4th Annual Lewiston/Auburn Community Read

Welcome to the 4th Annual Lewiston/Auburn Community Read with the Lewiston and Auburn Public Libraries.

This year’s book pick is Where Are You From? by author Yamile Saied Méndez. The Community Read initiative is in partnership with the Lewiston and Auburn Public Schools and the City of Lewiston. This initiative would not be possible this year without the support and sponsorship from The Friends of the Lewiston Public Library.

A community read event is a shared reading experience where members of the community all read one book. By having access to and reading the same book, it further builds our depth of community in our cities by a shared act. Parents, business owners, students and community members can discuss the book and the thoughts it brings forward while building a culture of literacy.

We are celebrating art since this year’s community read is a picture book. We are inviting all ages to come to the Lewiston Public Library and create your own artwork inspired by Where Are You From? All artwork will then be displayed at the Community Art Exhibition in Callahan Hall on Saturday, May 11th at 11am. Come and see your artwork among many others from both cities along with art displays from each of the Lewiston Public Elementary schools.

To participate, visit Callahan Hall during the open hours listed below to create your own watercolor painting or clay sculpture.

• Monday, May 6th and Tuesday, May 7th
3:00PM – 6:30PM
• Wednesday, May 8th and Thursday, May 9th
9:30AM – 1:30PM

Along with your artwork submission, indicate where you are from on the world map and add your chosen piece of yarn to the loom where we will be creating our very own Lewiston/Auburn woven tapestry.

Join us for the grand Community Art Exhibition Day with author Yamile Saied Méndez.     In addition to the elaborately displayed community and school artwork, participants will enjoy an author talk, food, book giveaways and signing, and activities for kids. This event is for all ages and no registration is required.

Yamile (sha-MEE-lay) Saied Méndez is the author of many books for young readers and adults, including Furia, a Reese’s YA Book Club selection. Her books have received many accolades such as the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard, Whitney Award, Cybils Award, Américas Award, Bank Street Spanish Language Book Awards, among others. She was born and raised in Rosario, Argentina, but has lived most of her life in Utah. An inaugural Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she’s also a graduate of Voices of Our Nations (VONA) and the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Writing for Children’s and Young Adult program. Yamile is also a founding member of Las Musas, the first collective of women and nonbinary Latine authors.

The Lewiston Public Library is located downtown at 200 Lisbon Street at the corner of Pine Street and Lisbon Street. More information on this initiative is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3133 or LPLKids@lewistonmaine.gov.