Jerry Craft (left) and Kwame Alexander (at lectern) met with more than 250 students in The Westport Library's Trefz Forum.
The J vs. K Book Tour took The Westport Library by storm Wednesday morning, May 7, with #1 New York Times best-selling authors and Newbery Award winners Kwame Alexander (The Crossover) and Jerry Craft (New Kid) taking over the Library’s Trefz Forum to celebrate comics, creativity, and the magic of collaboration.
J vs. K is the latest book project from Alexander and Craft, a hilarious illustrated story that features two talented fifth graders — one a writer, the other a drawer — going head-to-head in a creative competition for the ages. As part of the book launch, the two superstar writers are traveling the country via a special J vs. K tour van, making stops in a variety of venues to talk to elementary- and middle school-age students.
Wednesday at the Library, they entertained a packed Trefz Forum full of young faces — nearly 300 in all — from Dunbar School in Bridgeport, ESL students from Central High School in Bridgeport, Marvin Elementary in Norwalk, and Wooster Middle School in Stratford.
Alexander and Craft talked about their journeys from learners to readers to writers, their time in grade school, overcoming adversity, the power of collaboration, and their favorite books, engaging the assembled students throughout with calls-and-responses, giveaways, selfies, and more. Both men emphasized that reading should be fun, noting that many of the books they had to read when they were younger were often too long and didn’t reflect their experiences.
“So, when I grew up, I decided I wanted to write the books I wanted read when I was a kid,” said Craft, recounting how he self-published his first graphic novel with the help of a how-to book he borrowed from the Norwalk Library.
Alexander told a similar story of how he had to self-publish his first book after a number of rejections. He encouraged students to do what they love, and above all else, to believe in themselves.
“You can’t allow your career to be determined by other people’s no’s,” said Alexander. “You have to say yes to yourself.”
Wednesday’s book tour event was organized in coordination with Bryan Ripley Crandall, director of the Connecticut Writing Project, which endeavors to serve teachers of writing at all grade levels, with the goal of improving student achievement by improving the teaching of writing and improving in Connecticut schools.”
About J vs. K
J and K are the most creative fifth graders at Dean Ashley Public School (DAPS). J loves to draw, and his wordless stories are J-ENIUS! K loves to write, and his stories are K-LASSIC!! Both J and K are determined to win the DAPS annual creative storytelling contest or at least get in the Top 5. And when they find out that they are both entering The Contest, it’s the beginning of one of the most intense rivalries the world has ever seen. It’s artist vs. writer, with plenty of shady double crosses as J and K plot their way to the top.
“I love this book so much,” Alexander said Wednesday morning to the assembled students, who received autographed copies of the book following the authors’ talk.
Added Craft, address the crowd: “Our book birthday was yesterday, so you’re some of the first people to read this book.”
About Kwame Alexander
Alexander is an Emmy Award-winning producer of The Crossover, his Newbery Medal-winning novel turned Disney+ TV series, the creator of the new animated PBS special Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Band, and the host of America’s Next Great Author, the first reality television show for writers (produced by Libby and Kanopy and premiering in 2026).
Alexander is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of 44 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night, How Sweet The Sound, J vs. K, and the just-released motivational primer for graduates, creatives, and professionals entitled Say Yes.
A recipient of the 2025 NAACP Image Award, Alexander is also the Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts for Chautauqua Literary Arts. He regularly shares his passion for literacy, books, and the craft of writing around the world, including in Ghana, West Africa, where he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic. His mission is to change the world — one word at a time.
About Jerry Craft
Craft is the New York Times best-selling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip. New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020), the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020).
In his latest book, Craft has teamed up with fellow Newbery winner Alexander to bring you J vs. K. Craft was born in Harlem, grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City, lived in Norwalk, and now travels the world telling kids and their families about the importance of reading.
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Photos by KT Kaminski/The Westport Library
The Westport Library has always been a place where it's OK to occasionally get loud, hosting an array of concerts and music events for patrons of all interests and ages.
On Saturday, April 5, at 10 am, the Library is taking things to the next level — the next decibel level, that is — inviting visionary artist 5iveFingaz to host a 90-minute celebration that will include a rotating cast of DJs, live art, and the Library version of a primal scream in an attempt to set the record for the loudest library ever.
