Literary Essay by William Weger I have pleasant childhood memories of my first encounter with a vampire. I wasn’t even a teenager yet. One Friday, near midnight, I quietly closed my bedroom door and tuned in to Sir Graves Ghastly. The vampire television host, dressed in a full cape and costume, presented classic horror movies from the comfort of his coffin— in a funny yet spooky fashion. I’ll never forget his blood-curdling cackle: “Nnnnyeah-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaaaaah!” That scary

Literary Essay by William Weger The literary scene in New York, especially in autumn, is magical Whether in Brooklyn a short walk away from historic brownstones or along the bustling sidewalks of Broadway, New York’s bookstores await you. You can feel the cool and crisp air settling in. Spectacular fall colors brighten the city and the intoxicating aromas of freshly brewed coffee, hot chocolate, and cinnamon buns invite book lovers inside. For literary aficionados, fall means

Literary Essay by William Weger “If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him the milk, he'll probably ask you for a straw.” And so goes the circular chain of events in Laura Numeroff’s wildly popular picture book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. And when you give a child a book, a whole new adventure begins. And one book leads to another. And another. And a young reader and lifelong learner is born. Kids learn that books are like magic