Blair Hickson Riley’s (www.blairhicksonriley.com) first novel for children, Red Slider, will be released this month. Riley is a long-time resident of Tarrytown, and active member of the community.
A scientist and college professor by day, Riley writes books for children at night using a penname derived from the last names of her grandmothers. Riley’s first published novel, Red Slider (www.redslider.com), tells the tale of Benjamin, a young turtle who goes on a quest to find a new home when his pond is threatened by destruction. Riley first got the idea for her novel when watching construction equipment move through Wilson Park. While the novel has a subtle environmental theme, the story is really a fast-paced adventure tale. Targeted toward independent readers in the third or fourth grades, Red Slider is also a great story to read aloud to children.
On Sunday, October 1 from 1-4pm, the author will be at Coffee Labs Roasters, in Tarrytown, with illustrator Abby Crews, to celebrate the release of the book. Riley will read excerpts at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm. Between readings, Riley and Crews will sign copies of their book sold at Coffee Labs, and will run activities for kids including beading, coloring, and puzzle-making. There will be balloons, bookmarks, pencils, and small toys for all children who visit! Those who choose to buy Red Slider can feel good about their purchases, because 20% of the author’s royalties are donated directly to The Wildlife Conservation Society (www.wcs.org) and The American Museum of Natural History (www.amnh.org) to support wildlife conservation and nature education.
