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Region 16’s One Region, One Book held its first event of the season on Thursday, December 1st, in the Woodland Regional High School Library Media Center.

A crowd of Region 16 elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as various parents and teachers, gathered to celebrate this year’s 1R1B choice,The Invention of Hugo Cabret, written by Brian Selznick. The book, written in a combination of prose and pencil-drawn illustrations, tells the tale of young orphan Hugo Cabret, who lives in a train station in Paris in 1931. With the help of a mysterious young girl, he must unravel a mystery left by his dead father, through a series of clues that bring him into contact with a mechanical man and a legendary silent film director. The film adaptation, directed by Martin Scorsese, is currently playing in theaters.

After a brief introduction, One Region, One Book‘s co-chairs, Paul J. Geary and Joelle Kilcourse, and WRHS 12th graders Taylor Cummings and Nicole Ciaramella, led a lively book talk about Part I of the book. Next, Geary spoke to the group about the origins of the automaton featured in the book. Finally, a very special guest, WRHS Class of 2009 graduate and aspiring art teacher Alexa Fermeglia led  the group in a beginner’s drawing lesson.

Overall, the first event was a rousing success, and a good indicator of the region’s continuing commitment to literacy. 1R1B’s next event will be held in January; check their website for updates, or follow them on Twitter (@1Region1Book).