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Community Corner

Random House Book Fair Celebrates Literacy in Carroll County

Annual book fair supports scholarships at Carroll Community College, while providing entertainment for all ages.

Looking for a good book? Come to the fourteenth annual Random House Book Fair on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at Carroll Community College in Westminster. This event, which began in 1997, is held to raise funds for student scholarships at the college.

The book fair features many nationally known authors who were chosen by Random House for the event. Each author will host a book talk and signing. Rich Wallace, author of several young adult books, will be one of the featured authors on Saturday.  Wallace, who started writing comic books at age 10, often centers his books on sports. 

“I was heavily involved in sports as a kid and all through college, so it's a mindset I know well. Sports action usually makes a nice parallel to whatever other issue my characters are involved in,” Wallace said.  

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His most recent books are the “Kickers” novels, a 3-book series about a 9-year-old and his journey through competitive soccer.

Additionally, there will be a book sale featuring over 2,000 titles. The brand new books are from many genres and will be sold at 20 percent off the retail price.

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For children, there will be activities all day, including a pirate ship moon-bounce and the construction of a spaceship replica using parts supplied by NASA. Life-size characters from Random House Books will be walking around, ready for photos. Steve Wantz, executive director of the Carroll Community College Foundation, said that every child who attends the event will receive a free book.

“This is a great event for everyone and best of all it benefits the students of Carroll Community College,” Wantz remarked.

A news release from Carroll Community College lists the following as the schedule of events:

Kick-Off Event for Friday, March 4

  • Senior Adult Book Sale from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
  • Book Talk with author Leo Bretholz at 2 p.m.
  • Two movie showings of the Disney movie Tangled at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
  • Coffeehouse Readings with author Kendra Kopelke at 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 5

  • Concessions available, free book giveaways, children's activities and discounted book sales will take place all day
  • Silent Auction from 9 a.m. (bidding begins) - 3 p.m. (bids close) in the Great Hall
  • Professor Wizard's "Wonders of Science" at 9 a.m. 
  • Book talk with Random House author Sandra Neil Wallace at 10:15 a.m. 
  • Children's Story Time hosted by the Carroll County Public Library
    10:30 and 11:30 a.m .
  • Book Talk with Random House author Susan Fraser King at 10:45 a.m. 
  • Book Talk with Random House author Rich Wallace at 11:15 a.m. 
  • Book Talk with Random House author Jennifer Arnold at 1:15 p.m. 

For additional information, call the Carroll Community College Foundation at 410-386-8155.

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