The Fox Cities Book Festival hosts two annual programs: a spring program, Fox Cities Reads, and a week-long festival in the fall. The Fox Cities Reads program, in its twelfth year, is a one-book, one-community initiative to promote civic engagement and public deliberation on matters of social and economic justice.
The selection for 2019 is Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. 
The Pulitzer prize-winning book of narrative nonfiction focuses on poverty, affordable housing, hunger, and homelessness in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Fox Cities Book Festival, in conjunction with many of our partners throughout the community, will host many events around the area, leading up to a final discussion and presentation by the author, himself, in April. Desmond, a Pulitzer Prize winner, will speak at 6:30 p.m. April 11 at Menasha High School and 10 a.m. April 12 at the Lawrence Memorial Chapel in downtown Appleton.
Please consider attending one or more of the sponsored events – all free, all open to the public.
Poverty Simulation- Fox Cities Reads
Who: Co-hosted by Fox Cities Book Festival, Appleton Public Library, and CAP Services, Inc.
When: Fri, Jan 25, 1:30 – 4:30 PM
Where: Appleton Public Library, 225 N Oneida St, Appleton
What: Explore poverty from the perspective of the family. What resources are available and what obstacles do many families face surviving month-to-month? Simulation provided by CAP Services. Registration is requested; please visit www.apl.org/calendar or call 832-6173.
Evicted Read-Aloud
Who: Co-hosted by Fox Cities Book Festival and Kaukauna Public Library
When: Mon Feb 4, 7:00 – 7:45 PM
Where: Kaukauna Public Library, 207 Thilmany RD., Suite 200, Kaukauna
What: Haven’t had a chance to start reading the 2019 Fox Cities Reads selection Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City yet? Then this event is for you! We will help you start the book, by reading it to you from the very beginning while you sip tea or coffee (and even color if you would like)! If you are hooked, then you can pick up your copy at the library that evening, or we can place a hold on it for you if copies are still cycling through our hold lists.
Manage Your Money and Keep the Change!
Who: Co-hosted by Fox Cities Book Festival, Kaukauna Public Library and UW-Extension
When: Tues Feb 5, and Tues Mar 5, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Where: Kaukauna Public Library, 207 Thilmany RD., Suite 200, Kaukauna
What: Discover how to get a handle on the financial side of your life. Come by yourself, or come with your significant others! We have had parents come with their teens, couples, singles, adult caregivers…all are invited. This 90 minute workshop will give you the basics of how to get in the driver’s seat once again of your financial world — planning for now and into the future. The workshop is for people of all ages – it is never too late to learn how to better manage your money so that at the end of the month you have change left over in your piggy bank, savings account or sock drawer. You will also learn how to develop new routines and practices that will help you to change your spending habits and decision making skills.
Karen Dickrell is a Professor in the Department of Family Development with the University of Wisconsin Extension based in Outagamie County. She teaches family resilience, decision making, financial management, and relationship building skills. She will give you practical advice, and a workbook to help you launch your spending plan into the future.
Registration is not required, but preferred. To register, please call 920-766-6340 ext. 2 or stop by the Library. This event is courtesy of UW-Extension and is part of the Fox Cities Reads 2019.
Evening Book Club: Evicted
Who: Co-hosted by Fox Cities Book Festival and Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library
When: Monday, February 18, 2019 at 6:30 PM – 8 PM
Where: Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library 515 W Kimberly Avenue (Kimberly) And 625 Grand Ave (Little Chute)
What: The Evening Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month at the Little Chute Public Library. All are welcome!
February’s selection is the 2019 Fox Cities Reads choice: “Evicted” by Matthew Desmond.
If you need a copy of the book, visit the front desk at either library location or place the title on hold at infosoup.org to get a copy before the discussion.
Community Conversations-Evicted
Who: Co-hosted by Fox Cities Book Festival, Little Chute Public Library, and Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities
When: Wed Feb 20, 10:00 AM
Where: Little Chute Public Library, 625 Grand Ave, Little Chute,
What: Join facilitators from Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities as they lead us in meaningful and respectful conversations around the topics of homelessness and poverty as part of the Fox Cities Reads 2019 events. Objectives of the event include exploring what you learned from reading Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, sharing your thoughts on homelessness and poverty as a result of reading the book, and brainstorm on actions that can be personally taken to help end homelessness and poverty in our communities.
Community Conversation-Evicted
Who: Co-hosted by Fox Cities Book Festival, Kimberly Public Library, and Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities
When: Thu Feb 28, 6:30 PM
Where: Kimberly Public Library, 515 W. Kimberly Ave., Kimberly
Join facilitators from Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities as they lead us in meaningful and respectful conversations around the topics of homelessness and poverty as part of the Fox Cities Reads 2019 events. Objectives of the event include exploring what you learned from reading Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, sharing your thoughts on homelessness and poverty as a result of reading the book, and brainstorm on actions that can be personally taken to help end homelessness and poverty in our communities.
