"One Book" Concludes

"One Book, One Straford" series, concluded on a high note recently with the appearance of New Haven author Jennifer Baszile whose memoir, The Black Girl Next Door, was the library's selection for a town-wide reading program. Since January, Baszile's intimate story of growing up black in a white community has been the subject of film, discussion and art programs sponsored by the library and publisher Simon and Schuster.

At the program finale, special guest speakers included Stratford Superintendent Irene Cornish, C.A.R.E. representatives Rose Blackwell and Vera Rozarie, Bunnell High School teacher Rich Diedrichsen, library book discussion leader Kathy Faggella and Wooster Middle School student Emma Sullivan. Miss Sullivan was the first prize winner of the Stratford school's recent "Black History Month Essay Contest". Her winning essay, which cited Baszile as a role model, was read by Sullivan at the event.

The author, who is currently at work on a sequel to her memoir, praised the Library and the Stratford community for its insight and willingness to use her work as a stepping off point for greater conversation.