The 2021 Community Read program is designed to get our community, “On the same page” by promoting a community of readers, learners and creating a platform for discussion. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors Wells Fargo, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation and Publix Super Markets Charities, the Library is able to give away a limited number of books at our branch locations. Beginning February 15, 2021 customers can request a free copy of one of the four Community Read titles to keep.

Book pick up will continue while supplies last. Call your local branch location to reserve your pick and schedule a pick up time. Each of the four Community Read titles are available for checkout in our collection as well with a Library card.

Everyone in the community can participate in Community Read: read a book, share perspectives, attend a program, engage on social media and build a stronger community together.

Visit the Community Read page for additional information, to register for programs and take the pledge today.

CMS students can take the pledge here.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has hired nationally recognized library leader Marcellus “MT” Turner as its next Chief Executive Officer and Chief Librarian after an extensive national search, effective April 1, 2021. Turner comes to the Library with more than 30 years of library experience, most recently serving as the Executive Director and Chief Librarian at The Seattle Public Library (SPL) in Seattle, Wash.  

“Marcellus Turner is an exceptional leader whose experience and visionary approach make him the ideal person to lead the development and direction of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library,” said Joe Helweg, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Board of Trustees Chair and head of the search committee. “A respected voice in the national conversation about the future of libraries, MT will be a strategic local leader for our region with his thought leadership on how urban libraries can become more socially conscious and more impactful in helping to solve the challenges facing our communities today.” 

Turner’s three decades of experience includes 10 years at SPL, where he led and managed a system of 27 libraries, including the world-renowned and iconic Central Library, a staff of 679 and more than 500 volunteers. He brings comprehensive experience at every level of system, program and community engagement management of public libraries. Turner is also a highly regarded speaker and guest lecturer, sharing his views and vision on the future of libraries at local, state, national and international library conferences and universities. Turner earned his master’s degree in library science from the University of Tennessee and a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi University for Women.  

“I am excited about joining Charlotte Mecklenburg Library at such an important time in its growth and role as a community resource,” Turner said. “There is a tremendous opportunity to better understand and serve the evolving needs of Charlotte Mecklenburg, and I am committed to ensuring the Library supports, enhances and empowers the changing ways our residents live, learn and engage.” 

In addition to leading the Library’s essential mission, Turner will assume responsibilities for several important initiatives at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library: activating the Blueprint 2025 Vision Plan; advancing the Library’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion; and, supporting the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation’s continued fundraising while working with County leadership, architects and builders, to realize the completion of the new $100 million, 115,000-square-foot Main Library. The new Main Library is poised to become a major destination in Uptown Charlotte, designed to be an architecturally distinctive, state-of-the-art, technologically advanced knowledge center, welcoming everyone in the community to access the resources of a 21st century library.   

Turner will officially become Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s CEO and Chief Librarian on April 1, 2021 following the retirement of Lee Keesler, who has led the library since 2012 and served as the 117-year-old public library system’s first CEO. Coleman, Lew, Canny, Bowen led the national search, along with a diverse search committee made up of members of the Board of Trustees, Library Foundation Board and County Leaders.  

“The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the appointment of Marcellus Turner, and we are thrilled to have him join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library,” Helweg said. “MT’s accomplished career in governing library systems and his vision for the future of libraries ensures Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will continue to be an engaged, dynamic and invaluable resource for our entire community.”

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn  more about the program and corresponding events here.

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, the same can be said for the picture book, I Am Every Good Thing. Written by Derrick Barnes, and illustrated by Gordon C. James, I Am Every Good Thing is a multiple award-winning, New York Times bestseller that celebrates Black boyhood. As the mother of a Black son, this book resonated with me as it is an affirmation. It represents the qualities that I see in my son and embodies the characteristics that I hope society will also see in him. After reading and re-reading this book with my son, it struck me that for many Black men, books like I Am Every Good Thing were nonexistent during their childhoods, and books that reflected their humanity were exceedingly rare.

On Thursday, February 11, 2021, please join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for A Conversation with Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James as we discuss I Am Every Good Thing. This program is part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s commitment to Black Lives Matter programming. Registration for the live-streamed event is preferred but not required. Click here to register online.

In the meantime, read on as five Black male Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staffers, Ayinde Best, Darius Smalls, Jamey Rorie, George Peterson, and Zuri Davenport share their thoughts on this special book.

Darius Smalls, Children’s Specialist at ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center, describes I Am Every Good Thing as “an awesome rarity and a contrast to our current culture which struggles to create positive images of young Black children, especially boys.” Smalls, a self-proclaimed HUGE fan of Crown: An Ode to The Fresh Cut, also by Barnes and James, remarked, “It’s great to see something with Black boys in it that isn't solely sports or music-oriented either: young Black astronauts, engineers, politicians, educators!”

