Local Author to Read at Children's Book Fair Sunday

Mention going to a historical home for a Sunday tour and you may get a few groans from your kids.

Now tell them they'll meet some of their favorite writers and illustrators and even characters from books, and see what happens.

The 14th annual Children's Book Day will be held at Washington Irving's estate, called Sunnyside, in Tarrytown. The historic home is part of the network of historic sites in the Hudson Valley and hosts special events in addition to tours.

The day includes book signings and a "meet the characters" activity, where Bunnicula, Franklin the Turtle, Clifford, the Big Red Dog and Biscuit will greet visitors and pose for photos.

Yorktown resident, author and illustrator Marisabina Russo, whose first book was published 25 years ago, is still a busy woman. She will read from her book The Bunnies Are Not In Their Beds at "Celebrate Children's Day at Sunnyside," and possibly from her newest book called A Very Big Bunny, depending on the age range of the children attending. 

Russo first became interested in writing children's books while pursuing a Master's Degree in bilingual education (English and Italian) at Harvard University.

"I received an assignment to write and illustrate a book for fourth graders and I found that appealed to me more than teaching," she said. 

Russo has lived in Yorktown for the past 33 years and has two more books on the way. I Will Come Back For You, a true story about bravery, is at the printer and will be available soon. It is based on the escape of Russo's mother and her brothers during World War II to the mountains of Italy to elude the Nazis. In January, 2012, another book by Russo Peter Is Just a Baby will be released.

This Sunday, she will read and sign books at Daffodil Hill from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"I'm happy when I read to children from one of my books and the kids are encouraged to read more," Russo said. "But what satisfies me even more is getting the kids to express themselves and inspiring them to write. I tell them my stories are based on my life and we all have a story to tell."

Here is a brief descriptions of some of Russo's children's novels: 

• The Bunnies Are Not In Their Beds is a 40-page rhythmic story about three little bunnies who refuse to stay in bed. When their parents go downstairs, the bunnies play games and generate noise. The illustrations increase in size as the mischief escalates. By the end of the story, everyone is fast asleep. 
• A Very Big Bunny is about Amelia, the biggest bunny in her first grade class and the unlikely friendship she develops with a new classmate who is the smallest.  
• Peter Is Just a Baby is about a baby bear who is approaching his first birthday. From time to time, words appear in French in this book because Peter's sister is anxious to show off the French vocabulary she learned from her grandmother. 

Russo's first book called The Line Up Book, was published 25 years ago by Greenwillow Books (then a division of William Morrow and now a part of HarperCollins). As this story unfolds, a little boy named Sam is playing with blocks. When Mama announces lunch, he lines up blocks and other objects as he makes his way to the kitchen while Mama begins to lose her patience. The book is still in print and is on The New York Public Library's list of 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know. Her book called Always Remember Me; How One Family Survived World War II was published in 2006. 

The author has received the 2008 Paterson Prize for a novel called A Portrait of Pia, awarded by The Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College. She anticipates to begin work on a memoir, intended for adult reading.

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.

Picnic food from Irvington-based Geordane’s will be available for purchase. The fair is sponsored by Sunnyside Federal Savings and Loan of Irvington and produced by Beth Vetare-Civitello and Susan Brandes. 

The hours for the fair 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.