‘Biscuit’ author comes to kids’ literacy day

BOWLING GREEN, O.—Children’s author Alyssa Satin Capucilli, best known for her books featuring “Biscuit” and “Katy Duck,” is the featured speaker at the Joseph and Judith Conda Family Literacy in the Park event on Saturday, March 19, at Bowling Green State University.

Readers of all ages and their families are invited to the free event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union. In addition to presentations and book signings by Capucilli, there will be hands-on literacy activities, story times, special prizes and complimentary refreshments and snacks. In addition, each child will receive a free literacy bag containing one of the author’s books, as long as supplies last. A variety of Capucilli’s books will also be available for purchase.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1957, Capucilli developed an early love of books and looked forward to weekly trips to the library with her mother and sisters. Among her favorite authors were Louisa May Alcott and Beverly Cleary. As a child Capucilli wrote stories, poems and puppet shows, but did not take her writing seriously until many years later.

She became a professional dancer and soon was teaching and performing on stage. While reading to her own two children, her love of children’s books was rekindled and she began to split her time between work as a dance instructor and performer and work as a writer.

Capucilli’s first published book was “Peekaboo Bunny,” a lift-the-flap book published in 1994. Later, she introduced young readers to Biscuit, the rambunctious, golden-haired puppy whose adventures are brought to life by illustrator Pat Schories.

Capucilli has been honored with numerous awards including the American Literacy Council Award, the Bank Street College Best Book Award, Washington Irving Award, Oppenheim Portfolio Gold Awards, Children’s Choice Awards and American Library Association Awards.

The Literacy in the Park event is made possible by the generosity of the Joseph and Judith Conda family, the BGSU College of Education and Human Development and the BGSU School of Teaching and Learning.  

For more information, e-mail literacypk@bgsu.edu or call the Martha Gesling Weber Reading Center at 419-372-7323.  

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(Posted March 10, 2011 )