Romeo Reads 2024
Read Attend Connect
Romeo Reads is…
An invitation to all Romeo, Washington & Bruce Township residents to read a specially selected book and to attend free programs connected with its content.
We wish to:
- promote literacy
- foster an appreciation of books and reading
- provide a forum to connect and
- enhance civic unity through literature.
This is our fourth year of Romeo Reads. We hope you’ll join in. This year we are reading The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman. Viola Shipman is the pen name for author Wade Rouse.
What is The Recipe Box about?
Growing up in northern Michigan, Samantha “Sam” Mullins felt trapped on her family’s orchard and pie shop, so she left with dreams of making her own mark in the world. But life as an overworked, undervalued sous chef at a reality star’s New York bakery is not what Sam dreamed.
When the chef embarrasses Sam, she quits and returns home and spends a summer working on her family’s orchard cooking and baking alongside the women in her life—including her mother, Deana, and grandmother, Willo.
One flour-flecked, ink-smeared recipe at a time, Sam learns about the women in her life, her family’s history, and her passion for food through their treasured recipe box.
As Sam discovers what matters most she opens her heart to a man she left behind, but who now might be the key to her happiness.
Who is the author?
Wade Rouse is the internationally bestselling author of nine books. He chose his grandmother’s name, Viola Shipman, as a pen name to honor the woman whose heirlooms and family stories inspire his fiction.
Rouse earned his B.A. from Drury University and his master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. He is also an acclaimed writing teacher who has mentored numerous students to become published authors. He divides his time between Saugatuck, Michigan, and Palm Springs, California.
What do others think of the book?
“Filled with cherished memories and treasured recipes, The Recipe Box is a touching tribute to the women and food that unite us and connect our past to the present.” ~ Richard Paul Evans, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Sweet (On Many Levels) Story About Family Legacy. I want to try out the recipes included in the book. They all sound delicious. And the stories each recipe invokes are cleverly woven throughout. Lots of lovely messages included among the stories, too. Overall a really inspiring book about families and their histories. Made me want to know more about my ancestors.” ~ review by nhrbookcrazy3, norfolk, va.
“Soulful, nostalgic, searching, hopeful. These are some of the adjectives that went through my mind as I read The Recipe Box. I laughed out loud at parts and was touched and thoughtful in others. This story is full of heritage and family… it spans many generations. It is not a saga, but is full of snippets from the lives of the matriarchs of Sam’s family.” ~ review by Phyllis_H, originally on AmongTheReads.net
How do I get the book?
To purchase a copy of Shipman’s book for $12, contact the circulation desk at either branch. Please specify if you are purchasing a copy. We accept cash or check. Or, you can place a hold for a copy of the book, or audiobook on CD, through our library lending system. Overdrive and Hoopla offer the title as an e-audiobook.
Enjoy your read!
Read The Recipe Box on your own, or meet with a group. We encourage readers to connect for book discussions.
Join our Facebook Group (Romeo District Library Group) to discover other readers, and for the Romeo Reads Thursday morning competition!
Be the FIRST to answer the trivia question posted in our Group at 11:00 am beginning February 15—and you win! Prizes are minimal but fun and chosen in connection to the book.
Events
We have SEVEN free memorable events for you to enjoy!
Monday, February 5, 6:00 pm, Kezar Branch: History of Romeo Orchards
The majority of The Recipe Box takes place on a northern Michigan orchard—a setting known quite well by residents of Romeo! RDL Archivist Emily Malek will share some history of our local orchards, including historical pictures from the Romeo Community Archives. Books are available for purchase.
Register here.
Thursday, February 13, 6:00 pm, Kezar Branch: Create a Recipe Junk Journal
Naturally, this book includes many recipes! In fact, the actual recipes mentioned are included at the end of chapters! This fun class guides you through the process of making your own recipe book in the hot crafting trend of Junk Journals! Meets every Tuesday for four weeks through March 4 at Kezar. All supplies provided, including custom stickers!
Register here.
Thursday, March 12, 6:00 pm, Kezar Branch: Savor the Bounty of the Orchards
Fran of Pamela’s Catering graces our library once again to share delectable dishes made with prime ingredients from our area’s significant stock. Fruit is NOT just for dessert! Bring your appetite for some tasty samples and take home some new recipes to your family and friends. Registration is required and limited to 30.
Register here.
