By Susan Granger

In “Moonlight,” writer/director Barry Jenkins has created an achingly affecting, incandescent coming-of-age story, covering 16 years—with three different actors playing the leading African-American character.

Growing up in a decrepit, inner-city housing project in Miami, scrawny, fatherless 10-year-old Chiron (Alex Hibbert) has been dubbed “Little” by playmates, who suspect his tendency toward homosexuality long before he knows what the term “faggot” means.

Hiding from schoolyard tormentors, silent, wide-eyed Chiron is discovered by a kindly, Cuban-born crack dealer Juan (Mahershala Ali), who offers him a meal and a place to stay for the night at the apartment he shares with his girl-friend Teresa (singer Janelle Monae).

When Juan drives Chiron home the next morning, he realizes that his mother, Paula (Naomi Harris), is a drug addict. “My momma does drugs?” Chiron asks, trying to comprehend. “And you sell drugs?”

The Westport Library’s 12th annual Holiday Book and Gift Sale will be held Friday through Sunday on the library’s main level.

For the first time, with the newly added Friday opening, the sale runs three days. All proceeds from the sale directly benefit the Library.

A large selection of gift-quality books at deep discounts will be available in many categories including art, current fiction, literature, classics, history, current events, gardening, crafts, cooking and biography.

Also for sale are many children’s books and holiday-themed materials, as well as DVDs and CDs in sealed original packaging, an announcement said.

Westport travel industry veteran Robin Tauck told the Westport Rotary Club today that the biggest current threat to the world’s cultural sites are ISIS and climate change. She said Secretary of State John Kerry is working to help preserve the sites as part of internaitonal efforts led by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization. Tauck, a co-owner of Tauck Inc., a third generation travel company, is a member of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

By Susan Granger

Gather the kids and let’s be thankful for “Moana” (pronounced Mo-ahna) - with songs co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton”).

On Motunui in Oceania, teenage Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) lived in an idyllic, self-sustaining Polynesian community. But, as daughter of Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison), she has been forbidden to travel beyond the barrier reef that surrounds their isolated island.

When she discovers her ancestors’ sea-faring past, her ailing Gramma Tala (Rachel House) explains that she has been chosen by the ocean to control its waves.

Plucky Moana calls on this watery power when her island’s resources deteriorate because the heart of Goddess Te Feti was stolen. Accompanied by Hei Hei (Alan Tudyk), a goofy, rainbow-colored chicken, she searches for the disgraced demigod Maui (Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson).