Suburban Mosaic author meets readers in Mt. Prospect

Mundelein author Leslie Stella greeted readers at the Mount Prospect Public Library on Monday night and discussed her novel "Permanent Record," a selection for this year's Suburban Mosaic Book of the Year program.

The Suburban Mosaic reading program, now in its 11th year, invites suburbanites to read and discuss select books that deal with issues of tolerance and social justice. More than 20 libraries and school districts in Cook and Lake counties take part.

Chosen for the program as a selection for high school readers, "Permanent Record" tells the story of Badi Hessamizadeh, a 16-year-old Iranian-American boy who battles personal demons and bullies as he tries to make his way through high school. The novel was released in March to praise for its tense narrative and Badi's vivid voice.

The novel is Stella's fourth, but it is the first one geared toward the young-adult readers.