Thursday, April 4, 6:00 pm, Kezar Branch: Mindful Eating: Food is More Than Taste
Characters in this book discuss moments of awareness and clarity in relation to the food they eat and the company with which they eat. Is this a dying craft? Or do we eat simply for sustenance alone? We welcome Michigan State University Extension for some answers, and to learn the practice of mindful eating and its benefits as well as how to experience it with a guided meditation.
No registration required for this event.
Thursday, April 11, 6:00 pm, Kezar Branch: Book Discussion with Librarian Stacie Guzzo
Read this sweet story of family and food, then join in the discussion before the author visits us in a couple of weeks! If you do not get a chance to read it before the discussion meets, come anyway! We always have a no-pressure and lively good time! Copies of The Recipe Box are available for purchase at both of our branches.
Register here.
Saturday, April 13, 1:00 pm, Graubner Branch: Bakeoff and Cake Walk
Take a walk on the cake side! Bring your baking skills to the library and let’s see those yummy desserts! Resident bakers are invited to participate in this friendly bakeoff, which will be judged by local chefs.
Bake Off Rules and Regulations
Register here.
The BIG Event! Reception and Author Visit with Viola Shipman
Thursday, April 25, 7:00 pm, The Abbey on Main, 102 Church St., Romeo, 48065 | Across from Kezar Library
The event all Romeo Readers have been waiting for!
Let us welcome our celebrated author to Romeo! He will speak about The Recipe Box as well as others he’s penned, and share some family history and memories. There will be time for audience questions. Books are available for purchase.
Register here.
How do I register?
Register online for EACH program that interests you.
- www.rdl.org, Library Information, Calendar.
- Then navigate to each event date to register.
Or, click through the direct links on this page. Please remember to include your email address. Call 586-752-2583 if you need to register by phone or if you have questions.
TELL YOUR FRIENDS!
We want as many participants as possible to enjoy this awesome program!
ROMEO READS 2024 is sponsored by Romeo District Library and Friends of the Romeo District Library.
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notice of a lost card or change of address.
Card are only available to residents of Bruce Township, Washington Township and the Village of Romeo.
You can now pick up your library items any time at both branches of the Romeo District Library.
Both branches offer 24/7 pickup lockers. To have an item held at the locker all you have to do is select Romeo District Library-Graubner 24hr Pickup Locker or Romeo District Library-Kezar 24hr Pickup Locker when placing a hold. You will be notified when your item or items are available and all you have to do is scan or type in your library card number and you can pick up your items any time day or night.
The New York Times @ RDL
The Romeo District Library is now providing online access to the New York Times.
To access the The New York Times while in the Library click here.
Instructions for access inside the library are in the video below.
To access the The New York Times from outside the Library click here.
Instructions for access outside the library are in the video below.
Summer Reading 2023
June 12th 2023 – August 12th 2023
Spend this Summer reading and logging your reading times to get prizes.
We have Summer Reading Challenges for Kids, Teens and Adults.
This year the Romeo District Library is using Beanstack to keep track of your reading. Getting started with Beanstack is easy! You can download the app to your device or visit our Beanstack page to get started. Follow the steps to create an account for yourself and your family so you can participate in our reading challenges!
You can download the Beanstack app for your device by visiting your app store below.
Once you download the app select “At my Library, school, or bookstore” then select Find a Site and search for Romeo to select Romeo District Library.
If you have any questions or problems please reach out at ask@romeodistrictlibrary.org or give us a call at 586.752.0603
Romeo Reads 2023
What is Romeo Reads?
Read Attend Connect
Romeo Reads is…
An invitation to all community residents to read a Michigan-authored book and to attend free programs connected with its content.
We wish to:
- promote literacy
- foster an appreciation of books and reading
- provide a forum to connect and
- enhance civic unity through literature.
This is our third year of Romeo Reads. We hope you’ll join in.
We are reading Call me Athena: Girl from Detroit by Colby Cedar Smith.
What’s this year’s book about?
In depression-era Detroit, the world seems like a place full of contradictions to Mary…
Promised to a much older man and told to curb her desire to own a business like her father, while courted by a boy who sees her for who she is and who she wants to be, Mary sees her future as more uncertain by the day…
By flashing back to Mary’s parents’ adolescences in WWI-era Greece and France, they… exist as people whose dreams have been blunted by trauma.
Call Me Athena[‘s]… real strength is the way it takes such different times, places, and stories and shows how commonalities like love, grief, and hope can connect a family over the course of generations.
Who is the author?
Colby Cedar Smith grew up in the Midwest, and she still dreams of the cold northern woods and the smell of lake water.
