Wyoming

800 Series Barrier Cracked 3 Times In Empire Arcade Classic At Chacko's

By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@leader.net
 Monday, February 12, 2001 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





KINGSTON - Local author Lisa Rowe Fraustino appeared Sunday at the Tudor
Bookshop &amp; Cafe to sign her newest children's book, ``The Hickory Chair.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Published by Arthur A. Levine Books, the same division of Scholastic Press
that publishes the popular Harry Potter children's book series, ``The Hickory
Chair'' is Fraustino's fourth children's book to be published. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ``I was excited because it was my first picture book,'' said Fraustino, 39,
of Forty Fort. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Illustrated by Benny Andrews, the book tells the heart-touching tale of
Louis, an old blind man, recalling his favorite childhood memories of times he
spent with his grandmother. Some of those times included games of
hide-and-seek and listening to ``Gran'' read to him while sitting in a hickory
chair. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After his grandmother died, Louis' family gathered to reminisce and learned
from her will that she hid notes in the possessions she wanted specific family
members to have. Although Louis found no note for him, he was allowed to take
his grandmother's hickory chair, and many years later, discovered a surprise. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fraustino explained that the book's main characters are based on her own
grandmother and the godfather of one of her daughters. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fraustino's grandmother, like Louis' Gran, had a special ``favorite'' name
for everyone in the family, such as her favorite youngest grandson or her
favorite oldest son. Her daughter's godfather, like Louis, is blind, but his
other senses are very acute, she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A fifth-grade teacher at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Fraustino said she
often draws on her experience there to develop characters, plots, themes and
dialogue in her writing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``You learn a lot about characterizing kids by observing them day after
day, year after year,'' Fraustino said. ``And every once in a while, they'll
come up with something that I just can't resist.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fraustino recalled one student who wrote about self-esteem, but referred to
it as ``self of steam.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fraustino said she also turns to her teaching experiences for ideas on how
to approach the teaching of writing when she instructs summer graduate courses
at Hollins University in Roanoke, Va. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And the busy mother of two teenage daughters and a son also finds time to
write a column for ``Once Upon A Time,'' a magazine for writers and publishers
of children's books. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fraustino began writing stories for magazines in the mid-1980s and her
first book was published in 1994. She is under contract with Scholastic Press
to write a novel in its ``Dear America'' series for release in 2004.
Tentatively titled ``Gospel Witch,'' the novel in the form of a diary is based
on the Salem witch trials and targeted for third- to sixth-graders. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fraustino said she's thrilled to be working with Scholastic and Arthur A
Levine. ``Arthur Levine's reputation, even before Harry Potter, was
exceptional,'' she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fraustino's next book to be published will be ``Soul Searching Stories,''
an anthology for older teens about children from a variety of religions such
as Hindu, Native American, Christian, Jewish, Amish and possibly Wiccan. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``There might even be a story about people who turned Elvis into a cult,''
Fraustino said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 459-2005. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

`the Hickory Chair' Latest Work By Local Writer Author Of Kids' Books Sitting Pretty