June 20, 2019 Page 5
Entertainment
Check It Out
Reviewed by Kristen Morrell, Youth
Services Librarian
We learn not only the story of the exterior of
this gorgeous lighthouse, but about the family
that lives inside it. If you’re looking for the
perfect summer read, Hello Lighthouse will
take you seaside with its vivid and colorful
illustrations. Written by two-time Caldecott
Medal award-winner Sophie Blackall, this
beautiful story about a lighthouse keeper, his
wife and young child transports you back in time
The story begins with the new lighthouse
keeper beginning his journey to care for the
lighthouse. He keeps track of every detail
that goes into the care in his logbook. As the
seasons change, the lighthouse keeper grows
lonely. He begins to write a letter and throws
it out to sea, hoping for a reply. Soon the
keeper sees the tender out at sea who brings
him food, supplies and his wife! On a dark,
windy night, disaster strikes and the keeper
helps rescue sailors who were out at sea. Soon
after, the keeper falls ill, but his wife is there
to help him. The season changes and soon his
pregnant wife is ready to have her new baby.
The tender arrives again with supplies, food
and a letter in the mail. The letter brings news
about the future for the lighthouse keeper and
his family.
Hello Lighthouse was the winner of the 2019
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most
distinguished American picture book for children.
I highly recommend this wonderful story for
children of all ages and their families. To check
out Hello Lighthouse, or to browse more fun
picture books for kids, please visit the library
to apply for your free library card. For more
young reader picks and staff favorites, stop by
our Youth Services Desk. Our friendly Youth
Services Librarians would love to help you find
your next great read and remember to sign-up
for Summer Reading on Friday, June 14!
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Contributing Writers: Haleemon Anderson, Derrick Deane,Greg McMullin, Duane Plank, Brian Simon
Film Review
Book Review: Hello Lighthouse
by Sophie Blackall
Kristen Morell
Book Review: Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
There’s a Rom Com Film Festival
Coming to Los Angeles
By Morgan Rojas for Cinemacy
It seems that romantic comedies were
the logical genre for Miraya Berke to add
to her growing portfolio of curated, unique
events. Having proven herself a successful
entrepreneur with the launch of Dessert
Goals – a dessert festival with pop-ups in
NY and LA – Berke has now shifted her
focus to another passion: Rom Com Fest.
After all, her main goal is to create experiences
that “spark delight,” and what better
way to do that than by watching romantic
comedies, especially when paired with desserts
and Rosé?
In my exclusive interview with Berke, we
talk favorite rom coms, the festival’s celebrity
curators and so much more.
The festival runs June 20 through 23 in
downtown LA. For more information on the
lineup and tickets, visit romcomfest.com.
A Rom Com film festival sounds incredible.
Where did the idea come from?
I am a huge rom com fan. That’s always
been my favorite genre. Whenever I want
the happy pick-me-up, rom coms are what I
turn to. My background is in event planning,
I started Dessert Goals a few years ago in
LA and New York, which showcases local
dessert vendors and creates experiences
for people to come together and spark joy.
After Dessert Goals, I’ve been thinking of
what else really makes me happy, which
were rom coms!
With Rom Com Fest, I wanted to
highlight both classic and new films and
make it experience-based. We’re bringing
in awesome dessert vendors, costumes, arts
and crafts, and celebrating the genre and
community.
I don’t know if I should admit this, but
my favorite film is The Wedding Singer.
Total rom com.
Oh, that’s so great!
What was the first step you took to make
this dream a reality?
It’s been a whirlwind. I had this idea in
October of 2018 and knew it had to happen.
First I started thinking about the design, then
started talking to people and building an
advisory board, and then choosing a venue.
I stumbled upon the Downtown Independent
in L.A. and it’s the perfect theater to house
the festival. It’s one cinema and it has a large
lobby, so it felt like the perfect place to have
these different events and experiences that
I was imagining. There’ve definitely been
moments of extreme overwhelm, but I put
myself through it because I know how much
fun it’s going to be. I like to visualize all
the smiling faces at the end. It just feels
really worth it.
I noticed Rachel Bloom of “Crazy Ex-
Girlfriend” is curating a screening (Never
Been Kissed). I actually went to a theater
camp with Rachel years ago. It’s cool to see
her and other women doing great things
in film/TV. How did that collaboration
come about?
I’m a huge Crazy Ex-Girlfriend fan
as well. My boyfriend and I were doing
long distance for a while and that was the
TV show that we would watch together all
night by hitting “play” at the same time.
We watched all the seasons living across the
state from each other. I feel like Rachel
has so cleverly tapped into the psyche of
modern-day rom coms, so when I was
building my dream wish list of the festival,
I wanted her to be involved in some way.
Her managers replied to one of my emails
and said she was really excited about it and
asked if she could curate her favorite rom
coms. [Rachel] suggested Never Been Kissed,
which feels like a perfect addition, and it’s
actually going to be the 20th anniversary
screening!
Final thoughts before the festival next
weekend?
I usually set very high expectations for
myself. It would be easier if I have fewer
expectations, ha ha. I know that it’s my first
year and there are so many unknowns, but I
feel very proud of what I’ve put together. •
Morgan Rojas
Book Tariff from front page
“Well read, well fed” is a free lunch
program available again this year through
Aug. 2 at participating public L.A. County
libraries. This is the fifth year the county
library system has offered free lunches to
boys and girls 18 and under. There are no
restrictions on a family’s income and meals
are handed out on a first-come, first-served
basis. The county says its summer lunch
program ensures that kids return to school
in the fall ready to learn.
Before serving lunch, many participating
libraries offer a story time and they follow the
meal with performances, nutrition workshops,
school preparedness activities, and visits by
members of the Sheriff’s Department and
WIC Food and Nutrition Services. Lunches at
the libraries are a partnership of the county’s
library and parks department, with support
from the California Summer Meal Coalition
and California Library Association.
The El Segundo Public Library will holds its
summer reading program kickoff today, June
20, at 11 a.m. A family story time will follow
at 6 p.m. The library calendar of events (https://
www.elsegundo.org/cals/library_calendar.asp)
has listings for other kid- and family-friendly
book events coming up in July and August. •
“The more that you read, the more
things you will know. The more that
you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seuss