The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Such are the dragons of Chinese lore, very much unlike the fireâ€"breathing, peopleâ€"eating dragons of our western fairytales. Local writer Alison Baird was quite taken with what she discovâ€" ered about these "godâ€"like" creaâ€" tures and thought they would make the perfect subject for a children‘s book. Fascination with Chinese lore resulted in children‘s book By KATHY YANCHUS Oakville Beaver Staff Imagine dragons that are magiâ€" cal and wise and can alter their shape. "I thought what a wonderful friend it would be for a child," says Baird author of the enchantâ€" ing paperback, The Dragon‘s Egg, recently released by Scholastic Canada Ltd. "They could make the rain go away if the child wantâ€" ed to go and play." That was the "genesis" of her book, which was a completed manuscript several years ago but didn‘t come alive with intricate black and white illustrations and 384 Iroquois Shore, Oakville 849â€"7827 THE RIVER WILD (AA) Mature Theme, Not Buy any two footlongs get 1 free of equal value Only with this coupon at this location PULP FICTION (R) Brutal Violence, Alcohol, Drug Use. (Dolby Stereo) Evgs. 8:00. Sat. Sun. Mat. 1:30. No Passes Accepted. LITTLE GIANTS (PG) (Dolby Stereo) Evgs 7:20 9:40. Sat. Sun. Mat. 2:00. SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (AA) Not Recommended For Children. Evgs. 7:00 9:40. Sat. Sun. Mat. 1:30. No Passes Accepted. ONLY YOU (PG) Evgs. 7:00 9:30. Sat. Sun. Mat. 1:45. EXIT TO EDEN (R) Evgs. 7:10 9:45. Sat. Sun. Mat. 1:45. No Passes Accepted. Recommended For Children. Evgs. 7:10 9:40. Sat. Sun. Mat. 1:45. PULP FICTION (R) Brutal Violence, Alcohol, Drug Use. (Dolby Stereo) Evgs. 8:00. Sat. Sun. Mat. 2:00. No Passes Accepted. SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (AA) Not colorful soft cover until very recently. "It‘s very hard for a first time author to get a book published," says Baird. "It‘s a catch 22 situaâ€" tion. A publisher won‘t touch you unless you have an agent and you can‘t get an agent until you‘ve had something published. It‘s the perfect impasse." Baird, who has written 10 books, four novel length, was rejected "front, left and centre." "I could paper my room with rejection slips," she smiles. Then family friend Avril Tyrell took Baird‘s book to Scholastic along with her daughter Frances‘ accompanying illustrations. For two years Baird waited for the reply she had longed to hear. "It‘s an excellent company," says Baird, admitting she was bouncing off the ceiling when she heard the news. "It says a lot about Scholastic (to take a chance on a first time author)." A Dragon‘s Egg is a delightful children‘s story, rich in Chinese culture. Ai Lien is the little girl a a e e e 6 0 ° °5 2 e e o e e e a € € ¢ ¢ t ee0e0e000 T 1J 20080 000008890 8807 2/.n0000 DRUG USE who is given a very special ninth birthday present, a smooth grey stone which her father found on the bank of the Yangtze River and which she discovers is a dragon‘s egg. The egg hatches and Ai Lien‘s adventure begins. Baird, a former St. Mildred‘s Lightbourn School student and graduate of Trinity College, University of Toronto with a major in English, says she has been writing as long as she can Ilustrator Frances Tyrrell and author Alison Baird will be at Pick of the Crop Toys tomorrow to sign copies of The Dragon‘s Egg. (Photo by Peter McCusker) remember. At the age of 11 she had her first poem published which was followed by honorable mentions in national writing competitions. She has actually written 10 books and is currently working on her 11th, a project she is gearing to a slightly older group than the tarâ€" get years of The Dragon‘s Egg, 7 to 10. Her fascination with Chinese lore came from her family backâ€" ground â€" her grandfather practised medicine in China and her father was born there. Mementos were brought back and passed through the family but it wasn‘t until she was older that she became fasciâ€" nated with the mystique of the Chinese dragons. Her book is set in Toronto‘s Chinatown, one of Baird‘s favorite hangouts. "I read so many books that were just magic and pulled me into a whole other world," says Baird. "It‘s nice to put something back." "It‘s very genuine, very ethnic. She‘s a very modern little girl." In retrospect, the books she read and reâ€"read as a child, "the clasâ€" sics" were those books which could be enjoyed by any age group, and featured language which didn‘t talk down to chilâ€" dren,says Baird. The gallery is located at 560 Bronte Rd. She hopes children get someâ€" thing out of the story and learn about a different culture at the same time. Baird is enjoying her newfound ‘fame‘, discovering her book on the shelves at most bookstores, both chains and independents, and meeting total strangers who have read her book. Flight of Fancy will run to Nov. 16th with a special opening Sunday, between 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday marks the opening of an exhibition of original paintings by Oakville artist Mary Kuhnke and potâ€" tery by Dorothy Wilde at the Oakyville Art Society Gallery. Baird will be a part of a special signing by Oakville authors Nov. 19th at Quest Booksellers and tomorrow will join artist and Governor General‘s Award nomiâ€" nee Frances Tyrrell at Pick of the Crop Toys between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. to sign copies of their pockâ€" etâ€"size venture. New OAS show Be in tune with the OSO Call 844â€"7984 to receive a copy of our 1994â€"95 Seasons Brochure. OQCHETDA