CHILDREN'S AUTHORS 7 ILLUSTRATORS...From Roq (l-r): Rose Mary Casciano Moziak, Christie Casciano, Anne Mazer & Maggie Henry. Back Row (l-r): Diane Chase, Tyler Chase, Gary VanRiper, Justin VanRiper, Pete Kline, Joyce Shavlin, Linda Reed, Bill Guiffre & Sharon Swain. (missing: Irene Uuttendorfsky & Carol VanRiper).

Families descend on Inlet for first annual Adirondack Kids™ Day

CHILDREN’S AUTHORS 7 ILLUSTRATORS…From Roq (l-r): Rose Mary Casciano Moziak, Christie Casciano, Anne Mazer & Maggie Henry. Back Row (l-r): Diane Chase, Tyler Chase, Gary VanRiper, Justin VanRiper, Pete Kline, Joyce Shavlin, Linda Reed, Bill Guiffre & Sharon Swain. (missing: Irene Uuttendorfsky & Carol VanRiper).

Nearly 100 children, along with their parents, grandparents and many “children at heart” gathered in Inlet on Saturday, October 6 for the inaugural Adirondack Kids Day, an event inspired by the children’s book series of the same name.

“We did not know for sure if this might become an annual event or not, but there was more than enough positive feedback from participants and those in attendance to give the event life for another year,” said Adirondack Kids co-author Gary Van Riper.

“We can’t thank Kiwanis of the Central Adirondacks enough for its enthusiastic and major support of this event from the very beginning,” he added.

Why the hamlet of Inlet of the six-million-acre Adirondack Park for this special day for children?

Adirondack Kids co-author Justin VanRiper with Grace Ike of Skaneateles who is sporting a face painting by Maggie Henry of Dax the cat from Justin’s series of children’s books.

“Because this is where our family camp is and where our book series was created,” said co-author Justin VanRiper.

“We wanted to share our love for the Adirondacks from the place that has meant so much to our family for so many years, hoping that other families might come and learn ways to make their own special family traditions.”

One of the rainiest days of the season did not dampen the enthusiasm for those who made the trip from as far away as Rochester and Binghamton to the Inlet community—”where mountains and memories meet.”

Dozens of young fishermen shuttled to a small barge in the middle of Fifth Lake to be instructed in the basics of fishing and to drop in their own lines.

There were boy and girl winners of the Fishing Derby sponsored by Paul Chambers and his French Louis’ Adirondack Sports with cash prizes and fishing poles for those who caught the longest fish and the most fish.

Maggie Henry, illustrator of the children’s book, A Coming of Winter in the Adirondacks, hosted what at times appeared to be a never-ending line of excited children and young people waiting to have their faces painted.

She graced them with images from the natural world, and the character, Dax, the cat from The Adirondack Kids® series.

Henry joined an impressive group of children’s authors and illustrators who were also on hand for a Children’s Authors Fair at The Adirondack Reader.

Among those who signed copies of their books were:

Maggie Henry signs a copy of her book, “A Coming of Winter in the Adirondacks”

Anne Mazer – Spilling Ink; Christie and Rose Mary Casciano – The Puck Hog; Diane Chase – Adirondack Family Time Guidebooks; Linda Reed and Joyce Shavlin – Adirondack ABC’s; Pete Klein – Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton Country; Sharon Swain – Camp Kids;  Bill Guiffré – Gramma’s Glasses; Irene Uttendorfsky – Adirondack Mouse); and hosts Justin, Gary and Carol VanRiper of The Adirondack Kids® series.

Licensed guide Tyler Chase and Connie Perry of Frisky Otter Tours, held demonstrations and fielded questions in their respective areas of expertise including hiking, camping, knot tying and paddling.

A presentation on illustrating was offered by Linda Reed and Joyce Shavlin and Anne Mazer shared stories about her writing life.

Storyteller Mitch Lee

Smokey Bear made a guest appearance and the day concluded with animated storyteller Mitch Lee entertaining with his tall tales from the deep Adirondack woods.

The 2nd Annual Adirondack Kids Day is scheduled for the first Saturday of October in 2013.

Future information can be found on the websites: www.inletny.com, www.adirondackreader.com, or www.adirondackkids.com.

Readers can also follow The Adirondack Kids® on Facebook.

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