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Favorite books of 2024: Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ staff picks
The end of 2024 is right around the corner, and you know what that means: A seemingly endless parade of end-of-year lists.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the best-of things you haven’t gotten around to, but we offer something close to our hearts at WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times: an unpretentious list that comes from our staff of book lovers.
Whether you speed-read 100 books a year or take your time with a special few, here are 18 of our favorite reads of 2024, with the recommendation — verbatim — from the staffer-reader.
Courtesy of Wednesday Books
“Heartless Hunter” by Kristen Ciccarelli
(Wednesday Books, published Feb. 20)
“‘Heartless Hunter’ is a romantasy cat-and-mouse chase between a witch and a witch hunter, with a unique magic system, detailed worldbuilding, poignant meditations on grief and persecution, and LOTS of twists and turns. I read it in TWO book clubs and literally couldn’t put it down. When I couldn’t sit and read it, I would listen to the audiobook because I needed to know what happened next!” — Daryn Robinson, membership associate, WBEZ
“Great Expectations” by Vinson Cunningham
(Hogarth, published March 12)
“Much like the classic Charles Dickens novel of the same name, this debut novel from New Yorker staff writer Vinson Cunningham focuses on an education of sorts. Protagonist David Hammond, an early-twenties college dropout with a young daughter, is working as a tutor when he lands an opportunity to work for an illustrious young politician from Illinois running for president. He is simply referred to as ‘the Senator’ (who could it be!). David learns what it means to contend with race, Christianity and relationships in the context of moving up in the ranks of a political campaign.” — Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis, arts & culture digital producer, WBEZ
“James” by Percival Everett
(Doubleday, published March 19)
“How can an author have horror and humor at the same time in a book about slavery? This book is a reimagining of ‘Huckleberry Finn’ as told through the eyes of the enslaved Jim, or James. The satirical nature of this book continues to amaze me. I’ve never read anything like this. It has risen to my top 10 novels of all time.” — Natalie Moore, contributing columnist, Chicago Sun-Times
Courtesy of Riverhead Books
“All Fours” by Miranda July
(Riverhead Books, published May 14)
“‘Miranda July’ is a wildly creative, thought-provoking artist, so anything by her will bring elements of surprise, delight and introspection. But it’s the topic of the book that felt so revolutionary — and no, I don’t mean the strange, varied sexual exploits through the book, of which there are many. It was a book about perimenopause, through and through. A stark, hard look at being a middle-aged woman, with half her life behind her and wrestling with her past — and uncertain about her future. I haven’t felt that character handled with such care since Mrs. Dalloway.” — Melissa Bell, CEO, Chicago Public Media
“Sandwich” by Catherine Newman
(Harper, published June 18)
“This short and sweet book described midlife as both a mother and child in a super compelling manner. While I am not fully at this stage, it resonated with me to read from the perspective of a woman who has made challenging decisions, loves those around her fiercely, got things wrong and is still so lovable and funny.” — Stephanie Bassill, HR manager, Chicago Public Media
Courtesy of Riverhead Books
“God of the Woods” by Liz Moore
(Riverhead Books, published July 2)
“I couldn’t put this book down! It has the suspense of a whodunit mystery with the rich character development you might expect to find in a fiction novel. Alternating point-of-view chapters highlight the complicated experiences and feelings of so many, from a friend of the missing teenage girl to a serial killer on the run to a camp counselor caught in a toxic relationship. The setting, an Adirondack summer camp, is a character all of its own. Interwoven is an exploration of class, gender dynamics and a whole lot more.” — Sarah Darby, director of audience insights, WBEZ
Courtesy of Farrar, Straus and Giroux
“State of Paradise” by Laura van den Berg
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux, published July 9)
“I’d heard of Laura van den Berg as a writer of ‘weird art books.’ This one is not that, although there is a strong sense of the surreal and uncanny throughout. The author convincingly plays with the ideas of fiction and reality blending into the landscape of a personified Florida — and man, Florida is angry! Facing a catastrophic future, humanity may not survive.” — Chase Browning, promotions producer, WBEZ
“The Bright Sword” by Lev Grossman
(Viking, published July 16)
“This book is a different take on the legend of King Arthur. A young knight makes his way to compete for a spot at the fabled Round Table of legend, only to find out that he’s too late. What he finds is a king who was killed in battle two weeks before, and only a handful of oddball knights remain. The young knight leads a ragtag group on an adventure to find Excalibur and rebuild the storied court of Camelot — and Britain itself — and to discover why King Arthur fell in battle. If you like medieval sword and sorcery books, this is definitely one to check out.” — Zach Kalmus, preprocess manager, Chicago Sun-Times
