5/24/01

Janet L. McCoy

NOTED CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR TO SPEAK AT AUBURN

AUBURN -- Aileen Henderson, a noted writer of children's books, will speak at Auburn University on May 30 on her newly published memoirs and collection of letters entitled Stateside Soldier: Life in the Women's Army Corps, 1944-1945.

The book chronicles Henderson's life during World War II when as a young woman, she enlisted in the Women's Army Corps and began keeping a diary.

Henderson will read from her memoir at 4 p.m. at Pebble Hill, the historic home to AU's Center for the Arts and Humanities. A reception will follow.

Her diary, as well a collection of wartime letters, was published by the University of South Carolina Press as part of its Women's Diaries and Letters of the South series.

After a career of teaching and freelance writing, Henderson began writing children's books. Three of her books Monkey Thief, Summer of the Bonepile Monster and Treasure of Panther Peak have been enormously popular with young readers.

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CONTACT: Allen Cronenberg, 334/844-4946.