Authors, readings at Lake Co. book fair

You can do your holiday shopping and help the Lake County Discovery Museum by attending a special book fair in Vernon Hills next week.

A talk about local history, a storytime session and other activities are set for the daylong event, Friday, Dec. 11, at the Barnes & Noble store at Westfield Hawthorn mall.

Additionally, a portion of the day's sales proceeds will benefit the museum, which is run by the Lake County Forest Preserve District and is located inside Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda. To make a donation, download a voucher ahead of time at lcfpd.org/docs/bandnvoucher.pdf.

The book fair is the second such event organized by the Friends of the Lake County Discovery Museum, a citizens group that supports the museum. Last year's fair raised about $750, officials said.

Rather than holding a large and typically costly gala, the group holds several relatively small fundraisers each year that are more affordable and more inclusive, said Katherine Hamilton-Smith, director of cultural resources for the forest district.

Holding a fundraiser at a bookstore "does suit the identity of a museum that's about education, though in a fun environment," Hamilton-Smith said.

Three activities are planned for the fair.

At 11 a.m., Discovery Museum Collections Coordinator Diana Dretske will talk about Lake County history.

At 6 p.m., Hamilton-Smith will read to children.

And from 6 to 8 p.m., authors who have written about local communities and attractions for Arcadia Publishing will sign their books.

Four authors will be on hand for the signing, including Dretske, who penned a book about Fort Sheridan for Arcadia. The others are:

• Shawn Killackey, author of "Mundelein."

• Susan Kelsey, author of "Downtown Lake Forest."

• Jim Moran, author of "Libertyville."

Hamilton-Smith is particularly looking forward to her story-time session. She'll choose two books, one of which likely will be in the Little Golden Books to coincide with a touring exhibit about the books that's headed to the museum next year.

"Reading aloud, to a group or individually, helps children with imagination and articulation," Hamilton-Smith said. "And in today's world ... it helps everyone to slow down and listen to a story."