“Not Till We Are Lost” by Dennis E. Taylor
(Audible, published Sept. 5)
“I’m a big science fiction nerd. This is the fifth book in the ‘Bobiverse’ series, and I feel like I’ve been waiting for it for ages. Dennis Taylor does a great job of crafting an easy read that explores interesting theoretical science without getting too in the weeds. This one touches on wormholes, the ‘great filter’ theory and much more. The audiobooks are also fantastically read by Ray Porter. I’ve since looked for other books specifically read by him, because there’s something so comforting and nostalgic about his delivery.” — Ethan Schwabe, master control engineer, WBEZ
Courtesy of Penguin Books
“The Hunter” by Tana French
(Penguin Books, published March 5)
“I’m a sucker for a Tana French book. She has this beautiful way of slow-burning a story and then smacking you in the face repeatedly as you get to the end. All of her books are so character-driven, you can almost touch them. This is the second book of a continued series following Cal Hooper, a retired CPD officer who moved to a country town in Ireland hoping for some relaxation. Of course, these things don’t always go as you plan. I loved the nuance in the relationships. The spiciness of a small town in ways that you don’t really know unless you’ve experienced that yourself (everyone knowin’ your business, especially if you’ve been there all your life). The woman spins a fine yarn.” — Ariel Van Cleave, managing editor of audio news, WBEZ
Courtesy of Riverhead Books
“You Dreamed of Empires” by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer
(Riverhead Books, published Jan. 9)
“This is an imaginative retelling of the conquistadors’ invasion of the Aztec Empire. Funny, strange, vivid and unlike anything I’ve ever read. The fabulous descriptions of the long-gone city of Tenochtitlan were mesmerizing, and I loved how the story imagined a different ending for Hernán Cortés and his bumbling cronies.” — Jared Natzke, member services lead, WBEZ
“There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension” by Hanif Abdurraqib
(Random House, published March 26)
“The way in which Abdurraqib uses the sport as a lens to view the places and people that make us is really quite remarkable. The book is structured like a basketball game, with four ‘quarter’ sections. It’s about basketball, but so much more — as an Ohioan, Abdurraqib writes about the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James and who gets to be great, how our hometowns shape us and the hope that we will always hold for the people and places that make us, even after we leave them. As a poet, Abdurraqib’s writing is lush and moving, and he does a fabulous job narrating the audiobook, which is how I read this!” — Abby Miller, development reporter, Chicago Sun-Times
“The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth” by Zoë Schlanger
(Harper, published May 7)
“Lately, I’ve been trying to grow my understanding of the natural world. Learning about the most recent research into how plants engage with the world has helped me see how interconnected life is, and the importance of respecting all forms of life.” — David MacKay, on-air fundraising manager, WBEZ
“War & Peace & War: Twenty Years in Afghanistan” by Andrew North
(Ithaka, published Aug. 1)
“This book taught me a lot about the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan through the lens of multiple Afghan citizens, shining a light on personal stories and the feelings on the ground during that time. It made me reflect on how I remembered news about Afghanistan as a child, and it gave me a point of view I had never thought about before. Author and journalist Andrew North details what it was like covering the instability of the region at the time and his experience being kidnapped by the Taliban.” — Araceli Gomez-Aldaña, reporter, WBEZ
Courtesy of Little, Brown and Company
“Never Saw Me Coming: How I Outsmarted the FBI and the Entire Banking System—and Pocketed $40 Million” by Tanya Smith
(Little, Brown and Company, published Aug. 13)
“Tanya Smith’s book has all the elements I like in a book — rich storytelling, details that make the characters come alive, escapades different from daily life and the kind of suspense that has you rooting for the author, even when you know she’s made a career out of being a criminal. The fact that she is an identical twin and used this to her advantage during the police investigation demonstrated how smart she was able to stay off of law enforcement’s radar for so long.” — Kate Verrant, assistant general counsel, labor & employment, Chicago Public Media
“How to Build a Fashion Icon” by Law Roach
(Abrams, published Oct. 1)
“For those not familiar with Law, he’s a celebrity stylist and image architect — a term he coined — from Chicago. He’s styled celebrities like Zendaya, Celine Dion, Ariana Grande, Mary J. Blige, and the list goes on and on. The book is part memoir, part fashion tips; he’s really trying to help other people discover themselves and their style through confidence-building.” — Morgan Ciocca, digital producer at Vocalo
