Downers Grove’s One Book, One Town event focuses on compassion, hope

Library, EQuality Downers Grove collaborate on communitywide reading event

If you live in the Downers Grove community and are looking for a book to read, there is a suggestion for you.

For the second year in a row, EQuality Downers Grove is partnering with the Downers Grove Public Library for the “One Book, One Town 2024” communitywide reading event and conversation.

This year’s pick is “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T.J. Klune, described as a “heartwarming and enchanting fantasy novel that is not only fun to read but also inspires compassion and hope.”

Community members are encouraged to pick up a copy from the library, Anderson’s Bookshop or another favorite retail bookstore and join in on the annual reading project. The initiative will include a week of discussion groups and celebratory events set for March 11-14.

Debbie Anderson-Phillips and Jodi Nordmann Harap, both EQDG board members, are co-chairing the initiative. They said the project came as a response to the backlash the Downers Grove library experienced in fall 2022 over plans for a drag bingo event for teens that ultimately was canceled.

“The library experienced a lot of hate and actual violence directed toward it after the program was announced,” Anderson-Phillips said. “This was so upsetting to us that we thought, ‘How can we respond in a way that is constructive and is going to expand people’s thoughts about this rather than divide?’ So this is what we came up with. We thought, ‘Let’s have the community come together and read and talk about it.’ ”

The inaugural year’s book selection was the youth fiction book “Answers in the Pages” by David Levithan, described as “a bold, fun and timely story about taking action, being brave and standing up for what’s right.”

“It brought about wonderful discussions,” Anderson-Phillips said.

The duo hopes for the same this year.

“We know we’re not necessarily going to change the minds of the stalwarts … the people who are locked into their prejudice and bias and hatred,” Nordmann Harap said. “What we hope is by exposing people to thoughts and ideas and populations they may not have been exposed to, it will get them to think about how prejudices come into play every day in life that they’re not always aware of. We hope to get people to think, ‘What might someone who’s not like me be experiencing?’ ”

Anderson-Phillips said polls show the majority of Americans are accepting of the LGBTQ+ community.

“But then where does that go?” she said. “We go on with our lives and don’t think about how that community might be affected by prejudice or hate. We have to ask ourselves, ‘Have I had anything to do with promoting this hatred or acting in a prejudicial way?’ This book examines that in such a lovely, delightful way.”

“We collaborated with the Downers Grove library in this selection,” Nordmann Harap said. “We wanted to do something that dealt with the theme of compassion and hope in a way that could bring the community together and this book fit beautifully with our goals. And again, it’s a safe way to bring the community together over storytelling and conversation to talk about things that might be uncomfortable.”

The pair is praising Downers Grove’s business community for its support with the initiative.

Events that will coincide with One Book, One Town 2024 include book discussions. One is set for noon Monday, March 11, at Wasabi Restaurant & Bar, 5130 Main St. Another will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, at Emmett’s Brewing Company, 5200 Main St.

The Downers Grove Public Library, 1050 Curtiss St., will host a book discussion group at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 13. Registration is required for the library’s event.

This year’s initiative also includes a literary party set for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at Cadence Kitchen & Co., 5101 Mochel Drive.

The evening will include book-themed music and games provided by Baig of Tricks Entertainment and raffles with items donated by Downers Grove businesses. Light appetizers will be provided by Cadence Kitchen and a specialty “Cerulean Sea” cocktail, drinks and menu items will be available to buy.

Registration is required as space is limited to 50 people.

The calendar of events for One Book, One Town 2024 can be found at eqdg.org/one-book-one-town2024/.

“There are a lot of really fun things planned to celebrate coming together as a community,” Nordmann Harap said. “We’re really excited about it.”

And little by little we’re moving the needle a little bit,” Anderson-Phillips said.

The goal of the “One Book” projects, which are held across the country, is to build community spirit through a shared reading experience.

“This project is so important because it’s just asking people to challenge maybe their preconceived biases … the things they may not have questioned or paid attention to before,” Nordmann Harap said. “And show that everyone deserves to feel safe and protected and loved.”

For more information about the communitywide reading initiative, email onebookonetown@eqdg.org.