Book Events for July 8

La. students win national honors in Letters About Literature competition

Two Louisiana students earned national recognition in the 2012 Letters About Literature writing competition. Ella Franzen of Lafayette was selected as one of the four national honors recipients for Level 1 and Imogen Hoffman of Gretna was chosen as one of 16 finalists for Level 2.

Students are asked to write a personal letter to an author or poet, living or dead, explaining how that writer’s work changed the student’s way of thinking about themselves or the world and how the chosen books impacted their life or world view. Two national winners and four honors recipients are chosen for each of three grade-level categories: Level 1 (grades 4-6), Level 2 (grades 7-8) and Level 3 (grades 9-12).

The competition, which received approximately 70,000 entries, is conducted by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in partnership with Target. It is presented in cooperation with affiliated state centers, including the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana.

Louisiana’s first place winner for Level 1, Franzen, wrote her winning letter to Fred Gipson, author of Old Yeller. Franzen’s designated school library, Episcopal School of Acadiana Lower School Library, receives a $1,000 Target grant. Franzen receives a $50 Target GiftCard in addition to other prizes already earned at the state level. Franzen’s winning letter may be viewed at http://www.lettersaboutliterature.org.

Louisiana’s Level 2 finalist, Hoffman, is a student at Ursuline Academy in New Orleans, and was chosen as one of 16 for her grade level. Hoffman wrote to author Avi about the novel, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.

The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana presents the Letters About Literature competition each year for Louisiana students. For more information, visit http://www.state.lib.la.us.

EBR Parish Library

The Red, Write, and Blue letter-writing campaign’s aim is to inspire the community to write letters to members of the United States Armed Forces who are stationed abroad and look forward to mail from home. For letterwriting guidelines, visit http://www.amillionthanks.org/sendletter-guidelines-get-started. You can drop off your letters at the Library.

For more information, call [phone].

Javier Nevarez of the LSU Raptor Rehabilitation Center will present Birds of Prey to children ages 4 and up at the Delmont Gardens branch, 3351 Lorraine St., at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 12, and then again at the Scotlandville branch, 7373 Scenic Highway, at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 16. Children will observe a presentation and learn more about large and powerful hawks and owls. Group registration required. For more information or to register, call [phone] or [phone].

John O’Neill from the Centenary State Historic Site will present and discuss children’s games from the past at the Central Branch, 11260 Joor Road, at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 12. Then he will appear at the Pride-Chaneyville branch, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road, to discuss Toys and Games from the Past and Civil War Medicine at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 12. For more information or to register, call [phone] or [phone].

Book clubs:

•  Monday Morning Book Club will meet at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 9, at the Baker Branch, 3501 Groom Road. Members will discuss books by Sandra Brown.
•  Mystery Lovers Book Club will meet at noon Tuesday, July 10, at the Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Members will discuss mysteries set in London.
•  Scotlandville Children’s Reading Club will meet at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 12, at Scotlandville branch, 7373 Scenic Highway. For more information or to register, call [phone].

Livingston Parish Library

Get ready for some magical moments with David David LeBoeuf who puts on a magic show at five branches July 9-10. This program is for ages 5-11. LeBoeuf will be at the South branch, 23477 La. 444 in Livingston, at 2 p.m. Monday, July 9; Denham Springs-Walker branch, 8101 U.S. 190 in Denham Springs, at 6 p.m. Monday, July 9; Main branch, 20390 Iowa St. in Livingston, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 10; the Albany-Springfield branch, 26941 La. 43, Hammond, at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 10; and the Watson branch, 36581 Outback Road in Denham Springs, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 10.

Michael Verrett, a local artist and children’s book author, will teach children the simple steps to drawing a character at the Denham Springs-Walker branch, 8101 U.S. 190 in Denham Springs, at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 10; the South branch, 23477 La. 444 in Livingston, at 10 a.m. Thursday July 12; and the Main branch, 20390 Iowa St. in Livingston at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 12. Learn how lines turn into shapes, shapes into characters, and characters into stories. For ages 8-11. Registration is required for this program. Call the branch hosting your preferred class to register or for more information.

The Livingston branch, 20390 Iowa St. in Livingston, offers free beginner sign language classes for all ages. The classes will be taught by instructor and interpreter Stephanie Methvin and will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesdays, July 11, 18 and 25 and on Aug. 1. Registration is required for this program. Call the library at [phone] to register or for details.

Magic Club of Watson will meet 2-4 p.m. Saturday, July 14, at Watson branch, 36581 Outback Road in Denham Springs. The club meets to practice magic, learn new stuff and add new members.

Book club:

•  Livingston Book Club will meet at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 12, at the Main branch, 20390 Iowa St. in Livingston. Members will discuss Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan.

