Appleton Speaks Success!

"The community of Appleton, WI has set the gold standard for a 'one book one community' program," according to Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak. She gushes about Appleton Speaks in her online journal at www.writerlady.com.

Anderson spent a "wonderful" week, from April 18-22, in the Fox Cities meeting with students and the general public, having "conversations about books and life and teens and culture and what is important" as a culmination of the reading program that encouraged all of Appleton to read one book.

And read it we did. Library copies of Speak, in paperback, audiotape, and the Spanish language, circulated 2,195 times this spring. Conkey's Book Store sold over 400 copies of the book, second only to Favre.

Discussions about the book were held in the high schools and middle schools, at bookstores, in the library, and by church groups, families, and book clubs. Over 230 attended the author's presentations at the Appleton Public Library. She also spoke to students and teachers at Einstein and Madison middle schools, Appleton East and West high schools, Little Chute Middle School, and the Neenah Public Library. Several area schools bussed students to the library presentations.

Appleton Speaks was funded by the Appleton Library Foundation, the Appleton Education Foundation, and the Brad Smith Foundation.