Chappaqua Librarian Theresa Bueti looks forward to seeing young people engage with books in a brand new way. When young patrons attend the festival, “they realize that people write books,” says Bueti, turning the solitary act of reading “real, vivid, and approachable.”

The students at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School are particularly excited to meet author Josh Funk. His book My Pet Feet won the 2023 Official March Book Madness Picture Book Bracket after being voted in by the Grafflin community and their nation-wide peers. Kaitlyn Lester, a library media specialist at Grafflin Elementary, says, “students are excited to meet [Funk], tell him how much we love My Pet Feet, and explore his other books that we are sure to love!”

Keep an eye out for Lauren Tarshis, author of the New York Times Bestselling series I Survived. Roaring Brook Elementary School’s Suzanne Stolzenberg and Andrea Schaber from West Orchard Elementary School say their students are very excited to meet the author of this disaster themed collection about children who survive a thrilling historical event. Coming to the festival shows children that “if they have something they want to say, they could write a book about it,” claims Bueti. In the aftermath of a global pandemic, perhaps Tarshis’ work will prove inspiration to young readers.

Many illustrators will also be in attendance at this year’s book festival. Head of children’s services at Chappaqua Library Robbin Friedman is particularly excited to meet Ruth Chan. “Her animal faces are so goofy, adorable, and expressive,” notes Friedman. “Everything about [Chan’s work] is weird and wonderful and exactly the right way.” Chan has a long career as an illustrator, as well as being the sole creator of books like Thank You, Neighbor! For children interested in creating and expressing themselves through art, meeting the illustrators at the festival should be a galvanizing and memorable experience.

There are seven scheduled readings throughout the festival day, where attendees can hear stories read by their authors. This is a wonderful chance for children to connect with their peers and the adults in their lives as they all encounter the same story at the same time. Author Raj Halder will be reading This Book is Banned, a picture book grappling with censorship in a delightfully silly and meaningful manner. However, the experience of being told a story is not limited to our yearly festival. Through the Chappaqua Library, anyone can rent the audiobooks of many books found at the festival. Many children’s authors read their books themselves, so children can have a little slice of the festival all year round.

The books mentioned are available for purchase at the festival, along with many other fascinating reads. However, finding new books does not have to be a once-a-year event. Stoever encourages “every child [to] find the librarians from the children’s room at the Chappaqua Public Library and speak to them.” The librarians are thrilled for this opportunity to further engage with the community, and recommend the book clubs and reading groups for anyone motivated by this year’s festival.

The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival will take place on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at the Chappaqua Train Station, from 10am to 4pm. Along with the author and illustrators, there will be food trucks and a family fun zone. Admission is free, and livestream coverage of the event.  For regular updates, visit www.ccbfestival.org

Inside Press Story Presented in Partnership with the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.

Area Journalists Address Alarming Trends Hurting Journalism, but also Relay Reasons for Optimism

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Chappaqua Library Panel on the Future of Local Journalism.  Photo by Andrew Vitelli

Fewer Reporters, Social Media & Artificial Intelligence Challenges, and an ongoing Funding Puzzle were Discussed at the Chappaqua Library Panel Event

David McKay Wilson, now a columnist for The Journal News, began working for the Gannett in 1986. At the time, he recalled, “every town was covered, every school board.”

“You got that Sunday newspaper that was like this,” he said, using his hands to signal the edition’s heft. “That of course has all changed.”

Wilson was one of four journalists on a panel on the future of local journalism held March 22 at the Chappaqua Library. The panel was moderated by Inside Press publisher Grace Bennett.

Martin Wilbur, editor-in-chief of The Examiner, expressed a similar concern, recalling that in the past every community and school district would be covered by its own fulltime reporter.

“When you consider just in about 30 years, the diminishment of that, it is alarming,” Wilbur said. “At The Examiner, I feel like a guy with one water bucket, and I’ve got 10 places where my roof is leaking, and I am running around.”

