The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Community read of ‘Mudbound’ to feature author visit
Avon Lake Public Library and Avon Lake City Schools are offering a month-long community read event for the book “Mudbound.”
The library, 32649 Electric Blvd., will host a myriad of events from Sept. 4 to Oct. 3 that are themed around the book which takes place following World War II.
“The book takes place in 1946 in the Mississippi Delta, and we are in the process of transforming the library with different displays and exhibits that fit the location and time period,” said Shea Alltmont, public relations and marketing coordinator at the library. “We also have a lot of vintage toys, military uniforms and a wall filled with different World War II military pictures.”
Alltmont said the event also will feature specific exhibits.
“We have an area that is inspired by the farm where the book takes place,” she said. “We also had an old sewing machine that fits with the times.
“We also have a display that focuses on Paul Tibbets, who dropped the atom bomb, and it also focuses on airmen in general.”
Alltmont said the event is being done because Hillary Jordan, author of the book, is scheduled to visit to the library and Avon Lake High School.
“It was all about who we could get to stop by for an author visit,” she said. “It was something that was talked about with Hilary Bickerton and Krystine Frisch, who are both English teachers at Avon Lake High School.
“They both chose this book as the one we should go with because it’s one of the requirements for the junior/senior English class,” she said. “It was also one we felt would generate a great discussion for the community read.”
Community event
The entire community is getting involved. “The idea behind the community read is that it’s not just limited to the high school,” Alltmont said. “We encourage everyone to read the book and come to the events we will have here at the library.
“We also had 350 copies we gave away that were made possible by our sponsors. It will be a fun month of events and I encourage folks to stop by.”
Dan Cotton, page supervisor at the Avon Lake Library, showed the astrograph which airmen used.
“It what was used as GPS for the fliers back in World War II,” Cotton said. “It was used to determine the course the airplane was taking by using the stars.
“When it was used, it had a projector and star charts that helped determine where the plane was.”