The illustrations struck a chord with George Peterson, Children’s Specialist at Cornelius Library. He said, “They were so vivid and every page showed that Black boys have the same aspirations as every other young kid. It was so refreshing seeing young Black faces on each page. Seeing a boy of color riding a skateboard really hit home for me because I wanted to be Tony Hawk when I was young. Then I had the opportunity to see Ray Barbee skate. He was the only Black professional skater I had ever seen. He probably didn't know how many people of color he inspired, but he gave me hope that we could do this sport and excel in it.”

Jamey Rorie, a Teen Specialist at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library is also a fan of Crown: An Ode to The Fresh Cut, especially for its depiction of the barbershop and its importance in Black male culture. He said, “Crown depicted Black boys smiling and being confident in who they are and realizing their worth beyond what society might think they are. I had a feeling I Am Every Good Thing would have similar themes, and I wasn't disappointed. The artwork and the message within it are excellent. The world we live in tends to only highlight the negative, especially when directed to Black boys. They are labeled as "thugs," "up to no good, "troublemakers," etc. Not a single positive adjective outside is used outside of sports, music, or some physical attribute. Nothing is said about who they are, their passions, their loves, their dreams, their future. Young Black boys believe they have to hide who they truly are to prevent themselves from being made fun of by their peers and feeling like outsiders. I Am Every Good Thing is a book that every young Black boy should read so they know that they are more than what the world thinks of them - that it is ok to smile, that it is ok to laugh, be silly, to be themselves because they are more than what people see, that they are good, wonderful, fantastic and worthy of love and respect.”

As each staffer reflected on their childhood, they could only identify a few books in which they specifically saw themselves reflected. Zuri Davenport, a Teen Librarian at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library who also holds an affinity for Crown, could not pinpoint a specific book or character that resonated with him as a youth. He said, “just about any kind of book with Black characters, I see myself reflected back. It may not be me personally, but my family and friends, who are also a part of me.”

Ayinde Best, a Circulation Specialist at Main Library, saw himself reflected in picture books as a child because he and his parents frequented a local Afrocentric bookstore to buy books. Some of his most cherished favorites of are the Ezra Jack Keats books, A Story a Story, Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, and a book about a young boy and the adventures he has with the village medicine woman. The opposite is true for Rorie. He gravitated to nonfiction as a child and attributed that to the lack of books he could relate to. He said, “the only picture books that stuck with me growing up were those books that had animals as characters or some other nonhuman protagonist.” For Smalls and Peterson, Ezra Jack Keats stood out, too, especially The Snowy Day. Peterson said, “the only book that I saw myself reflected as a child was Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day. My family used to read this to me and have told me stories of me pointing to Peter and saying, ‘that's me!’” He even remembers having a red snowsuit like Peter. Smalls also recalled Feast for Ten but regrets that there weren’t more books with Black boys as he was an avid reader.

Each of the five men interviewed agreed that I Am Every Good Thing and books like it are necessary for children’s literature. Davenport said, “all positive books depicting children of color are necessary because we are a diverse people that often get narrowed down to one thing. Reading and seeing diversity in your literature helps you connect to the diversity that is around you.” Peterson added, “this book is necessary because it gives young Black boys and boys of color hope and gives them the knowledge that they can strive to be successful in any journey they have.” Best said, “I think it's great that books like these exist. I wish we could see more books with Black protagonists/with Black cultural themes; a wealth of both should be available to parents looking for good stories to read to their kids.”

“This book as well as writers like Derrick Barnes and illustrators like Gordon C. James are precious and rare in children’s literature. Most of what I was exposed to as Black representation in literature was related to slavery while in elementary school. Still, certainly, our history and culture are broader than just that. Having a book where a character is just living and enjoying life and having regular experiences while being Black is just plain rare. More books like this need to exist to help normalize people seeing Black kids as kids too. May there continue to be more books like this, but also more Black men as authors to create stories like these,” Smalls said.

Rorie thinks that every young Black boy should read books like I Am Every Good Thing. He says that this book will “let them know that they are more than what the world thinks of them - that it is ok to smile, that it is ok to laugh, be silly, to be themselves because they are more than what people see. They need to know that they are good, wonderful, fantastic, and worthy of love and respect. Previous generations had no such books that spoke directly to them to let them know that they matter and are unique. "I personally wish I had books like this growing up, it took me well into high school to realize that I was more than what society thought I was and that I didn't have to hide who I was because of what others might think.” Peterson added, “on the next to last page there is a line that states, ‘I am my ancestors' wildest dream’ that made me think back to what I have become." I am the grandchild of Alabama sharecroppers. My grandmother was a booklover, and for me to be in the position that I am in, I know she would be beyond proud.

