On the Same Page
About the Book | Programs | Book Discussions | Brochure
Every October, Bloomingdale Public Library, Itasca Community Library, and Roselle Public Library District hold On the Same Page, a collaborative, annual community reading event that features films, programs, and book discussions around one book. This year’s choice is Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson.
In September, complimentary copies of the book will be available at Bloomingdale Public Library (while supplies last). Roselle and Itasca will also have free books available; please contact them for giveaway details.
On the Same Page is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bloomingdale-Roselle, the Friends of the Bloomingdale Public Library, and Itasca Bank and Trust Co.
About the Book
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett’s death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage and themselves.
Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor’s true history, and fulfill her final request to “share the black cake when the time is right”? Will their mother’s revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?
Programs - Full Brochure
On the Same Page programs that require registration are noted in the program description.
Supporting Our Loved Ones: Tools for Navigating Mental Health Challenges
Itasca Community Library
Thursday, October 2 | 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
In-Person Event
Register online or call 630-773-1699
Led by mental health professionals from NAMI DuPage, this program offers adults practical tools and compassionate guidance for supporting loved ones through mental health challenges. Participants will explore how to navigate emotional struggles, foster healthy communication, and care for their own well-being.
VIRTUAL: Caribbean Cuisine with Kristyn Slick
Itasca Community Library
Tuesday, October 7 | 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Zoom Webinar
Register online or call 630-773-1699
Travel through flavor and story in this Caribbean-inspired cooking class based on the novel Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. We’ll explore traditional island ingredients and prepare dishes that honor the novel’s rich cultural roots—including a simplified take on the beloved black cake. Join us as we blend food, memory, and heritage in a celebration of Caribbean cuisine.
Drop-In Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Bloomingdale Public Library
Wednesday, October 8 | 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
In-Person Event, Drop-In
A buccaneer tries to retrieve a haunted ship from the mutinous scalawags who seized it. Rated: PG-13
Afternoon at the Movies: The Secret Life of Bees
Itasca Community Library
Friday, October 17 | 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
In-Person Event
Register online or call 630-773-1699
1964. Lily, a lonely teenager, flees from her home and reaches a small town in South Carolina. Once there, she finds herself in the company of the Boatwright sisters who introduce her to a new world. Rated: PG-13
Reggae: The Beating Heart of Popular Music
Bloomingdale Public Library
Tuesday, October 21 | 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
In-Person Event
Register online or call 630-924-2730
No other country has had such an influence on modern popular music as Jamaica. Bob Marley is a global symbol of Jamaican reggae music, but this tiny island of barely 3 million inhabitants has produced many other great artists and has pioneered new sounds and recording techniques. Reggae has directly influenced genres like Disco, Hip Hop, and Electronic Dance Music (EDM), while many popular artists, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Stevie Wonder, have recorded their own reggae songs. Through the use of music, video, and photographs from this treasured island, Dr. John F. Lyons traces the history and impact of reggae music.
Drop-In Movie: The Rum Diary
Roselle Public Library District
Wednesday, October 22 | 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
In-Person Event, Drop-In
American journalist Paul Kemp takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper during the 1960s and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the expatriates who live there. Rated: R
The Rule of Rum
Bloomingdale Public Library
Monday, October 27 | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
In-Person Event
Register online or call 630-924-2730
Food historian Cynthia Clampitt shares the reason rum arose where it did and when it did. She'll talk about how pirates got involved, and who really said “yo ho ho” (not the pirates), but also how rum helped unite the thirteen colonies, as it became one of the issues that led to the American Revolution. She'll also talk about how it also led to a revolt in its next home after the Caribbean, Australia, and how it affected culture and history after that.
Make Ahead Pastries with Chef Cherise
Roselle Public Library District
Thursday, October 30 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
In-Person Event
Register online or call 630-529-1641
Say goodbye to early mornings! Wouldn’t it be great to greet your family with fresh pastries that you DIDN’T have to get up early to prepare? Chef Cherise Slattery will reveal her secrets for making scones, muffins, sweet rolls, and more – days and even weeks ahead of time. Luscious Lemon Scones and Chocolate Chip Scones will be shared along with the recipes to make them, plus how to use inclusions to make many more varieties.
Book Discussions
Between the Covers Book Discussion
Roselle Public Library District
Thursday, October 9 | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Register online or call 630-529-1641
Beyond the Library Book Discussion
Fox & Turtle Restaurant in Itasca
Monday, October 13 | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Register online or call 630-773-1699
Evening Book Discussion
Tuesday, October 29 | 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Register online or call 630-773-1699