Hood River County Reads, a county-wide project sponsored by Friends of the Library, kicked off March 17 at the Hood River Library. This year’s selections, “Moreno. Prieto. Brown.” by Alejandro Jimenez and “brown girl dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson — both works of poetry — were distributed.
Book distribution will continue March 20 from 5-7 p.m. at the Parkdale and Cascade Locks branches. Some copies are still available at the Hood River branch (library is open Tuesday through Saturday) but if you cannot get a copy, check back later, as those reading the book are encouraged to turn their copy back to the library when finished.
The goal of Hood River County Reads is “encourage readers of all ages to read and discuss books,” according to a press release. Books and authors are chosen to “reflect the diversity of our community and that will be shared widely with our county’s individuals and families.” The program began in 2006.
Programs and events — free and open to the public — are scheduled through May (see listing below). In addition, posters created by Hood River Valley High School students will be displayed at the Hood River Library and Columbia Center for the Arts, and Radio Tierra (95.1 FM) will broadcast readings of Jimenez’s poetry. For more information, visit hoodriverlibrary.org.
Programs and events
March 20 — Kick-off at the Parkdale and Cascade Locks libraries, 5-7 p.m. Book distribution.
March 21 — Hood River Library Book Club discussion of “Moreno. Prieto. Brown.”, 6:30 p.m. at the Mt. Hood Town Hall.
April 5 — Hood River Library Book Club discussion of “Moreno. Prieto. Brown.,” 6:30 p.m. at the Hood River Library meeting room.
April 14 — Panel discussion, Bridging Cultures: Our Neighbors’ Stories, 2 p.m. at the Hood River Library reading room.
April 28 — Poetry workshop with Alejandro Jimenez, 10:30 a.m. Space is limited; call the library or see the website for details.
April 28 — Public presentation by Alejandro Jimenez, 2 p.m. at the Hood River Library reading room.
April 29 — Presentación pública en Español con el autor Alejandro Jimenez (Spanish), 1:30 p.m. at Mid Valley Elementary. Comida, música, y poesía de estudiantes.
May 3 — Hood River Library Book Club discussion of Brown Girl Dreaming, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Hood River Library meeting room.
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Woodson’s book, selected for younger readers, is a memoir of her childhood as an African American in the South and Northeast in the 1960s.
Jimenez arrived in the United States from Colima, Mexico, in 1995 and grew up in the Hood River Valley, where he attended elementary, middle and high schools. He graduated from Willamette University in 2009, and now resides in Denver. Moreno. Prieto. Brown. is a collection of 16 poems and one short story.
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