Saratoga Reads to hold Barnes & Noble book fair

Saratoga Reads, a Skidmore-Saratoga collaboration, will launch its seventh year of public programming with a book fair featuring activities for the whole family on Sunday, Dec. 5, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Barnes & Noble, Route 50, Wilton.

The event will celebrate this year's Saratoga Reads book of choice,The Housekeeper and the Professorby Yoko Ogawa,and will raise funds in support of the community-wide reading program. Giveaways include the grand prize of a Nook e-reader as well as copies of the selected book.

Barnes & Noble will donate to Saratoga Reads a percentage of purchases made that day by shoppers who use the special book fair voucher. Vouchers and the book fair schedule are available at http://www.saratogareads.org./. Shoppers must use the voucher or specifically mention Saratoga Reads in order to have their purchases benefit the organization.

Those who shop online can also designate their purchases to support Saratoga Reads, by entering the book fair ID number (10326890) upon checkout. This will apply to online purchases made from Dec. 5 through Dec. 9.

The book fair will offer a holiday story time with Leslie Nover in the children's section of the store beginning at 11:30 a.m. and range of musical performances throughout the day, including Drastic Measures, a Skidmore College a cappella group (noon); "indie" folk quartet Azienda (1 p.m.); vocal quartet Semi-Talented (2 p.m.); the Ballston Spa Middle School Jazz Quintet (3 p.m.); and the CatAmico Quartet, a father-daughter/father-son combo (4 p.m.).

From 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. the fair will also feature local students from grades K-12, who will present original readings and artwork as part of Expressions of Caring, a program of the Saratoga Springs School District.

"This event is a terrific outing for families and individuals?a great combination of entertainment, conversation, and books, all in support of an important community program," said Tabitha Orthwein, chair of the Saratoga Reads board.

Saratoga Reads invites all members of the community to participate in conversation, events, and activities based on the shared reading of single book.

In addition to the book of choice for the year, Saratoga Reads offers a list of some 45 junior companion books for young readers of all levels. This year's junior discussion book is The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

Major sponsors of Saratoga Reads are Barnes & Noble (Wilton), Borders (Saratoga Springs), Hewitt's Garden Center, Saratoga.com, Skidmore College, The Saratogian, Adirondack Trust Company, Community Care Pediatrics - Saratoga, Saratoga Springs Rotary Club, Sperry's Restaurant, Wise Development Group, Impressions of Saratoga, and Smile Sanctuary.