56th Annual Book Fair Features Special Collections and Ice Cream Truck

REDDING, CT — The “After School Spree” at the Mark Twain Library’s 56th Annual Book Fair is a special time during the Fair’s opening day that caters especially to younger readers. The After School Spree will be held on Friday, September 2 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Redding Community Center, 37 Lonetown Road, Redding.

Library staff will be on hand to give age-appropriate recommendations, the Natural Scoop ice cream truck will be on site – and most importantly, there will be plenty of inexpensive books for every interest and age level, according to Carolyn Hartten, a volunteer who has been in charge of the children’s section for over 25 years.

“Every year, my kids really look forward to the “After School Spree” – it’s a great way to kick off the school year and instill a love of books and learning!” said Brenda Phelps, a Redding resident and mother of two young boys.

This year, the collection of children’s non-fiction has been categorized into subjects and will be featured in a center aisle, so that kids can go right to an area of interest and pick their favorite books. Categories include history, science, art/music/dance, animals, sports, cooking and religion.

“This section is also perfect for teachers who want to build their classroom libraries for reference,” Hartten said, adding that this year’s collection includes huge collections of nearly new Eyewitness series books, biographies of famous people, the American Adventure History series, and an extensive group of dinosaur books.

The Childhood Treasures area, a fun browsing spot for all ages, will feature some unusual collectible editions, as well as numerous books from the 50’s and 60’s.

“There will be some oldies but goodies,” Hartten said. “Parents and grandparents love this section because they find books they enjoyed as children and they want to share it with their kids or grandchildren.”

There will also be series collections, teen fiction, CDs, DVDS, subject area enrichment workbooks and hundreds of pre-school and board books for our youngest readers.

The Natural Scoop Ice Cream truck will be at the Fair from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The Natural Scoop was formed by two Ridgefield moms who met through their kids’ school PTA, and started a business to provide cold snacks that are free of chemicals and artificial ingredients.

The first day of the 56th Annual Mark Twain Library Book Fair will be on Friday, September 2. On that day, there will be an “Early Buying” admission charge of $15.00 between 9:00 am and 10:00 am. After 10:00 am, admission is free, with each individually priced book for sale as marked.

On Saturday, September 3, the Book Fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and books will be sold as marked; Sunday, September 4, is half price day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Labor Day Monday, September 5, the Book Fair will be open from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. and customers can purchase a box of books for $10.00. Parking is free, and refreshments will be available. All proceeds benefit the Mark Twain Library.

The Mark Twain Library is owned by the Mark Twain Library Association. It was founded in 1908 by Samuel Clemens – Mark Twain himself – one of Redding’s most celebrated residents.

Written by Maggie McIntyre