Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

Fiction story and graphic novel will have cultural appeal to bilingual, bicultural border community

 (Laredo, TX—Mon., July 19, 2010)  The literary revolution in Laredo continues.  The Laredo Public Library and Food for Thought, a local non-profit organization made up of Laredo educators, dedicated to fighting hunger in our community, have once again teamed up to launch the third installment of One City, One Book, the city-wide book club.  Through this program, the Laredo Public Library wants to spread the joy of reading, while Food for Thought aims to feed the body by fueling the mind.  And this year’s books promise not to disappoint.

 This year’s book, the campaign’s first fictional selection, is an earthy tale which brings laughter to a serious subject.  Into the Beautiful North, by Luis Alberto Urrea is filled with unforgettable characters and radiant prose, taking a light-hearted approach to life’s obstacles, allowing the characters to believe they can solve their problems if they just keep trying.  The characters look at their problems and life in an often humorous way, taking inspiration from the movie, The Magnificent Seven. Literacy, hunger, civic pride, border issues and immigration are the focus of the book, aimed at the adult, mature reader. 

 As an added bonus, the author wrote a short graphic novel which will also be included as part of the campaign. The graphic novel shows the power a visual image has to enhance the written word.  Mr. Mendoza’s Paintbrush is a fantastical story where Mr. Mendoza and his powerful paintbrush act as the conscience of a magical town in Mexico; this book is aimed at the young adult reader.

 “This year, we are excited to not only offer a book of fiction as the selection, but also, to have two books by this very powerful and culturally-relevant author,” said Annie Treviño, local honors English teacher at Alexander High School, and key coordinator for One City, One Book and Food for Thought.  “Aside from promoting literacy, our goal is to choose stories that will resonate with the community, pushing them to think about sometimes difficult topics and hopefully, spurring them to act in ways that promote civility and justice for everyone in our community.” 

 According to the American Library Association website, librarians have always known that books connect people, bringing cities together through literature.  More than 140 communities in 49 U.S. states and Canada have hosted community-wide reading programs. 

 “We are excited about this program because the ‘One Book’ phenomenon has captured the imagination of communities across North America,” said ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels.  “Librarians are putting together incredible . . . programs that bring attention to libraries and the value of reading and book discussion programs. 

 Aside from reading the book, there will be several activities associated with One City, One Book, including book discussions, a movie screening of The Three Amigos, a hilarious spoof of The Magnificent Seven, and an Art Fest, where individuals are invited to celebrate the power of the paintbrush to bring literature to life.  (Please see attached schedule of events for more information.)

 The culmination of the One City, One Book program will be a lecture with the author on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at Laredo Community College’s Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Theater, starting at 7:00 p.m.  Seating will be extremely limited, so anyone interested in attending this event must attend both a book discussion and the movie screening.  Additionally, early that same day, the award-winning author will be accompanied by the illustrator, Christopher Cardinale, a noted artist in his own right, of the graphic novel at a closed presentation (not open to the general public) for secondary and post-secondary students in Laredo. 

 “We have two goals for One City, One Book,” says Maria G. Soliz, director for the Laredo Public Library.  “One is, of course, to promote literacy, and the other is that we hope that this will build a sense of community by reading the same book. This initiative will open dialogue among families, friends, co-workers, classmates or even strangers.  What better way than to talk about a book!”

 This year, to earn a ticket to the lecture with Urrea, individuals must attend a book discussion and bring five non-perishable food items to the Laredo Public Library.  The food collected will be distributed to the South Texas Food Bank.  The food collection will also be accepted at the movie screening and Art Fest; however, lecture tickets will not be given out at these events. 

 “As teachers, we know that a well-fed body will lead to a well-nourished mind; that is why we are sponsoring the food drive in conjunction with One City, One Book activities,” said Beverly Herrera, president of Food for Thought. 

 While there are only a limited number copies of Into The Beautiful North, or Al Hermoso Norte, as the title is written in Spanish, or even, Mr. Mendoza’s Paintbrush, available for check-out at the Laredo Public Library, the books can also be purchased at the Laredo Public Library, 2^nd Floor, with former bookstore manager Mary Benavides, who is helping to promote the One City, One Book initiative. The books are now in paperback and retail for approximately $15 each.

 “I am still here for my community, helping to promote reading and a love of books,” said Benavides.

 For more information about One City, One Book discussions or any library activities, call Pam Burrell at the Laredo Public Library at 795-2400, x 2268, or visit the Laredo Public Library website at www.laredolibrary.org.  For more information on the Food for Thought Foundation and other related activities to One City, One Book, visit http://laredofoodforthought.blogspot.com/