Children’s book author visits Vail Library Friday

VAIL — Vail Public Library will host an author visit and book reading by Margaret McManis at 2:30 p.m. on Friday in the library’s newly renovated community room. Children and families are encouraged to come to this story time for all ages, enjoy an original story and practice a bit of Salsa dancing, with tambourines and maracas. Like all of the children’s events at Vail Public Library, this unique opportunity is free.

McManis has written a bilingual book entitled “Ole! Cinco de Mayo!” The story is told in English with many Spanish words to enhance the colorful illustrations. It is written in a lyrical and rhyming fashion that makes it a perfect fit for young children. At the end, there is a song to the children’s tune “B-I-N-G-O” and a recipe for flan. The story is about a Cinco de Mayo celebration that goes awry and the children who help rescue the celebration.

McManis worked for 30 years as an elementary librarian in schools around the Houston area and loved doing story times so much that she decided to write her own book.

The two years she spent earning a master’s in fine arts degree in writing for children at Vermont College helped her realize her lifelong dream.

She is now employed at Montgomery College in the Woodlands, Texas, where she contributes to the literary magazine The Swirl, is the leader of a children’s writers critique group and travels to schools throughout Texas to do author visits and relive her life as a storytelling librarian. Only this time the books are ones she writes.

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This program is free and open to the public. Copies of McManis’ books will be available for sale at the event. For more information, please call 970-479-2187 or visit http://www.vaillibrary.com.