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This blog post was written by Alesha Lackey, children’s services manager at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library.

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn  more about the program and corresponding events here.

February is the month of love! Just as we celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th, we celebrate Black Love Day on February 13th. This year Black Love Day and Valentine’s Day should not be exclusively celebrated by couples — we should all shower ourselves with some extra love this month. We are mindful to adhere to the safety measures set in place to protect our loved ones and us from COVID-19. The Library is here to ensure that you have the resources you need to celebrate safely at home. Below you will find a guide that can be used to design the perfect evening of love for yourself or that special someone in your life.

This guide features one of my favorite Charlotte Mecklenburg Library e-resources hoopla. This resource is a one-stop-shop that allows you to instantly check out e-books, audiobooks, movies, television shows, and new music. You can check out six items per month, and the materials you check out expire on their own so you do not have to worry about pesky due dates. Use this guide to set up your hoopla account and begin checking out materials today.

hoopla Set-Up Guide

hoopla Tutorial

Set the vibe with the perfect playlist:

The perfect evening starts with the perfect playlist. Use this curated collection of music by Black artists to set the vibe for your special evening. Since this collection features the lovely sounds of new and classic artists, there is sure to be something there for everybody to enjoy.

hoopla’s Special Collection Music by Black Artist

Watch a riveting film on hoopla:

I love hoopla because they have a massive collection of movies featuring talented Black directors, writers, and actors. This month use hoopla’s “Maverick Black Cinema” collection to find the perfect film for your love filled evening.

Maverick Black Cinema Movie Collection on hoopla

Learn something new using lynda.com

One of the best self-care practices or ways to invest in your relationship is to learn a new skill. If you’re planning the perfect night just for yourself, taking an enrichment course can be fulfilling and fun. If you’re looking to invest in your partner and make the night impactful, taking an online course together can be a positive bonding activity that will strengthen your relationship.

Lynda.com is one of my favorite resources because it is filled with tutorials and courses. Many of the courses are brief, but they are filled with useful information. Look at the collection and plan your impactful and love-filled evening today.

lynda Set-Up Guide

lynda Tutorial

Order to-go from one of these restaurants and feed your soul:

Below you’ll find some of my favorite Black owned restaurants in Charlotte. With their diverse menus and charismatic owners, you’ll know that without a doubt their food was made with love! 

Leah and Louise

Location: Camp North End

“We interpret classic southern dishes, ingredients and techniques in a way that honors our heritage. We're inspired by Mississippi River Valley foodways. Think Memphis, Jackson, Mississippi and New Orleans.”

Lulu’s Maryland Style Chicken and Seafood

Location: 2400 Tuckaseegee Road Charlotte, NC 28208

“The best and ONLY Maryland Style Crab Cake, Chicken and Seafood in Charlotte!”

Skrimp Shack

Location: (Eastway) 3718 Central Ave. Charlotte, NC 28205, (Pineville) 8328 Pineville-Matthews Rd. Suite 301 Charlotte, NC 28226

“Skrimp Shack has a fish “samwich” that’s as big as your face! Chaz Crenshaw, owner of the Eastway franchise, calls himself the Skrimp King.”

Dee’s Vegan to Go

Location:  1540 West Blvd, Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28208

“We started our business at the Charlotte Regional Farmer’s Market in 2016.  We are a family owned and operated business with a focus on locally sourced fresh ingredients. Our commitment is to homemade, carefully prepared vegan comfort foods.”

Mert’s Heart and Soul

Location: 214 N College St. Charlotte, NC 28202

“Husband-&-wife-run spot for Southern soul food, including Lowcountry dishes, in a colorful setting.”

Cuzzo’s Cuisine

Location: 3415 Tuckaseegee Rd. Charlotte, NC 28208

“Cuzzo's Cuisine is a Gourmet restaurant specializing in Southern Cuisines. Andarrio and Anglee are 1st cousins and were born and raised in South Carolina (Low Country).  You will always receive the best customer service and the most delicious Southern Cuisine.”

I hope this guide helps you plan the perfect love filled weekend. Happy Black Love Day!

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This blog post was written by Cearra Harris a teen services librarian at West Boulevard Library.

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn  more about the program and corresponding events here.

To understand what Black children understand about race, we must consider a few factors. According to Dr. Erin Winkler, associate professor of African & African Diaspoa Studies at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, those factors would include the child's gender, skin tone, family, peers, media, school, and environment. In her book Learning Race, Learning Place, Dr. Winkler details her findings and dissects those confusing signals about race. That said, the Library also has a multitude of books written for children to explain and offer an avenue to identify those same thoughts within themselves. Writer Jewell Parker Rhodes is one such author doing this work through her children’s books.

