The Next Indiana Bookshelf, a selection of 13 books to serve as a resource for next year’s Bicentennial, will include the book closest to the hearts of Henry County folks: Raintree County by Ross Lockeridge, Jr.
This project is a collaboration of Indiana Humanities and The Indiana Center for the Book at our state library. These 13 books will be distributed and available to local libraries and schools as a springboard to discussion on what it means to be a Hoosier.
“These books are great discussion starters because they explore the dynamic forces shaping Hoosier communities today,” said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities. “Returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, our growing ethnic and religious diversity, changes in how we use our land, and the complicated yet vital connections between our rural small towns and our rapidly growing suburban and urban areas – these are all topics explored in the Bookshelf.”
Additionally, every school and library in Indiana will receive a poster of “The Indiana Chant,” written for the bicentennial by South Bend, Ind.-based children’s author April Pulley Sayre. Teachers and librarians are encouraged to use the chant for readings and performances in the weeks and months leading up to Statehood Day on Dec. 11, 2016.
Check these web sites for more information:
www.in.gov/library/icb.htm
It is a real honor for Raintree County to be included in this list and perfectly fitting for it to be part of our Bicentennial year celebrations.