Books Chosen to Represent Nebraska at National Book Festival

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 29, 2024

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

Books Chosen to Represent Nebraska at National Book Festival

“Eat Your Woolly Mammoths!: Two Million Years of the World’s Most Amazing Food Facts, from the Stone Age to the Future” and “Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime” chosen for the National Center for the Book’s Great Reads from Great Places program.

The Nebraska Center for the Book has selected one youth book and one adult book by Nebraska authors to represent the state at the 2024 National Book Festival: Eat Your Woolly Mammoths! by James Solheim and Dancing with the Octopus by Debora Harding.

Both titles will be part of the National Center for the Book’s Great Reads from Great Places program. Great Reads from Great Places features books and authors representing the literary heritage of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Marianas. For over 20 years this program has included a highlighted youth title from each affiliate center. In 2022, Great Reads from Great Places began including titles for adults for the first time.

This year’s National Book Festival on August 24th will be held in-person in Washington, D.C., but will include many livestreamed and recorded virtual programs celebrating books and authors.

About the Books

“Eat Your Woolly Mammoths!: Two Million Years of the World’s Most Amazing Food Facts, from the Stone Age to the Future” by James Solheim

“If there’s one thing that transcends time, it’s our love for food! But what did people generations ago consume? And what will we eat in the years ahead? James Solheim’s Eat Your Woolly Mammoths! serves up the stories behind the world’s most delicious, nutritious, and amazing foods—from the Stone Age to the future. For readers who love the fascinating facts that bring history to life. Let the feast begin!

Would you like a plate of woolly mammoth? Or perhaps a sample of fresh tuna eyeballs? From scorpions on sticks and llama salami to oysters and chocolate chip cookies, you’ll travel through the centuries and around the world and discover the amazing foods that have been eaten—and enjoyed—throughout history.

Eat Your Woolly Mammoths! explores the history of food and is full of fun, digestible facts that young historians, cooks, and scientists will gobble up. An accessible, educational, and funny text combined with laugh-out-loud illustrations make this ideal pick for independent readers and snackers everywhere. A great choice for readers who munched through Ripley’s Believe It or Not: Fun Facts and Silly Stories and the National Geographic Kids: Weird but True books. Includes sidebars, fun facts, recipes, additional resources, and more!”

Nebraska’s Great Reads from Great Places book is chosen from the previous year’s Nebraska Book Award winners and this book was awarded two 2023 Nebraska Book Award in the Children’s Nonfiction Book category and the Children’s Books Design category.

“Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime” by Debora Harding

This memoir of native Nebraskan, Debora Harding, is all about a traumatic childhood event, the aftereffects of which would change her family forever. Harding expertly weaves the past with the present in a riveting story of survival and family dynamics. Harding’s debut book has been compared to bestsellers like The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and Educated by Tara Westover.

“With remarkable narrative skill, Harding untangles the lingering effects of family dysfunction and criminal trauma. This is a page-turner with a deep heart and soul, full of forgiveness but demanding of accountability.”  —BookPage, “Best Books of 2020: Memoirs”

Chosen as the 2024 One Book One Nebraska selection, libraries across Nebraska and other literary and cultural organizations have participated in book discussions, activities, and events that encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss this book.

The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.  

As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”  

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.

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Announcing a New Literary Festival Event to Take Place this Fall

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 16, 2024

FOR MORE INFORMATION:                            
Tessa Timperley
Communications Coordinator
Nebraska Library Commission
Email

Rosemary Sekora
Marketing and Sales Manager
University of Nebraska Press
rsekora@unl.edu

Announcing a New Literary Festival Event to Take Place this Fall

Book lovers, get your calendars to save the date. A new literary festival is taking place in Lincoln. 

The 2024 Nebraska Celebration of Books (NCOB) will take place on Oct. 12, 2024, in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln City Campus Union at 1400 R Street. Two presentations, a writing workshop, and a slam poetry competition will take place on second floor leading up to the presentation of the Nebraska Book Awards at 3:30 p.m. NCOB will also host local bookstores and other vendors throughout the day beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The event will officially kick off on Oct. 11 at White Elm Brewing with a literary trivia night at 5:30 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public. NCOB would like to thank the following organizations for making this new event possible: Nebraska Center for the Book, Zero Street Fiction series, Larksong Writers Place, Nebraska Writers Collective, Nebraska Library Commission, Lincoln City Libraries, and the University of Nebraska Press.

For additional information on attending or becoming a sponsor of this event, please visit https://bookfestival.nebraska.gov/

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.

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Nebraska State Poet Nominations Due August 16th

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 28, 2024

FOR MORE INFORMATION:                            
Sam Hennigh, Communications Manager
402-595-3809
samuel.hennigh@nebraska.gov

Nebraska State Poet Nominations Due August 16th

The Nebraska Arts Council, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission are seeking nominations for the next Nebraska State Poet. This designation recognizes and honors a Nebraska poet of exceptional talent and accomplishment. Nominations must be submitted online no later than midnight CDT on August 16, 2024.

Nominations may be made by any organization or individual in the state of Nebraska. To be considered, nominees must consent to the nomination. All nominations will be reviewed by the State Poet Selection Committee, which is made up of five individuals who are established members of Nebraska’s literary, cultural, educational and academic communities. After the committee selects finalists, the governor will make the final selection.

State Poet nominations will be collected and reviewed online only. The first step is to contact nac.info@nebraska.gov to verify if the poet in question has been nominated already. After the nominator has received a response to their query, the second step is to complete the online nomination form using the Nebraska Arts Council’s SlideRoom application site. The site includes complete instructions for submitting nomination materials.

The Nebraska State Poet will be chosen based on artistic excellence, exemplary professionalism demonstrated by significant publications and special honors, an established history of community service in the advancement of poetry in Nebraska, and the ability to present poetry and interact effectively with a public audience. In addition, the State Poet must be a legal, full-time resident for at least three years prior to the nomination deadline and must maintain Nebraska residence dur­ing his or her full term of office.

Once selected, the Nebraska State Poet will serve a five-year renewable term as an advocate for poetry, literacy, and literature in Nebraska. Duties include giving public presentations and readings, leading workshops and discussions, and providing outreach in schools, libraries, literary festivals, and various venues in rural and urban communities throughout the state.

Statewide presentations will be funded in part through the Nebraska Arts Council’s Nebraska Touring Program and the Humanities Nebraska Speakers Bureau. An annual stipend will also be provided to support a statewide project, designed by the State Poet, and participation in programming led by the Nebraska Arts Council, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission. The stipend will be $10,000 annually for the first two years of the term, with possible adjustments during the final three years, subject to sponsoring organization budgets.

The position of Nebraska Poet Laureate was established in 1921 when John G. Neihardt was appointed by the Legislature. In 1982, William Kloefkorn was appointed Nebraska State Poet by Governor Charles Thone. Kloefkorn served as State Poet for more than 25 years until his death in May 2011. In November 2013, Governor Dave Heineman appointed Twyla Hansen as Nebraska State Poet. When her term ended in December 2018, Governor Pete Ricketts appointed Matt Mason as State Poet. Mason’s service ends in December 2024.

For more information about the Nebraska State Poet selection process, visit State Poet Selection Guidelines – Nebraska Arts Council or State Poet Nomination Guidelines – Humanities Nebraska. Humanities Nebraska is a private nonprofit with a mission to help people explore what connects us and makes us human. Humanities Nebraska is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, an appropriation from the Nebraska Legislature, private donations, and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, a public-private partnership with state dollars matching private dollars to benefit the arts and humanities in Nebraska.

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Upcoming Events in July

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

This summer is hot, and so are these events! If you’re looking for something to do in July, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

