Jamestown, N.Y. – Audubon Community Nature Center’s Enchanted Forest is so popular that even with 26 time slots, several are already full.

This magical evening combines a luminary-lit trail with talking animals and is as fascinating for adults as it is for the children they accompany.

The Friday and Saturday, October 6 and 7, evenings begin with stories and songs at a backyard campfire. Then you are escorted around a trail by volunteer “fireflies” that light the way with lanterns. Larger-than-life-sized animals tell about their lives, sharing fun and educational information through dramatic and entertaining stories.

Animals featured this year are Spring Peeper, Garter Snake, Monarch Butterfly and Monarch Caterpillar, Pileated Woodpecker, Little Brown Bat, and Mice and Praying Mantid. The number of animals is increased this year as some are being paired together at the same station for more interaction and dialogue. 

Dave Bauer made a career out of teaching environmental science to teenagers, and now that he’s retired, he wants to cut back a little bit. No, not on teaching students about his love for the environment and the great outdoors. That will never change.

What he would like to do is cut back on the age of the students a wee bit, and bring his message to the kindergarten through grade three population … and their parents, teachers, librarians, principals and school administrators.

The popular and growing WNY Children’s Book Expo (WNYCBE), the area’s premier literary event for children, returns in November and will culminate with a special event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, in the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.

The six-day event kicks off with KidsLit Week from Nov. 6-10, during which nearly 40 internationally acclaimed authors will visit area schools, libraries, museums and cultural venues to inspire a love of books in students from pre-k through middle school. Expo Saturday, on Nov. 11, is a day-long showcase of new and beloved books written for kids. Here, local, national and international authors will interact directly with children (and parents, teachers and school officials) through readings, book-signings, presentations and demonstrations.