Authors & Books
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History Matters: Acclaimed Historian Talks Reconstruction at the Central Library on Dec. 5
On Thursday, Dec. 5, award-winning historian Dr. Manisha Sinha will come to the Central Library to give The Seattle Public Library’s annual Bullitt Lecture in American History, based on her book “The Rise and the Fall of the Second American Republic.” In her book, Sinha argues that the post-Civil War period of Reconstruction – what… Continue reading
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Exploring Food and Culture Through Picture Books
As a Children’s Librarian, I am lucky to get interesting opportunities that expand my concept of what books can do and be. Last year I was invited to a Roxhill Elementary School Family Night. As I set up my table with free books and Library swag, the coordinator came by and insisted that I eat… Continue reading
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Rock Your Mocs! Native Youth Reading Challenge, Empowering Indigenous Voices Through Storytelling
This October the Native Youth Reading Challenge began, celebrating Native voices and connecting young readers with stories that reflect their heritage. The Challenge was created by a team of educators from public and tribal schools and libraries in Washington, and was officially launched at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center by the United Indians of… Continue reading
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Cozy Fall Cookbooks
Cookbooks are one of my favorite items to check out at the library, even just to flip through the pages and get inspired. Lately, I’ve been enjoying comfort cookbooks for the fall season. Here are a few of my recent favorites: The Complete Autumn & Winter Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen This America’s Test Kitchen… Continue reading
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Paging All Kids: Global Reading Challenge Books Announced
Fourth and fifth graders around Seattle are buzzing with book news: The Library has just unveiled the Global Reading Challenge books for 2024-25 on our website at www.spl.org/GlobalReadingChallenge. For those new to the program, the Global Reading Challenge, now in its 30th year, is a reading incentive program for fourth and fifth graders enrolled in… Continue reading
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Have a Laugh With These 4 Funny Books
“Margo’s Got Money Troubles” by Rufi Thorpe proves that other people’s problems can be pretty funny — as long as they’re narrated by a chaotic heroine who is wisecracking and whip-smart. Nineteen-year-old Margo Millet was not exactly set up for success with a flighty mother and an absentee, former wrestling star father. But when Margo… Continue reading
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Native American Fiction for Teens
To honor Native American Heritage Month, here are some of the newest novels for teens by Indigenous authors of North America. In The River Run by Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo, Alfred Swallow and his friends Orson and Junior are forced to leave their reservation and attend a residential mission school to learn the ways of white people.… Continue reading
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Spooky Picture Books
Fall means it’s time for a genre that I find delightful: spooky picture books! Even as an adult, I still enjoy reading picture books, and there is something especially fun about the ones that manage to be a little bit spooky. Here are some of my favorites, whether you are a kid or an adult! … Continue reading
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4 More Surprising Things You Can Do Through the Library
In September, we published an article in the Seattle Times (and on this blog!) that shared insider tips from Library staff about cool, lesser-known Library services or collections. Since we couldn’t begin to fit all of the ideas in one article, here’s an encore, shared by staff in a variety of roles. (Share your ideas… Continue reading
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Horror Stories for Teens
Halloween is around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than to read these terrifying tales? In The Black Girl Survives This One, edited by Desiree S. Evans, fifteen superb Black authors create ghastly and horrifying stories in which, as you may have guessed, the Black girls survive. In one, a space traveler must… Continue reading
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6 Books by Artists at the 2024 Short Run Comix Festival
Now in its 12th year, the annual Short Run Comix Festival, which takes place on Nov. 2 at Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion, celebrates the fusion of art and literature in the ever-expanding medium of comics. Free and open to the public, Short Run showcases hundreds of emerging and established artists from the Pacific Northwest and… Continue reading