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  Santa Monica Citywide Reads

The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch

Citywide Reads April 12- May 17, 2008

Resource Guide

In Jim Lynch’s The Highest Tide, thirteen-year-old Miles O’Malley spends one transformative summer navigating the mysteries of his beloved Puget Sound surroundings and his relationships with family and friends.  The Highest Tide is an exciting selection for Santa Monica Citywide Reads 2008 with richly drawn characters and vivid descriptions of marine life.  Its green themes, universal appeal to young and adult readers alike, and high quality of writing make this a compelling and resonant book for the entire Santa Monica community.

Citywide Reads Blog

www.santamonicacitywidereads.blogspot.com
Citywide Reads gets interactive this year with our new blog.  The blog is updated frequently with new information and opportunities to post comments and start a dialogue with community members. 

Book Discussions

Monday, April 14 at 12 p.m.
Main Library, Multipurpose Room, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m.
Montana Avenue Branch, 1704 Montana Ave.

Friday, April 25 at 3 p.m.
Cafe Bolivar, 1741 Ocean Park Blvd.

Saturday, May 3 at 11 a.m.
Ocean Park Branch, 2601 Main Street

Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m.
Joslyn Park Craft Room, 633 Kensington Rd.

Thursday, May 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Santa Monica Aquarium, 1600 Ocean Front Walk Below the Pier’s Carousel.  The Aquarium will be open after its regular hours to host the discussion.

Saturday, May 10 at 1 p.m.
Fairview Branch Library, 2101 Ocean Park Blvd.

Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m.
Main Library, Multipurpose Room, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

Tuesday, May 13 at 7:30
Barnes & Noble, 1201 3rd Street Promenade

Friday, May 16 at 2 p.m.
It’s A Grind, 602 Santa Monica Blvd.

Special Events

Exploring Our Environment with Jean-Michel Cousteau
Sunday, April 13 at 2 p.m. Main Library, MLK Jr. Auditorium
Ocean explorer and educator Jean-Michel Cousteau addresses the issues of environmental education, ocean conservation, and sustainable living. Hands-on demonstrations and informational booths, sponsored by the Ocean Futures Society, Catalina Environmental Leadership Program, and Ambassadors of the Environment, will be available after the presentation.

Flavors of the Sea with the Too Hot Tamales
Sunday, April 20 at 2 p.m. Main Library, North Entry Courtyard
Border Grill and Ciudad proprietors, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feiniger, better known as the Too Hot Tamales, present a Highest Tide-themed, seafood cooking demonstration.

Getting to Know Rachel Carson
Tuesday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m. Main Library, Multipurpose Room, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.
The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium’s Tara Treiber presents an introduction to pioneering writer, scientist and ecologist, Rachel Carson, the heroine of The Highest Tide’s Miles O’Malley.

City-TV Call-In Show
Wednesday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m.

Tune in to Channel 16 for a live, moderated discussion of The Highest Tide.

The Santa Monica Bay
Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. Main Library, Multipurpose Room, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Learn about the unique ecology of the Santa Monica Bay.  This Heal the Bay presentation focuses on the causes and consequences of ocean pollution.  The audience will discover what they can do to decrease their impact on the Santa Monica Bay. 
 

Documentary Screening: Deep Blue
Tuesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 3 at 3:30 p.m., Main Library, MLK Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.
You have two chances to check out this breathtaking BBC documentary on underwater and seaside life.  The April 29 screening will feature closed captions for the hearing impaired.

Paul Tracey’s Little Blue Planet
Thursday, May 1 at 7 p.m. Main Library, Children’s Activity Room, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Accompanied by an eight-foot globe, entertainer Paul Tracey encourages children to care for our planet by using music to draw attention to saving forests, inter-cultural understanding and endangered species.

An Afternoon with Jim Lynch
Saturday, May 17 at 3 p.m. Santa Monica College, Pavilion, 1900 Pico Blvd.
The award-winning author of The Highest Tide presents a reading and discussion, followed by a book signing.  Co-sponsored by the Santa Monica College Associates.

Citywide Reads' Featured Novels and Resource Guides (PDF)

 

2003-  Dai Sijie's Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
2004 - Christopher Isherwood's
The Berlin Stories
2005 - Khaled Hosseini's
The Kite Runner
2006- Jonathan Safran Foer's
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
2007- Audrey Niffenegger's
The Time Traveler's Wife

FAQs

What is Santa Monica Citywide Reads?
Santa Monica Citywide Reads is a community reading program that invites residents and visitors to read the same book and then come together to talk about it.

How was this book selected?
For six years, an Advisory Committee, comprised of Librarians, Friends of the Library, city commissioners, and educators has met to select the book and to plan the program.  During July and August 2007, the Committee solicited input from the public through flyers, a website with an online form, and at library and community events. The Committee selected their top picks from this list

The Committee chose Jim Lynch's The Highest Tide in October 2007.

What book will be chosen for next year?
No decision has been made yet regarding next year's selection. Book selection criteria includes fiction titles with a broad appeal that are amenable to good group discussion and are currently available in paperback and a variety of other formats.

 

This page was last modified on 04/21/2008

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