Jasper County Public Libraries and Remington-Carpenter Township Library offer "Jasper County Reads" community reading initiative in March and April

The Jasper County Public Libraries in Rensselaer, DeMotte and Wheatfield, along with the Remington-Carpenter Township Public Library, are inviting our communities to participate in “Jasper County Reads,” a community initiative that encourages all of our residents to read the same book at the same time.

This initiative will be offered throughout the months of March and April.

The book that has been chosen for this community wide program is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. This debut novel features Christopher Boone, an autistic 15-year-old boy falsely accused of killing his neighbor’s dog.

Inspired by his favorite character, Sherlock Holmes, Christopher sets out to investigate the crime and expose the person responsible.

Christopher’s autism gives his detective work a unique twist, taking the reader on an unexpected journey into the world of autism, visualizing situations as seen through the eyes of individuals afflicted with this condition.

For an early peek at this book, with spoilers, check out this link at MostlyFiction.com

Copies of the book are available at any branch of the Jasper County Public Library or the Remington-Carpenter Township Public Library, and each library will also be offering book discussions and other special programs and events for children and adults that coincide with the book.

For more information about this program, or other related activities, please contact the Rensselaer Library, 866-5881, the DeMotte Library, 987-2221, the Wheatfield Library, 956-3774, or the Remington-Carpenter Township Library, 261-2543.

About Jasper County Reads

Bringing our diverse communities and generations together through reading is the goal of this program which has been adopted by many cities and towns nation-wide.

Library staff work to choose a book with a theme that will appeal to a broad range of readers and for several months we will offer programs and events to promote that title and encourage discussion of it and the themes within.

In 2007, the story of Antarctic explorer Earnest Shackleton was chosen and participants learned about the grueling journey and amazing WWI-era rescue described in Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition.

In 2008, we will explore the landscape of the mind with Mark Haddon's popular and award-winning novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Be ready for some exciting and cutting-edge programs that tie in with this strange and compelling mystery, written from the point of view of an autistic teenage boy.