Courtesy of Simon & Schuster
“Carson the Magnificent” by Bill Zehme with Mike Thomas
(Simon & Schuster, published Nov. 5)
“Largely just because it managed to actually exist, after being eagerly awaited for many years but delayed by Zehme’s health issues, anxieties and, ultimately, his death. But it’s also a satisfying read probing Johnny Carson’s appeal, aloof personality and dark side.” — Darel Jevens, entertainment editor, Chicago Sun-Times
Courtesy of Fantagraphics
“Tender” by Beth Hetland
(Fantagraphics, published March 12)
“This is a wild, funny, horrifying, Chicago-set graphic novel. It riffs a lot on social media addiction, toxic positivity and trying to find human connection in an increasingly impersonal society. It follows this young millennial woman who’s sort of striving for the Instagram-perfect life of finding a husband and kids, and when things don’t go her way, she starts falling down a dark path. The book takes a few pretty wild turns that are worth sticking around for.” — Mitch Armentrout, politics and government reporter, Chicago Sun-Times
USWNT forward Trinity Rodman on her relationship with father Dennis: ‘He’s not a dad’
U.S. women’s national soccer team star Trinity Rodman opened up about her relationship with her father, criticizing former Bulls great and Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman for not being a presence in her life.
In an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast released on Wednesday, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist accused the elder Rodman of being an erratic factor throughout her youth and up to today. Per the Washington Spirit forward — who had previously characterized her relationship with her father as strained — the five-time NBA champion would barely see his children a handful of times in a given year, then insist on being in control.
“He’s not a dad. Maybe by blood, but nothing else,” the 22-year-old said of one of basketball’s biggest names from the 1990s. “We were getting enough money to pay rent, barely. And then we were just, I don’t even know how we made it work, but somehow we were making it happen.”
‘We were living in a car’
Dennis Rodman became one of the NBA’s biggest stars, playing a key role on the second Bulls “three-peat” team built around Michael Jordan. Between Rodman’s rebounding prowess — the New Jersey native lead the league in rebounding for seven straight seasons, and is considered one of the all-time greats in the category — and his outlandish personality, “The Worm” had a big-time NBA contract, endorsements, and even branched into acting.
Per his daughter, who just helped the Washington Spirit to this year’s NWSL championship final, that money didn’t go toward supporting his children.
“We had [a Ford] Expedition, and we kind of lived in that for a little bit,” Trinity Rodman said. “I think this is when we were at … Ensign by Newport Harbor. So we were still in Newport [Beach]. So imagine living in a car, going to a rich [high] school. It’s the most weird thing, but we were living in a car, but then we could afford to stay in a motel for a little bit. So we were kind of back and forth, what nights we could pay for, how many nights we could pay for.”
Rodman said that over the years, Dennis would drop in “once, two, three, four times a year,” and that those moments often involved a clash over whether her father was doing enough to look after the family financially.
“That was all the fight [between her parents] was ever about in front of us, at least. It was just the money part, and helping your children,” explained the 2024 NWSL Best 11 forward. “My dad, he likes to be in control. So, he would take us shopping, get us phones, do this, do that. ‘Oh, I’m gonna take you and your brother shopping,’ and me and my brother are like, ‘We don’t want to go shopping. We don’t want to go shopping!’ We just want money to go get In-N-Out after school with our friends.’ So it was like, he wouldn’t give us money to do that.
“He needed to have the control, of bringing us shopping and swiping his own card. But if we asked, ‘Hey, could we have $100 to go get food, go to Claire’s to get my ears pierced?’ Just little stuff like that, he was like, ‘No, you’re using me.’”
‘I don’t know where he is’
For the USWNT attacker, life as Dennis Rodman’s daughter has been complicated. Trinity has shown up for Washington Spirit games wearing shirts recalling some of her father’s most notorious looks, but noted in the interview that she has had to be very intentional about what she does and doesn’t discuss when he comes up.
“I think with the dad situation — in terms of what I’ve filtered and what I’ve talked about — I feel like me and my brother have been very generous with the way that we’ve talked about it, and very unselfish,” Rodman said. “I think we never want to make him look bad, and that is at the cost of kind of holding in a lot, and a lot of issues that we’ve gone through, and just like trauma, per se.
“I just feel like I’ve been in a place of going through interviews where people are like, ‘Is your dad there? What’s your dad feeling?’ And I feel like I’ve tried to make it obvious that I don’t know. I don’t know how he’s feeling. I don’t know where he is. So for my own sanity, getting those questions, it frustrates me.”