  • July 2, 2024 Bonnie Johnson-Bartee Poetry Reading and Discussion
    Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
    Bonnie casts a tender yet searing eye upon family histories, dynamics, and the very notion of “women’s work,” recognizing how vulnerable and fallible we all are in our search for a meaningful life.
  • July 5, 2024 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Daniel Simon
    Zoom, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
    Daniel Simon will read from his new poetry collection, “Under a Gathering Sky”, released in May 2024. He is an award-winning essayist, poet, and translator, as well as editor in chief of World Literature Today magazine at the University of Oklahoma, where he also serves on the affiliate faculty in English, International Studies, and Judaic Studies.
  • July 8, 15, 22, & 29, 2024 Stand Up Comedy Bootcamp for Beginners
    Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd.
    Lincoln, NE, 4:00 – 6:00 pm
    Join Serenity Dougherty in a 5-session Stand-up Comedy Writing Bootcamp, taking you through everything you need to know to write and perform your first stand-up comedy set! The bootcamp meets for 5 Mondays from 4:00-6:00pm, beginning 7/8/24. The cost is $250.00, with scholarships available. Limit 12 participants.
  • July 8, 2024 Author Tosca Lee: “Long March Home”
    Kearney Public Library, South Platte Room, 2020 1st Ave.
    Kearney, NE, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
    Multi award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee will be discussing her recent novel, “The Long March Home,” which she co-wrote with Marcus Brotherton. The Sequel Bookshop will be on site for book sales & signing after the discussion.
  • July 9, 2024 On Writing Presents: Matt Mason & Sarah McKinstry-Brown
    Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St.
    Omaha, NE, 6:00 pm
    Participate in an engaging live reading with Nebraska State Poet Laureate Matt Mason and published poet Sarah McKinstry-Brown.
  • July 13, 2024 Visiting Author: Laura Essay, “Side Effects Are Minimal: A Novel”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S 13 St.
    Lincoln, NE, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
    Nebraska author Laura Essay will join us to talk about her new novel “Side Effects Are Minimal”, a story that offers a gripping exploration of the opioid crisis and its profound impact on individuals, families, and society.
  • July 15-26, 2024 Young Writers Camp
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1400 R St.
    Lincoln, NE, Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
    For grades 8-12, The Young Writers Camp is a two-week program with many workshops and the opportunity to work with professional writers, professors, teachers, and more.
  • July 16, 2024 An Imaginary Gardens Reading at Mister Toad with Kiara Nicole Letcher and Miles Waggener
    Mister Toad’s, 1002 Howard St.
    Omaha, NE, 7:00 pm
    This event is free and open to the public. Join us for poetry and conversation! Hosted by Michael Skau. This month features Kiara Nicole Letcher and Miles Waggener.
  • July 20, 2024 Lightning Round with Matt Mason
    Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
    Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason’s workshop about seeing what you can do with shorter poems, fitting ideas into a smaller spaces like snapshots or meditations.

Check out the NCB Calendar to stay up to date on upcoming literary events happening near you!

*The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change.
Some of this month’s events, workshops, or conferences may require registration or charge a fee.

Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured.

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Upcoming Nominations: Jane Geske and Mildred Bennett Awards

Posted on June 26, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

Nominations are open for the Jane Geske and Mildred Bennett Awards! 📚🏆 Do you know a group or an individual that has made significant literary/literacy contributions in Nebraska? Nominate them now! The Jane Geske award honors a group and the Mildred Bennett Award honors an individual. Nominations are due by August 15. Read more about each award and submit your nominations on the NCB nomination forms page.

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What We’re Reading: Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

Where Nebraska Center for the Book board members share their thoughts about the books they are reading. This month’s review is by Laurie Yocom; Director, Wilson Public Library, Cozad.

Review of Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler.

I’m getting ready to plan a vacation to Yellowstone this fall, so I picked up a 2010 young adult novel, Wolves, Boys & Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler, to get me in the mood. It also happened to fill a niche in our library’s summer reading challenge as far as being set in a national park.

The main character is K.J., who at 16 has a few things on her plate. Her dad, a reformed lawyer, has been a hunting and fishing guide for as long as K.J. can remember, but doesn’t know how to relate to his daughter. What she can’t remember is her mother, who died in a car accident when she was a toddler. K.J. struggles with dyslexia and expectations about school from her father. The resident klutz of her class, She has “bloomed” over the summer, now getting notice from all the townspeople—and not necessarily about her new look.

Thanks to her journalism class, K.J.’s interest in wolves intensifies when she partners with the new boy in town, Virgil. His mother has come to Montana to study the wolves. With Virgil’s photographs and K.J.’s research, it is not long before things escalate between those who want the wolves in the park and those who want them dead. And maybe someone wants K.J. dead, too.

Chosen as her high school newspaper’s editor, K.J. comes of age, falls in love, and learns about standing up for yourself and your ideas. The themes of bravery and not backing down is told throughout the story in terms of the main character as well as the wolves. Jokes, articles, quotes, and poetry sprinkled between chapters keep the serious narrative somewhat light.

