Book Crossing
Book Crossing: An Intercontinental Book Discussion
How would you celebrate a 10th anniversary? For the Sister Cities Commission, the answer was with an Intercontinental Book Discussion.
The mission of the Sister Cities Commission is to promote understanding and dialogue across cultures. 2010 marked the 10th anniversary of Mount Prospect’s Sister City relationship with Sèvres, France, and it seemed fitting to honor the occasion with a program that encouraged the open exchange of ideas.
The librarians of Sèvres and Mount Prospect worked cooperatively to create "Book Crossing," a summer-long reading program. The books selected for discussion provided a platform for dialogue among different age groups, from kids, to teens, to adults. Everyone was invited to share this reading experience. There were many ways to participate—and no need to speak French. Participants chose the avenue that best fits their desired level of involvement.
Enjoy this video summary of the Book Crossing project.
Book Crossing Selections
Adult Titles
Click Here to watch the Mount Prospect discussion of the Adult titles held on October 10:
- Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Teen Titles – Grades 7-12
Click Here to watch the Mount Prospect discussion of the Teen titles held on September 20:
- Winter’s End by Jean-Claude Mourlevat
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Youth Titles – Grades 4-6
Click Here to watch the Mount Prospect discussion of the Youth titles held on October 11:
- Poor Little Witch Girl by Marie Desplechin
- The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Preschool Titles
- Zee Is Not Scared by Michel Gay
- The Napping House by Audrey Wood
Here’s how the program worked:
There were two books per group, one written by a French author (translated into English) and one written by an American author (also available in French).
- Each book pairing shared a theme.
- Participants were asked to read each book in the pairing—books could be borrowed from the Library or purchased at Borders Mount Prospect.
- Participants shared their thoughts—posting comments on the Intercontinental Book Blog, Book Crossing, http://sevres-associatif.fr/sevresmppl, or by participating in one of the fall book discussions.
How did we cross the language barrier?
With technology. On the blog, the Sèvres residents posted in French and Mount Prospect residents posted in English. The Google traduction (French for translation) button allowed participants to read a rough translation of the postings.
The Book Crossing celebration culminated with a get-together for all participants—both bloggers and discussion group members—on Sunday, November 7, 2010.
