Big Read Traditions

Over the years, Big Read activities have been held at The Sooner Theatre, The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, the OBU Geiger Center, Bob Moore Nissan, The Norman Depot Performing Arts Center, The Crucible Foundry, The McClain County Fairgrounds, The Chouse, Native Roots Market, The Dick Bell Courtroom of the University of Oklahoma College of Law, the Warren Theatre, as well as in high school and college auditoriums, bank lobbies, art galleries, restaurants, churches, senior centers, private homes, and the PLS hometown public libraries.

The 2012 project continues the exotic-venue tradition. 

• The Joy Luck Happy Time Kick-Off will be held March 29 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Norman. 
• Moore’s Warren Theatre will host a private screening of the movie based upon the novel The Joy Luck Club on April 5. 
• The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on the OU campus in Norman will host a presentation on the Portrayal of Asians in Contemporary Art on April 13.
• Readers will return to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman for the Scholar Panel Book Discussion on April 16. 
• Professional storyteller Elizabeth Ellis will present Mother/Daughter Stories at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art in Shawnee on April 23.
• The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History will host the April 27 public presentation by Amy Tan, while the Moore Norman Technology Center South Penn Campus welcomes ticket-holders for the Amy Tan Bunch on April 28.

The second Big Read added the element of a Little Read for children when Rudolfo Anaya’s children’s book The First Tortilla was teamed with his novel Bless Me, Ultima.

The 2012 project continues the Little Read tradition with book discussions, crafts, story times, and cultural explorations designed for the youngest readers. Each PLS hometown library will present programs for children. Bagged book discussion and cultural exploration kits are available to be checked out for use in homes and classrooms.

The third Big Read introduced the private screenings at the luxurious Warren Theatre in Moore of movies inspired by the featured novels. To Kill A Mockingbird was the subject of the first Big Read Movie Night.

The 2012 project continues the movie night tradition with the screening of the 1993 movie version of The Joy Luck Club, produced by the author, Amy Tan. Free tickets, available while they last at the PLS hometown libraries, will allow 180 guests to enjoy this event on April 5.

The fourth Big Read focused on the creative process and fine art.

While all of the Big Reads have incorporated elements of the fine arts, the fourth Big Read used the art of sculpture as a focal point for The Maltese Falcon. Other Big Reads have incorporated readers’ theater, dinner theater, and a song-writing competition to involve the readers in the creative process.

The creative expression theme continues with the Oh, Joy! Lucky Us! Multi-Generational, Collaborative, Family Essay-Writing Contest. Winners, announced at the Kick-Off event, will be guests at the private Amy Tan Brunch that concludes the 2012 PLS Big Read.

The fifth Big Read was the first to include a visit from the author of the featured novel. 

The 2011 PLS Big Read brought to Oklahoma Tim O’Brien, author of The Things They Carried. O’Brien spoke to standing-room-only crowds at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Norman North High School, and the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman. He also met with members of the Pioneer Library System Foundation at private receptions in Norman and Shawnee.

The author visit tradition continues with the 2012 PLS Big Read: The Joy Luck Club.  Amy Tan will speak at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman on Friday, April 27. The event is free and open to the public.

Tan will also visit with guests at a private brunch on Saturday, April 28, at the South Penn Campus of the Moore Norman Technology Center. Tickets for the event are available through the PLS Foundation office.  Call 701-2661 for information.

The novel selected as the subject of the 2013 PLS Big Read will be announced April 27 as the PLS Big Read traditions continue.