Book Bingo is a great time to be intentional about reading books you may have been putting off or exploring new titles that may become new favorites. If you are at the point in your Book Bingo journey where you have been reading many exciting and interesting books yet need a moment to catch your breath before marking off your last few squares, may I suggest you turn to the Soothing square? …then take a deep breath because you’re on your way to the finish line – might as well take some time to enjoy the view! Here are some titles to hopefully ease you into your next Book Bingo square or get to your last one, on this final day of the 2026 Book Bingo.
A solid entry towards a general soothing experience is to address a dysregulated nervous system. You may be thinking “whoa, who are you talking about? I am not dysregulated.” Well, here’s the best part – you don’t have to have a dysregulated nervous system to benefit from learning how to keep yours (or teach someone you know) or how to keep theirs in balance! The nervous system is responsible for bodily functions, so finding ways back to yourself, or to yourself, is essential. Soothe: Restoring Your Nervous System From Stress, Anxiety, Burnout, and Trauma by Nahid de Belgeonne is such a book that explores why we can become dysregulated and how we can begin to achieve a calm and soothed nervous system.
Now, if your preferred entry into a soothing moment is food, then you’ll be in for a treat when you pick up Soomaaliya: Food, Memory, and Migration: a Cookbook by Ifrah F. Ahmed. Food can be a beautiful way to be mindful and slow down while also seamlessly connecting a person to their culture, or it can help a person better appreciate the global community. If you want to dive into a beautiful and expressive cookbook woven with the vast imagery of Somalian cuisine and Somali history look no further than this book.
Watercolor for the Soul: Simple Painting Projects for Beginners, to Calm, Soothe and Inspire by Sharone Stevens is for the readers who want the chance to create their own soothing moments. This easy-to-follow book is one for both new and returning watercolor artists. You are welcome to experiment by painting a soothing image from this book (or making your own) by putting together various shades of colors that bring you ease.
Lastly, Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett is a book I suggest for readers wanting to want a bit of magic and whimsy to access a soothing time. This book blends fantastical moments with real life elements in an engaging way that many readers may connect to.
For more title ideas, check out: Book Bingo NW 2026: Soothing.
For more ideas for books to meet your Summer Book Bingo challenge, follow our Shelf Talk BookBingoNW2026 series or check the hashtag #BookBingoNW2026 on social media. Book Bingo is presented in partnership with Seattle Arts & Lectures and the King County Library System.
~written by Okunyi B.