VersoFest 2025 Kickoff Celebration: The Loudest Library in History! is free and open to the public. It will feature an electrifying fusion of music, art, and community as we transform the Library into the epicenter of creativity and sound. There will also be doughnuts and other snacks and beverages on hand for the attendees. (Register here.)
“Our goal is to make this a true celebration and a community experience, showcasing the transformative power of community and creativity,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “We want everyone to feel welcome, from our youngest patrons to our longtime music supporters. The emphasis here is on fun and setting the right tone to what promises to be an incredible weekend of events at VersoFest 2025.”
This kickoff celebration will coincide with 5iveFingaz's Interactive Community Participation Mural, which invites members of the community to help fill create a one-of-a-kind work of art from 10 am to 2 pm. And it will be followed by an all-star panel discussion on the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run at 1 pm and two Verso Visionary conversations — the first one at 4 pm between The Roots founder and lead emcee Black Thought and June Archer, followed by hardcore punk legend Henry Rollins in conversation with Nabil Ayers at 7 pm.
The festival closes on Sunday with a very special VersoFest live podcast discussion between longtime David Letterman music director Paul Shaffer and SNL Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman.
Led by 5iveFingaz, the Norwalk-based artist whose installations are serving as the artistic complement to VersoFest, the kickoff celebration will feature a rotating cast of DJs, with four different DJs each delivering a 30-minute set that spans genres and ignites the dance floor, and live art performances with four talented artists who will be creating visual art in real time, projected live on the Trefz Forum’s 18-foot videowall, as they draw inspiration from the music.
It culminates with the grand finale: As the Trefz Forum reaches peak energy, all DJs and artists will unite on stage for a collaborative performance, leading to the Library’s attempt to set the new world record for loudest ever library.
L to R: First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker; TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey; 2024 essay contest winners Teya Ozgen, Sophia Lopez, and Olivia Morgeson; Staples High School Principal Stafford Thomas; Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer
TEAM Westport, the Town of Westport’s diversity engagement committee, has announced that “Identity” will be the challenge topic for its 2025 Teen Diversity Essay Contest.
The contest is open to students attending both public and private high school (Grades 9-12) in Westport. Those who live in Westport and attend public or private high school elsewhere are also invited to participate.
This year’s essay prompt is as follows:
TEAM Westport is dedicated to addressing issues of bias and discrimination related to race, religion, ethnicity, and LGBTQIA+ identity that negatively impact our town’s goal of being a welcoming community for all who live and work here. The recent introduction of the Anti-Defamation League's "No Place for Hate" initiative in Westport's schools strives to create an environment where all students feel they belong and are free from bias, bullying, or hatred.
In our community, each person's unique identity — shaped by their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other aspects of who they are — contributes to the character of Westport. In 1,000 words or less, we invite you to reflect on how your own identity shapes your perspective and the experiences you have in Westport. Please address the following considerations in your response:
The entry deadline for the essay contest is 11:59 pm on Monday, March 10.
The Westport Library is co-sponsoring the event and will host the winners for a special ceremony to be held Monday, April 28, at the Library.
The prompt and contest entry rules are available online at teamwestport.org.
Subject to the volume and caliber of entries received, at the discretion of the judges, up to three cash prizes will be awarded. The first prize is $1,000, second prize is $750, and third prize is $500.
“Our community conversation to uncover ways to ensure that there is ‘No Place for Hate’ is ongoing,” said TEAM Westport Chair Harold Bailey Jr. “As such, as we begin the launch our 12th year of the Essay Contest, nothing could be more current than the issue of personal identity. Through this 2025 discussion, we invite our young people to share their experiences around identity to help shape a world in which everyone belongs with mutual respect.”
Said First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, “This community encourages constructive, respectful dialogue. As representatives of our talented and thoughtful population, the youth of Westport can be instrumental in sharing diverse ideas that ensure that everyone who lives, works, plays, and learns here feels welcomed and valued.”
The essay contest is now in its 12th year. Prior challenges have tackled topics from white privilege and Black Lives Matter to micro-aggressions and dialogue and have drawn widespread attention and engagement in Westport and beyond.
