Springtime is a lovely season to emerge from the doldrums of winter, and few outings are more refreshing than a visit to the library! Whether you visit WCPL to browse for materials or attend a special event, you’re in for an invigorating treat! Following is a highlight of several of the library’s featured presentations taking place this month.
Let’s Read Series Concludes with Award-winning Author Kwame Alexander
This year’s Let’s Read series, hosted by the library at the historic Capitol, has connected hundreds of young readers with beloved authors! Since last fall, individuals and student groups have been able to attend free presentations and participate in meet-and-greets with popular authors, who have invited them behind the scenes to experience the magic of their work. After a fabulous run, the series’ last presentation is scheduled at the end of this month.
The series concludes with a bang Monday, April 28, with the incomparable Kwame Alexander, a poet, educator, Emmy-winning producer and #1 New York Times bestselling author of 44 books. His awards list is impressive and includes, among others, a Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award for Crossover (2015) and a Newbery Honor for Undefeated (2020). He writes for a wide age range of readers, having published picture books, poems, and novels. Passionate about literacy, he has declared his mission as wanting “to change the world, one word at a time.” Reserve a seat online for the 9:30am or 11:30am presentation for you and any young readers you plan to bring at warrenpl.org/events/lets-read-kwame-alexander-2/. The event is free and open to school groups and the general public.
Additional More Not-to-Miss Author Events
Sports fans will thoroughly enjoy meeting author Andrew Maraniss, Sunday, April 13 at 3pm at the Bob Kirby Branch. A New York Times bestselling author, Maraniss writes sports- and history-related nonfiction for adults, teens, and children. His first book, Strong Inside, received numerous accolades, including the Lillian Smith Book Award for civil rights and the RFK Book Awards’ Special Recognition Prize for social justice, becoming the first sports-related book ever to win either award. His young readers adaptation of Strong Inside was named one of the Top Biographies for Youth by the American Library Association and was named a Notable Social Studies Book by the Children’s Book Council. Free tickets are available online at warrenpl.org/events/author-series-andrew-maraniss/.
Later that month, author Wes Blake and local author and professor Tom C. Hunley will discuss Blake’s novella, Pineville Trace, Thursday, April 26, at 6pm at the Bob Kirby Branch. Blake, who holds an MFA from the Bluegrass Writers Studio, has written fiction and essays for a number of publications. His novel, Antenna, was a semifinalist for the UNO Press Lab Prize. Pineville Trace (2024) won the Etchings Press Book Prize at the University of Indianapolis. Pulitzer Prize finalist Lee Martin hails Blake as “a writer to watch.” The discussion will be led by WKU Professor Hunley, the author of eight full-length poetry collections, eight chapbooks, two textbooks, and the short film You’re Not Alone, produced by Forerunner TV. Free tickets are available online at warrenpl.org/events/author-series-wes-blake-tom-c-hunley.
Spring Is Blooming, and Summer Reading Is On Deck!
Sunny skies and warmer weather remind us that summer is not far away. And at the library, we LOVE summer months, because our annual Summer Reading Program is the pinnacle of our programming year. This year’s theme will be “Get Lost in A Good Story,” and activities will begin a little early this year, starting Monday, May 19, and running through early August.
“This year’s program is designed for folks of all walks of life!” said Youth Services Manager Alexis Erskine. “We invite everyone to embrace adventure, camping, and the great outdoors – both in real life and through the pages of a book. With Kentucky’s beautiful summer landscapes as inspiration, we believe stories can take us even further by offering new worlds to explore and exciting journeys to embark on!” The complete summer schedule will be released online April 22, and paper copies will be distributed at the Summer Activities Fair hosted by Community Education.
There is always something going on in the library’s system. To stay current, sign up for our email newsletter (https://tinyurl.com/WCPLNews), follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, & Bluesky), or browse our online calendar (warrenpl.org/calendar). We host library events every month for a wide range of ages and provide access to numerous free services. We look forward to serving you!
-submitted by Ashley Fowlkes, Digital Content Manager
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