By reading this, I got a sense of the Montana wildlife I hope to encounter this fall, especially an appreciation for wolves that I may not have had before. If you’re looking for a nonfiction selection about wolves, check out The Wolf Almanac: A Celebration of Wolves and Their World by Robert H. Busch.

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Upcoming Events in June

Posted on May 30, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

Summer has arrived! If you’re looking for something to do in June, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

  • June 1, 2024 Wright On!! Writers’ Workshop
    AV Sorensen Community Center, 4808 Cass St.
    Omaha, NE, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
    Generate new writing, meet other writers, improve your skills, and learn new techniques. Ages 12+. Taught by Heidi Hermanson, published author and recipient of the 2021 Nebraska Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship.
  • June 4, 2024 Veronica Torraca-Bragdon Poetry Reading and Discussion
    Zoom    , 6:30 – 7:30 pm
    Join Nebraskan poet, singer/songwriter, and special educator Veronica Torraca-Bragdon for a poetry reading and discussion. Her writing is “part poetry, part memoir, 100% relatable.”
  • June 6-8, 2024 Willa Cather Spring Conference
    Red Cloud Opera House, 411 N Webster St.
    Red Cloud, NE, All Day
    The 69th Annual Willa Cather Spring Conference will celebrate Willa Cather and reading. The conference explores the many facets of Cather’s interactions with both her books and her readers, and hopes attendees will be inspired to examine their own relationship to Cather’s writing.
  • June 7, 2024 First Friday Book Talk and Reading with Lee Ann Roripaugh
    Zoom    , NE, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
    Lee Ann Roripaugh will read from her new short story collection, “Reveal Codes”. There is no charge for this virtual event, but please register to receive the Zoom link.
  • June 11, 2024 On Writing Presents: Allana Pommier
    Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St.
    Omaha, NE, 6:00 pm
    Participate in an engaging live reading with Allana Pommier, a Black creative from Omaha, Nebraska who has been in love with performing arts for as long as she can remember. Allana directed a play she wrote titled I Am a Black Woman for the 2022 Omaha Fringe Festival.
  • June 13, 2024 Soul Sessions Presents: Midwest Poetry Vibe 2024
    Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St.
    Omaha, NE, 7:00 pm
    Open mic poetry event hosted by Slim Tweezy with Omaha local hoouse band Black Swan Theory providing great atmosphere. Join for an invigorating evening of talent, connection, and joy featuring multiple art forms!
  • June 17-21, 2024 I Love to Write / We Love to Write
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1400 R St.
    Lincoln, NE,
    Ages 7-11, 9:00 – 11:00 am; Ages 12-15, 12:30 – 2:30 pm;
    Summer Workshop for Families, 4:00 – 6:00 pm
    The I Love to Write / We Love to Write Workshops are a series of summer writing workshops for youth and families to write in a supportive environment.
  • June 27, 2024 Voices at Larksong: JV Brummels and Chad Christensen
    Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd.
    Lincoln, NE, 5:30 pm
    Monthly in-house reading series featuring writers and musicians. This month features Nebraska writers JV Brummels and Chad Christensen.

Check out the NCB Calendar to stay up to date on upcoming literary events happening near you!

*The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change.
Some of this month’s events, workshops, or conferences may require registration or charge a fee.

Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured.

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Upcoming Events in May

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

May brings flowers, along with fun literary events! If you’re looking for something to do this month, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

