Page 2 August 15, 2019
Entertainment
Check It Out
How to Make Friends with the
Dark by Kathleen Glasgow
By Desiree De La Cruz-Miller, Library
Assistant, Teen/Adult Services
Young Adult books are some of my
favorites to read. I love the selection we have
at the El Segundo Public Library! I found
my latest read in the Teen Zone, a book collection
curated for high school teens. This week I
will be reviewing How to Make Friends with
the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow.
In this book, Kathleen takes us along the
process of a teen coping with the unexpected
death of her mother. The protagonist, Grace
Tolliver, aka Tiger, experiences the sudden loss
of her mother to a brain aneurysm. For Tiger,
life becomes a black hole of unknowns. The
unexpected loss of her mother means being put
into the foster system at the age of 16 the day
after her mother passes away. In the midst of
moving from foster home to foster home, she must
deal with taking care of the details of her mother’s
funeral. Along the way, Tiger discovers the
strength she bears and gains lasting connections
with people that help her cope with her loss.
Also in the Teen Zone you will find another
great read by Kathleen Glasgow, Girl in Pieces.
For help finding one of these great reads or
another book that interests you, please come see
me or any other staff member at the Teen/Adult
Reference Desk. We will be happy to help you. •
How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow.
Desiree De La Cruz-Miller
Film Review
The Peanut Butter Falcon is a
BFF Drama That Defies Convention
By Morgan Rojas for Cinemacy
Summertime calls for adventures, as seen in
Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz’s film The
Peanut Butter Falcon. Described as a modernday
Mark Twain story, The Peanut Butter
Falcon – from the producers of Little Miss
Sunshine – is a charming tale of two bandits
on the run and the lessons they learn about
self-discovery and acceptance along the way.
This unconventional buddy comedy stars the
always excellent Shia LaBeouf and breakout
Zack Gottsagen, a 34-year-old actor with
Down syndrome. The film may be predictable,
but it’s Gottsagen’s inspiring performance as
a determined and self-sufficient young man
that makes it worth a watch.
Zak (Gottsagen) is the youthful spirit who
livens up the retirement community he calls
home. Not much detail is given as to why his
birth parents couldn’t provide adequate care
for him, but the staff and residents adore him
nonetheless. The soft-spoken nursing home
employee Eleanor (Dakota Johnson) pays
special attention to Zak, giving him tough love
when he needs it while also encouraging his
passion for wrestling. One night, with help
from his roommate Carl (Bruce Dern), Zak
escapes the nursing home in an attempt to
attend the professional wrestling school of
his idol, The Salt Water Redneck (Thomas
Haden Church). Traveling alone with just
the clothes on his back, Zak is determined
to live out his dreams and meet his hero.
Zak’s disappearance from the nursing
home sends Eleanor on a wild goose chase
as she attempts to find him despite his lack
of phone, money or any sense of direction.
Meanwhile, early on in his journey, Zak
meets and eventually befriends Tyler (Shia
LaBeouf), the sharp-tongued fisherman who
is also on the run from his past. Together, the
young men navigate the elements, growing
and learning from each other as the days pass.
I write this next statement in full
sincerity: The Peanut Butter Falcon plays
very much like an after-school special on the
importance of friendship. It’s essentially the
quote “friends are the family you choose”
brought to life. The screenplay is very plug
and play, as the characters literally explain
the plot through their dialogue. This may
come off as pretty cheesy and unoriginal for
hardcore cinephiles, but there’s no denying
that the message is sweet. The Peanut
Butter Falcon offers the perfect sentiment
for children and young adults, especially as
many are entering a new school year in the
upcoming weeks.
While the film itself is sweet, it is
Gottsagen’s boundary-pushing performance
and inclusivity that make it truly special. •
The Peanut Butter Falcon, Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
Morgan Rojas
Calendar of Events
Deadline for Calendar items is the prior
Thursday by noon. Calendar items are $1 per
word. Email listings to marketing@heraldpublications.
com. We take Visa and MasterCard.
THURSDAY, AUG 15
• Baby and Toddler Story Time, 11:30 AM. –
12:00 PM., ages 1-3 yrs., Inglewood Public
Library, 101 W. Manchester Blvd., Call:
310-412-5380.
• Preschool Story Time, 1:00 PM. – 1:45 PM.,
ages 3-5 yrs., Inglewood Public Library, 101
W. Manchester Blvd., Call: 310-412-5380.
• Chess Club, 4:00 PM.- 5:30 PM., free,
Crenshaw Imperial Branch Library, 11141
Crenshaw Blvd., Call: 310-412-5403.
• Chess for Adults, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM., free,
Crenshaw Imperial Branch Library, 11141
Crenshaw Blvd., Call: 310-412-5403.
FRIDAY, AUG 16
• Teen Club, 3:00 PM. – 4:30 PM., Inglewood
Public Library, 101 W. Manchester Blvd.,
Call: 310-412-5380.
• Adult 101 for Teens: Mindfulness, 3:00
PM. – 4:00 PM., Hawthorne Library, 12700
Grevillea Ave, Hawthorne.
SATURDAY, AUG 17
• Family Story Time, 1:00 PM., Crenshaw –
Imperial Branch Library, 11141 Crenshaw
Blvd., Call: 310-412-5403.
• Saturday Story Time and Art Activity, 2:00
PM. – 3:00 PM., Hawthorne Library, 12700
Grevillea Ave, Hawthorne.
MONDAY, AUG 19
• Baby & Toddler Story Time, 11:00 AM.,
children ages 1-3 yrs, Crenshaw – Imperial
Branch Library, 11141 Crenshaw Blvd., Call:
310-412-5403.
• STEM Activities for Kids, 3:30 PM., Crenshaw
– Imperial Branch Library, 11141 Crenshaw
Blvd., Call: 310-412-5403.
TUESDAY, AUG 20
• Brick Building, 3:30 PM. – 5:00 PM., free,
Crenshaw Imperial Branch Library, 11141
Crenshaw Blvd., Call: 310-412-5403.
• Chess for Adults, 5:00 PM., free, Inglewood
Public Library, 101 W. Manchester Blvd.,
Call: 310-412-5380.
• Preschool Story Time, 12:30 PM. – 1: 15
PM., children ages 3-5, Crenshaw Imperial
Branch Library, 11141 Crenshaw Blvd., Call:
310-412-5403.
WEDNESDAY, AUG 21
• Building Bricks/Board Games, 2:00 PM. –
3:30 PM., free, Inglewood Public Library, 101
W. Manchester Blvd., Call: 310-412-5380.
• Children’s Chess Club, 4:30 PM., children 18
& below, free, Inglewood Public Library, 101
W. Manchester Blvd., Call: 310-412-5380.
• Smarty Pants Story Time, 11:30 AM. – 12:00
PM., Hawthorne Library, 12700 Grevillea
Ave, Hawthorne.
• Inglewood Visionaries Toastmasters Club
#4404 Meeting, 6:00 PM., Inglewood Center
for Spiritual Living, 525 No. Market St.,
For more info: www.ing4404.toastmastersclubs.
org
THURSDAY, AUG 22
• Chess Club, 4:00 PM.- 5:30 PM., free,
Crenshaw Imperial Branch Library, 11141
Crenshaw Blvd., Call: 310-412-5403.
• Chess for Adults, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM., free,
Crenshaw Imperial Branch Library, 11141
Crenshaw Blvd., Call: 310-412-5403.
• Family Movie, 2:00 PM., Inglewood Public
Library, 101 W. Manchester Blvd., Call:
310-412-5380. •
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