Read more at usatoday.com.
Bears continue to waste valuable prime years of CB Jaylon Johnson’s career
When Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson erupted on former coach Matt Eberflus in the visiting locker room in Detroit on Thanksgiving, perhaps the tipping point for Eberflus’ firing the next day, it was years in the making.
Johnson’s pent-up exasperation predated Eberflus. It’s rooted in the Bears essentially wasting the first five years of his promising career and, as he put it, “At some point you blow up.” They’ve gone 28-53 since drafting him in the second round in 2020, including 4-10 this season going into yet another meaningless game Sunday against the Lions.
In just those five years, Johnson has seen the full spectrum of Bears incompetence, and Eberflus’ mishandling of the clock at the end of the Lions game pushed him over the edge.
“I wouldn’t even say it had anything to do with [Eberflus],” Johnson told the Sun-Times on Wednesday. “It had everything to do with losing. We’re doing things right and still not winning games. We’ve had plenty of those.
“When you lose so much — and you put so much into it — it starts to take a toll on you a little bit. And instead of letting that out at home or something, I let that out in the midst of the frustration in the locker room. I did it the right way. I didn’t demean anybody. I wasn’t disrespectful in any way. It was just emotionally expressing my frustration from over the years.”
It hasn’t been the season Johnson wanted after signing a four-year, $76 million contract extension in March and expecting a bright future. He’ll be watching the playoffs from home again, but was adamant that he hasn’t checked out and said, “The pride that I have in my craft and competing will never waver no matter what the team’s record is.”
Johnson has once again been the Bears’ best corner, as he has been since the day they drafted him, though he hasn’t been totally satisfied with his season.
He had two interceptions in the first three games, but none since. He has been targeted just 45 times, according to Pro Football Reference, compared to 88 times combined for fellow outside corners Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith. Johnson has allowed a 62.2 completion percentage and an 88.9 passer rating, and the last three opponents threw his way a combined six times.
“I’ve been playing well, playing solid, just wish I could make some more plays,” Johnson said.
Interim coach Thomas Brown reiterated Wednesday that Johnson not having a captain’s patch on his jersey against the Vikings was “1000%” an equipment error and praised his “consistent” performance.
Brown thought Johnson was “in a great spot” mentally despite the Bears’ mounting defeats. He was fine with him speaking his mind behind closed doors, including the confrontation at Ford Field, but would have preferred those episodes stay in-house rather than be aired out to the public.
Johnson always seems to be transparent about how he feels, and everyone can see it’s been an emotionally turbulent season for him.
He ripped into himself after the Week 2 loss to the Colts in which he had an interception but also let Alec Pierce — “That’s not a receiver that should ever catch a pass on me,” he fumed — burn him for a 44-yard catch. Against the Packers last month, Johnson tripped and allowed a pivotal 60-yard pass to Christian Watson, then bristled that the losses were “almost comical” at that point.
Leading up to that fateful game in Detroit, Johnson sounded bleaker than ever when discussing the Bears’ outlook, saying, “I don’t do all the hopes and dreams and all that. I’ve been in slumps five years in a row.”
That’s a damning statement on the organization — one that fellow 2020 draft pick Cole Kmet could say, too. Johnson is one of the few things the Bears have gotten right in the last several years, and they’re squandering his prime.
Blackhawks attendance at United Center holding steady despite lack of TV visibility
The Blackhawks’ game presentation team made the right choice to play Baba O’Riley on Tuesday.
The Who’s iconic opening chords brought a United Center crowd of 18,511 to deafening levels for a faceoff with 10 seconds left, and the Hawks used that final surge of energy to clinch a 3-2 win over the Capitals.
It was a good crowd and solid atmosphere for a Tuesday night against an opponent with few traveling fans, and it kept the Hawks’ overall season attendance average steady.
Through 14 home dates in 2024-25, the Hawks’ average attendance is 18,662, which ranks seventh in the NHL even though the team is tied for last in the standings. The league, as a whole, has done well at the gate this season; all but three teams are above 88% of capacity so far.
The Hawks’ 18,662 figure is down ever so slightly (0.9%) from their full-season average of 18,836 last season, but it’s actually up ever so slightly (0.5%) from their average of 18,567 through last season’s first 14 home games.
