Mayor Kip Holden and several community partners launched the One Book One Community Summer Selection initiative to encourage residents to read the memoir "A Silence of Mockingbirds" by Karen Spears Zacharias. The book tells the true story of the 2005 murder of 3-year-old Karly Sheehan by her mother's boyfriend. Zacharias will visit Baton Rouge on July 26th to discuss the book and raise awareness about child abuse. Residents are encouraged to read the book and participate in discussions to better understand how to protect children from harm.

1. EBR Mayor-President Kip Holden and Community Partners Kick-Off One
Book One Community Summer Selection
Author Karen Spears Zacharias to come to Baton Rouge on July 26
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2012
BATON ROUGE - East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden along with
several community partners rolled out the “One Book One Community Summer Selection” initiative
during a 9 a.m. press conference on Saturday, June 2, at the Red Stick Farmers Market and Arts Market
in downtown Baton Rouge.
Holden announced that he will be reading author Karen Spears Zacharias’ “A Silence of
Mockingbirds: The Memoir of a Murder” this summer as part of the One Book One Community
Summer Selection, or OBOC, program. The program creates a citywide book club that aims to use a
common reading experience as the motivation for the intellectual and cultural exchange of dialogue and
ideas in order to raise awareness and visibility about a relevant community issue or issues. OBOC
organizing sponsors include Baton Rouge Community College, Barnes & Noble, East Baton Rouge
Parish Library, Forum 35, LSU, Macadam Cage Publishing, Redstick Internet Services, and The Greater
Baton Rouge Literacy Coalition.
“This year’s book, ‘A Silence of Mockingbirds: The Memoir of a Murder,’ reminds us all that
we have a responsibility to report and stop child abuse,” said Robin Kistler, co-chair of One Book One
Community.
Zacharias’ compelling memoir, recalls the true story of 3-year-old Karly Sheehan, daughter of
divorced parents Sarah and David Sheehan. On June 3, 2005, Karly Sheehan was beaten to death by
Sarah’s live-in boyfriend, Shawn Field. Zacharias watched Sarah Sheehan grow up as a child and even

2. allowed Sarah to live with her and her family for a period of time. Compelled to consider her own
culpability in this tragic case, Zacharias pieces together the tragic events through court documents,
investigators’ interviews, and interviews with friends, family, law enforcement officials and key
witnesses. As the terrible story unfolds, the hard question emerges for everyone involved, “Why was no
cry raised to protect Karly?”
Zacharias’ work has been featured in the Huffington Post, New York Times, USA Today,
Washington Post, Newsweek, National Public Radio, Relevant Magazine, Christianity Today, and CNN.
She teaches journalism at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash., and blogs at
Patheos.com.
Greater Baton Rouge-area residents are encouraged to read “The Silence of Mockingbirds”; see
the author speak when she comes to Baton Rouge on Thursday, July 26,; and discuss the book with
friends, family and co-workers as well as participate in other discussion events. Copies of the book can
be found at your local library, bookstore or purchased online.
For more information visit the program’s website at www.ReadOneBook.org. There, participants
can learn more about the book and its author, download discussion guides and obtain a complete
schedule of upcoming events surrounding the OBOC Summer Selection project. Visitors to the site are
also able to download a flyer to use as a tool to encourage others to read the book and join the
discussion.
Image downloads of the book cover and author’s photographs are also available under the “other
resources” tab of the website. Or visit www.facebook.com/OBOCBR where you can join discussions
with other Face Book members.
Readers of “A Silence of Mockingbirds” will have the opportunity to meet the book’s author and
ask her questions during a FREE public event at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, at LSU’s Cox
Communications Academic Center for Student Athletes. The Cox Center is located on the corner of
Fieldhouse and N. Stadium Drives on the LSU Campus.
Media Note:
Copies of the book are available to media who wish to review it and who would like to write
about the OBOC summer selection, or cover the author’s visit to Baton Rouge. Please contact Kistler at
225-276-6378 or rkistler@lsu.edu.

3. -30-
Contact Ernie Ballard
LSU Media Relations
225-578-5685
eballa1@lsu.edu
More news and information can be found on LSU’s home page at www.lsu.edu