Welcome to the

Prospect Heights Library

Reading Maps!

Welcome to the Reading Maps Collection of the Prospect Heights Public Library.  Reading Maps are attempts to broaden Readers Advisory and give readers a wide range of reading options.  Reading Maps go beyond a listing of other, similar titles.  Instead, they go deeper into a book and explore its setting, characters, themes, and whatever makes it unique. 

We decided to try reading maps after reading an article by Neal Wyatt from the November 1st, 2006 issue of Library Journal.  We followed the general outline of the article for our reading maps and added our own inspirations as well. 

Our first Reading Map is based on Neil Gaiman's American Gods.  Days before his release from prison, Shadow learns that his wife has been killed in an accident. On the plane ride back home for the funeral, he meets Mr. Wednesday, who offers Shadow a job. Shadow accepts but soon discovers that Mr. Wednesday is far more dangerous than he could ever have imagined.

Our second map is based on Susan Vreeland's Luncheon of the Boating Party.   The party of 13 subjects Renoir puts together (with difficulty) eventually spends several Sundays drinking and flirting under the spell of the painter's brush. Renoir, who declares, "I only want to paint women I love," falls desperately for his newest models, while trying to win his last subject back from her rich fiancé. But Auguste and his friends only have two months to catch the light he wants and fend off charges that he and his fellow Impressionists see the world "through rose-colored glasses." Vreeland achieves a detailed and surprising group portrait, individualized and immediate.

More maps will come regularly, tho the books themselves may be highly irregular.  We hope you enjoy them!