Virginia Krueger

Chelsea and Dexter District Libraries are partnering with Serendipity Books to offer a new community read! Even as a solitary act, reading has been shown to build empathy. When we read as a community, we can spread that empathy to our family, friends, and neighbors. What better way to start off the new year? For over a decade, both libraries have hosted community reads. This year, Chelsea District Library, Dexter District Library, and Serendipity Books decided to keep the conversation going with our first annual Neighbors Read!

Neighbors Readwill bring together readers from the cities of Dexter and Chelsea and the surrounding townships of Lyndon, Sylvan, Dexter, Lima, Scio, and Webster. We will focus specifically on books set in our beautiful state, Michigan, or books by Michigan authors. This year’s book is Tin Camp Road by Ellen Airgood.

Tin Camp Road is set in the Upper Peninsula and follows the story of single mother Laurel and her daughter Skye. This uplifting and moving story follows them as they balance their love for Lake Superior and their family’s generational home town with the realities of inadequate job opportunities and housing challenges. Laurel and Skye learn it takes more than grit alone to survive: you need community.

Not only will we read together as a community, but the libraries will host book clubs and events related to the topics in the book. Everyone is invited to an author talk with Ellen Airgood on Thursday, February 13 at 6:30pm at the Dexter District Library. Serendipity Books owner Michelle Tuplin will interview Airgood, followed by audience Q&A, and book signings. Free copies of Tin Camp Road are available to pick up at each library and are available for purchase at Serendipity Books. This author visit is made possible in part through generous sponsorship from the Friends of Dexter District Library and the Friends of Chelsea District Library.  Visit chelseadistrictlibrary.org/neighbors-read for more information.