July 2023

  • A Peek at Peak Picks – August 2023

    Nine new titles are joining Peak Picks in August! In fiction, Nicola Dunn debuts with the story of a queer couple in London and the challenges they face when one of them decides to transition in Bellies; Elizabeth Acevedo’s first adult novel focuses on the women of a Dominican American family as they prepare for… Continue reading

  • Introduction to Appalachian Literature, Part 2: Nonfiction

    In my last post, I introduced you to several notable fiction titles in Appalachian literature. In this post, I’m highlighting three nonfiction titles that give you a glimpse into the history and diverse lived experiences of the region. The Southern Review of Books calls titles such as these a “new wave of Appalachian literature [that]… Continue reading

  • Introduction to Appalachian Literature, Part 1: Fiction

    Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead won the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction. In an interview on Bookshelfie: Women’s Prize for Fiction podcast, Kingsolver talks about how important it was to her to write about her home, Appalachia. In episode one of the Read Appalachia podcast, guest Melissa Helton identifies three waves of Appalachian literature – wave… Continue reading

  • Celebrate Disability Pride Month with the Library

    Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July, marking the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. Disability is something that nearly every person experiences at some point in their lives, but it is also a distinct identity impacting how folks interact with the world. The… Continue reading

  • Nightstand Reads with Tobi Ogundiran

    Tobi Ogundiran’s debut short story collection Jackal, Jackal is out this month with Undertow Publications, and he will be in Seattle at the Central Library in conversation with Nisi Shawl on Wednesday, July 26th at 7pm. Third Place Books is our community partner on the event. We asked him to share a bit about his… Continue reading

  • Come On Barbie, Let’s Go Read

    Come On Barbie, Let’s Go Read

    If you’re like me and everyone I know, you can’t wait for the upcoming live action Barbie movie, out in theaters on July 21. Here are some book recommendations to get you in the mood to watch Barbie sparkle and shine! If you want to live in Barbie’s dream house with all of your gal… Continue reading

  • While You Wait: Fourth Wing Readalikes

    “Romantasy” (fantasy romance) is really taking off this summer with the social media sensation Fourth Wing topping holds charts everywhere. While you wait to read this book or its sequel, here are three more books to try: To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose Anequs, a young Indigenous woman from the Maqsuisit nation, is… Continue reading

  • Wander 5 StoryWalks® in Magnolia This Summer

    Want a summer family adventure that combines reading, cultural exploration and the outdoors? Until August 31, kids, families and caregivers can head to Seattle’s beautiful Magnolia neighborhood to wander five different StoryWalks® that feature a rotating selection of picture books by Indigenous authors: “Berry Song” by Michaela Goade; “Finding my Dance” by Ria Thundercloud; “Kúndlaan, the Wolf Pup… Continue reading

  • Teen Summer Reads, Part One

    Teen Summer Reads, Part One

    We asked our Teen Librarians what they’re reading, loving, and promoting this spring as excellent summer reads for teens, and they gave us these titles: Teen Summer Reads, Part One In Alex Aster’s Lightlark, the island of Lightlark appears every hundred years to host the Centennial, a battle between the rulers of the six realms… Continue reading

  • Fantastical Pirates and Swashbuckling Tales

    Seattle sure loves its pirates! Whether you splashed in the surf with the Seafair Pirates last weekend, or had to miss out because Reasons, here’s a few books to keep you in a swashbuckling state of mind for more summer fun. Don yer eyepatch, grab yer compass and get ready to navigate the stormy waters… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2023: Chosen by the Cover

    #BookBingoNW2023: Chosen by the Cover

    One of the squares in our 2023 Adult Book Bingo challenge is “Chosen by the Cover.” While it is common advice to avoid judging a book by its cover, I have to admit that I love—and can rarely resist—a beautiful book cover. Here are some of my favorite reads that also happen to have a… Continue reading

  • New Nonfiction Roundup – July 2023

    Summer’s here, and it’s a great time to catch up with some of the month’s most anticipated nonfiction. In memoir, Andrew Leland reflects on his transition from sightedness to blindness in The Country of the Blind while Kate Flannery explores the line between sexual liberation and exploitation while working at American Apparel in Strip Tees.… Continue reading

  • Explore Community History at the South Park, Southwest and West Seattle Branches This Summer

    As if you needed another reason to visit The Seattle Public Library’s West Seattle-area branches this summer, we’ve got three for you: Traveling exhibits that celebrate and explore history and community culture on the Duwamish Peninsula are on display until August 22 at the South Park, Southwest and West Seattle branches. Created by the Southwest… Continue reading

  • New Fiction Roundup, July 2023

    7/4: The Housekeepers by Alex Hay In early 1900s London, Mrs. King, housekeeper to the grandest home in Mayfair, is abruptly fired and decides to take her revenge by gathering an all-female group of former servants to rob the house on the night of a lavish costume ball.  A Peak Pick! 7/4: The Librarianist by… Continue reading

  • Remembering Cormac McCarthy

    Award-winning author Cormac McCarthy passed away last month at age 89. He published his first novel, The Orchard Keeper in 1965, and his most recent duology, The Passenger and Stella Maris, in 2022. Known for his bracing, bleak, and atmospheric prose, his literary fiction drew on both Southern and Western genre traditions. McCarthy’s characters were… Continue reading