Book fair for woke Brooklyn babies
By Rose Adams It’s a book fair of fair books!
An enlightened book festival
happening this weekend in Fort
Greene will help privilege-aware
parents find the right books to help
raise their infants into social justice
toddlers. The “Woke Baby Book
Fair,” at the Center for Fiction on
Aug. 3, was named as both a joke
about babies’ rocky sleep schedules
and a comment on young people’s
capacity for social change, said the
creator of the event.
“Babies are very much aware,”
said Mahogany L. Browne, a
Crown Heights poet, educator, and
activist. “I chose the title to think
about what it means to raise a
global citizen.”
The fair will showcase books
for both kids and young adults that
deal with social justice issues, and
several authors — including Jason
Reynolds, whose acclaimed novel
“All American Boys” deals with
police brutality, and fantasy writer
Dhonielle Clayton, also the founder
of the group We Need Diverse
Books — will read from their work
at the fest. The event will also
feature a wide variety of activities,
including arts and crafts, singing,
dancing, bookmark-making, and
storytime sessions, all designed
to bring the books to life and to
accommodate children’s different
learning styles, said Browne.
“Not all kids receive art in the
same way,” she said.
At the event, Browne will also
read from her poem and picture
book “Woke Baby,” alongside a
breakdancer who will interpret and
respond to the text. The poem
begins: “Woke baby, up before the
sun smiles, eyes open. Look at
your fists, fingers curled into a
panther’s paw, points up up up
reaching for justice.”
Browne said that hosting a book
fair that highlights literature about
children of color is important to
38 COURIER LIFE, AUG. 2-8, 2019 24-7
her, as a woman of color and as a
teacher of diverse kids for the last
15 years.
“I know what it’s like to look
for quality books with diverse
characters,” she said. “With the
book fair, I wanted to bring some
flair to that experience.
“Woke Baby Book Fair” at the
Center for Fiction 15 Lafayette
Ave. at Ashland Place in Fort
Greene, (212) 755–6710, www.
centerforfiction.org. Aug. 3; 10:30
a.m.–2 p.m. Free.
GBy Elizabeth Winn et them to the Greek
tragedy!
A star-filled production
of a bloody Greek play will sail into
Fort Greene at the beginning of
2020. This version of the Euripedes
tragedy “Medea,” starring Rose
Byrne in the title role, and Byrne’s
real life partner Bobby Cannavale,
as Medea’s straying husband Jason,
will open at the Brooklyn Academy
of Music in January of next year,
the Fort Greene arts organization
announced this week.
Byrne may be best known for
her comedic roles in the films
“Spy,” “Bridesmaids” and “Get
Him To The Greek,” along with
a villainous role in “X-Men: First
Class” and “X-Men: Apocalypse.”
Cannavale is a two-time Emmy
winner for his recurring roles on
“Will & Grace” and “Boardwalk
Empire,” and a Tony nominee for
the lead role in “The M-----------
with the Hat.”
The pair of actors have two
children together, which may add
a new dynamic to the story, in
which Medea famously kills her
own children in order to punish
her husband, when he leaves her
for another woman.
The show’s director, Simon
Stone, updated the play to the
modern era, with Medea portrayed
as a successful doctor instead of a
barbarian queen. He first debuted
this “Medea,” with a different
cast, at the International Theater
Amsterdam in 2014, where the
play earned rave reviews.
The Academy’s artistic director
said that he could not be more
excited to kick off the new year
with the timeless tragedy.
“I’m excited to welcome writerdirector
Simon Stone ... and look
forward to having the incredible
actors Rose Byrne and Bobby
Cannavale in lead roles on our
stage,” said David Binder.
The Academy will announce
the full cast, ticket prices, and
showtimes at a later date. Members
of the arts group will have first
dibs on tickets.
“Medea” at BAM Harvey
Theater (651 Fulton St. at Rockwell
Place in Fort Greene, www.bam.
org). January, 2020.
Italian slice
GBy Chandler Kidd et a slice of Rome
in Red Hook!
A new Romanstyle
pizza joint and
Italian eatery will take
over a historic Red Hook
warehouse this weekend.
Hoek, which opens on
Aug. 2, takes its name from
both the neighborhood’s
Dutch roots, and from
its location at the end of
Red Hook, said one of its
co-owners.
“When Dutch settlers
first put down their
roots in Red Hook they
named the place ‘Rood Hoek’
because of the color of the
soil and shape of the land.
Hoek means point or corner,
and that’s why we named our
restaurant Hoek, because it’s
on the corner of Red Hook,”
said Anna Solomon.
She and her husband and
co-owner, Kenny Solomon,
live just a few blocks from
their new pizza spot, and most
of their staff also lives in the
neighborhood.
Kenny Solomon grew up in
Rome, Italy, and felt that his
new neighborhood could use
a taste of his homeland, said
his wife.
“Kenny has worked in
the industry his whole life,
but this is his first venture in
opening his own place, and
feels like Red Hook reminded
him of home. He knew that it
was the right spot to open up
and dedicate a place to serving
authentic Roman food and
pizza,” said Anna Solomon.
Roman style pizzas have
a thin crust, with toppings
that extend to the edge. Hoek
uses a special “double zero”
f lour for its dough, which
means that diners will not
feel bloated after devouring
the gooey slices, said Anna
Solomon.
The pizzas feature special
cheese options, including
fior di latte and buffalla
mozzarella, and the couple
have created a white pizza
topped with gorgonzola dulce,
pancetta, and potatoes.
The restaurant will also
include an extensive wine
list, beer options, salads, and
sandwiches, which eaters can
enjoy while looking out on
the Statue Of Liberty and Red
Hook’s Valentino Pier.
“We really want to be the
place locals can come after
work and relax in a beautiful
atmosphere,” Anna Solomon
said.
Hoek (177 Ferris St. at Van
Dyke Street in Red Hook, www.
hoekbrooklyn.com). Open Sun,
Tue–Thu, noon–11 p.m. Fri–
Sat, noon–midnight. Closed on
Mondays.
KIDS ARE LIT
‘Medea’ darlings
Roman pizza joint is
opening in Red Hook
Family business: Kenny Solomonson and
his son cook Roman style pizza.
Anna Solomonson
Baby book fair: Crown Heights poet and teacher Mahogany Browne will reading
from her picture book “Woke Baby” during Saturday’s book fair for socially
conscious kids. Center for Fiction
Off the hook: Hoek pizza employee Dustin Seader removes a pizza from the
oven of the new Red Hook restaurant. Photo by Caroline Ourso
Mother figure: Rose Byrne will play the
title role in “Medea,” coming to the
Brooklyn Academy of Music in January
of 2020. Brooklyn Academy of Music
/www.hoekbrooklyn.com
/www.centerforfiction.org
/www.bam
/www.hoekbrooklyn.com
/www.centerforfiction.org
/centerforfiction.org
/www.bam
/hoekbrooklyn.com