June 2026
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Queer/Trans Voices
We love reading books by queer and trans voices all year round, but here are some to finish out Pride Month and count towards your Book Bingo reading goals! Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar is a meditative, slyly comic novel about a poet and recovering addict, Cyrus Shams, who ruminates on grief, sacrifice, and art in the… Continue reading
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Summer 2026 Author and Community Events
Stay cool and cultured by attending one of the Library’s author and community events this summer, including a conversation between KUOW’s Katie Campbell and cabin-builder Patrick Hutchison, an evening with science fiction author with Rebecca Roanhorse, and a Book Bingo silent reading party at the Seattle Center’s Mural Amphitheater. Also check out Summer Quest, our… Continue reading
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Lambda Literary Award Winners
The Lambda Literary Awards, highlighting LGBTQ+ writers across genres, identities, experiences, age ranges, and categories, are the perfect blend of Pride Month and the library, showcasing the best in queer books. The 2026 winners were just announced, and any of these would be great options for your Queer/Trans voices Book Bingo square! With 26 categories… Continue reading
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LGBTQ+ Books Worth Seeking Out This Pride Month
This June, we’re going beyond the bestseller lists with books we keep pressing into people’s hands because we can’t stop thinking about them. “Hurricane Envy” by Sara Jaffe Portland writer Jaffe’s collection of short stories finds her characters caught in liminal moments. Jaffe deftly captures the palpable tension when all options feel like a compromise. Her… Continue reading
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Aging Protagonists in Fiction
As May (Older Americans Month) has just passed, I’ve been thinking about the many books being published that feature older protagonists. It’s been exciting to see this shift—possibly a result of the American population living longer, and hence, reading longer. The publishing industry must be paying attention as the number of Americans 65 and older is projected… Continue reading
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From Library Kid to Book Bingo Artist: Vivian Li
Comics artist, zine maker, and illustrator Vivian Li fell in love with Book Bingo on her second day living in Seattle. It was July of 2018, and she stopped at The Seattle Public Library’s Queen Anne Branch for a break after hiking up Queen Anne hill. A longtime fan of summer reading programs, she immediately… Continue reading
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Start Your Summer Quest: Read, Do, Go, and Win
Summer has a new name at the Library! Launching today, Summer Quest is an all-ages program that encourages reading, discovery, and exploration all summer long. Head to your closest Library location, or to www.spl.org/SummerQuest, to pick up your Summer Quest activity tracker, which challenges kids, teens, and adults to log 30 days of Read, Do,… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: World Cup Country
This summer, two of the biggest competitions are in Seattle. That’s right, I’m talking about the FIFA World Cup, and Book Bingo! In a brilliant moment of crossover potential, Book Bingo has a category for FIFA World Cup Country! Read on for suggestions on what to pick up, or check out a longer list in our catalog: Book Bingo NW 2026: World Cup Country. … Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup – June 2026
Summer reading season begins! 6/2: Blunt Instrument by Amy BloomWhen a largely disliked professor is murdered, Dell Chandler – former English professor, current private investigator – is called in to sift through departmental squabbles and student complaints to solve the murder before bad PR can damage the school’s reputation. (mystery) 6/2: The Disaster Gay Detective… Continue reading
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New Nonfiction Roundup – June 2026
Whether you’re looking for your next great read or looking to check off a Book Bingo square, June has some great new nonfiction to consider (in addition to June’s Peak Picks). Politicos, AI skeptics, and anyone else who wants to take a deep dive on recent events have a lot of options this month. Cory… Continue reading
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Teen Pride Graphic Novels
Here are some fantastic new stories to enjoy during Pride, all lushly illustrated. MS = middle school In Balazs Lorinczi’s book A Bite of Pepper, a skateboarding vampire falls for a human artist whose attraction to her might be enough to make her commit to turning this human into a vampire and becoming immortal herself. Dan in Green Gables, by Ray Terciero, follows a queer teen in… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Historical
One of the goals of Book Bingo is to have as many entry points as possible for readers, and the “Historical” category is a great example. An alternate history speculative fiction? Check! A biography of a historical figure? Perfect! A Regency romance? That works! If you’re looking for somewhere to start, try one of these,… Continue reading
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Goal! Watch World Cup Games Live at the Library
Libraries have a reputation as places where quiet is encouraged, but not this June! As part of the city of Seattle’s efforts to celebrate FIFA World Cup 2026, the Library is thrilled to host 15 livestream watch parties for FIFA World Cup 2026 games at three locations: the Central Library (Level 1 Microsoft Auditorium), the Lake City Library, and the Southwest Branch. Like all… Continue reading
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3 Ways to Celebrate Pride 2026 With the Library
Happy Pride Month! We invite you to celebrate with the Library all month long, and we have a few special things planned this June and beyond. Attend a Pride event Calling all “Heated Rivalry” fans: On Saturday, June 13, check out this Queer Joy & Hockey program with Seattle Pride Hockey at the Northgate Branch. It… Continue reading