Book Notes: Murphy set to share new children’s tale

Local children’s book author Claire Rudolf Murphy has just published a new picture book, “Marching With Aunt Susan: Susan B. Anthony and the Fight for Women’s Suffrage” (Peachtree Publishers, $16.95).

It’s about a girl in California who meets her crabby old aunt and discovers she’s not so crabby after all. Aunt Susan teaches her a lot about dealing with her brothers – and winning the vote. Stacy Schuett is the illustrator.

Murphy has two presentations scheduled. On Saturday, 1 p.m., at the Tinman Too, 809 W. Garland Ave., she’ll read from the book and answer questions from young readers.

Then she’ll do a presentation at Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave., on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. That will also include an excerpt from a History Day presentation by a local student and remarks from representatives of the League of Women Voters and the Eastern Washington voters.

Both events are free.

A rare book whopper

A collection of rare books about fishing and outdoor sports, valued at $1.8 million, has been donated to Washington State University by Joan and Vernon Gallup of Spokane.

The 15,000-book collection includes a 1653 first edition of Izaak Walton’s “The Compleat Angler.”

That book, by the way, is one of the most popular books ever published in English. The Bible beats it, but few others.

This is the largest single gift ever given to the WSU Library’s department of Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections, and, according to the university, one of the largest of its kind ever donated to a public institution.

A reception honoring the Gallups will be Sept. 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Terrell Library Atrium on the WSU campus in Pullman.

For a more detailed story about this collection, see today’s Outdoors section.