West Virginia Poet Laureate Irene McKinney will read at the Educator Appreciation Week kickoff breakfast at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 29, at Barnes&Noble in the University Town Center, Morgantown.

She will be available to sign books after the reception.

McKinney has published several poetry collections. Her bookVivid Companionis the first poetry collection released by the West Virginia University Press since 1972.

She also edited the Press’anthology of work by West Virginia writers titledBackcountry: Contemporary Writing in West Virginia.

McKinney was appointed state poet laureate in 1994 by former Gov. Gaston Caperton. She is a faculty member at West Virginia Wesleyan College, where she teaches English and writing.

For more information on the WVU Press, visitwww.wvupress.comor call 1-866-WVUPRESS.