There really haven’t been many eye-opening attendance trends or storylines. Instead, the attendance numbers have been remarkably consistent. The Hawks have posted just one sellout, drawing 19,984 for Patrick Kane’s return (Nov. 6 against the Red Wings), but their smallest crowd was a respectable 17,118 on Oct. 22 against the Canucks. Everything else has fallen within that range of roughly 2,800 people.
Last season, for comparison, the Hawks drew fewer than 17,000 on three occasions. And in 2022-23 — before Connor Bedard’s arrival — they drew fewer than 17,000 on 19 occasions (almost half of their 41 home games) and bottomed out at an abysmal 12,523.
October and November are typically the toughest months in which to sell tickets because of competition against baseball and football. December holidays typically provide a boost, and then by January, the sports world is less saturated. So for the Hawks to reach mid-December on the same pace as last season should, in theory, be encouraging data for the team’s sales department.
But there are a few less-positive things to note. Firstly, the Hawks’ upcoming schedule is arguably over-saturated with home dates. Between Dec. 29 and Feb. 7, they’ll host 13 games in 41 days, compared to only five road games during that span.
One of those home games is the Winter Classic, which will draw 40,000-plus raucous fans to Wrigley Field. But the Hawks might have a tougher time attracting people to the United Center for Monday night contests against the Flames and Hurricanes later in January, for instance.
Secondly, the Hawks’ lack of TV visibility — due to Chicago Sports Network’s ongoing lack of a carriage agreement with Comcast, among other providers — has affected attendance in several subtler ways. The franchise is suffering from an out-of-sight, out-of-mind issue with many casual fans.
Considering the Hawks reached or nearly reached caps on season ticket plans in many sections last summer, they likely anticipated more sellouts this season. But their single-game ticket sales have lagged below expectations, thus why most games have fallen a couple thousand short of a sellout.
It’s telling that the 300 level on the shoot-once end — which contains a swath of sections set aside for single-game tickets, often for groups or students — is the sparsest area of the arena most nights.
And the Hawks’ scan rate — the percentage of tickets distributed that actually get scanned into the arena — hasn’t been great, either. For instance, the Oct. 22 Canucks crowd looked no bigger than 13,000 or 14,000, even though 17,118 was announced.
With that said, however, the Hawks are still in relatively good shape attendance-wise. They have much bigger audience engagement and exposure problems to worry about.
After School Matters launches $14 million renovation of 36,000-square-foot facility near Cabrini-Green
After School Matters, a long-standing group that offers teen programming, began Wednesday a $14 million renovation on a 36,000-square-foot facility near the former Cabrini-Green public housing development on the Near North Side.
The teen programming organization, started by Maggie Daley, the late wife of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, bought the building for $12.2 million in April. Once complete in late 2025, the facility will offer programming to 1,500 teens.
“It’s not only the physical building we’re investing in, but the teens and the city of Chicago,” Chief Financial Officer Brendan DuBois said.
The building, 1065 N. Orleans Ave., has a commercial kitchen and a gymnasium, the first in an After School Matters facility. After renovations, it will also include a black box theater, art studios, STEM labs, a skilled trades lab, outdoor spaces for urban gardening and communal spaces for collaboration. By adding the gym, DuBois hopes more young boys will be attracted to the organization’s sports programming and be inspired to try other things, too.
After School Matters long used city library and park district buildings before adding its own in 2017, and the addition of the new building is an encouraging signal of its growth, DuBois said.
“What sets our buildings apart is the investment we make,” he said. “It’s a huge commitment by the organization, by the board of directors, by our donors.”
Across its fall, spring and summer programming sessions, up to 19,000 students enroll in After School Matters sports, cooking, art and other courses.
“We know After School Matters teen-centric spaces work,” After School Matters CEO Mary Ellen Caron said in a press release. “Today, there is a greater need than ever for more safe, supportive and responsive spaces where teens can learn, grow and thrive.”
The design of the building will be determined through discussions with After School Matters staff and board, along with the teens themselves. DuBois said the organization asks what type of programs the teens want to see and use their feedback in adding new courses, like artificial intelligence programming.
The organization is raising money to meet the projected $14 million price tag of the renovation. Between the purchase of the building and the renovation, the total cost of opening the new building is estimated to be around $27 million. Around 12 to 15 employees will staff the building, but DuBois said it’s too early to tell if those will be new hires or people already within the organization.
Things to Do in Chicago Dec 19-25
Theater
Music Theater Works presents “Legally Blonde — The Musical,” based on the popular film, it’s the story of Elle Woods (Kayla Shipman) and her journey to Harvard Law School as she learns life’s important lessons. Mandy Modic directs. From Dec. 19-29 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie. Tickets: $19.50-$106. Visit musictheaterworks.com.
