|
||
|
The 25th edition of The House on Mango Street © Copyright 2011 Sandra Cisneros |
||
Chicago, Illinois — March 11, 2009
Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street is the Spring 2009 One Book, One Chicago selection
Mayor Richard M. Daley announced today that Chicago-born Sandra Cisneros novel, The House on Mango Street, will be the 16th selection for Chicago’s citywide book club, One Book, One Chicago.
“One Book, One Chicago has been a great success and has come to be viewed as the national model for creating similar programs. We look at it as a way to bring people together in all our neighborhoods and to foster the kind of communication that can only help make Chicago a better place to live, work and raise a family,” Daley said in remarks at the Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State Street.
Chicago Public Library librarians have created resource guides and will conduct book discussions across the city. Thousands of Chicagoans are expected to participate in book discussion groups, lectures, dramatic readings and cultural events.
“Chicago’s place in the global economy and the quality of life in our city will be determined in large part by our children’s ability to read with comprehension. One Book, One Chicago reminds us we can’t just tell young people reading is important -- adults have to set the example,” Daley said.
Daley outlined 4 simple ways everyone can make Chicago a city of readers and demonstrate that reading is a priority:
* Get a library card and use it
* Read aloud with a child for twenty minutes a day
* Have books in your home
* And get caught in the act of reading
One Book, One Chicago can be experienced in virtually every Chicago neighborhood throughout April. This includes book discussions, film screenings, lectures, and panel discussions.
-
Sandra Cisneros will appear on April 14 at the Harold Washington Library Center to read from the book and discuss her prestigious career.
-
As a prelude to their fall production of Tanya Saracho’s adaptation of the book, Steppenwolf Theatre will host a staged reading of The House on Mango Street in their Upstairs Theatre on April 27th. Ms. Saracho will also be featured at the Proyecto Latina monthly reading series featuring Latina artists on April 20 at Radio Arte.
-
In acknowledgement of April as National Poetry Month and in partnership with CityVerse, CPL’s initiative to promote poetry across Chicago, a series of free poetry writing workshops will be offered across the city, focusing on themes of neighborhood and community. The Guild Complex will present a bilingual poetry reading of Latino poets on April 15.
-
A community forum, presented with The Guild Complex and Latinos Progresando, will be held at CPL’s Logan Square Branch on April 29, bringing together Chicagoans of all backgrounds in a “town hall” meeting to discuss the topic of immigration. DePaul University will host a lecture on the same subject on April 21.
-
DePaul University’s Department of English will offer a ten-week, graduate-level course to explore the book beginning March 30. For more information, including course tuition, visit www.depaul.edu/~oboc or call (773) 325-7485.
-
Additionally, Shimer College, located on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology, will hold a staged reading and discussion.
-
One Book, One Chicago discussions will also take place at select Barnes and Noble locations, Literacy Chicago, Gerber/Hart Library, Wright College, Instituto Cervantes, Harold Washington College and Loyola University.
-
Nearly 2,000 copies of The House on Mango Street, in both English and Spanish are available at Chicago Public Library locations. At seven Chicago Public Library branches, patrons can check out a Book Club in a Bag which contains eight copies of the novel and resource guides. One Book, One Chicago programs are open to the public and free of charge. For an up-to-date schedule of events, call (312) 747-8191 or visit chicagopubliclibrary.org.
Now celebrating its 135th year, the Chicago Public Library continues to encourage lifelong learning by welcoming all people and offering equal access to information, entertainment and knowledge through materials, programs and cutting-edge technology.
For more information, please visit the website or call the Chicago Public Library Press Office at (312) 747-4050.