Monday, October 25, 2021

Each fall, the Fond du Lac Public Library encourages the community to come together to read a single book. This November, the community is invited to return to pioneer days of the Midwest with “Prairie Lotus” by Linda Sue Park.

The book, suitable for all ages, tells the story of a girl who moves into a pioneer town in the 1880s, determined to find her place and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father’s shop, and making at least one friend. Hanna, a young half-Chinese girl, must adjust to her new surroundings, which means negotiating the townspeople’s almost unanimous prejudice against Asians.

To celebrate this year’s Fond du Lac Reads selection, the library has planned a month of activities:

  • Saturday, Nov. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Celebrate Pioneer Day with activities for all ages: Visit the Fond du Lac Public Library for a series of drop-in activities throughout the day (no registration required):
    • Baby Food Jar Pincushion Craft (teen & adult event): Hanna in Prairie Lotus aspired to be a seamstress. Be ready for your own sewing adventures by hand-sewing a pincushion/storage jar for your sewing supplies in the Mid-States Room.
    • Pioneer Crafts and Games (youth event): Visit the McLane room to enjoy making yarn dolls, paper quilts, and covered wagons. Try your hand at jacks and dominoes, too.
    • Visit the Children’s Room for passive activities such as a scavenger hunt, coloring, and activity sheets.
  • Monday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. — Pioneer Fashion Design (youth event): Be inspired by Hanna in Prairie Lotus and try your hand at designing clothes in the McLane Room. Register at calendar.fdlpl.org
  • Thursday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. — What the Shrub? (adult event): Shrubs, or drinking vinegars, were popular into the 19th century in America. Learn their history, as well as how to make and use them, during this program in the McLane Room. Register at calendar.fdpl.org
  • Tuesday, Nov. 16  at 6 p.m. — Intergenerational Book Discussion: All ages are invited to discuss “Prairie Lotus”! Join us in the McLane Room or online. Register at calendar.fdpl.org
  • Thursday, Nov. 18 — History at Home: Sundown Towns (teen & adult event): Join UW-Oshkosh Associate Professor of History Michelle Kuhl as she discusses race and “sundown towns” in the frontier Midwest. Join the program in-person in the McLane Room or watch from home via Facebook Live. Register at calendar.fdpl.org