In an interview with the educational website Reading Rocket, Rhodes talks of the possibilities children obtain from books. As Rhodes discusses her work, she makes it clear what she wants to share with her audience. "Well, books have been healing my soul,” Rhodes says. “I think that children of color and non-color can see a place for themselves in my books is healing them and reminding them that they are very special because they have power and can be the change, and that I as an adult believe in them. And so, that opens up all kinds of wondrous possibilities."

Following growing national and local support of the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly in 2020, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library responded with the creation of its Black Lives Matter program initiative to hold important discussions and provide resources about racism and social justice to the community. In addition to Library sponsored programs, recommended reading lists concerning race and racism have been created for customers to address a variety of topics. Encompassing all age ranges including children, there are nine featured children’s titles referenced in these lists including two of Rhodes' children’s books. There are even suggested titles from other libraries to help continue the conversation.

Check out the following children’s titles arranged by recommended age and start the discussion with your child today:

We Love You, Rosie! by Cynthia Rylant

A young brother and sister love their playful dachshund, Rosie. The brown-skinned children discover the concept of opposites as they follow their pet into several hijinks. Ages 3-7.  

In Your Hands by Carole Boston Weatherford

A mother shares a prayer for her newborn black son to be safe as he grows in a world where hostility can come because of his race. Ages 4-8.

Let's Talk About Race by Julius Lester

Writer Julius Lester talks about his life story with his family, hobbies, favorite foods, and more and, finally, that he is black. The reader is asked to identify their race, and the discussion goes into the significance of their own life story and how race is just one element. From there, Lester addresses the sameness and connectedness which people share. Ages 6-10.

Courage by Barbara Binns

Thirteen-year-old T'Shawn has a prestigious but expensive new obligation as a new member of a local private club's diving team. The project is a financial strain for his widowed mother. A scholarship helps T'Shawn continue but as his older brother, Lamont, returns home after a prison stint, he comes to resent him as he suspects Lamont still has criminal connections. Ages 8-12.

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes

An elite prep school for middle schooler biracial Donte is a tough fit while his brother Trey is managing comfortably. The difference in color with darker Donte singled out among the predominately white student body and harassed. One frequent bully, Allan, motivates Donte to challenge and beat him at his own game in the sport of fencing. Ages 8-12.

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices by Various Authors

Thirty illustrated essays, poems, letters, and stories from more than 50 children's book creators discuss prejudice and racism for their diverse children reader populace. The book is targeted to reassure, calm and inspire children. Ages 8-12.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

During the 1960s and 70s, Jacqueline Woodson shares in poetry her experiences and feelings when growing up in South Carolina and later New York City. The changing locations and times of shifting from segregation's end to the Black Power movement's growth have Jacqueline unsettled but discovering her talent to write. Ages 8-12.

A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee

The first year of middle school for twelve-year-old Shayla is a dramatic step into her growth and identity. Her two closest friends, Julia, who's Asian-American, and Isabella, who's Latina, have become less so this school year, and Shayla's sister urges her to seek out black friends. Shayla is unconvinced, but her interest and growing commitment to the Black Lives Matter movement cause strife at school from multiple directions. Ages 8-12.

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

The shooting death of a 12-year-old black boy holding a toy gun by the police is a tragedy that's tough to bear, but the story doesn't end in a single death. In this novel, the soul of the killed Jerome Rogers, meets the ghost of Emmitt Till, murdered in 1955 from racist hate. From Emmitt, Jerome meets other "ghost boys" with their similar stories and how they fight history from repeating itself. Jerome learns he can do the same from his life's end and finds an unlikely human ally. Ages 10 and up.

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This blog was written by Lawrence Turner a librarian at South County Regional.

Sometimes, love is all you need. Luckily, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has you covered. This February, Myers Park Library Leader Harold Escalante, discussed titles on the theme of love with WCNC Charlotte Today's Beth Troutman. Whether you are interested in reading about self-love and personal development, familial or platonic love, there's enough to go around for everyone.

