Local authors Nicole Magistro and Alice Feagan talk about new book

As a bookstore that’s been around for nearly 25 years, we wholeheartedly believe that books can take you anywhere. Lucky for us, local authors Nicole Magistro and Alice Feagan have published a truly special picture book that brings the magic of books to readers of all ages.

Come celebrate the release of Read Island by Nicole Magistro and Alice Feagan in a trio of fun and engaging events! Magistro and Feagan will be hosting Special Storytime at 9:15 am, where they will be reading their book. Then from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., you can chat with them and get copies of the book signed and personalized. That evening, at 6 p.m., Magistro and Feagan will be giving a presentation about the process of making their book.

Many long-time Bookworm fans know the great impact Magistro has had on the book world as the owner of The Bookworm, and are excited to see her continue in the book industry through independent publishing. “After owning a bookstore for 15 years, I knew I wanted to spend more time writing in the next phase of my career. I thought I would learn a lot if I took the path to independent publishing,” Magistro reflects. “I’m ever an entrepreneur, and so, rather than waiting for someone else to tell me that I could make a great book, I guess, I tried it myself.”

But in order for her independent publishing company to truly compete with the more traditional publishing houses, Magistro knew she couldn’t do it alone. “I worked with an amazing group of experts along the way – Alice, of course, plus editors, designers, consultants, printers, publicists, and booksellers,” Magistro says. “I believe there is a lot of opportunity for small presses to make books that matter. Read Island has to stand up against picture books from the bigger houses, and when the reader opens it, the quality of the story and illustrations has to be even better than excellent!”

Magistro and her team delivered on making a better than excellent story that celebrates what many Vail Valley residents and visitors hold dear. “Books and nature are everything to me. When I set out to write a children’s book about the joy of reading, I knew it had to take place outdoors,” Magistro says. “Books take us to amazing places, right? My lightbulb moment was connecting the real Read Island in British Columbia, our family’s favorite place to visit every summer.”

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Another lightbulb moment from the Read Island team was including snippets of classic children’s books in the illustrations. “This story is truly a celebration of books and reading, so I felt we had to include nods to the classic children’s stories that everyone knows, loves, and associates with childhood,” Feagan reflects. “Working the text into the art was also a natural fit with my cut paper collage technique.”

Not only can Read Island bring you back to the stories of your childhood, it can bring so much more. “Reading will always take you on an adventure,” Magistro says. “Plus, the connections made by reading aloud and with children is priceless. It builds more than literacy skills; it builds relationships and community.”