OREGON READS project celebrates Oregon’s 150th year of statehood

What if 50,000 Oregonians read the same book in our sesquicentennial year? That is exactly what we intend to find out!

Selected Books

Stubborn Twig: Three Generations in the Life of a Japanese American Family, by Lauren Kessler, an Oregon author from Eugene. The book relates the true story of three generations of a Japanese-American family, spanning across the 20th century in Hood River, Portland, and Eugene.
Place a hold for Book or CD | Downloadable Audiobook
Book Club Discussion Resources - WCCLS website

For younger readers, Bat 6, by Virginia Euwer Wolff, and Apples to Oregon, by Deborah Hopkinson, have also been selected.
More Resources - Bat 6 | Apples to Oregon

All three titles are books with a uniquely Oregon focus; stories that convey an Oregon experience written by Oregon authors.

All Washington County libraries have multiple copies of the selected titles available for check-out in a variety of formats. In addition, Stubborn Twig is featured in two new Book Club Kits, assembled by Cedar Mill Community Library staff. The kits are available for checkout.

Countywide Events

Starting in January, 2009 and running through April, Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) libraries will hold a series of events and programming centering on the selected books. For events at all WCCLS libraries, visit www.wccls.org.

Oral History Project

The Cedar Mill Community Library is partnering with the Sunset High School history department for an Oral History Project.

Events at Cedar Mill Community Library

After reading the book, join us for this program featuring: Oregon Poet Laureate Lawson Inada

Reading & Writing Workshop by Oregon Poet Laureate Lawson Inada will be on Wednesday, February 18, 3:30 pm. Mr. Inada will read from his own poetry about his family’s time in the internment camps. The WWII internment experiences depicted in Stubborn Twig will also be recognized. Mr. Inada will also discuss the writing process and how to be an effective writer. Ages 14 and up.

In addition, the Owl Book Group will be discussing Stubborn Twig at their February 27 meeting starting at 10:30 am.

These Oregon Reads programs will be held in the upstairs meeting room at the Cedar Mill Community Library.

Online blog

The Oregon Reads website www.oregonreads2009.org will have an online blog and book discussion groups available to anyone in the state.

Questions?

For more information - ask a librarian, call the library at 503-644-0043 ext 114, or email AskUsCML@wccls.org.