“We’re honored to co-sponsor and host the 2025 TEAM Westport Diversity Essay Contest,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “One of our goals as a Library is to foster inclusivity, understanding, and belonging, and to provide the tools for students learn and thrive. Personal identity is achieved through exploration and conversation, a product of introspection and community engagement — all core to the mission of the Library and representative of the remarkable students Westport engages. We can’t wait to read their essays and to host the finalists, their families, friends, and the Westport community here on April 28.”
While the rest of the world turns over a new leaf, the start of 2025 marks the halfway point of the school year. New Year’s celebrations give way to study sessions and project planning, a daunting prospect for many students — which is why The Westport Library remains committed to facilitating a welcoming, conducive space for teens during midterm season.
The Library will be opening early at 10 am on back-to-back Sundays, January 5 and January 12, exclusively for high school students preparing for midterm exams and projects. Snacks and hot chocolate will be available for students to enjoy while they work.
Students must show their Schoology account or student ID to enter. Traditional library services, such as book checkout and tech help, will not be available during this time.
Doors will close at 12:30 pm for the Library to prepare for regularly scheduled opening. Any students in the building before 12:30 pm will be able to stay in the building until doors open for the general public at 1 pm.
Please note: On Sunday, January 12, the Library will be open in the morning but the Trefz Forum will not be accessible, as the Library prepares for an afternoon program.
“Teens are always welcome here, and we’re happy to have them,” said Jeanmarie Ryan, teen services librarian at The Westport Library. “We focus our efforts on providing a productive space for high school students all year round, but especially during a time when their studies take precedence.”
In addition to the early Sunday hours, the Library will also be offering students a chance to de-stress with therapy dogs (on Tuesday, January 7). These lovable companions are known to reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and bring a sense of comfort and joy, making them the perfect remedy for a stressful day. Relax, recharge, and return to your studies refreshed and ready to go!
The Westport Library invites you to an illuminating initiative: Join us in utilizing one of our state-of-the-art 3D printers to create solar-powered lanterns for Open Doors, a homeless shelter in Norwalk.
Learn valuable skills and build community while providing a meaningful and practical lighting solution for unhoused individuals, improving their safety and well-being during nighttime hours.
This maker activity is free to attend and will take place on Sunday, November 10, from 1 to 2 pm in the Library’s Board Room (Room 210). Register to attend here. No experience is necessary to participate; 3D printing training sessions will be held at the Library over the next couple of weeks.
For children under 12, a caregiver must remain in the library during the program.
Created and designed by Staples High School students Rohan Sareen, a sophomore, and Shreyas Gorre, a senior, using the Library’s Ultimaker S5 and brand-new Bambu P1S 3D printer, these lanterns incorporate lights, wires, batteries, and solar panels for sustainable illumination.
“We came up with the idea when we wanted to use our engineering skills to help out our local community,” Sareen and Gorre said. “We immediately started to think about how we could 3D print essentials for people in need. After more research, we realized that the best way to help would be to give them something that they could use for a long time. This led us to build a 3D-printed, solar-powered lantern.”
In addition to learning more about 3D printing technology, this workshop will foster tactile and technical skills and provide an opportunity to collaborate with coaches and other volunteers in the Library’s MakerSpace during the assembly process, exploring circuitry, soldering, and other pivotal engineering skills — all while making a tangible difference in the community.
The Westport Children’s Library is the introduction to reading for countless Westporters. Now, there are more options than ever get your child engaged — however and whatever they’d like to read.
The Children’s Library has purchased 379 new titles — books and audiobooks — to bolster their digital collection, adding offerings from some of the most famous and beloved children’s authors of today and all time.
“We consistently strive to meet kids where they are, to find ways to engage them in reading, and to foster their love of books,” said Westport Library Director of Youth Services Mary Parmelee. “This expansion helps advance our depth and breadth of titles for the digital age, while providing the same comfort that kids have found in great books for centuries.”
Among the authors added to the digital collection are Kwame Alexander, Dhonielle Clayton, Beverly Cleary, Suzanne Collins, Kate DiCamillo, Sarah J. Maas, Rick Riordan, Lemony Snicket, Jasmine Warga, and Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Other titles include works by Hanna Alkaf, John David Anderson, Victoria Aveyard, L. Frank Baum, Kiera Cass, Eoin Colfer, Leslie Connor, Lindsay Currie, Lamar Giles, Karina Yan Glaser, Tommy Greenwald, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Jenny Han, Varian Johnson, L.M. Montgomery, Garth Nix, Sara Pennypacker, Lisa Moore Ramee, Gary Schmidt, Brian Selznick, Christina Soontornvat, Angie Thomas, and Anne Ursu.
