"We carry within us the wonders we seek around us."—Sir Thomas Browne Get to know October's Author of the Month, R.J. Palacio, as she talks about the inspiration behind her first book, Wonder, and her writing process. Use the questions below to guide your reading of the book, and read a guest blog Palacio wrote for…
Happy Birthday, Julie Andrews!
It's hard to believe, but the ever-youthful and charming Dame Julie Andrews is celebrating her 80th birthday on October 1. Her incredible career has spanned many decades, and as the saying goes, she's not just getting older, she's getting better! I will never forget seeing her as the feisty nanny in Mary Poppins. The story of a…
Using Humor to Cope with Tragedy
When fire spread at Second City Theater, Chicago's premier comedy training school, in late August, the theater sent out a characteristic tweet: "Yes, we know there's a fire. And we're working on it." The following books show how comedy works in all kinds of situations, including tragic ones. In Yes, and, Second City training executives Kelly Leonard…
5 Books We Dare You to Read
It takes a special book to be chosen as a One Book, One Chicago selection, and through the years, we’ve read some extraordinary stories together as a city. It might surprise you to know that not everyone thinks all of our past One Book, One Chicago titles are as special as we do. In fact, several…
Walking the Tightrope with Daredevils
There are people who live their lives on the edge! They spend their time walking on a sliver of wire stretched between buildings many miles above the ground, or go tumbling over the edge of a waterfall in a barrel or put their life at risk by eating broccoli. We know these people as daredevils…
We All Scream for Scream Queens
You may have heard that pledging a sorority can be murder, but on Fox's new series Scream Queens, it's actually true for some unfortunate Greek hopefuls. If you enjoyed the show's debut on September 22, now's the perfect time to study some classic horror films with to-die-for leading ladies. It's only appropriate to start with Jamie Lee…
Newspapers, Old and New, Available at CPL
The first newspaper printed in the British colonies in America appeared on September 25, 1690. Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick, which was supposed to come out monthly, was shut down by the government four days later, so only one issue was published. The Boston News-Letter had better luck when it started publication in 1704. It…
#TBT: James Dean’s Final Ride
James Dean rocketed to fame in the early 1950s with three iconic roles playing angry and disillusioned young men. He was a Midwestern boy with dreamy Hollywood looks and the rebellious nature of the Beat Generation. Dean's career came to a sudden end when he crashed his Porsche Spyder on a California highway on September 30, 1955. For this Throwback Thursday…
Darkness and Light: The Marriage of Opposites
I always relish a new Alice Hoffman book, and I am not disappointed with The Marriage of Opposites; far from it. This is a story of people who defy convention to be their true selves. Rachel always wants her own way, and her father usually lets her have it, until he arranges for her to marry an older man to…
Now It’s Fall: Knowledge Ninja Challenge
The Knowledge Ninja is looking for kindergartners through second-graders to complete this challenge and become Knowledge Ninjas. Use your ninja skills to investigate, then answer the questions below by September 29 to be entered in a raffle to win a prize to help you continue your ninja training. Watch for more challenges coming soon! The days are…
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