IMPORTANT NOTICE:
We are sorry to announce the SHARON FLAKE event has been canceled by the author due to a personal emergency. We are sorry for any inconvenience and will schedule a new date and time soon, thank you.
CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR SHARON FLAKE AT THE OAK PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Book Beat is pleased to announce that award-winning children’s and young adult fiction writer Sharon Flake is visiting the Oak Park Library on Saturday, February 20, 2010 where she will speak and autograph books. THIS EVENT IS CANCELED & POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: The event begins at 4:00 p.m. and coincides with Sharon Flake’s latest young adult title: You Don’t Even Know Me: Stories and Poems About Boys.
Sharon Flake gained immediate acclaim with the release in 1998 of her first book, The Skin I’m In, for which she won the Coretta Scott King / John Steptoe Award for New Talent. This book continues to be on required young adult reading lists for schools and libraries around the country and has reached classic status in the YA publishing world. Flake has also received the Coretta Scott King Honor Award for Money Hungry and Who Am I Without Him. Flake’s first book for a younger audience, The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street has also received much critical praise and is a title on the list for this year’s popular Southfield Public Libraries’ Battle of the Books contest.
Her latest book, You Don’t Even Know Me: Stories and Poems About Boys, is a collection of poems and stories concerning the thoughts, fears and realities faced by young African American men in today’s world. This is written for boys aged 11 and up.
This event is free and open to the public and promises to be a fun and thought-provoking visit from an exceptional author. Mark this event on your calendars and arrive a bit early for a great chance to meet and listen to one of today’s top Young Adult and Children’s literary talents.
Leonard Pitts Jr. at the Detroit Public Library
Leonard Pitts, Jr., Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from the Miami Herald and author of several books, will be visiting the Detroit Public Library Main Branch as their special guest author for African American History Month. His debut novel, Before I Forget, concerns an ailing soul singer as he tries to make amends with the young son whose life he has neglected. Pitts Jr. is also the author of Becoming Dad, Black Men and the Journey to Fatherhood.
Book Beat will be selling books for the event and the author will be on hand for autographing copies and a special afternoon discussion. The event occurs at Saturday, February 27, 2:00 p.m. at the Main Library – Friends Auditorium, 5201 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202. Call 313-833-4042 for more information or directions.
Valentine’s Day – Book Lovers Know What They Want
Valentine’s Day is upon us and Book Beat is packed full of gifts like a decadent chocolate full of some undetermined nougat. Stop by for a fantastic selection of romantic art and photography books, novels and quality Valentine’s cards. And you already know that gift certificates are an excellent choice, too. Happy Valentine’s Day!!
UPDATE ON THE BOOK BEAT READING GROUP
The Book Beat reading group meeting was canceled for January. The book discussion on Herta Muller’s (this year’s Nobel Prize winner) THE LAND OF GREEN PLUMS will be on Wednesday, February 24th at 7:00. Meetings are at Goldfish Teahouse, 117 West 4th Street Royal Oak MI 48067.
Random Acts of Kindness Week 2010: February 15-21
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is the United States delegate to the World Kindness Movement, an organization that includes various nations. People in these countries promote kindness within their countries’ borders and are creating a global network of kindness and compassion.
Some helpful ideas can be found in the Random Acts of Kindness revised edition. With stories, quotations and suggestions for inspiration.
One local organization that would be an excellent recipient of a random act of kindness is the Canticle Cafe in downtown Detroit. The cafe is a hospitality ministry of the Saint Aloysius Parish helping homeless and low-income individuals in Detroit. They sell and serve delicious organic, fair-trade Michigan roasted coffee beans with proceeds helping their patrons. You can purchase ground or whole beans at the location of the Cafe downtown, 1209 Washington Blvd, Detroit, or call their Coffee order HotLine at 313 309 1276. The coffee is $10 for a 1-pound bag, a good price for their high quality coffee.
Also, the people at Canticle Cafe have mentioned that they can always use new white athletic socks for their homeless patrons. If you’d like to help out with this you can drop off new white socks at Book Beat, we’ll have a box here that we will be bringing to the Canticle Cafe downtown February 22. A small expense that makes a big difference.