MetroWest Readers Fest to spotlight books by Framingham State University professor Jennifer De Leon
MetroWest Daily News
A Book Event with MetroWest Readers Fest founder Amy Wilson Sheldon and author Jennifer De Leon
July 20, 2021, Zane Razzaq, SUDBURY —
Jennifer De Leon, author and professor at Framingham State University
A community-wide reading program this summer and fall will spotlight the work of Jennifer De Leon, a Framingham State University professor and Framingham High School alum.
MetroWest Readers Fest is a new nonprofit incorporated as a 501(c)(3) last year. Its mission is to celebrate the joy of reading, inspire lovers of literature, and build community by connecting authors with readers.
Founder Amy Wilson Sheldon is a writer, editor, and communications consultant who also runs the website A Lifely Read. She said the literary events will target people who "normally don't see themselves going to book events."
"It will be accessible and fun and lively -- basically something that's designed for everyone to get over that barrier of what they think a literary event is like," said Sheldon.
The first region-wide community read is called ONE, with the signature title being De Leon's "White Space: Essays on Culture, Race, and Writing." Published in March and the recipient of the Juniper Prize for Creative Nonfiction, "White Space" takes readers from Guatemala to Connecticut College to the Bay Area to Framingham.
When everyone is on the same page, literally, so to speak, it can spur conversations and positive community-building," said Sheldon.
There will also be some programming around De Leon's young adult novel "Don't Ask Me Where I'm From." The book, published last summer, follows Liliana, a half-Guatemalan and half-El Salvadorian student at an inner-city Boston high school, who must also balance two worlds when she is accepted into a wealthy and predominantly white high school as part of the school desegregation program Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity.
Kickoff at the Wayside Inn
The fest was kicked off with a pop-up bookshop at the Wayside Inn on July 13, where people could meet up with friends, order a beverage at the inn's Old Bar, and browse a curated selection of books with Hygge House books, a traveling pop-up book store operated by middle school teacher Beth Orsini.
There are two upcoming events with De Leon this fall. The first is on Sept. 28 at Ashland High School, held in partnership with the public library. Sheldon said that event will focus more on the young adult novel and be a bit more geared toward teen readers.
The second is on Sept. 30 at Goodnow Library in Sudbury.
"I'm seeing these as big book clubs in a way," said Sheldon. "She'll share about her work, time for a Q&A, and it will be a chance to come and hear from the author herself."
Book giveaways
Resources including discussion questions, articles, and activities as well as information about a book giveaway and how to acquire De Leon’s books, will soon be available at metrowestreadersfest.org.
Along with Sheldon, the board of MetroWest Readers Fest includes Sally Hild of the Wayside Inn Foundation, Debbie Howell of the Sudbury Community for Racial and Social Justice, and Bethany Shaw, of the Sudbury Art Association and Bethany Schlegel Art and Design.
Zane Razzaq writes about education. Reach her at 508-626-3919 or zrazzaq@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.