It’s One Book, One Town Time in Fairfield
The Fairfield Public Library’s One Book, One Town committee, lovingly chaired by Mary Coe and Claudia Silk, chose The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. “This is a book about connection, acceptance, and positivity. We wanted to spread hope at a time when so many people are feeling frustrated and anxious,” explains Silk. “This year, our decision was almost unanimous, which is unusual for the OBOT selection and really speaks to the universal appeal of the book.”
Klune’s range of characters in The House in the Cerulean Sea is vast and unconventional -- an orphanage caseworker, a bureaucrat, a young gnome, a boy who transforms into a Pomeranian when frightened, plus a supporting cast of magical children and quirky adults. The New York Journal of Books claims it “...could be the lovechild of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and a Nora Roberts’ second chances, found-family romance.” The Kirkus Review calls it “a breezy and fun contemporary fantasy.” Toss in some typewriters and 1950s music and you’ve got the ingredients for a unique and compelling story.
When asked about the genre, Silk notes, “Although it is often referred to as a fantasy, we consider The House in the Cerulean Sea to be more of a fable. It’s much more about the bonds between the characters than an alternate reality.”
Also of note for 2022 -- the book selection is highly recommended as an audiobook. While many prefer the tactile experience of reading a book or the convenience of an e-reader, other literary fans find that audiobooks add dimension to the story. In the case of The House in the Cerulean Sea, popular narrator Daniel Henning, provides a colorful assortment of voices for Klune’s characters. Henning even recorded a special message just for Fairfield’s OBOT program, which can be found at https://fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/OBOT/ (Bonus: The audiobook is always available for free with a Fairfield Public Library card on the Hoopla app -- no waiting list!)
Award-winning author, TJ Klun
Award-winning author, TJ Klun, is known for his variety of works that spans many genres. His themes include LGBTQ, Dystopia, Mystery, and Young Adult topics. The connective thread is Klune’s ability to create intricate, insightful plots that express emotion and deep character development.
For the signature event of One Book, One Town, Klune will make a live appearance on March 1 at 7:00pm at the Sacred Heart Community Theater, just across the street from the library! Registration for this event will begin on Tuesday, February 1st at 9:00 am. To sign up, use this link. https://fplct.librarymarket.com/events/one-book-one-town-author-event-tj-klune
Don’t miss these outstanding OBOT events throughout February and March!
LECTURES
● Talking About Books with Dr. Mark Schenker, Senior Associate Dean of Yale College and Dean of Academic Affairs
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:00 pm- 8:00 pm (Virtual)
Registration is required. Register here.
● Dragons, Gnomes & Wee Folk: Mythical Creatures in Literature by Librarian and Historian, Michael Bielawa.
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022 7:00 pm (Virtual)
The link to join via Zoom will be included in the registration confirmation and event reminder emails. Click here to register.
CONTESTS
● OBOT 2022 Sketch Challenge
Celebrate the many colorful characters in The House in the Cerulean Sea by sharing your vision of them. Submit your sketch via email to submissions@fplct.org by the end of the day each Friday starting with February 4th. All submissions will be entered into our weekly raffle to be pulled on Monday of the following week, starting with February 7th.
● 2022 One Book One Town Writing & Mixed Media Contest
Submissions Due: Sunday, March 6, 5:00 PM
Virtual Reception and Reading: Tuesday, March 15, 6:30 PM
VIRTUAL BOOK CLUBS
● A Different Kind of Book Club Monday, February 7, 2022, 7:00pm Click here to register.
● Book and Author Visit Reflections Thursday, March 3, 2022, 6:30 pm Click here to register.
IN-PERSON BOOK CLUBS
● Senior Literary Society Bigelow Center Wednesday February 16, 2022, 11:00am Click here to register.
● Main Book Club @ FPL Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 1:30 pm Click here to register.
Copies of the book, both print and digital are available through Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield Woods Branch Library and Pequot Library.
To learn more about the One Book, One Town partnerships that make this beloved program possible, please visit these sites:
Friends of the Fairfield Public Library