Explore the All You Need is Love book list in the library catalog

Watch the "Good Reads in February" Charlotte Today segment 

ADULT NONFICTION

Everything Beautiful in it’s Time by Jenna Bush Hager

In this charming memoir, Bush Hager (Sisters First), cohost of Today with Hoda & Jenna, pays tribute to her prominent family, particularly her grandparents. Bush Hager describes growing up in two presidential families: when she and her twin sister were toddlers, they "got in trouble" when Secret Service agents rescued them from a 10-foot seawall after they'd escaped from their cribs while visiting the Maine home of their grandfather, "Gampy" - President George H.W. Bush. Bush Hager's memoir is rife with charming anecdotes: dancing in her prom dress with her father (President George W. Bush) after her date jilted her, discussing books and cats with her "southern lady" mother, Laura, and squabbling with her beloved sister Barbara (the author might punch, but her twin had "strong nails and wasn't afraid to use them"). Bush Hager recounts the period in which she lost both Bush grandparents, as well as her namesake Jenna Welch ("She wasn't loud and she didn't boast, but she was proud of her life and her family"). She also paints a vivid picture of strong and devoted matriarch Barbara Bush ("More than once, I have looked at my grandmother and thought, “This woman is invincible"). This endearing memoir brings readers deep into the heart of a family that many may feel they already know well. Bush's fans will delight in these intimate, funny remembrances.

Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz

In this exquisite, electrifying collection, Diaz (When My Brother Was an Aztec) studies the body through desire and the preservation of Native American lives and cultures, suggesting that to exist as a Native in a world with a history of colonization and genocide is itself a form of protest and celebration. She explores this idea in "The First Water Is the Body," cataloguing the destruction of this invaluable resource by those who seek to protect it: "in the U.S., we are tear-gassing and rubber-bulleting and kenneling natives trying to protect their water from pollution and contamination at Standing Rock." But it's desire, both in its erotic form and as present in the will to assimilate, that drives the book: "Like any desert, I learn myself by what's desired of me/ and I am demoned by those desires." "These Hands, If Not Gods" opens with a stunning lyrical address to a lover: "Haven't they moved like rivers/ like glory, like light/ over the seven days of your body?" The elegiac "Grief Work" closes the book with a meditation on longing: "my melancholy is hoofed/ I, the terrible beautiful/ Lampon, a shining devour-horse tethered at the bronze manger of her collarbones." Diaz continues to demonstrate her masterful use of language while reinventing narratives about desire.

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Researcher and speaker Dr. Brene Brown offers an all-embracing new philosophy that provides encouragement to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly and to courageously engage in life, whatever it brings. Dr. Brown challenges preconceived ideas about vulnerability. Based on twelve years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather the clearest path to courage, engagement and meaningful connection.

ADULT FICTION

How to Keep a Secret by Sarah Morgan

What do we know of the secrets our loved ones hold and why? Sisters Lauren and Jenna have kept the frightening events of a stolen afternoon hidden from everyone since their childhood. Lauren, married to successful London businessman Ed, prepares an elaborate 40th birthday celebration for him. After a testy morning conversation with Ed that includes a cryptic comment from him and an exchange with moody 16-year-old Mack, the day goes without a hitch - except Ed is a no-show at the party. Jenna, married to the small-town boy next door, is struggling with getting pregnant and keeping that from Lauren and their mother. Nancy, the matriarch, widowed five years ago, is crumbling under the things she's keeping from both of her daughters. Secrets have a way of unraveling. Over a long Martha's Vineyard summer, all four Stewart women face the destruction of long-held beliefs and betrayals.

The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano

When Alex Kanin posts an online editorial underscoring the pitfalls of online criticism, it goes viral and inadvertently leads to Denver chef Rachel Bishop losing her job. Alex offers her an opportunity to display her cooking skills at a series of exclusive pop-up Saturday night dinner parties for Denver's elite. Neither expects to fall in love while trying to restore Rachel's professional reputation and revive Alex's flagging career, yet that is exactly what happens.

This well-written modern romance with a strong female professional protagonist will appeal to those interested in romance, personal growth and the food/restaurant industry. Romance aficionados and fans of stories about overcoming obstacles and the role of faith in everyday life will eagerly await the next entry in this sweet food-centered series.

A Duke in the Night by Kelly Bowen

When disreputable duke and businessman August Faulkner comes back into her life, headmistress Clara Hayward is tempted to pick up where they left off ten years ago, despite worrying that he aims to take over her family's business.
 

Young Adult (YA)

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma

Winnie (Vaneeta) Mehta and her family are obsessed with a prophecy from an Indian priest about the New Jersey teen's romantic future. They believe she's destined to marry Raj, her longtime boyfriend and childhood friend. But over the summer, Raj hooked up with another girl, and he no longer shares her Bollywood filmmaking dreams either-even more of a betrayal to Winnie than the cheating. The fallout from their breakup is vast: not only does Winnie get pushed out from helping with the school's annual film festival, but she has to get a job to pay back Raj after a misguided, post-breakup stealing incident. Winnie's new position at a local art house puts her in the orbit of Dev, a classmate who loves the cinema as much as Winnie. Sharma's YA debut is filled with upbeat, third-person prose, and quirky, Bollywood-focused details: in recurring dreams, Winnie is visited by actor Shah Rukh Khan, who gives her life and love advice, and each chapter begins with a Bollywood movie review and rating written from Winnie's review blog. The romance that blossoms between Winnie and Dev is sweet, if predictable, creating a satisfying story with a layer of dramatic intrigue offered through Winnie's genuine concern over whether her fate is predetermined or of her own design.