The diminished presence of local news was a major theme of the panel discussion. Since 2005, Bennett noted in her introductory remarks, some 2,500 newspapers have closed in the US, a quarter of the total, with the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating that trend.

“The influence and purpose of journalism and the value of the Fourth Estate has been clear for centuries,” remarked Bennett. “In trying times like these, our nation could use not less journalism, but more, and we need new government funding and research and a template for saving and even expanding journalism.”

(L-R): “Future of Local Journalism” panel moderator Grace Bennett, Inside Press, with Panelist Martin Wilbur, Examiner News, Chappaqua Library Program Coordinator Joan Kuhn, Panelist Michelle Falkenstein, freelance writer, and Panelists David McKay Wilson and Asher Stockler, Journal News.
Photo by Denise Mincin

 

Modern Day Tech Challenges

“It is very difficult to adapt the traditional structure of news to a lot of newfangled media,” said Asher Stockler, a government accountability reporter for The Journal News. “I don’t know how I could condense a story, let’s say, about police brutality into a TikTok.”

While local newspapers have been shut down or scaled back their staff, there’s been an explosion of low-quality news sources.

“In 2019, the Pew Research Center found that 54% of Americans got their news sometimes or often from social media, the number one source being Facebook,” said Michelle Falkenstein, a freelance culture reporter. “So, it is alarming, really.”

A handful of social media sites have a tremendous impact on what articles get views and clicks, a dynamic Stockler called “one of the biggest threats” to a robust news industry. Clickbait headlines can skew a social media site’s algorithm to promote vapid regurgitations of old stories.

“Even with, ‘if it bleeds it leads,’ a lot of times it was a sensationalized version of some sort of actual basis,” Stockler said, referring to the old adage that gruesome stories were typically featured prominently. Often with clickbait, he said, “there is no new information.”

And then there is the effect that 280-character tweets and 30-second reels have had on the attention spans of news consumers.

“You can’t write long anymore,” said Falkenstein. “If I get 800 words, I feel like I hit the jackpot.”

Addressing Artificial Intelligence

Soon, reporters will have to contend with advanced AI – artificial intelligence – which Stockler called an “impending disaster.”

AI can be a reporting tool, he acknowledged, but there is a danger if it is used to replace instead of supplement the reporting process.

“What do you do when an algorithm creates something libelous or something defamatory?” Stockler asked. “I just think it is going to open a rift in terms of whatever trust is left in the content generation business.”

Despite all the headwinds facing local news, the conversation was far from all gloom and despair. Social media brought with it some benefits, the panelists noted, including the ability to engage with their readers.

“I’m a boomer and I love Facebook,” said Wilson. “I know that is not popular in some settings but I really do.”

Wilson said he posts all his stories on Facebook and other social media sites.

“Part of my journalism is being on Facebook and having these interactions with people who I know,” he said. “It’s an engagement that I enjoy, and I think that it has got to be part of journalism today.”

Certain parts of the country, Falkenstein explained, are news deserts, where there is little to no coverage of what is happening locally. “People end up paying more to live in these communities, because they are not aware of things that are going on with taxes and that sort of thing or pet projects that might come up,” she said. “They also don’t vote as much. They don’t feel as invested.”

Better News in Places Like Westchester

Though the local news scene is less robust than it once was, Westchester and the Hudson Valley have “bucked the trend a little bit,” Bennett posited.

“In Westchester, we are relatively lucky. There is an informed citizenry or a citizenry that wants to learn more about what is going on,” said Wilbur. “And there is enough disposable income among businesses and organizations that a lot of places around the country do not have.”

And while the platforms and the technology may continue to change, the key to retaining readers’ trust is much the same – “doing really good work,” he added. That includes transparent sourcing, printing opposing opinions, and running corrections when necessary.

“We don’t know the next platform or the next thing six weeks, six months, six years. We just know it’s going to change, and it’s going to continue to change,” concluded Wilbur. “And the organizations that survive are the ones who will best be able to adapt to whatever might come their way.”

