The Book Nook Celebrating Local Teen Author with First Friday Spotlight
15-Year-Old Visalia Native Will Be Featured Guest Reader at Art Hop on March 3rd
VISALIA, CA MARCH 3, 2023— When the First Friday Art Walk returns to Downtown Visalia on March 3rd, local art lovers will find a truly unique experience at the heart of The Book Nook on Main Street. 15-year-old local author, Donya Hassanshahi, will be featured as the guest reader on Friday night, as she shares selections of poetry from her first published book.
Hassanshahi, a sophomore at Redwood High School, started writing her poetry during her COVID-19 quarantine in September 2020. Over a span of nearly 2 1/2 years, Hassanshahi’s one-time exercise in expressing her feelings ultimately led to her writing more than 100 poems, all centered around her growth from adolescence into young adulthood during a global pandemic. As she entered her sophomore year at Redwood, Hassanshahi fine-tuned her collection down to her 85 best poems, which were published together as one complete book in January 2023.
“People my age don’t get many opportunities to share themselves like this,” said Hassanshahi. “I’d love to inspire other young adults my age, but I also hope adults can see that teenagers have a different view from what they typically expect. I hope someone who finds my book feels inspired, and says ‘Well, if a 15-year-old can write and edit a book on her own, why can’t I?’”
Hassanshahi’s book, The Fairy Without Wings is available at The Book Nook, which officially opened its doors in October 2022. Owned and operated as a division of Family HealthCare Network, The Book Nook serves as the newest addition to FHCN’s literacy initiative with the goal of increasing literacy rates through Visalia and the surrounding communities. “Donya is an exceptional example of the stories we love to see throughout the San Joaquin Valley: someone who is fearlessly pursuing her dreams,” said Kerry Hydash, President & CEO of Family HealthCare Network. “We are so excited to celebrate Donya’s story at The Book Nook on Friday, as part of our continued commitment to the children of the communities we serve.”
Event Details: First Friday Art Walk @ The Book Nook
Where: 114 W Main Street, Suite 102
When: Friday March 3rd, 6:00pm
About Family HealthCare Network:
At Family HealthCare Network, our mission is to provide quality health care to all. As a private nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center, FHCN includes 48 sites and over 300 clinical providers throughout Tulare, Fresno, and Kings Counties. Our services include family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, adult and children’s dentistry, pharmacy, internal medicine, behavioral health, nutritional counseling, health education, case management, community health and outreach, and eligibility assistance.
Family HealthCare Network is recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient Centered Medical Home and is dually recognized by The Joint Commission with its Gold Seal of Approval® for Patient Quality and Safety and as a Patient Centered Primary Medical Home.
For more information, call 1-877-960-3426, visit our website, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