Seize Today by Pintip Dunn

The third book in the New York Times bestselling series is a thrilling conclusion to an epic trilogy. Seventeen-year-old Olivia Dresden is a precognitive. Since different versions of people's futures flicker before her eyes, she doesn't have to believe in human decency. She can see the way for everyone to be their best self - if only they would make the right decisions. No one is more conflicted than her mother, and Olivia can only watch as Chairwoman Dresden chooses the dark, destructive course every time. Yet Olivia remains fiercely loyal to the woman her mother could be. But when the chairwoman captures Ryder Russell, the striking and strong-willed boy from the rebel Underground, Olivia sees a vision of her own imminent death...at Ryder's hand. Despite her bleak fate, she rescues Ryder and flees with him, drawing her mother's fury and sparking a romance as doomed as Olivia herself. As the full extent of Chairwoman Dresden's gruesome plan is revealed, Olivia must find the courage to live in the present - and stop her mother before she destroys the world. The Forget Tomorrow series is best enjoyed in order. Reading Order: Before Tomorrow (Prequel), Forget Tomorrow, Remember Yesterday and Seize Today.
 

CHILDREN

Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons

In a lushly illustrated tribute to family history, an African American boy and his family take their annual trip to his great-grandmother's farm for a reunion. The pivotal event is a family celebration during which each individual performs. Lil Alan's cousins have their presentations prepared - one cousin will read a Langston Hughes poem and another will share a scrapbook "in Granny's favorite color blue." Alan, though, is stumped: "I kick a stone and my eyes start to burn." But as he internalizes the energy of the farm, tastes "love-made dishes," and enjoys family, the words come: "Cotton for the quilts Granny made to keep her children warm... A pecan for the trees Pa planted and all the kids love to climb." Lyons's image-rich prose and Minter's powerful acrylics - rendered in shadowy blues and fiery shades - convey a sense of historical struggle alongside cherished tradition while capturing the experience of performance jitters.

Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris

What begins as a solo log ride down a river for Bear turns into a group adventure as new forest animals join the pileup hurtling through the water. Each has a different approach to the wild ride: the turtles worry about what could go wrong, while the raccoons delight in the "twists and turns." All are surprised, though, when they realize where they're headed: a waterfall, which, after a dramatic plunge, lands them in a calm, communal pool. Text by Morris (Fear the Bunny) bounces along with appealing repetition and rhythm, but it's cleverly designed illustrations by Pham (Stop That Yawn!) make this offering a standout choice for reading aloud. Varying perspectives amplify both the drama and the humor, particularly in wordless scenes that move from the vertiginous animals'-eye-view to their comically shocked faces to an aerial image that emphasizes how far the drop will be. And the forest's gradual color shifts, from muted grays to the brilliant hues in the final scene, echo the story's underlying message: connecting with others makes life richer, more vibrant and a lot more fun. 

If the Library and the growth of the Mecklenburg community are important to you, don’t miss these two opportunities to share your ideas and have your voice heard. Help develop the future of the Library through a facilities master plan survey, and then participate in a Mecklenburg County Budget Workshop to let your County Commissioners know how important funding for the Library’s programs, services and locations is to the community.

Library Facilities Master Plan

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is in the process of developing a Facilities Master Plan that will guide the Library over the next 10-15 years. Part of that process is getting feedback from the community regarding what is most important regarding library locations and services. This request is to all Mecklenburg County residents.

Participate in an online survey today and let us know how you think the Library should expand and grow.

English here    or    Spanish here

We’d love to get your thoughts and opinions on topics such as:

• Does your neighborhood need a library?
• Is your current library branch serving your needs?
• What is the biggest gap in how your library branch is serving your needs?
• How do the library buildings themselves support your community needs?
• What opportunities exist for the Library to better serve Mecklenburg county residents?

Mecklenburg County Community Budget Workshops

The Community Budget Workshops are designed to allow Mecklenburg County residents to share their budget priorities with County leadership before the budget is finalized for fiscal year 2022 (starting July 1, 2021).   

The workshops will be featured on WebEx due to the pandemic. The events are free and open to anyone interested in giving their input on the budget. Residents may register for the event by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/138268584057.  

The workshops will be held weekly throughout the month of February. See below for the workshop schedule. Information gathered during the event will be considered during planning for the FY2022 budget. 