 

Chappaqua Library Centennial Celebration Emphasized Symbols for Growth and Endurance

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At a June 4, 2022 Chappaqua Library 100 Year Centennial Celebration.                 Photos by Grace Bennett and Alexa Troob for the Inside Press 

 

On Saturday, June 4, members of the Chappaqua community gathered in town to honor the beloved Chappaqua Library as it marked its 100 year anniversary. Library Director, Andrew Farber and Board President, Elizabeth Farkas Haymson began the Centennial Ceremony by welcoming the crowd and starting the celebration. “We have come from humble beginnings, but through the support of our local community, we have grown into the center of Chappaqua. Today we will honor the library’s achievements: where we started, and where we hope to find ourselves in the future,” said Andrew Farber.

Lisa Katz, Town Supervisor, then gave a proclamation, acknowledging the library as “a pillarstone of our community” and appreciating all that it offers. She shared the substantial impact that the library had on her own children’s love for reading and learning. 

Town historian Gray Williams shared a brief history of the library and the people who were particularly important in founding it in 1922 (a more in depth history of the library was later on display). While hearing about and celebrating the past of the library, it became clear that values such as education and making contributions to better the community have remained at the core of the library’s, and all of Chappaqua’s, foundation. 

The next guest speaker was David Vinjumari, author, NYU Professor, and Library Space Planner, who spoke about the importance of libraries. He classified the importance of libraries not only as a means of accessing books and information, but even as a matter of life or death. While this may seem like an exaggeration, it was actually proven by one of Vinjumari’s colleagues at NYU, Eric Klinenberg, as he studied a heat wave that swept through Chicago in 1995. More specifically, he studied why different neighborhoods that looked identical to each other in terms of race, income, and living conditions had drastically different death rates. Why did many fewer people, specifically the elderly, die in some neighborhoods compared to others? What he found was that the neighborhoods with lower death rates were the ones with more public institutions such as parks and community and senior centers, but most importantly, libraries. Public libraries were what helped keep people alive in times of extreme distress and “social connection was actually the difference between people living and dying,” shared Vinjumari. 

“During the pandemic especially, I think we as a community were also able to realize our need for togetherness and connection that we were robbed of for so long, creating only a deeper appreciation for public libraries. While a library is definitely about lending books, promoting reading, and helping people access information, it is also so much more. It holds the power to connect, making sure nobody in a community feels like they are alone.”

Vinjumari continued by noting the role that The Chappaqua Library plays in making sure all people feel welcomed and supported, specifically those that are either underserved or less able to take care of themselves than most of the fortunate citizens in Chappaqua. There are programs that help adults with disabilities, programs intended to appreciate different cultures, programs that deliver books to those unable to leave their houses, and so many more that are vital to our community. 

Bell Middle School Student Violet Clinton spoke about the impact that The Chappaqua Library has had on her young life. “I want to thank the children’s librarians for helping make the library a special place for me and for all the kids growing up here. The Chappaqua Library helped begin my love of reading and I will cherish it for a lifetime,” she shared. 

A TIME CAPSULE and A RED MAPLE TREE

The ceremony came to a close with the burying of a time capsule in the courtyard and a tree dedication. “The new tree will mark time moving forward, and in a short while we will bury a time capsule that will preserve the past,” said Elizabeth Farkas Haymson. The time capsule consisted of meaningful things from the library’s past for future generations to hopefully discover some day. Its contents included, but were not limited to, a history of the library, photos of the library from both the past and present, the first Chappaqua Library’s Writer’s Contest, library cards from 1987 to today, homemade COVID masks, a letter written by Bill Clinton appreciating all that the library provides, several Inside Chappaqua magazine articles regarding the library, including a cover article on the future of libraries by past Library Board President Ronni Diamondstein, and more. 

Next, the tree dedication took place, signifying time moving forward. The Town of New Castle donated the Red Maple Tree that was dedicated as a symbol of growth and endurance for the library for the next 100 years. The Library’s Centennial Ceremony was a great way to celebrate the past, and give hope for the future of the library. 