Kayla Shipman stars as Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde: The Musical” at Music Theater Works.
- In Daryl D. Brooks’ “Hitt Records,” vintage record store owners James and Charles Hitt use their vast knowledge of music to school their nephew and customers. Includes music from Curtis Mayfield, Phil Collins, Alexander O’Neil, Shalamar, Sister Sledge, Bob Marley and more. Brooks directs. From Dec. 21-Jan. 26 at Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 N. Clark. Tickets: $56.50-$66.50. Visit blackensembletheater.org.
- Rick Schuler’s holiday show “Rocky Mountain High Experience, A John Denver Christmas,” features the singer-songwriters hits including “Rocky Mountain High,” “Sunshine On My Shoulders,” “Take Me Home Country Roads,” “Thank God I’m A Country Boy,” Aspenglow” and “Silver Bells.” From Dec. 19-22 at Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut. Tickets: $45-$100. Visit broadwayinchicago.com.
- Open Space Arts/Arts Judaica, in association with Her Story Theatre, present “The Berlin Diaries,” Andrea Stolowitz’s drama about her quest to learn about her extended Jewish family which was inspired by her great-grandfather’s journal kept after escaping Germany for New York in 1939. Izadorius Tortuga directs. From Dec. 20-Jan. 5 at Open Space Arts, 1411 W. Wilson. Tickets: $25. Visit openspacearts.org.
- “Ayn Rand’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ as Performed by the Conspirators Under the Direction of President Biden NO WAIT, Liz Cheney” is Sid Feldman’s comic retelling of the classic movie told through the eyes of libertarian Ayn Rand. Wm. Bullion directs. At 7 p.m. Dec. 20-22 at Otherworld Theatre, 3914 N. Clark. Tickets: $15. Visit conspirewithus.org.
- Practical Theater Company presents “Weird,” a year-end sketch-comedy revue which blends elements of vintage radio shows of the 1940s with contemporary sketch comedy. At 8 p.m. Dec. 20-22 at Studio 5, 1934 Dempster, Evanston. Tickets: $35-$55. Visit studio5.dance/calendar.
Dance
Reginald “Reggio” McLaughlin is the creator/star of “The Nut Tapper.”
- Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin presents his annual staging of “The Nut Tapper,” the holiday classic recreated with rhythms of tap, Spanish flamenco and Mexican zapateado. Also in the lobby is an exhibit of items from McLaughlin’s Tap History Archive. At 4:30 p.m. Dec. 22 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln. Tickets: $20. Visit oldtownschool.org.
Music
- Jazz vocalist Samara Joy recently released a new studio album, “Portrait,” which NPR says is “the most jazz-literate album of her career so far.” And Joy just earned two Grammy nominations for her 2023 holiday EP, “A Joyful Holiday.” Songs from both are sure to make for a potent mix when Joy performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 20 at Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State. Tickets: $32+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
- Over the years, the captivating sounds of the a cappella group Straight No Chaser have attracted a massive fan base. Find out why when the nine singers take the stage at 3 p.m. Dec. 22 at Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State. Tickets: $49+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
- Inspired by 1920s jazz, klezmer and old-time music, the Squirrel Nut Zippers’ Christmas Caravan celebrates the season with heartwarming ballads, boisterous dance tunes and alternative holiday classics. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at Park West, 322 W. Armitage. Tickets: $55-$85. Visit jamusa.com.
- The 34th annual Winter Solstice Sunrise Concerts return with Chicago-based musicians Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang welcoming the end of the year’s longest night at 6 a.m. Dec. 21 (sold out). Two more performances take place at 6 a.m. Dec. 22-23 at Links Hall, 3111 N. Western. Tickets: $38. Visit linkshall.org.
- Chicago Sinfonietta’s holiday concert features performances of “Greensleeves,” “Appalachian Carol,” “O Holy Night,” “I Saw Three Ships,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and more. At 6:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells. Tickets: $27-$67. Visit auditoriumtheatre.org.
- Kentucky born singer-songwriter Chris Knight taught himself John Prine songs at 15 and began writing his own songs at 26 after hearing Steve Earle perform. Now at 64, he’s among the tried and true masters of Americana. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22 at Robert’s Westside, 7321 Madison, Forest Park. Tickets: $30. Visit robertswestside.com.