  

Event Details: 

• Thursday, Feb. 18  6–7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 20  9:30–11 a.m. 
• Wednesday, Feb. 24 6–7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 27  9:30–11 a.m.  

For more information on the virtual Community Budget Workshops visit MeckNC.gov. 

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn  more about the program and corresponding events here.

When the world shut down last March, the show playing at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte (CTC) at ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center was the world premiere of Grimmz Fairy Tales, a hip-hop retelling of classic European fairy tales, performed by an all-Black cast with mic-dropping talent. When CTC launched their all-virtual 2020-2021 season, reintroducing Grimmz was at the top of their list.

The show is an inventive remix of familiar classics, telling stories like Snow White and the Seven Shawties, which deals with cyber-bullying, Hansel and Gretel: Lost in the Hood, which addresses the foster care system, Down with Rapunzel, about pursuing your joy despite adversity, and Break, Cinderella. Break, which tackles issues of abuse and neglect and adjusting to mixed families. It was poised for a national tour when the pandemic hit, and now, thanks to the ingenuity of CTC in partnership with Broadway HD, a filmed version of the show can be streamed into every home.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Black Lives Matter program blog team got to sit down via Zoom with local artists and Children’s Theatre acting veterans Ron Lee McGill and Rahsheem Shabazz, Grimmz’s co-creators, stars, and emcees, to get their take on what the show’s message means now, more than ever.

Check out our booklist of recommended fairytale reads for even more inspiring stories for the entire family.

Grimmz Companion Titles

LIBRARY: When you started developing Grimmz back in October 2018, the idea was to redefine fairy tales through a legacy of hip hop, but each of the stories you picked also deals with a challenging modern topic. What made you want to tackle such difficult issues in a piece of children’s theatre?

SHABAZZ: Kids deal with divorce or moving into a house with a new stepparent; they’re dealing with this at the age of six, seven, eight, and they don’t know how to process it, and they feel like they’re the only ones going through it. We asked ourselves, “How can we reach kids and give them hope in themselves, to know that they are beautiful, and they are amazing, no matter what situation—what grim situation—they might be in?” In a way, I feel like the kids picked those stories for us.

MCGILL: It definitely speaks to the human side of fairy tales, and in selecting and reading and looking back at the essence of the tales, no matter what is going on, it is representative of the human situation, the human struggle. We were able to use the familiarity of the original pieces, but with a different context that can make different contemporary points.

SHABAZZ: And there’s a call to action: what are you gonna do? What you gonna do when you see someone else in this situation? And what you gonna do when you’re in this situation?

LIBRARY: Speaking of that call to action, do you think the message is going to resonate differently or more powerfully with audiences now, given the activism and discussion surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement this past year?

MCGILL: I would hope so. To be honest with you, the representation of us being on stage says something in and of itself. For better or worse, I felt that being a cast of color may not appeal to every school or every administrator, and being a hip-hop play with European fairy tales may have turned some people off without us even having a chance to express ourselves artistically. I hope for this generation coming up, that we are able to do something good and positive for them. It was worth taking that risk of maybe not being accepted by everyone in order to really connect with those that could see themselves in us. Representation and authenticity—using stories to help humans empathize—is so important.

LIBRARY: Do you feel like the challenges you faced in your youth have more similarities or differences than those faced by the current generation?

SHABAZZ: I think there’s a lot we dealt with that kids still deal with, but then also there’s a pandemic. And I think it’s so different because technology has put everything in your face. No one saw me getting smacked by my teacher or getting jacked up in class. Whatever we went through, no one saw that, but today it’s in your hand in an instant. And as we grow and understand that, now with technology, each of us can see, “Wow, I’m going through this; you’re going through this; we’re all going through this; and we’re all different colors.” I think that’s why I went through the things I did, that’s why Ron went through the things that he went through, because we are here to be the change in the world that we want to see.

LIBRARY: Last question: if there is one piece of advice you’d give to Black youth in your community today, what would it be?

MCGILL: Study who you are. Know who you are. Know your history — your true history going beyond this country. Africa is the birthplace of humans. Period. Be aware of the rich history of life and civilization and culture and every aspect from the ground to the sky, I would advise Black youth to search and understand the roots of their essence and of who they are and to be proud of every bit of it.

SHABAZZ: Love yourself. You are not your environment. You are not your situation, and as you learn your history, build yourself up. Embrace that history and continue to love because sometimes through that history you can brainwash yourself into hatred, so empower yourself and continue to love with no fear. To keep fighting, to keep doing, to keep moving, you show yourself your power.

