Who doesn’t love a mystery in a weird museum?
This and other questions are answered in Books for Dessert, a book club for adults over 21 with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who live, work or participate in a day program in or around Port Washington. Founded more than 20 years ago, Books for Dessert — the sessions begin with cookies and coffee — is made up of readers ranging in age from early 20s to their late 70s. Read Newsday’s recent story on the Book Club.
Books for Dessert collaborates with groups such as AHRC, Community Mainstreaming Associates (CMA), YAI, and The Nicholas Center.
There are three separate clubs that meet weekly. Two groups convene on Monday mornings from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., and the other meets on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The groups meet to read, discuss, and socialize (and, of course, eat dessert!).
Leaders
The Books for Dessert sessions are led by experienced special education teachers. Our leaders include:
Linda DiStefano A former special education high school teacher with the Levittown School District. She has expertise in self-contained and co-teaching environments. Linda has been with the program for two years.
Suzanne Liff An author, educator, and educational consultant with teaching experience at the high school and college levels. Suzanne has been with the program for two years.
Evelyn Schonbrun A retired special education teacher in the Port Washington school district who has been with the program since its inception. Evelyn led self-contained classes in the district and initiated a partnership with several teachers to create inclusive lessons for her students.
Contact Us
If you’d like more information about our book club, please contact Kate Monsour at 516-883-4400, ext. 1302 or monsour@pwpl.org.
If you are an organization or individual interested in replicating this program in your community, let us know. Books for Dessert has prepared a program guidebook to help you get started.
Meet the Author
Every year, the three book clubs combine and we are visited by a well-known author whose books we read. The author spends the morning with us, telling us what inspires her (or him), about growing up, her family and their writing process. Each participant has the opportunity to meet the author, ask questions and receive an autographed copy of her book.
These are a few of the authors who’ve visited us:
Susan Thompson. Her book, “The Museum of Oddities,” is part of Gemma Open Door Publishing’s Two Wheeled Detective series about Tami Tripper (“an intrepid sleuth with a special talent for finding trouble”). We adapted the book into a play for our Theater for Dessert program. Susan spent twenty years in the adult literacy field as a teacher, program director, curriculum developer, trainer, and mentor to adult literacy professionals. She joined us at the library for a “meet the author” program on Monday January 13, 2025. Read about the event HERE.
Andrea Davis Pinkney, the bestselling author of more than 44 books for children and young adults, including picture books, novels, and non-fiction. Our book clubs read several of her books, including “Martin Rising,” “She Persisted: Harriet Tubman” and, “Abraham Lincoln: Letters from a Slave Girl.”
James Preller is an American writer of young adult and children’s books, many of them mysteries, including “Bystander,” “Six Innings,” and the Jigsaw Jones Mysteries. We read “The Case of the Bicycle Bandit.”
Theater for Dessert
Participants presented adaptations of “The Italian Cure” and “The Museum of Oddities”.
An offshoot of the Library’s Books for Dessert program, Theater for Dessert offers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) the opportunity to bring books to life while learning theater skills from industry professionals.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board Members include:
Annmarie Benzinger
Nancy Axelrad Comer, Chairperson and Founder
Georgia DeYoung
Linda DiStefano
Lisa Hendrickson
Suzanne Liff
Elise May
Susan McAuliffe
Marion Rosenbaum
Anne Sacks
Evelyn Schonbrun
Marian Weissman
Kate Monsour, Head of Adult Services and Staff Liaison
NOTE: The Books for Dessert Advisory Board is seeking new committee members who have an interest in literacy for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Schedule 2025-2026
| Monday Mornings 10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m. |
Thursday Evenings 7-8:30 p.m. |
| September: 15, 22, 29 October: 6, 20, 27 November: 3, 10, 17, 24 December: 1, 8, 15, 22 January: 5, 12, 26 February: 2, 9, 23 March: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 April: 13, 20, 27 May: 4, 11, 18 June: 1, 8, 15, 22 – party |
September: 18, 25 October: 9, 16, 23, 30 November: 6, 13, 20 December: 4, 11, 18 January: 8, 15, 22, 29 February: 5, 12, 26 March: 5, 12, 19, 26 April: 16, 23, 30 May: 7, 14, 21, 28 June: 4, 11, 18 Party: Monday June 22 |
Participants must register before attending. Contact Kate Monsour at 516-883-4400 ext. 1302