The Port Washington Public Library’s Books for Dessert program, a book club for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, held its second Meet the Author event on Monday, March 13.
The library was proud to welcome award-winning author Andrea Davis Pinkney. She has written over forty books for children, teens, and adults, including, “She Persisted: Harriet Tubman,” “Dear Mr. President: Abraham Lincoln” “Letters from a Slave Girl,” and “Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down.”
The groups prepared for her visit by reading two of her books with their group leaders, Annmarie Benzinger and Evie Schonbrun, prior to the event and prepared questions for Pinkney to answer.
Pinkney began her presentation by proclaiming in song, “This Little Light of Mine, I’m Gonna Let it Shine!.” Shine she did, as she spoke of her childhood and the events of her youth that informed her later writing, including the civil rights protests of the 1960s.
She also talked about the thought process behind her writing and showed her journals full of ideas, including an old flip-flop! She shared the story of using her flip-flop to write down an idea she got while swimming, causing the group to roar with laughter. The Books for Dessert members were a rapt audience as Ms. Pinkney thoughtfully answered their questions and led them in song after her presentation.
During the meet and greet, Ms. Pinkney autographed a copy of her book, “She Persisted: Harriet Tubman,” for each club member. The group then enjoyed a luncheon courtesy of the Friends of the Library. This event could not have been possible without our wonderful Books for Dessert members, library trustee Nancy Comer, Kate Monsour, the library’s liaison for Books for Dessert, the Books for Dessert group leaders and volunteers, and the Friends of the Library.
Books for Dessert’s creation was spearheaded by Nancy Comer 20 years ago. Comer approached the Library in 2003 with the idea of an educational program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as there were limited options for her adult son and his friends. Since then, the group meets weekly for book discussions and receives generous support from both the Friends of the Library and the Library Foundation.
For more information about Books for Dessert, please contact Kate Monsour at 516-883-4400 x1302 or mmonsour@pwpl.org.