“We were very deliberate in the titles we chose,” Parmelee said, “because we know there are so many different types of readers with different interests. We hope this gives them more options to find a book they love, and we can’t wait to see them develop a love for books and learning. And then to come tell us about them! There’s nothing we love more.”
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Photo: Top Row (L to R): Kwame Alexander, Brian Selznick, Sarah J. Maas, Jasmine Warga, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Kate DiCamillo, and Dhonielle Clayton; Bottom Row (L to R): Rick Riordan, Karina Yan Glaser, Varian Johnson, Lemony Snicket, L.M. Montgomery, Beverly Cleary, and Suzanne Collins
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker (far left), TEAM Westport Chair Harold Bailey (second from left) and Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer (far right) with the 2023 teen essay contest winners.
TEAM Westport, the Town of Westport’s diversity engagement committee, has announced that hate speech will be the topic for its 2024 Teen Diversity Essay Contest.
The contest is open to students attending public or private high school (Grades 9-12) in Westport. Those who live in Westport and attend public or private high school elsewhere are also invited to participate.
This year’s essay prompt is as follows:
The regulation of hate speech must balance limiting speech that may be considered offensive, threatening, or hurtful with the constitutional right of free expression. In 1,000 words or less, with respect to speech that targets specific people or groups based on race, religion, ethnicity, and/or LGBTQIA+ identification, consider the guidelines one should set for themselves within Westport’s schools and in our community. Explain how a diversity of opinions can be safely and respectfully shared. Are the rules different in a school community than on social media?
The entry deadline for the essay contest is 11:59 pm ET on Monday, March 4. The Westport Library is co-sponsoring the event and will host the winners for a special ceremony to be held Monday, May 6.
The prompt and contest entry rules are available online at teamwestport.org and westportct.gov/teamwestportessay.
Subject to the volume and caliber of entries received, at the discretion of the judges, up to three cash prizes will be awarded. The first prize is $1,000, second prize is $750, and third prize is $500.
“In our current environment, hate speech seems to rend the fabric of our society further on a daily basis.” said TEAM Westport Chair Harold Bailey Jr. “We look forward to this input from our young citizens to help us inextricably mend that fabric well into the future.”
Said First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, “This community encourages constructive, respectful dialogue. As representatives of our talented and thoughtful population, the youth of Westport can be instrumental in sharing diverse ideas that ensure that everyone who lives, works, plays, and learns here feels welcomed and valued.”
The essay contest is now in its 11th year. Prior challenges have tackled topics from white privilege and Black Lives Matter to micro-aggressions and dialogue and have drawn widespread attention and engagement in Westport and beyond.
“As a library, our goals are to foster inclusivity, understanding, awareness, and the free and open exchange of ideas so that we all can grow and thrive — as individuals and as a community,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “The annual TEAM Westport Teen Diversity Essay contest uniquely illustrates that commitment, all while engaging young people throughout Westport to consider and work through the important and complex issues of the day.
“Combating hate speech should be a commitment for everyone, in Westport and beyond. I look forward to reading the essays put forth by our town’s talented and thoughtful teens, and The Westport Library is once again proud to support the essay contest and honored to host the 2024 honorees.”
Once again in 2024, students are invited to enter a youth poetry contest sponsored by The Westport Garden Club, the Westport Arts Advisory Committee, Town Poet Laureate Jessica Noyes McEntee, and The Westport Library.
The contest is affiliated with the National Garden Club’s Youth Poetry Contest and enables youth to embrace their creativity through the art of writing.
The theme for the 2024 competition is: “I Spy With My Little Eye, Something Green Outside – Celebrating Our Green World.”
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Who Can Enter:
- Students in kindergarten through ninth grade.
- Including public and private schools, home-schooled students, special education, English as a Second Language, and general education students.
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Guidelines for Entries:
- All entries must be typed and titled.
- Include the participant's name, address, age, grade, and school on the back of the entry and the preferred email address for correspondence.
- All entries become the property of National Garden Clubs, Inc.
- Poems do not have to rhyme.
- Poems may be traditional verse, acrostics, blank verse, cinquains, diamond poems, limericks, or Haiku.
- The theme should not be used as the title of any poetry. (When judging, the title is worth 10 points.)
- Poems should be submitted by email to: westportctgardenclub@gmail.com by January 5, 2024.
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Scale of Points
Title: 10%
Content: 40%
Creativity: 30%
Style: 20%
Total: 100%
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Entries are due by January 5. The poems selected by a jury committee will then be submitted to the regional organization, New England Garden Clubs, for another round of judging. The region's final selections will then be submitted for National Garden Club Awards, where winning entries will be compiled into a booklet and made available to the winners.
Locally, poets will be invited to read from their work at a library event, open to the public to celebrate poetry in April 2024.
To view the 2023 winning entries, including local Westporter Owen Cloherty, click here.
From now through December 21, and starting up again after midterms in January, The Westport Library will be teaming with students from Staples High School to establish a near-peer tutoring program.
The program, to be held in the Children’s Library space, will feature Staples students tutoring local middle school and elementary school students in a variety of subjects. This is a drop-in program available between 4 pm and 8 pm, Monday through Thursday, with the tutor availability being posted weekly. (Click here to see the weekly schedule.)
“We’re so excited to bring back this program and thrilled to partner with these amazing students from Staples to provide this service,” said Jeanmarie Ryan, Westport Library teen services librarian. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for younger kids who need some extra help to get it in a supportive environment, while also benefitting the Staples students who get the chance to give back to the community.”
Tutors will focus on specific subject areas including English, math, science, social studies, and even programming and Mandarin. All tutors are past participants or have received a letter of recommendation from a current or previous teacher.
Adults with students under the age of 12 are required to stay in the Children’s Library while their child is being tutored.
Throughout his basketball career, Chris Paul has shined on platforms big and small, establishing himself as one of the premier point guards in basketball history and entering the zeitgeist through his star turn in national State Farm commercials.
For his next appearance, Paul is coming to a local stage, joining The Westport Library to discuss his life and his new memoir, Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court, an ode to his grandfather and family, with journalist, podcast host, and FOX Sports anchor Lindsay Czarniak.
The event, to be held on Tuesday, June 27, at 8 pm, in the Library’s Trefz Forum, will be livestreamed and recorded as part of Czarniak’s new podcast, Lunch with Lindsay. Paul will be joining virtually, with Czarniak appearing in person. Registration for the event is free and now open.
After the conversation, members of the audience will have the opportunity to ask Paul questions, with priority being given to kids in attendance. Autographed copies of Sixty-One will also be for sale.
“I can’t wait for people to see this side of Chris Paul,” Czarniak said. “I love uncovering the experiences, things, people that connect us all, and I’m excited to bring this podcast to life for a night and to give kids in the community a chance to hear from someone they look up to. His play on the court speaks for itself, but I’m especially pumped because Chris’ story about his inspiration to be the best basketball player he can be is much broader than sports. It’s about the human connection and inspiration. I think we can all relate to that.”
The event is a partnership between the Library, the Westport Weston Family YMCA, the Y’s Men of Westport/Weston, and the 06880 Blog.
“This is a truly incredible opportunity for the Fairfield County community — and beyond — to hear from one of the true legends of the sport of basketball in our forum,” Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer said. “And we’re thrilled to partner with Lindsay, a Westport resident and one of the country’s foremost sports journalists, on this exciting event. We hope to draw kids and adults far and wide for what we hope will be the first of many such conversations.”
Paul is one of the elite players in basketball history. A McDonald’s All-American as a high school player in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he garnered national attention when he made a run at the North Carolina high school scoring record, just five days after his grandfather died of a heart attack during a robbery at the service station he owned and just a day after the community icon was buried. Paul’s last attempt before coming out of the game was a free throw that he missed intentionally, ensuring that he would finish with 61 points, the same age as his grandfather, who he called Papa. It was six points shy of the state record.
Paul stayed close to home after high school, starring locally at Wake Forest, where he led the Demon Deacons to the No. 1 ranking his sophomore year and earned All-America honors. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets and has gone on to enjoy a distinguished career with the Hornets (2005-11), L.A. Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), and most recently, the Phoenix Suns (2020-23).
