One Book, One Town returns to Downers Grove

EQuality Downers Grove, in partnership with the Downers Grove Public Library, invite residents to join in the third annual community-wide reading initiative, One Book, One Town, featuring a week of special events from March 5-13.

They selected the book “This Is How It Always Is,” written by Laurie Frankel, an emotionally compelling novel about a family’s struggles that inspires compassion and hope, according to an EQDG news release.

Copies of the book are available from the library or from Anderson’s Bookshop in Downers Grove. The reading initiative lineup offers discussion groups, workshops with guest experts and celebratory events. A calendar of activities can be found at eqdg.org, with registration required for all events. Signup links are on the EQDG website.

About the book

“This Is How It Always Is” is a heartfelt, thought-provoking novel about family, identity and unconditional love. The story follows Rosie, a physician, her husband Penn, a writer, and their five children as they navigate the complicated journey of the youngest child, who announces at the age of 5 that he wants to be a girl named Poppy. The author of the fictionalized book is the mother of a transgender child.

Through the family’s journey, Frankel portrays the challenges and joys of raising a transgender child, highlighting the complexities of parenting and the importance of love, support and creating a space for authenticity, according to the release. With warmth, humor and insight, “This is How It Always Is” reminds people that families come in all forms, and that understanding can only grow through compassion and the willingness to learn about others who may be different from them.

The mission of EQDG is to create an accepting and equitable environment for LGBTQ+ people through education, support, social action and advocacy.

For details on the varied array of One Book, One Town events and to find links to register for any and all the activities, visit eqdg.org. The topics are designed to appeal to a broad range of interests.