Ascension Parish Library

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Pat Mire will appear and speak at a screening of Against the Tide: The Story of the Cajun People of Louisiana at Gonzales branch, 708 S. Irma Blvd. in Gonzales, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 10. Mire, awarded the 2011 Acadian Culture Preservation Award in recognition of his “authentic and artistic portrayal of the Cajun people to the world through film,” will present this epic story of one of the most celebrated and misunderstood ethnic communities in North America. This documentary film tells the story of the Acadian people from their origins in France, their immigration to Nova Scotia, their expulsion by the British and their eventual relocation in south Louisiana. The film also looks at the battles to keep the Cajun culture alive and efforts to preserve the French language in Louisiana. Mire has made it his mission to capture stories of the Cajun culture even as this culture slowly disappears. Mire will lead a discussion with a question and answer session following the film. For more information or to register, contact the library at [phone].

Book clubs:

•  Tween Book Club will meet 4-5 p.m. Monday, July 9, at the Gonzales branch, 708 S. Irma Blvd. in Gonzales. Call [phone] to register.
•  Tween Book Club will meet 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, at the Galvez branch, 40300 La. 42 in Prairieville. Call 622-3339 to register.

Iberville Parish Library

Book club:

Oak Tree Readers will meet at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 14, at the Plaquemine branch, 24605 J. Gerald Berret Blvd. in Plaquemine. Members will discuss A Widow for One Year by John Irving.

Lafayette Public Library

Magician Mitch Richard will put on a show full of fun interactive comedy and magic at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 12, at Milton branch, Cedar Village Shopping Center, 108 W. Milton Ave. in Milton, and 2:30 p.m. Thursday, July 12, at Jefferson Street branch, 538 Jefferson St. Richard is a juggler, magician, balloon artist, comedian, and bubble artist. For ages 3-13.

A Park Ranger from the Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve will present a program about National Parks, Louisiana Identity, and the Pirate Jean Lafitte 7-8 p.m. Thursday, July 12, at South Regional Library 6101 Johnston St. in Lafayette. The series immerses attendees in the history of Cajun culture, from the original Acadian population, to the many local influences that contributed to the evolution of culture in south Louisiana. This program follows the Becoming Louisiana exhibit reception.

Mike Anderson will bring his legendary children’s show to several branches July 14 and July 20. His performance style entrances the audience. Anderson tells stories and plays five different musical instruments. Ages 3 and up. Anderson will be at the North Regional branch, 5101 N. University Ave. in Carencro, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 14; South Regional branch, 6101 Johnston St. in Lafayette, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 14; Youngsville branch, Twin Oaks Plaza, 506 Lafayette St., Suite C in Youngsville, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 20; and Duson Community Center, next to Duson branch, 310 Avenue au Nord in Duson, at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 20.

Book club:

SciFi/Fantasy Book Club will meet 6:30-7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, at South Regional branch, 6101 Johnston St. in Lafayette. Members will discuss Integral Trees by Larry Niven.

SOLA contest

SOLA, the Southern Louisiana Chapter of Romance Writers of America, invites writers to kick it up a notch and enter the 7th Annual Dixie Kane Memorial Contest. Started in 2004 to honor the late SOLA member, Linda Kay West who wrote under the name Dixie Kane, this national competition nurtures good writing and encourages authors. Each participant of the Annual Dixie Kane Memorial Contest will receive a detailed critique from four experienced judges. The Annual Dixie Kane Memorial Contest is not limited to romance writers, but reaches out to novelists whose work belongs to the historical romance, or paranormal, inspirational and literary genres. Submit the first five (5) pages along with a one page synopsis of your plot.

SOLA seeks to encourage and nurture writers to persist in their craft. SOLA supports artists from the onset of an idea through the outline and plotting stage to submitting a polished manuscript to an agent or publisher. The Annual Dixie Kane Memorial Contest offers not only exposure for the winners in the various categories, but provides feedback for every entrant from fellow writers and editors.

Deadline for entering is July 15, and the entry fee is $15 per manuscript. For more information on the range of categories and entry rules, and a downloadable version of the entry form, go to http://www.solawriters.org .

Signings

Joseph Scott Morgan, author of Blood Beneath My Feet: The Journey of a Southern Death Investigator, will sign copies of his book 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, at Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St. in New Orleans.

Johnette Downing, author of Why the Possum has a Large Grin, will sign copies of her book noon- 1 p.m. Friday, July 13, at Tisket A Tasket Book Shop, 910 Decatur St. in New Orleans.

Daisy Schudmak, author of A Woman’s Guide to Living Victoriously: Radical Encounters with God, will sign copies of her book at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 14, at The Bible & Book Center, 4242 Government St.

Mary Manhein, author of Floating Souls, will sign copies of her book at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 14, at Barnes & Noble Perkins Rowe, 7707 Bluebonnet Blvd #100.

Items for Book Events were provided by Center for the Book at the State Library of Louisiana, East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Livingston Parish Library, Ascension Parish Library, Iberville Parish Library, Lafayette Public Library and SOLA.