MCGILL: That’s our obligation as Black men in America and Black men within the world. We owe it to our ancestors, and we owe it to our future generations to continue moving that needle of positive change, to continue having that positive representation, that authenticity, that beauty, and that love within our craft. And we’re doing that in Grimmz in the way we’re using hip-hop and theatre, blending that together and using these wonderful tales to show that we deserve the same love. We deserve and are obligated to give the same love as everyone on the planet.

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This blog post was written by Becca Worthington, children’s librarian at ImaginOn. The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s production of Grimmz Fairy Tales is available for streaming from now through March 31, 2021. Tickets are available at https://ctcharlotte.org/.

Photo credits to John Merrick

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit North Carolina in March 2020 and k-12 school was disrupted, North Carolina’s state government began a rapid response effort. As part of that response, remote learning has become a critical public health measure in maintaining social distance and continuing to educate our young people. Hometown Strong, the Department of Information Technology, the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Governor’s Education Advisor and the NC Business Committee for Education lead a partnership of state agencies and private organizations to rapidly connect students with remote learning under the banner of NC Student Connect.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is pleased to share that the State Library of North Carolina has installed parking lot Wi-Fi at six of our locations as part of the first phase of the NC Student Connect project. These Mecklenburg County “Park and Learn” sites are a few of more than 400 throughout the state.

This Wi-Fi is available 24/7 and is filtered for student safety.

The State Library selected these Library locations to participate in this Park and Learn Project:

• Allegra Westbrooks Regional
• North County Regional
• South Blvd
• Sugar Creek
• West Blvd
• Independence Regional

To use:  Go to Wi-Fi settings on your devices, this Wi-Fi network has the name NCGuestWifi. After you are connected, there is a screen for NC Student Connect Free Wi-Fi where you click to accept the terms of service. You are then connected and ready to use the Internet.

To learn more, visit the Hometown Strong website here.

Culture and language have a powerful impact on a child’s education. Some kids come to school only needing to learn what the teacher is teaching that particular day. Other kids come to school needing to learn the basics of how school works in a new culture – what's expected, what’s accepted, and what isn’t. And try learning that when everyone around you is speaking a language you don’t understand and your parents are still learning, too. These challenges create a huge hurdle for even the brightest and most persistent students.

Dr. Paola Pilonieta is uniquely qualified to address this situation from both a personal and professional perspective. Personally speaking, she moved to the US from Colombia at age six and now has a child in a CMS language immersion school. Professionally speaking, Dr. Pilonieta is a professor and coordinator of the undergraduate reading education program at UNC-Charlotte. Her areas of expertise include effective strategies for diverse learners as well as emergent and early literacy.    

Dr. Pilonieta will cover the following topics:

• Learning the benefits of being bilingual
• Supporting your home language at home
• Preparing your child (and yourself) for the transition to school
• Working with the school to support your child

The 30-minute presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer period for the audience.

This program is available in Spanish at 12 p.m. and in English at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.  Click to register for the Spanish program or the English program.

Hora de almuerzo y aprendizaje para padres: Cómo la cultura afecta la educación del niño. 

La cultura y el idioma impactan poderosamente el proceso de aprendizaje de un niño. Algunos niños vienen a la escuela solo con la necesidad de aprender lo que el maestro enseña ese mismo día. Otros niños llegan a la escuela con la necesidad de aprender las nuevas dinámicas culturales de esta nueva institución: ¿Cuáles son las expectativas, qué es aceptable y que no, en un mundo e idioma nuevo para él y para sus padres.  

Estos desafíos son de gran obstáculo, incluso para los estudiantes más brillantes y persistentes. 

 La Dra. Paola Pilonieta está capacitada para abordar este tema desde una perspectiva personal y profesional. Ella, proveniente de Colombia, llegó a los Estados Unidos a los seis años. Actualmente tiene un hijo en una escuela de inmersión lingüística de CMS. Profesionalmente, la Dra. Pilonieta es profesora y coordinadora del programa de educación en lectura de pregrado en UNC-Charlotte. Sus áreas de especialización incluyen estrategias efectivas para estudiantes diversos, así como la alfabetización temprana y emergente. 

El Dr. Pilonieta expondrá lo siguientes temas: 

• Los beneficios de ser bilingüe 

• La importancia de apoyar el idioma materno en casa 

• Cómo preparar a su hijo (y a usted mismo) para la transición escolar 

• Cómo trabajar con la escuela para apoyar a su hijo 

La presentación de 30 minutos será seguida por una sección de preguntas y respuestas para la audiencia. 

Este programa está disponible en español a las 12:00 del mediodía y en inglés a la 1:00 p.m. el martes 2 de marzo. Haga clic aquí para inscribirse en el programa de español o haga click aquí para el programa en inglés.