The 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year was the first player in league history to register 20,000 career points and 10,000 career assists, having since been joined only by LeBron James. Paul also is a 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA performer (including four times first team All-NBA), and has finished in the Top 3 of the MVP voting on three occasions. In addition, the all-world point guard won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, in 2008 and 2012, and was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Czarniak is an award-winning sportscaster known for anchoring SportsCenter for six years and most recently as a FOX NFL sideline reporter, CBS SRX Racing host, and studio host for NBC’s Summer and Winter Olympic Games coverage.
This year, Czarniak launched her new series Lunch with Lindsay in partnership with Shawn Johnson’s FamilyMade Media network, where she has sat down with icons across sports and entertainment, including country music star Eric Church, NASCAR standout Chase Elliott, and Indy500 champion Josef Newgarden, among others.
Staples High School students will be on hand at The Westport Library now through Thursday, April 27, for drop-in tutoring in a range of subjects for grades 2-8.
Tutoring will take place starting at 4 pm in the Children’s Library, on the Library’s second floor, covering the following days, grades, subjects, and times:
Please bring homework for which and workbooks with which you need assistance. And check back to the day’s schedule on the Library’s website for any cancellations or changes in schedule.
Adults with students under the age of 12 are required to stay in the Children’s Library while their child is being tutored.
The idea for Firekeeper’s Daughter percolated with Angeline Boulley for years, before she became a first-time novelist in her early 50s with its publication. It was worth the wait. Firekeeper’s Daughter was one of the best-reviewed books of 2021, earning raves from NPR, TIME, Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America, and Publishers Weekly, among many others. In addition, it received the Printz Medal and the Morris Award, was named a Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club YA Pick, and has been optioned for a Netflix show by Higher Ground, the production company of Barack and Michelle Obama.
One week from today, Boulley will join us in the Library’s Trefz Forum to discuss her debut novel, which is this year’s WestportREADS selection. Before her appearance, Boulley, whose second book, Warrior Girl Unearthed, comes out in May, took some time to answer our questions on coming to the Library, her favorite books, and more.
[Related: ‘Firekeeper’s Daughter' by Angeline Boulley Named 2023 WestportREADS Book Selection]
Westport Library: What was your reaction to Firekeeper’s Daughter being named our WestportREADS pick for 2023?
Angeline Boulley: I was absolutely thrilled to be named your 2023 WestportREADS book! Community reading programs are such a great way for people to come together and discuss different perspectives. I especially love intergenerational events that bring teens, parents, and grandparents together.
What are your general thoughts on coming to The Westport Library to speak to our community?
I am excited to visit The Westport Library. A library says a lot about a community — it's evident that Westport values artistic expression and views the Library as the heart of its community. Also, I'm curious about your Seed Library.
There is so much information out there now and so many things to do and places to visit. Against that landscape, why do you think libraries still matter?
Libraries bring people together and foster engagement as a community. It's a place where everyone can access resources and ideas, and [where they] are valued as community members rather than as customers or consumers.
What are your favorite or most influential books?
Fiction:
1. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
2. Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
3. The Round House by Louise Erdrich
4. The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve
5. Chemistry by Weike Wang
6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
7. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
8. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
9. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
10. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
I'm also a huge fan of audiobooks. Here are my favorites (fiction):
1. Sadie by Courtney Summers
2. The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe
3. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
4. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
5. The Martian by Andy Weir
6. I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
7. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
8. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
9. Tara Road by Maeve Binchy
10. The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
And I listen to a lot of memoir/biography/autobiography/essays:
1. Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
2. What Remains by Carole Radziwill
3. Hunger by Roxane Gay
4. Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton
5. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
6. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
7. Becoming by Michelle Obama
8. Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
9. God Said, "Ha!" by Julia Sweeney
10. The Drummond Girls by Mardi Jo Link
What music/musicians/albums inspire you?
Faouzia
Florence + The Machine
Luther Vandross
Martina McBride
MisterWives
One Republic
Patty Loveless
Sister Hazel
Vienna Teng
Yaz
[Related: Westport Library WestportREADS 2023 Freegal Playlist]
