Westport Book Shop's Fifth Anniversary Celebration with Lauren Tarshis, Best-Selling Author of the 'I Survived' Children's Series

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Event Details

Celebrate Westport Book Shop's fifth anniversary with best-selling author Lauren Tarshis as she presents her popular I Survived book series, which recounts terrifying and thrilling stories from history through the eyes of extraordinary kids who lived to tell the tale. Tarshis will speak about some of her latest I Survived books, including I Survived the Dust Bowl, 1935, and share insights into her process of researching and writing her books.

A book signing will follow the presentation. Books will be available for purchase at the event.

Before the presentation begins, audience members are also invited to test their knowledge of the I Survived series by playing a special Kahoot! trivia game with us. Fun for all ages!

The first place winner of the I Survived Kahoot! trivia game will win a one-hour Sunday morning session with Lauren Tarshis at the Westport Book Shop (date and time TBD), where the winner and four of their guests can talk with Lauren and ask questions about their favorite I Survived stories. Second and third place winners will receive I Survived and Westport Book Shop prize bundles. Players must be present at the event to win.

To play the I Survived Kahoot! trivia game, participants will need to bring their own internet-enabled mobile phone, tablet, or laptop to log on at kahoot.it or download the Kahoot! app before the game begins. Event ticket holders will be given the Game PIN to participate in the I Survived Kahoot! game at the start of this event.

The event will start promptly at 3 pm. Check-in will begin at 2:30 pm. Please arrive early to allow time to settle in, receive a book, and log on to Kahoot!

In accordance with the Library's Unattended Children Policy, all children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Ticket Information

This event is part of the Westport Book Shop's 5th Anniversary Celebration. Children's tickets are $10, and each $10 ticket includes a gift of one I Survived book. Chaperone tickets (or tickets for attendees who do not want a book) are $5 each. Children under age 5 may attend for free, but need to be registered for a free ticket.

All ticket purchases benefit the nonprofit Westport Book Shop and Westport Book Sale, whose mission is to provide meaningful competitive employment and volunteer opportunities for adults with disabilities, while raising funds for The Westport Library through the sale of used books.

Why You Should Come

Young readers and their families won't want to miss out on this special event. Join us in celebrating five years of an awesome organization with a great cause! Test your knowledge, win prizes, and get an exclusive look behind the scenes of a series that shines a light on the heart and resilience of survival in uncertain times.

About I Survived

I Survived is a historical fiction book series for young readers that shares the stories of some of the world's most extraordinary events, told through the eyes of young characters who show resilience and strength in the midst of unimaginable disasters and live to tell the tale.

In addition to young reader chapter books, some I Survived titles are available as graphic novels, including the most newly released I Survived The California Wildfires, 2018.

About Westport Book Shop

Westport Book Sale Ventures, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit enterprise with a dual social mission — to raise funds to support the exceptional programming and operations of The Westport Library, while providing meaningful competitive employment and volunteer opportunities for adults with disabilities through the operation of used book sales and related activities.

Westport Book Shop offers employment opportunities for adults with disabilities, teaching transferable job skills and aiding in the development of workplace social skills. Their goal is to help our employees acquire the skills necessary to seek employment throughout the community, and for the community to be ever more accepting, inclusive, and respectful of people with differing abilities.​

Westport Book Shop was opened in January 2021 — downtown Westport's only nonprofit used book store, offering a broad selection of high quality used and antiquarian books, vintage vinyl records, CDs, and DVDs, year round. The shop holds large book sale events biannually, offers books for sale online through their ebay store, and continues to expand their used book sale operations with the objective of creating greater community engagement and providing more positions with more transferable skills for competitive employment.