 

 

 

Ten Reasons Libraries Have a Bright Future

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Enjoying ‘Our Family of Readers’, a 1993 work by Penelope Jencks donated to the Chappaqua Library by the Reader’s Digest Association. PHOTO BY GRACE BENNETT/INSIDEPRESS

“The only thing you absolutely need to know is the location of your library,” said Albert Einstein. Since 7th Century BC in Ancient Syria, libraries have been an integral part of communities around the world. Even in the digital age libraries continue to be important fixtures in communities across the United States. Here are ten reasons why the library is the most important place in town.

1. Libraries are community centers and the heart of the community. As libraries evolve with the times in their offerings, they are often the first place a new family in town visits.  In 2019 a Gallup Poll found that visiting the library was the most common activity among Americans even more than movie theaters.

2. Everyone is welcome. From tiny toddlers to our most senior citizens there is something for everyone at the library. Libraries are spaces where everyone can continue lifelong learning.

3. Libraries are the gateway to the world’s knowledge. Libraries are a beacon of learning and hub of information. Librarians make sure that all information is kept for the future.

4. Libraries are places where people come to know themselves and their communities New mothers connect with other moms at infant story-times. Senior citizens attend events and take classes and make new friends. Non-English speakers find resources. Community building connections happen all the time.

5. Libraries are great places for teens. The library is a safe space for teens after school. Teens attend programs and many find volunteer opportunities at the library.

6. Libraries are nurturing places for children and important partners in child development. From story hours to craft programs and reader advisory, children learn how to share and to be engaged in their community. As Laura Bush says, “Once a child learns to use a library, the doors to learning are always open.”

7. Librarians have been the staunchest defenders of intellectual freedom and libraries are transparent with all the services they provide. Librarians are watchdogs on topics like free speech, copyright, and privacy. Their organization, the American Library Association, lobbies for these rights. They also protect patron rights by not revealing reading history or programs attended.

8. Librarians are the original search engine. In the age of fake news and viral video remixes, librarians show the way to news literacy and facts. Neil Gaiman says, “Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.”

9. Libraries are important partners in sustainability and economically efficient. Their model of sharing, inter-library loan, for example, allows them to serve many people with fewer resources. Also, they purchase a limited number of resources that many people can use. Patrons can borrow books and DVDs rather than purchase them. And patrons can use shared computers, printers, and photo copiers.

10. Libraries provide information and educational opportunities free for all people. Every resource is free of charge including books, internet access and educational and training programs.  Remote access to all these resources is available and they offer 24/7 free WiFi.

Even during the Pandemic, when the world was locked down, libraries served their communities through their website, virtually, by phone and provided curbside pickup. Libraries are here to stay!

Fun Facts about the Chappaqua Library as the library celebrates its Centennial Anniversary this year: Celebrating the Past. Inspiring the Future.

Chappaqua Library INSIDE PRESS PHOTO

• In 1922, a group of women found space and organized a library in Lou Kopp’s Coal and Feed Store located across the tracks on King Street near the current northbound entrance to the Saw Mill River Parkway. 

• In 1930, with over 5,300 volumes a new library opened on Senter Street, now the home of the Community Center. The community had raised $20,000 in subscriptions to build the library.  The plans were drawn by Alfred Bussell and believed to have been executed by Samuel Horsfall, neither of whom would accept payment for their work.

• In 1970, the community voted to change from a Free Association Library to a School District Library, which would allow the approval of a bond issue to pay for a new library.

• The current building designed by Chappaqua resident Philip M. Chu opened in December 1978.

• A children’s program room was added in 1986 and the front of the library was expanded in 2006.

• In 2021, the library celebrated the completion of the expansion of the children’s and teen rooms and two other new spaces. 

• In 2022, there are over 254,000 volumes in the print and digital collections available to the public plus all that they have access to through the library system and beyond. The Board of Trustees adopted a new logo moving into the next century.