She holds degrees from Colorado College and Harvard University. She has been a finalist for several poetry awards and prizes, and her poems have been published in many publications.
Call Me Athena is a Library of Michigan 2022 Michigan Notable Book selection.
Colby lives with her husband and two children in Hopewell, New Jersey, and teaches creative writing at the Arts Council of Princeton. Read more of her work at www.colbycedarsmith.com.
What do others think of the book?
“… the author’s sense of history brings details of the different times and cultures to life… Her blank verse serves the tale well, with lines such as “Death walks the halls / naked, / without pride, asking for his mother,” to convey the youth and despair of injured young men. A strong debut written with heart and strength. —Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission
“This novel in verse captures one young woman’s struggle for independence, equality, and identity as the daughter of Greek and French immigrants in tumultuous 1930s Detroit.” —Back Cover Review
“This is an exceptional novel in verse that at times devastated me in the best way, bringing out the anguish that these characters suffered and with only such few words. I also laughed and smiled at the joyful moments… Highly recommended YA novel that will transport you to historical times in which women had to fight for every bit of freedom. —Danielle, Amazon review
How do I get the book?
To purchase a copy of Smith’s book for $20, contact the circulation desk at either branch.
Please specify if you are purchasing a copy.
We accept cash or check.
Alternatively, you can place a hold for a copy through our library system.
Hoopla offers the title as an ebook or e-audiobook.
Enjoy your read!
Read the book on your own or meet with a group.
We encourage readers to connect for book discussions.
Join our Facebook Group (Romeo District Library Group) to discover other readers, and for
Romeo Reads “quick chats,” Q&A, reader polls & more!
What are the programs’ details?
Thursday, March 9, 5:45 pm, Kezar branch Significance of Postcards in War Time Communication
One of the sub-stories in Call Me Athena includes postcards sent between Gio and Jeanne, Mary’s parents, when they were young.
This program will discuss some history of the postcard as a historical record and its importance in communication.
We will have examples from our Romeo Community Archives.
Stamped postcards will also be available for those who may like to write a note to a soldier or loved one.
Thursday, March 16, 7:00 pm, Graubner branch Greek Food Tasting with Pamela’s Catering
Opa! Mary’s father, Gio, is a native of Central Greece.
So we’ve invited Chef Fran to cook up some delicious Greek cuisine!
Bring a little Greek culture to your palate and enjoy some fantastic flavors!
Thursday, March 23, 6:00 pm, Kezar branch 1932 Ford Hunger March Talk with UAW, Local 600
Why, in 1932, did unemployed union workers and their families march to the Rouge plant carrying a list of demands for Henry Ford?
What was the outcome?
Has this important part of Detroit and automotive history been memorialized?
Those questions and more will be answered.
Thursday, March 30, 6:00 pm, Kezar branch The Detroit Industry Murals with Detroit Institute of Arts
Learn the complex and intriguing story behind Diego Rivera and his Detroit Industry murals, which have now been declared a National Historic Landmark.
Thursday, April 13, 6:00 pm, Kezar branch Book Discussion with Librarian Stacie Guzzo
Copies of the Romeo Reads 2023 book Call Me Athena are available for purchase at both of our branches.
Read this exquisite novel in verse, then join in the discussion before the author visits us next week!
If you do not get a chance to read it before the discussion meets, feel free to come anyway!
Thursday, April 20, 7:00 pm, Graubner branch Author Visit/Q&A with Colby Cedar Smith
The event all Romeo Readers have been waiting for!
Author of Call Me Athena: Girl from Detroit, Colby Cedar Smith, will be here in Romeo to speak about her novel, writing style and family history, and answer audience questions.
Books are available for purchase.
How do I register?
Register online for EACH program that interests you.
From www.rdl.org, click Calendar under the Library Information tab.
Then navigate to each date to register.
Or, use the direct links on this page.
Please remember to include your email address.
Have questions? Call 586-752-2583.
TELL YOUR FRIENDS! We want as many participants as possible to enjoy this awesome program!
Romeo Reads is sponsored by RDL and Friends of RDL.
Romeo Reads 2022
RomeoReads2022_Presentation
We invite all Romeo, Washington and Bruce Twp. community members to read a selected Michigan author’s title and to attend programs associated with its content.
The Romeo Reads 2022 selection is: The Mason House: a memoir by T. Marie Bertineau. It is a Library of Michigan 2021 Michigan Notable Books selection.
ALL TOGETHER.
one book. one community. one full program. one enriching dialogue.
Program runs March 1 – April 21 and includes: