Celebrate World Book Night 2013 on April 23^rd

Giver applications are due January 23^rd

It was a thrill to be a giver last year on World Book Night 2012. Of the 25,000 givers nationwide, three of us celebrated books and reading with students and staff at Willard Alternative High School.

I had the privilege of sharing Sherman Alexie’s book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which won the 2007 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Alexie has been on my radar for years, ever since I heard him speak at the University of Montana. He was inspirational, funny, and his words about the craft of writing prodded me to continue to plug away at my own writing.

This year, I’m applying to be a giver of Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s The Language of Flowers. Not only has Diffenbaugh written a powerful debut novel about what can happen when you age out of foster care (you might find yourself homeless and sleeping in a park like protagonist Victoria Jones), she also is a co-founder of The Camellia Network, whose mission is to create a nationwide movement to support youth transitioning from foster care.

A bouquet of angelica, bellflower, flax, lisianthus and orange to Vanessa Diffenbaugh. White carnations, cosmos and peppermint to all who make World Book Night 2013 possible.

Share a book.