West Wing News-- the Children's Learning Space and Last Sighting of Flying Fish

We want to thank Bob & Paula Morrow who had come by a couple of months ago to visit Books on First and wrote a piece for The Prairie Wind, online newsletter for the Illinois Chapter of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators).  They took some great photos and had kind words!   Of course, the big attraction is our West Wing, or the "Children's New Learning Space" as the description on Larry's 2008 business card says.  We like to emphasize to visitors that it's not simply the "Children's Section."  However, I have begun to re-think things and want to say that the space is for children of all ages.

As mentioned in the online piece, we have live music nearly every Saturday night and the performers hold court in the West Wing.  A steady returner is Flying Fish, the duo of Todd Lorenc and Jeff Kagay.  After finding a drummer for its most recent gig at our place and briefly becoming a trio, Flying Fish has now decided to disband.  (I am not saying nor implying that those two occurrences have any relationship to each other.).  Its last gig as Flying Fish will be on Saturday, 25 September, at Books on First.  Jeff and Todd promise us this is the last time you will hear their wacky British accents while passionately singing songs by The Beatles, The Monkees and Herman's Hermits.  Additionally, you probably won't hear this much Billy Joel music sung on land, off a cruise ship.  Mark the Date! Some of us will miss it (wedding of James Dunphy and Elena Accolti -- CONGRATULATIONS!), but you don't have to!  Again, Saturday, 25 Sep 2010, it's curtains for Flying Fish!  Come say good-bye and hear some great music from a fun duo for one last time.

Check out all of our live music dates online (where you can see that Todd will be playing this coming Saturday evening with The Swing Quartet, featuring Jim Ferolo, Jan Varner, Don Karol and Todd -- this is part of his new direction).

Also next Saturday, 18 September, is Nature Conservancy's Nachusa Grasslands 21st Annual Autumn on the Prairie,  Larry is currently ordering lots of interesting books for sale especially at this event.  Come enjoy a day of rides, demonstrations and pure prairie pleasure.