  • May 2, 2024 Front Porch Reading Series with Journalist Mary Jane Skala
    Kearney Public Library, 2020 First Ave, Platte Room
    Kearney, NE, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
    Award-winning journalist Mary Jane Skala has written a weekly column for the Kearney Hub for more than a decade. She will share highlights of her columns and talk about the role of a personal columnist during this presentation.
  • May 3, 2024 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Katherine Higgs-Coulthard
    Zoom    , 12:00 pm
    Katherine Higgs-Coulthard is a graduate of University of Nebraska at Omaha and the author of “Junkyard Dogs,” join for a First Friday Book Talk.
  • May 4, 2024 Getting to Know Your Characters through Passion, Purpose, and Place
    Zoom    , 9:00 – 11:00 am
    What keeps a reader in the story? In this workshop session, Katherine Higgs-Coulthard will share strategies for creating well-developed characters. Infusing characters with passion, purpose and place will pull readers into the story and make them care about what happens to the characters.
  • May 4, 2024 Write On! Writers’ Workshop
    AV Sorensen Community Center, 4808 Cass St.
    Omaha, NE, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
    Taught by Heidi Hermanson, published author and recipient of the 2021 Nebraska Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship. Generate new writing, improve your skills, learn new techniques, and meet other writers!
  • May 6, 2024 All Writes Reserved – Finals
    Holland Center, 1200 Douglas St.
    Omaha, NE, 7:00 pm
    All Writes Reserved is an annual youth spoken word festival and competition featuring schools from all over Nebraska and the Great Plains. (Postponed from 4/30 due to weather)
  • May 7th, 2024 J.V. Brummels Poetry Reading and Discussion
    Zoom    , 6:30 – 7:30 pm
    Poet, novelist, short-story writer, editor, and rancher J.V. Brummels has received many awards for his many works. Listen as he talks about his journey.
  • May 11, 2024 Larksong Spring Festival
    Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N. Cotner Blvd.
    Lincoln, NE, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
    Enjoy readings by well-known and local writers, music performances, writing sprints, and open writes using antique typewriters. Hundreds of used books for sale – name your own price.Guest readers and performers include Mary Pipher, Twyla Hansen, Pam & Randy Barker, Dorothy Ramsey, and Serenity Dougherty. BaBa’s Food Truck from 11:00 to 2:00. Bakery goods from Gratitude Bakery on sale. Free Will Donations accepted as part of Give to Lincoln Day Celebration.
  • May 14, 2024 Serenity Dougherty, “I Write Comedy—And You Can Too!”
    Zoom    , 6:00 – 7:30 pmIf you’ve always wanted to try humor writing or even if you’re just looking to try something new, this workshop will provide the crash course you need to get started.
  • May 21, 2024 Imaginary Gardens Reading
    Mister Toad’s, 1002 Howard St.
    Omaha, NE, 7:00 pm
    Join us for poetry and conversation! Hosted by Michael Skau, with Nebraska authors Barbara Schmitz and William Trowbridge.

Check out the NCB Calendar to stay up to date on upcoming literary events happening near you!

*The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change.
Some of this month’s events, workshops, or conferences may require registration or charge a fee.

Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured.

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2024 One Book One Nebraska Bookmarks Now Available!

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Bailee Juroshek

Looking for more ways to engage readers with One Book One Nebraska? We now have bookmarks for 2024’s selection, “Dancing with the Octopus” by Debora Harding. Contact us at the Nebraska Center for the Book at CenterForBook@nlc.state.ne.us if you’re interested in receiving some bookmarks for your library!

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National Library Week Proclaimed & Letters About Literature Winners Honored

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Tessa Timperley

Governor Jim Pillen proclaimed April 7-13, 2024 National Library Week in Nebraska today at the Proclamation signing ceremony at the capitol. He also honored the student winners of the Letters About Literature writing contest with signed award certificates. These students wrote personal letters to authors explaining how his or her work changed their view of themselves or the world. They selected authors from any genre, fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. Winners were chosen from three competition levels: upper elementary, middle school, and high school.

These students were then honored at a reception at Lincoln City Library’s Bennett Martin branch where they had the opportunity to read their letters and receive their awards. Their winning letters were then placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. For more information about the competition see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html

Level I (Grades 4-6):

  • Winner is Brooklyn Green of Lincoln’s Irving Middle School, who wrote to S.E. Hinton about their book, The Outsiders.
  • Runner-up is Justin Kang-Shizuka of Lincoln’s Prescott Elementary, who wrote to George Takei about their book, They Called Us Enemy.

Level II (Grades 7-8):

  • Winner is Henry Skretta of Lincoln’s Irving Middle School who wrote to Neal Shusterman about their book, Scythe.
  • Runner-up is Liam Brown Kramer of Lincoln’s Irving Middle School who wrote to Robert Louis Stevenson about their book, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Level III (Grades 9-12):

  • Winner is Chloe Kasischke of Wahoo Public High School, who wrote to Allison Britz about their book, Obsessed: A Memoir of My Life with OCD.
  • Runner-up is Aidan Blakely of Omaha North High School, who wrote to Amy Tan about their book The Joy Luck Club.
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