"Lizzie Bright and the Buckminister Boy"

Wenham, MA—The Hamilton-Wenham Public Library’s 2016 Community Read book, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminister Boy—an award-winning tale of friendship set against the racially charged persecution of an island community in early 20th-century Maine—will culminate with presentation by the book's author Gary Schmidt on Thursday, October 27, 7:30 p.m., on the campus of Gordon College.

Lizzie Bright draws on the true story of Malaga Island, where a community founded by former slaves was forcibly evicted in 1912 at the instigation of a neighboring mainland town. In this fictionalized account, 13-year-old Turner is the son of Reverend Buckminster, newly relocated with his family from Boston to become the Congregationalist minister in Phippsburg, Maine. Out of place and at odds with the other boys there, Turner develops an unexpected friendship with a girl named Lizzie Bright, who lives on nearby Malaga with her grandfather, but their friendship offends the people of Phippsburg, who want to drive out the islanders and remake Malaga as a lucrative tourist spot.

This event begins with a reception and book-signing at 6 p.m. in the Ken Olsen Science Center, followed by the keynote presentation at 7:30 at the A. J. Gordon Memorial Chapel, titled, "Lizzie Bright, the Buckminster Boy and September 11th." The event is free and open to the public.

Gary Schmidt is a prolific children’s and young adult author of 13 books and two scholarly research publications. He has been awarded the Newbury Honor twice, the Printz Honor, and was a 2011 National Book Award finalist for The Wednesday Wars, titled Okay For Now. Schmidt is a professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan and a 1979 graduate of Gordon College. On Friday, October 28 at 10:25 a.m., Schmidt will address the Gordon College community during a special Convocation lecture, "The Messy Messy World of Naaman.” The Convocation is also free and open to the public.

In addition to the Library’s 2016 Community Read book, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy was on the Hamilton-Wenham Regional Middle School summer reading list. For information on the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library’s 2016 Community Read program, contact Jan Dempsey, library director, at jdempsey@hwlibrary.org or visit the library’s website. For information on the Gordon College Convocation program, contact The Office of College Communications at Gordon College at info@gordon.edu or visit the College website at www.gordon.edu. Gordon College is located at 255 Grapevine Road in Wenham (Route 128, Exit 17). Event parking is free.

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