Katherine Hannigan, Author of the best selling "Ida B... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (possibly) Save the World," signed copies of her book at the Market Street Art Center on Wednesday, October 4th

Copies of the book were available for sale during the signing.

Although she currently lives in Iowa, Katherine, the daughter of Niagara County Court Judge Charles Hannigan was born and raised in Lockport where, in her own words, she grew up with "two boisterous brothers, an array of stray cats and dogs, and some rodents that usually remained caged." She has undergraduate degrees in mathematics, education, and painting, and a graduate degree in studio art. She has worked as assistant professor of art and design and as an education coordinator for Head Start.

The idea for "Ida B..." the story of a intelligent, creative, and exuberant nine year old girl coping with sudden, and most unwelcome, change in her life came when Katherine moved to the Midwest and fell in love with "the space, the hills, the woods and the people who have no idea who you are but who wave and smile at you as they drive by. She (Ida B.) came from a love of laughter and being outdoors and a fondness for people with a good dose of ‘punkishness' in them."

"Ida B..." has been translated into several languages and is the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions including the Publishers Weekly Best Book, the School Library Journal Best Book and the New York Public Library's "One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing."