PORTSMOUTH — Marina Cheney will be at the Scioto County Welcome Center on July 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as a guest of Wings of Hope.

The event is open to the public. She has written a children’s book titled “Anastasia Meets Jackie Robinson,” and it will soon be on a shelf in the gift shop at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Marina Cheney is a retired teacher with 22 years of experience teaching English to new English language learners. Marina’s passion for reading and teaching children to read has contributed to the creation of the new book series, “The Adventures of Anastasia Bucknail.” Maria’s characters and their comical and heartwarming adventures are based on her own family, her childhood experiences living in Southern Ohio, and other interesting friends and students she has met throughout her teaching career.

The fourth book in the Adventures of Anastasia series is titled “Anastasia Meets Jackie Robinson.” Cheney said she got the idea from the Portsmouth flood wall and the picture of Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey. The main character Anastasia is a tribute to her cousin Ann Chapman Sommers.

Wings of Hope Youth will be at the Scioto County Welcome Center to listen to Cheney speak about authoring her book. The children will also tour the murals so she can speak about the ones that are in her book. Cheney will have books for sale and she will autograph books if you like.

”We are very proud to host Ms. Cheney for this important event,” Wings of Hope said in a release. “Please share and let your friends know who might be interested how they can support her.”

Wings of Hope has purchased 50 books to give out to youth.