A library staff member will lead a virtual book group on Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras. Copies of the book are available to pick up at the library - see below for details. The discussion will be held online using Zoom.
Registration is required for this Zoom virtual program. You can click on the green button to register for this event using your email address, and a Zoom link will be sent to you approximately 24 hours before the program begins.
In order to obtain a copy of the book, please contact the 3rd floor desk by email at readersservicesdesk@dppl.org or by phone @ (847) 376.2840. A copy will then be sent down to the 1st customer service desk and held there behind the desk under your name.
If you need help using Zoom, see our guide here or email us at askalibrarian@dppl.org.
Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
Seven-year-old Chula and her older sister Cassandra enjoy carefree lives thanks to their gated community in Bogotá, but the threats of kidnappings, car bombs, and assassinations hover just outside the neighborhood walls, where the godlike drug lord Pablo Escobar continues to elude authorities and capture the attention of the nation. When their mother hires Petrona, a live-in maid from the city's guerrilla-occupied slum, Chula makes it her mission to befriend the aloof teenager. But Petrona's mysterious behavior conceals a powerful yearning. She is a young woman crumbling under the burden of providing for her family as the riptide of first love pulls her in the opposite direction. As both girls' families scramble to maintain stability amid the rapidly escalating conflict, Petrona and Chula find themselves entangled in a web of secrecy that will force them both to choose between sacrifice and betrayal.
The 1501 Ellinwood Street library building is the realization of a longheld dream of the library board, staff and community partners. Located in the heart of downtown Des Plaines, the four story, 82,000 square foot building represents the community's commitment to reading, lifelong learning, and a center for family activities. A grand central staircase and large windows provide a wealth of natural light and illuminate the building at night.