- Singer-songwriter Michael McDermott’s annual Mischief & Mistletoe residency features three nights filled with original tunes and holiday classics. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21-23 at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph. Tickets: $32-$45. Visit citywinery.com.
- Cellist-singer Ian Maksin, known as a “one-man orchestra,” transforms his cello into an entire symphonic experience combining classical and world music. At 7 p.m. Dec. 22 at Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland. Tickets: $30, $35. Visit epiphanychi.com.
Museums
- “Framed Views” is a photography show which includes images taken during this year’s Open House Chicago. The Chicago Architecture Center hosted a photo competition inviting people to take photos while exploring the city’s architectural sites during the weekend event. Out of more than 1,300 submissions, the finalists and winners are featured in the exhibit. To June 1 at 111 E. Wacker. Admission: $14, children 5 and under free. Visit architecture.org.
- For a winter break road trip head downstate to Springfield for “Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt,” an exhibit highlighting the work of the Chicago artist whose massive sculptures can be seen around the state and country. Over his 70-year career, Hunt, who died last year, gave form to the pain and the hopes of African Americans striving for true equality. To April 20 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, 212 N. 6th St., Springfield. Admission: $6-$15, children 4 and under free. Visit presidentlincoln.illinois.gov.
Movies
Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in “Megalopolis.”
- Be Kind, Rewind is a series of 13 films from the past year including Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” Alice Rohrwacher’s “La Chimera,” Kelly O’Sullivan’s “Ghostlight,” Edward Berger’s “Conclave,” Sean Baker’s “Anora” and more. From Dec. 20-Jan. 2 at Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State. Tickets: $14.50. Visit siskelfilmcenter.org.
- John Cusack hosts a screening of one of his most popular films — Cameron Crowe’s “Say Anything.” In his four-star review of the 1989 film, Roger Ebert writes, the film “exists entirely in a real world, is not a fantasy or a pious parable, has characters who we sort of recognize, and is directed with care for the human feelings involved.” A Q&A with Cusack follows. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells. Tickets: $39+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
Holiday Fun
- Winterland features a 360-degree immersive experience, a kaleidoscope of colors and winter scenes. Plus there’s photo ops with giant Christmas trees and Nutcracker soldiers, a children’s play area, a craft station, hot beverages and more. To Jan. 5 at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand. Tickets: $12.50-$22.50. Visit winterlandchicago.com.
- Stay cozy and warm in your car and enjoy Light of Christmas, the city’s only holiday drive-through experience featuring more than one million synchronized lights that dance to the sounds of the season. To Jan. 5 at Guaranteed Rate Field, 3326 S. Wentworth. Tickets per vehicle: $20.99-$54.99. Visit lightofchristmas.com.
- The Chicago Botanic Garden’s enchanting Lightscape fills the garden grounds with light, art and music. This year’s edition features an all-new path with transformed vistas and dazzling installations from around the world. To Jan. 5 at 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe. Admission: $19-$39, ages 2 and under free. Visit chicagobotanic.org.
CPS to consider keeping 7 Acero schools open another year before taking over 5
After weeks of protests from families and staff against the proposed closing of seven Acero charter schools, Chicago’s Board of Education is moving to keep all seven open for one more school year then take over five of the campuses in 2026. The board also took the extraordinary step of threatening not to renew Acero’s contract to operate the rest of its schools.
The school board scheduled a special meeting for Friday to pass a resolution directing Chicago Public Schools officials to pursue the plan, which could include paying a small amount of extra cash to the publicly funded, privately managed charter network to fill an operating deficit next year.
CPS leaders first floated this idea at the board’s monthly meeting last week among several options to avoid closing all seven schools. Others included the school district taking over the operations of all seven schools, letting all of them close, or providing more funding to keep all seven schools open for at least two more years.
The hybrid plan that would buy all seven more time before closing only two was found to be the most affordable option, CPS officials said. The school board directed CPS to come to an agreement with Acero “to cover the deficit to operate the seven campuses for the 2025-26 school year” while considering “operational savings, other potential revenue and Acero’s unspent reserves.”
A WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times analysis last month found that while Acero has been hit by declining enrollment and growing teacher costs, the organization has tens of millions of dollars in cash, raising questions about whether it needed to close seven of its 15 schools now.
Under the Board of Education’s plan, the two schools that would close after the 2025-26 school year would be the Acero Paz campus in Little Village, a 98-student elementary school, and Acero Cruz, a K-12 school in Rogers Park with 542 children. CPS officials said those two schools are chief contributors to Acero’s projected financial deficit, which they predicted might entirely disappear if they closed. But the board did leave open the possibility that Paz and Cruz could be considered for takeover in 2026.
