State High, Penn State Alumna to Hold Launch Party for New Children’s Book at Schlow

State High and Penn State alumna Rebecca Roan return to State College on Sunday to hold a launch party for her debut picture book, ‘Dragons Get Colds Too.’

The free event is 2:30 to 4 p.m. in Schlow Centre Region Library’s Downsbrough Community Room.

It will include a reading, a behind-the-scenes look at creating the book, a craft-making activity for kids, and a book signing. Light refreshments will be served, and copies of the book will be available for purchase courtesy of Webster’s Bookstore & Cafe.

Roan graduated from State High in 2002 and earned her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Penn State. She also earned an MFA in writing for children and an MA in children’s literature from Simmons College. Roan worked at Schlow Library as a children’s library assistant in 2015. She currently lives in northeastern Pennsylvania where she works in the book publishing division at Highlights for Children.

 ‘Dragons Get Colds Too’ is a fresh, funny story that deals with everyone’s least favorite thing: a cold. Is your dragon sleepy? Does he have a runny nose? Does he keep sneezing fire? Unfortunately, it sounds like your dragon has a cold. But luckily, this guide will help anxious dragon owners through the challenges of caring for their sick dragon. Balancing tongue-in-cheek humor through Charles Santoso’s illustrations with gentle reassurance, the story proves that laughter really is the best medicine and will appeal to anyone who has felt under the weather.

The book won the PEN New England Children’s Book Discovery Award.

For more information, visit schlowlibrary.org.