Bob’s Discount Furniture is teaming up with the Pajama Program, a nonprofit organization providing new and warm pajamas and books to children in need throughout the United States. I guess they figure it’s a good mix since they sell comfy mattresses and cozy reading chairs.

And after a night of snow and really cold weather, warm pj’s and a book sound really great.

The Pajama Program is based in NYC and supports group homes, shelters and foster homes get warm sleepwear and nurturing books to children in need. Board members include Ivana Trump, Patti Labelle and Soledad O’Brien.

Bob’s Discount Furniture has stepped up participate in this program on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The public is encouraged to drop off new pajamas and books at the nearest Bob’s Discount Furntirue store. And with every donation, each person is eligible to win a Caribbean cruise. Their New York store in our region is in Nanuet at 6 Hutton Ave., 845-627-0823. They also have stores in Connecticut — Bridgeport, Brookfield and Stamford.

Now whose providing a cup of hot cocoa?

Authors, educational therapists and Mahopac residents Linda and Alvin Silbert have lots to to say about kids and grades. The founders of STRONG Learning Program and author of the new book, “Why Bad Grades Happen to Good Kids” (Beaufort Books, July 2007) will be featured speakers at a Mahopac Public Library program next month — 7 p.m. on March 4. Registration is required.

The program is a discussion and question-and-answer session for parents and teachers offering tips on how to make school days and home nights a whole lot better.

Topics include:

•How to educate your children K-12 without harming them or the well-being of your family in the process

•Eliminate frustration and learn why your child is struggling in school

•Discover real-life solutions for struggling students

•Learn the factors of building self-esteem.

Drs. Linda and Al Silbert have more than 35 years studying children and how they learn. They have written more than 40 books for children and young adults, and lead workshops about how to help children succeed. Their latest book, Why Bad Grades Happen to Good Kids, will be available at this presentation at the reduced price of $12 per copy.

Registration for this program is requested. Register online at www.mahopaclibrary.org or call 845.628.2009, ext 100.

April is annual Poetry Month, but in Westchester the appreciation of poetry began this month at seven public libraries.

The events are funded by the Westchester Library System (WLS) and Westchester County Board of Legislators, and presented by Poets House (a 50,000-volume library and literary center based in Manhattan).

“Poetry Westchester!� will offer creative, inspiring programs for adults and teens — poetry lovers and those who want to get a taste of the genre. It is modeled after the Poets House initiative, intended to create a poetry “mindset� so that people can enhance their current appreciation of poetry and/or get introduced to new works and writers.

This week, I had the fun experience of chatting (by e-mail) with Kent resident George Whipple III, a self-described Putnam County historian whose family has owned farmland here for a long while. He is also a Wall Street attorney and an entertainment reporter for NY1 with his own Web site, Whipple’s World. With his varied career, I hoped to learn he had an interesting book collection on his shelves. I am glad to report I wasn’t disappointed at all.

First on his reading list is “Gotham : A History of New York City to 1898,” by Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace, which talks about New York’s Indian tribes and the consolidation of the five boroughs into what we know as New York today. The book won the Pulitzer Prize and I understand that Burrows is working on a new book that tells the history into current times.

With his others choices, Whipple further shows his clear interest in learning about history, architecture, farming and all things New York.

Libraries are naturally good place to find books, magazines and videos, but as information centers they are also community gathering spots with meeting rooms.

To wit, state Assemblywoman Sandra R. Galef, D-Ossining, is inviting her constituents to discuss issues of state and local concern at what she is billing as “town meetings” this week in Peekskill, Putnam Valley and Kent. She is reportedly prepared to talk about the Gov. Spitzer’s proposed budget, her priorities for the legislative session which include her support for the newly-created Commission on Property Tax Relief. Another hot-button topic is the debate about paper ballot vs optical scanner voting machines.

The schedule:

7 to 9 p.m. tonight at The Field Library, 4 Nelson Ave., Peekskill;

10 a.m. to noon, Saturday at the Putnam Valley Free Library, 30 Oscawana Lake Road;

1 to 3 p.m., Saturday Kent Free Library, 17 Sybil’s Crossing, Kent Lakes.

The New City Library has announced that it is participating in the Reading Between the Lines book program — a discussion series featuring books that illuminate significant themes in American history and culture. The series is part of the library’s Immigration and the Idea of America Book Discussion Group that meets monthly.

The Reading Between the Lines is a program funded by a grant from the New York Council for the Humanities and features an academic scholar leading the discussions.

Dr. Sherill Wilson, former director of the African Burial Site in New York City, will lead all four sessions in the New City library. The first book will be “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin” and the first session will be at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 21. Check the library’s flyer for future titles. To receive a copy of each book, register at 845-534-4997, ext. 139. Monthly meetings.

The New City Library is at 220 N. Main Street.

Online book retailer Amazon.com said this week that it was purchasing Audible, Inc., the premiere company providing digital downloads of books. No more tapes, just download and listen. Read more about the arrangement from in Publishers Weekly, the industry’s main source of information that wrote about the story this week.

Fox Business also announced the news and quoted Amazon.com’s Steve Kessel, senior vice president for worldwide digital media saying: “Working together, we can introduce more innovations and bring this format to an even wider audience.”

Wonder what this means for readers and audible fans?

Authors from The Westchester Library System’s 10th annual African American Writers & Readers Literary Tea on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day held at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown were thrilled to talk about their books and the strength of African American literature and culture. Authors at the Tea were media personality Rene Syler, veteran newsman Dominic Carter, publicist Terrie Williams, and historical romance writer Beverly Jenkins.

Afterwards, some shared some insights into what they are reading and what’s on their night stands.

Dominic Carter had this response:

“Covering the presidential campaign, my time these days is very limited (having just returned from Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada). With that said, I am currently reading “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini. I find his descriptions of life in Afghanistan fascinating. His first novel, “The Kite Runner” captivated the nation and is now a movie. I wanted to get a jump-start on what will likely become a movie as well. Having also traveled to the Persian Gulf and Somalia, I was very interested in his book, like many Americans, and wanted to read it.

(Photo of Beverly Jenkins, courtesy of WLS)

Beverly Jenkins had this response:

My book choice: “Grace Eventually” by Anne Lamott. I’ve read the other books
in this faith-based series and am convinced Ms. Lamott should be required
reading by everyone no matter their beliefs. She can be laugh out loud
funny, profound, and yes, profane, but when I get to heaven I want to sit at
her table!