Two Towns – One Book: Clifton Park & Halfmoon Read!

  • The celebration of our 2012 community read ……. ‘The Book Thief’ ……. has come to a conclusion. Our thanks to everyone who worked so hard to create and encourage participation in our scheduled events and discussions. What fun we had!

  • You may continue the discussion by leaving your comments on the TTOB Blog.

  • Thanks to all who crafted butterflies for The Butterfly Project. We collected over 1600 hand crafted butterfiles to donate to the Holocaust Museum Houston in memory of children who perished in the Holocaust.

  • Visit this site again soon to find out what’s up next…

 About ‘The Book Thief’ by Markus Zusak

Setting: World War II Germany

Writing Style: Narrated by Death

Major Themes: Love, identity, war, courage

Plot: The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

Why we like it: This novel is impossible to put down once you start reading. The  characters stay with you for days, weeks, and months after you read it. It is a story is about words, the power we give them and the magic they carry in their own right. A testimonial for the indestructible human spirit, it’s one of those books with the ability to linger in your mind long after the final page. This is a book with a unique premise that keeps the reader’s attention about a time in history we can never forget. It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking.

Goal

Two Towns – One Book: Clifton Park & Halfmoon Read! was created to bring the people in our Library community together through the shared reading and discussion of a common book.TTOB will focus its yearly activity on a single book, chosen by the community, through an initial nomination process and final election. We intend that our program will be rich enough to inspire stimulating dialogue and extensive programming. The BOOK selection process will be a widely publicized invitation to the greater Clifton Park and Halfmoon public to suggest a suitable book. A Book Selection Committee will then carefully review the nominated texts to present a ballot to the community for a public vote during the month of September 2011. The winning title will be announced in mid November 2011.

Community Events

Once the year’s winning BOOK is announced. a wealth of community activity begins in celebration of the book and its broader themes. Throughout the winter and spring of 2012, activities targeting readers of all ages and levels will be planned and offered by TTOB: Clifton Park & Halfmoon Read! and a variety of community partners. All events will be free of charge.

Events Calendar

All program events, including events inspired by junior companion titles, will be advertised on our TTOB web site, at community partner locations and in local media.

How Can I Get Involved?

  • Get the BOOK! Check out a copy of the selected book or purchase your own copy at your local bookstore. The title will be available at the Clifton Park – Halfmoon Library in hardback, paperback and audio format. This title will also available as a Book Club in a Bag version, for book clubs wishing to check out multiple copies at once!
  • Read! Join your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors in reading the same book – together!
  • Attend our related programs.
  • Check out our web pages weekly and watch for the official schedule of events in January!
  • Sign up to receive e-mail updates about TTOB related programs and events.
  • Attend a Community Discussion at the Library or a local bookstore. A complete list of Community Discussion groups will be available on our web site. Official Discussion Questions for your own book group will also be available there.

Community Partners:Town of Clifton Park, Town of Halfmoon, Clifton Park – Halfmoon Public Library, CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services, Shenendehowa Central Schools, Southern Saratoga YMCA, Haflmoon Senior Center, Shenendehowa Adult Community Center.