Following a two-year hiatus, Chapin’s cherished Book Fair returned to its original in-person format, resonating joy and gratitude. Guided by the simple theme, “Under One Roof: Celebrate!,” the Fair, which took place November 8 and 9, elevated the love of books and reading – and brought the School community together – through powerful author visits, a fabulous cocktail party in the festively decorated Assembly Room, and shopping opportunities aplenty for both students and adults.
At the well-attended evening party, excitement was in the air as attendees perused the expansive selection of fiction and non-fiction titles, connected with fellow parents, alums and professional community members, enjoyed delicious treats, and participated in an impressive raffle of prizes. The next day, students in every grade immersed themselves in the wonderful world of books during scheduled visits. At their designated times, they excitedly fanned out across the Assembly Room to check out the tables of offerings in every genre and actually chat with some of their favorite writers.
Ahead of the official Book Fair, three incredible authors gave talks to students in each division: Isabel Roxas, author of “The Adventures of Team Pom” and other books, spoke to the Lower School on November 7; Katie Yamasaka, author of books including “Shapes, Lines, and Light,” shared her moving family story with the Middle School on November 1; and Ellen Hagan, author of “Don’t Call Me a Hurricane” and other books, captivated the Upper School on November 7.
Below is a list of the presenting authors who generously signed their books during the Fair whom we would also like to thank:
Tracy Dennis-Tiwary (“Future Tense”)
Chris Grabenstein (“Mr. Lemoncello's First Game”)
Lisa Greenwald (“Dear Friends”)
Ellen Hagan (“Don't Call Me A Hurricane”)
Risa and Rina Horiuchi (“K is for Kindness”)
Keely Hutton (“Don't Look Back”)
Claribel Ortega (“Frizzy”)
Isabel Roxas ("The Adventures of Team Pom")
Jessie Sheehan (“Snackable Bakes”)
Sheetal Sheth (“Making Happy”)
Theodore Taylor III (“Off the Wall”)
Lisa Thiesing ’76 ("A Family Is")
Ellen Warner ’65 (“The Second Half”)
Rosemary Wells (“If You Believe in Me”)
Lauren Willig ’95 (“The Lost Summers of Newport”)
Katie Yamasaki ("Dad Bakes")
Karina Yan Glaser (“A Duet for Home”)
Heartfelt appreciation goes as well to the Chapin Parents’ Association and the creative and hard-working Book Fair Co-Chairs and volunteers who made this terrific event such a smashing success. They are:
Book and Authors
Victoria Wells Arms
Cara Grabowski-Shaikh, Carrie Hughes, Maryam Kamali, Jamillaah Cary, Mary Ellen Miller
Decor
Emily Heitner
Krista Corl, Saniya Mehdi, Avni Desai, Wallis Post, Sasa Heidary, Lucia Corral, Laura O’Boyle
Finance and Tech
Amy Qiu
Lina Sheng, Melody Li, Violet Feng
Project Management
Reshma Rughwani
Lauren Davidson Sachs
Raffle
Gina Tomenson
Amory McAndrew, Nicky Rothschild, Jessica van Lith, Kay Nordeman, Rebecca Wieser
Marketing
Grace Sakong
Lisa Parker
Thanks also to the many additional volunteers for their big and small contributions and to Chapin’s Food Services and Facilities teams for their invaluable help. Last but not least, thank you to the countless members of the Chapin community who purchased books to support our School. Happy reading everyone!
