Anchorage Reads! 2011

Are you a member of a book club? Would you like to start a book club? Well, then Anchorage Reads, Anchorage Municipal Library's fifth annual One Book Community Read, is the perfect opportunity for you! They'll be holding a kick-off open house on February 1 for local book clubs and people interested in joining them. Anchorage Reads is designed to encourage people of all ages throughout the city to read the same book, discuss it, and attend programs that focus on the book and its themes.

This year's book is the award-winning The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. The open house will take place in the Ann Stevens Room on the third floor of the Loussac Library between 5:30 and 7 p.m on February 1.

Library events planned in connection with the 2011 Anchorage Reads so far are:
• Author Dana Stabenow talks about the latest in her Kate Shugak series, "Though Not Dead" as well as growing up in Alaska and her life as a best-selling mystery author. 3-5 p.m. Feb. 5, Loussac, Wilda Marston Theatre
• Loussac Book Club's discussion of "Part-time Indian" 3 p.m. Feb. 12, in the Ann Stevens Room at Loussac.
• Cartoonist Chad Carpenter is featured at the monthly meeting of the Alaska Writers Guild 7-9 p.m. Feb. 15 in the Wilda Marston Theatre. Like the main character Arnold in Part-time Indian, Carpenter explores his world via cartoons.

If you haven't read this book, it's a great chance to jump in and join your community in discussing a challenging, funny, and thought-provoking text.  And if you don't belong to a book club, join me and other ASD language arts teachers at our ASDLA Ning and participate in an online version!

NOTE to teachers: this book is definitely PG in nature. Just an FYI...