The five other schools — Acero’s Cisneros, Casas, Fuentes, Tamayo and Santiago campuses — would automatically transition into district-run schools in the 2026-27 school year.
“Such plans should involve district support for parents and staff to maximize retention of teachers, staff and students as these schools transition,” the board resolution reads.
The board said Acero officials must comply with these efforts.
“Acero’s announced closures are inconsistent with the educational mission of the board and call into question whether the board should renew Acero’s charter school agreement in 2026,” the resolution said. “Acero’s cooperation in these matters may be considered in whether to renew” the charter for another term.
It’s unclear whether Acero officials would agree to any of these plans. CPS and the school board don’t have the authority to force Acero to keep its schools open. But officials from both the district and charter operator have expressed a willingness to work together to find a solution.
Helena Stangle, Acero’s chief culture officer, said in a statement that the charter network “learned about the contents of this resolution with the rest of the public.
“We look forward to evaluating the proposed [plan] and continuing discussions with CPS,” she said.
There are questions about whether CPS needs these Acero schools. A few of the schools are in old, run-down buildings that would add to the district’s facility upgrade needs. And enrollment at neighborhood schools in many of these community areas has fallen over the past decade. CPS officials also said the schools would have to change significantly to adapt to district standards, such as curriculum.
The noise has started around Bulls guard Zach LaVine and his future
Zach LaVine’s fortress of positivity is about to be tested.
Not that anyone felt it wouldn’t be for the Bulls guard at some point this season.
It was back on media day that LaVine came out in his presser with an opening statement to try and “8 Mile” the negativity before it could be asked of him.
“With everything I’ve learned there’s times where you need to speak and times you don’t,” LaVine said. “I talked to you guys in February of last year? Whenever there’s something that needs to be said it will come from Zach LaVine or my representation. There were a lot of thoughts and rumors and opinions about me, about the organization, so just know that whenever it needs to come from me or them, you’ll know it will be from them. Everything else you can take with a grain of salt with false narratives or whatever it may be.
“That won’t waver. That’s something I stand on. So anything going forward I think that’s how I’m going to answer it.”
He’s been true to that statement through the first 27 games, but then again there were few outside noises being made.
Things have suddenly gotten louder.
A source confirmed a report on Wednesday that there was “light momentum” in a scenario in which the Nuggets try to land LaVine, hoping to add a shot creator to go along with MVP Nikola Jokic. Michael Porter Jr’s name was out there as a return in the deal, but to make the money match Denver would also have to send a player like Dario Saric in the package.
What remained consistent on the Bulls’ end – whether it’s with Denver or any other teams they have spoken to about LaVine – is they will absolutely not add future draft assets in the deal unless it is a swap of picks.
Considering the Bulls are trying to steer this roster into a youth movement/rebuild, keeping draft picks remains a must. The best currency executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas can hold onto to make that work is his future draft assets.
But before LaVine worries about packing up the winter clothes and skis for the Rocky Mountains, he is not the only player the Nuggets are targeting. Denver’s also not the only team that could be window shopping sooner than later, either.
Think of the current trade landscape as a line. Because of LaVine’s contract – which still has $95 million left after this season and doesn’t expire until 2027 – there’s other attractive pieces with several sitting on a cheaper shelf.
The Line:
Brandon Ingram – New Orleans – The Pelicans have been a disaster so far this season, injured and underachieving. Ingram was a trade rumor before the 2024-25 campaign, and now that the organization seems to be spiraling it seems only a matter of when.
What also makes Ingram way more attractive than LaVine is his expiring $36-million contract. Then there’s the wildcard in all of this that is Zion Williamson. Yep, he’s injured again, and it might be time for both sides to look for a different partnership after five roller coaster years.
Jimmy Butler – Miami – Former Bull Jimmy “Buckets” would be a huge get for multiple championship-level teams, but his contract is tricky. If the Heat can’t move him they become a luxury tax team next season, and in the first apron. For a roster that seems to be going backwards that’s not what they want.
Acquiring Butler, however, would strip a team of depth.
D’Angelo Russell – Los Angeles Lakers – It’s not that teams are beating down the door for the veteran point guard, but he is the defined piece that will be moved when the Lakers are ready to strike. The Lakers are over the apron so can’t take back more money than what Russell is owed, so expect him to be the glue in a package sooner than later.