Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh today welcomed children’s book author Anne Sibley O’Brien, the author of “I’m New Here,” as a guest of the 2021 Citywide Book Club. In the pre-recorded segment, Mayor Walsh introduces the author ahead of the reading with community reader Brent Sears of 41 Prospects. The segment will stream on the Syracuse Citywide Book Club Facebook page at 7 p.m.
“Having Anne Sibley O’Brien participate in the virtual session is such a treat for our community and families,” said Mayor Walsh. “I love Anne’s personal story and think it resonates with many children in Syracuse who have moved here from another country.”
Anne Sibley O’Brien is a children’s book creator who has illustrated and written more than 30 books. Her parents were medical missionaries who moved to South Korea when she was a child, so a lot of her passion for multicultural work comes from her personal experience. Sibley O’Brien appears virtually from Maine where she lives with her husband. Brent Sears is a partner at 41 prospects and an avid advocate of the Onondaga County Public Library system.
The Syracuse Citywide Book Club began in April and is focused on the theme of quality of life. The selected books in the series examine quality of life through the lens of diverse residents. The Onondaga County library system has made copies available of all the books in this season’s collection. Families can also ask their local libraries about activities and supplemental readings related to books in the Citywide Book Club series. The public is encouraged to follow along at http://Facebook.com/syrbookclub.
Other books in the series include:
Children/Young Adult Selections
• “I’m New Here” by Anne Sibley O’Brien
• “My Diary from Here to There” by Amada Irma Pérez
• “American Street” by Ibi Zoboi
Adult/Civic Selections
• “Behold the Dreamers” by Imbolo Mbue
• “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• “Soft City: Building Density for Everyday Life” by Jan Gehl and David Sim
• “New Chocolate City: Hip-Hop Architecture in Washington, DC” by Sekou Cook
I am so honored one of my books, My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aquí hasta allá was chosen for the Syracuse City wide book club. Thank you. Amada Irma Pérez.