Sharing literature with children

Coral Wilson

Imagine groups of people gathered in libraries and coffee shops,

people of all different backgrounds and generations enraptured in

conversation. In cities across the United States, people have been

coming together to share a common story, a book.

“Finding new friends, finding new reasons to talk to people that

you otherwise might have never gotten to know before,” was Mary

Barton’s vision when she heard the concept for the first time on the

National Public Radio about a group that had started in Chicago. And

she thought, “If they can do it in Chicago, we can probably do it

here.”

The first “One City, One Book,” program, going back to Nancy Pearl

in Seattle, has taken off across America. Barton took it to Long

Beach in 2002 where it was an immediate success, involving more than

100 events and 100,000 participants.

Orange County residents showed up at some of the Long Beach events

and someone suggested taking the concept to county level here.

Susan Redfield, project director for Orange County Reads,

hesitated when she first heard the idea.

“We can’t do it in Orange County, it is a huge county,” she said.

“There are 34 cities ... plus Orange County is really complicated.”

But the challenge was exhilarating.

Redfield and Barton teamed up to create the Orange County Reads

One Book project. Spreading the word in what they call a very

grass-roots effort, they were literally knocking on doors.

“It was amazing how many people were interested in participating

and it was philanthropists, educators, journalists and museum people,

it was amazing to me,” Redfield said.

But when the Orange County Department of Education came on board,

and Supt. of Schools William Habermehl became co-chair along with

Steven Barth, vice-president at the Los Angeles Times, Redfield knew

it was going to be big.

“I get approached with a lot of things, and I have a life that is

overbooked and overscheduled now, but this was something that as I

listened to for just a few minutes, I could quickly see that it was a

program that had real possibilities,” Habermehl said. “Kids that can

read become good citizens and do well in life and I just said I can’t

afford not to do it, so it was an easy decision to add it to the

list.”

In preparation for events, to take place March 23 through April

12, people have been talking, schools have been collaborating and

people throughout Orange County have been reading “Chinese

Cinderella” and its counterpart, “Falling Leaves,” by Adeline Yen Mah

of Huntington Beach.

In her autobiography, “Falling Leaves,” Mah wrote about her

struggle to overcome her destiny as an unwanted daughter in China.

Surprisingly, her biggest fans were children who related to the

feelings of parental rejection Mah had described.

“When many children feel desperate they confide in another. If

there is no one to turn to, they turn to me,” Mah said, attempting to

explain the huge response she had received.

Mah wrote a second book, “Chinese Cinderella,” encouraging

children to believe in themselves and detailing the harsh realities

of the first 14 years of her life.

The two books allow for discussion among children, adults and

people from all cultures. Mah and her books seemed like the perfect

choice, especially when the Surf City author agreed to appear at many

of the events.

All the Borders Books and Music in Orange County will be hosting

discussions on March 27 as will all the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on

April 7. Barnes and Nobles Booksellers has various dates and times

planned. Professors will speak at UC Irvine’s “meet the author” night

on March 31 and the Orange County Department of Education sponsored a

workshop to incorporate the concept into schools. Libraries, museums,

schools and universities have been developing creative ideas.

“What is making it work is when you let someone design their own

program, they get a sense of empowerment, they get a sense of

participation and belonging, and I think we are at a time in our

history when belonging is really important,” Redfield said.

Literacy is a serious problem in Orange County, Redfield said.

Obvious goals for the program include increasing reading and

community building.

But what makes the Orange County project unique are the objectives

of intergenerational and multicultural understanding, something that

is needed more than ever since Sept. 11, 2001, Redfield said.

With the logo, “Orange County Reads. One book. Many Stories.” The

idea is that people from all different backgrounds will have

something different to bring to the table, she said.

“You know the Academic Decathlon Program was started about 35

years ago here in Orange County and it grew from a county program to

a state, a national and then an international program in 35 years,”

Habermehl said.

“I see this same Reads One Book concept as being something almost

as powerful as that, that could expand and grow into other regions

and areas because it is good for communities, people love to back it

up.”

* CORAL WILSON is a news assistant who covers education. She can

be reached at (714) 965-7177 or by e-mail at

[email protected].