PAGE 10 • GO! MAGAZINE
Thursday, april 1, 2021 • ThE BullETiN
LOCAL LITERARY HIGHLIGHTS
bendbulletin.com/goread
2021 A Novel Idea events to begin this week
BY DAVID JASPER
The Bulletin
D
to continue to include a youth selection
moving forward. This year’s book, ‘Front
Desk,’ was selected by a team of our youth
services librarians. We are eager to welcome
‘Front Desk’ author Kelly Yang in early May
to speak to Deschutes County on Saturday,
May 1.”
eschutes Public Library’s monthlong
literary celebration, A Novel Idea
… Read Together, is set to begin
this week. By featuring two books that cap-
ture the immigrant experience in modern
America, the 2021 installment of the annual
‘Front Desk’
community read could be the most perti-
nent in its 18-year history.
“Front Desk” author Yang’s first book is
“The Other Americans,” by Laila Lalami,
aimed at kids in grades 3 through 6 and tells
and “Front Desk,” a youth selection written
the story of 10-year-old Mia Tang, who lives
by Kelly Yang, are the two books everyone
in a motel with her immigrant parents. It’s
will be reading, discussing and learning
Mia’s job to work the front desk when her
more about alongside their neighbors. The
parents are cleaning the rooms.
all-free, all-online programs inspired by the
Mia, who longs to be a writer even
selected novels is just getting started, with
though English is not her first language, also
virtual appearances by Lalami and Yang
harbors a pretty big secret — her par-
planned for early May.
ents hide immigrants in the motel,
The Youth Edition of A Novel
something its heartless owner,
Idea marks just the second
Mr. Yao, would not like very
time in the event’s history
much if he got wind of it.
that a children’s book is
But, naturally, Mia has a
being included in the pro-
plan to make it all work.
gramming. The first was in
According to Youth Ser-
2009, when Deschutes part-
vices Supervisor Chandra
nered with the Oregon State
vanEijnsbergen, who served
Library in celebration of
on the committee that
the state’s sesquicenten-
chose the book, it can
nial and went with the
and will appeal to older
three titles that the state-
readers as well.
wide committee chose —
As Mia wants to be a
among them two books,
writer, library offerings
“Apples to Oregon” and
related to the book in-
“Bat 6,” geared toward
clude the “Snail Mail:
youth readers.
Grab & Go Kit,” vanEi-
A youth selection was
jnsbergen said. Available
made this year to include
starting Saturday at De-
more people in A Novel
schutes library branches,
Idea, according to Chantal
it’s being offered for all
Strobel, communications
ages and has everything
and development man-
you need to revive the
ager for Deschutes Public
nearly lost art of snail
Library.
mail.
“We have wanted to
“It’s encouraging peo-
Submitted photos ple to write physical let-
expand our reach to all
ages for several years and Kelly Yang, author of “Front Desk,”
ters, which people really
believed that adding a
don’t do as much any-
will speak May 1 via Zoom as part of
youth edition would be
more,” she said. “There’s
A Novel Idea, the annual community
an exciting way to include reading event from Deschutes Public
a bunch of stuff in there
younger readers and their Library.
to write postcards, and
families. We received a
so we’re just encouraging
generous grant from the
people to pick somebody
Roundhouse Foundation that made this
that they care about or appreciate and write
possible,” Strobel said via email. “We intend
them an actual personal postcard. It will
“We will have an actual park ranger in
Joshua Tree National Park, in the Mojave
Desert, and he or she will be there to show
us some actual flora and maybe even fauna
from the park,” Ferro said. While some of
the offerings are prerecorded, this is a live
presentation, though the recording of it will
be available to view by April 8.
“This year, for A Novel Idea, all of our
adult programs are going to be re-
corded so that everyone can ac-
cess them if they can’t make
them on the exact time and
date that it’s airing, they can
still get to them at our De-
‘The Other Americans’
schutes Library Youtube
In “The Other Ameri-
page.”
cans,” author Lalami tells the
Other upcoming pro-
story of Nora Guerraoui,
grams include an online
a Bay Area jazz composer
book discussion with
who returns to the Mojave
Lalami at noon April 9.
Desert hometown where
Questions for Lalami
she was raised by her Mo-
can be sent in advance to
roccan immigrant parents,
Ferro at paigeb@dpls.lib.
who own a restaurant. The
or.us. Foodies may want
visit is precipitated by the
to check out “Merging
death of her father, Driss,
Flavors,” a cooking work-
the victim of a hit and run.
shop at 3 p.m. April 17.
In the book, composer
But it’s not just Nora
who narrates this tale. The
Nora has synesthesia, a
story is also told through
rare neurological con-
the eyes of her mother,
dition in which sensory
Maryam; Mexican im-
pathways become inter-
migrant Efraín, who wit-
twined, leading her to
nessed the accident but is
hear colors. It so hap-
afraid to come forward;
pens that Bend is home
Submitted photos to professional composer
Jeremy, Nora’s former
Laila Lalamai’s “The Other Americans” and synesthete Chris
classmate who is now a
cop, and so forth.
Thomas, who will discuss
is the adult selection for the 2021 A
The book’s timely
Novel Idea, Deschutes Public Library’s what that’s like in “Hear-
themes, along with the
ing in Color” at 7 p.m.
annual community read. Lalami will
way Lalami weaves food, give a live presentation as part of the April 22.
the desert and music are
The library is also
community read’s festivities at 4 p.m.
woven into the novel,
partnering for two virtual
May 2 on YouTube.
make for some rich pro-
exhibits of artwork and
gramming possibilities.
quilts inspired by “The
“We have 12 original programs crafted af- Other Americans.” A link for the quilt show
ter ‘The Other Americans,’ basically every-
will be shared at 6 p.m. Tuesday, and will
thing from cooking to jazz to presentations
become active 24 hours later. A link to the
on immigration, PTSD, the opioid epidemic presentation “Art Inspired by Art” will go
and lots more,” said Deschutes Public Li-
live at 6 p.m. April 26.
brary Adult Programs Specialist Paige Ferro.
For more information and access to all of
Among the first programs related to Lala- these programs, head to deschuteslibrary.
mi’s tome is the Joshua Tree National Park
org/calendar/novelidea.
e e David Jasper: 541-383-0349, djasper@bendbulletin.com
Ranger Talk at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
include stamps to send them, so really, es-
pecially during this time, to reconnect with
friends and family.
Whether you’ve already read the book or
plan to, “Let’s Talk about It,” at 1 p.m. Wednes-
day, will offer a variety of discussion questions
and resources relating to “Front Desk.”
Mia’s favorite game in the book is Mo-
nopoly, and another kit put together for
the Youth Edition of A Novel Idea
is called Front Deskopoly, which
is like the game, but with a
Front Desk theme. It will be
available starting April 10.