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Who doesn’t love a get-together that focuses on graphic novels and delicious cookies?
In September of 2020, Laura Tucker, the Homewood Public Library Children’s Librarian, received an email from Kelly Campos, who is also the Homewood Public Library Children’s Librarian — in Homewood, Illinois.
That’s right, the Homewood, Alabama Library has a sister library. A few Alabama library patrons had registered for Campos’ virtual Cookies & Comics program on Zoom. A cool bonus of the Cookies & Comics event is that attendees get to pick up cookies. But how could the Homewood, Alabama, attendees get cookies for an event in Homewood, Illinois? Campos ordered cookies from Cookie Fix for the Alabama kids to pick up for that month’s meeting. She also decided that this was too good of an opportunity to pass up, and invited Homewood, Alabama, to join in on the fun for future meetings. With programming at both libraries moving virtually, it was the perfect time to combine forces.
Cookies & Comics is a popular program for third through sixth graders at Homewood, Illinois, and it's a perfect fit for the comic-loving patrons of Homewood, Alabama, as well. The virtual event provides a space for kids and tweens to share their favorite graphic novels and recommend them to others. Past meetings have had general themes such as spooky, all about families, and wintery titles.
This spring, each meeting will focus on a specific book, and cookies will still be a vital part of the program. Kids who register for the program at Homewood, Illinois, pick up their cookies curbside, while Homewood, Alabama, patrons will pick theirs up at Cookie Fix on 18th Street the day of the program.
For the Feb. 18 meeting, authors and illustrators Alejandra Green and Fanny Rodriguez will join the virtual meeting fun. Their new graphic novel, Fantastic Tales of Nothing, is available for checkout at Homewood Public Library in Alabama. Fantastic Tales of Nothing is set in a fantastic land where humans and magical volken coexist peacefully—at least they try to. If your third through sixth grader likes magical and adventure graphic novels, both Homewood libraries compiled a list of similar reads.
Think your child might be interested in attending Cookies & Comics? Alabamians can register at homewoodpubliclibrary.org/event/4736936.
"For years the two libraries have received each other’s patron’s confused phone calls and emails about programs that were happening in the other state," the Alabamian library said in a statement. "This time there is finally a program happening for both locations at once. Both libraries and librarians, are excited about this innovative partnership and hope to bring their communities together for many more virtual events."
For more information contact Laura Tucker at laura.tucker@homewoodpubliclibrary.org or 205-332-6616.
Submitted by Judith Wright.
