Rolling hills, pleasant markets, and gorgeous forests are just a few of the many words that describe Lancaster, a county known for its beautiful landscape, delicious food, and fun activities. Such wonderful experiences are discussed in the book Market Day, written by Dr. Corey Fogleman and illustrated by Piper Fogleman, who is an 8th grade student at MT Middle School.  

Market Day was inspired by the classic poem, “Home on the Range” by Dr. Brewster M. Higley. Higley paints the picture of Kansas as a dreamy place, with sunny days and starry nights as well as a multitude of native animal species such as buffalo and deer. When asked about his inspiration for writing the poem component of the book, Dr. Fogleman explained, “I would recite [“Home on the Range”] while I was out running in Lancaster and looking at all the beautiful scenery. I was thinking about how somebody should write a poem like that about Lancaster County. I wrote my poem thinking, in part, about that poem.”

He was also motivated by his love for Lancaster’s history and atmosphere. He mentioned how Millersville University opened its buildings to host the annual Odyssey of the Mind competition recently. “Things like [Odyssey of the Mind] make me feel like Lancaster County is a very open and giving community,” he said. “Those kinds of experiences, seeing sights around here, and witnessing how generous the community is have made me want to say nice things about Lancaster.”

The book itself is a mixture of poetry and illustrations, both full of excellent detail. The illustrations are fun and colorful, filling every page with a quaint happiness that is certainly representative of Lancaster. Some illustrations were first sketched by Dr. Fogleman and then reworked and finalized or completely redrawn by Piper Fogleman. When asked about the process of creating the illustrations, Piper Fogleman explained that “We went and took pictures all around Lancaster, put them together, sketched how we thought they should look, and then I used Sketchbook to draw [each picture] out.” 

Fogleman had to redraw illustrations multiple times, especially when her drawing skills increased towards the end of the book. The page detailing the Susquehanna River was especially changed in such a manner. While this aspect was challenging, her illustrations are now a finished masterpiece and add much character to the book.

Each drawing is a joy to behold, and certain pictures include historic women like Lydia H. Smith, an important African American businesswomen in the 19th century; Marie Warenbuer Ferree, a significant founder of Paradise, Pennsylvania; Hannah Wehman Gibbons, an important leader of the Underground Railroad; and Rosina Hubley, who was critical to the Union efforts in the Civil War.

Dr. Fogleman said that he discovered the importance of teaching his daughter about the legacy of women in Lancaster. He discussed with her about Dr. Rita Smith Whitell, who had created a scholarship and was a major professor in student’s lives at Millersville University. Dr. Fogleman determined the importance of talking about such women in his book. “I wanted to honor her and people like her in the book. I had said to Piper I want there to be some way to demonstrate the [important role] that women have held in Lancaster county’s history,” he said. 

Because of the need to express women’s significance in Lancaster’s history, crucial people were illustrated and also discussed on the notes pages that detail fun facts about Lancaster. 

Along with the drawings, each page also contains stanzas of the overall poem. The poem is sweet and simple yet elegantly written. Each part of the poem highlights a new experience such as a trip to Central Market, the Demuth Museum, the Fulton, McGovern Street, and more. Historical figures such as Thaddeus Stevens are also mentioned. 

Not only is the book a stunning account of Lancaster as a whole, it is also a beautiful memory for the father and daughter. Piper Fogleman thoroughly enjoyed seeing the book as a finished product, and her father remembered how incredible it was to first see their book at a store and get a call saying that the store had sold out. Dr. Fogleman also explained that, “It’s also been fun to do book signings and to have readings in some schools. To have the kids say, ‘I love your book’ and ask you questions about it [was fun].”

The book is currently being sold at Central Market, Pocket Books, Nook Books, Oregon Dairy, and area museums. The proceeds go to organizations like Common Wheel, Power Pacts, and Patients are Waiting that give back to the community and inspired the duo to write the book in the first place.