Summer H.
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Staff Faves 2021: Graphic Novels
It seems like both the quantity and quality of graphic novels and graphic nonfiction just keeps increasing every year. This is great news for readers but it can feel a bit overwhelming when trying to find your next great graphic read. Luckily, our librarians read hundred of titles this year did a fantastic job sorting… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2020 Poetry or Comics
One of the best things about Summer Book Bingo is how it challenges readers to step outside their comfort zones. Of all the different kinds of books out there, however, poetry and graphic novels can be some of the most challenging. Readers not used to a visual format can sometimes struggle to make a cohesive… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2020: Animal as Main Character
There’s something about stories narrated by animals that provide a very different reading experience. Whether they are anthropomorphized or remain true to their wild selves, animal narrators give us a chance to step out of our human skin and see the world around us in new ways. Here are some titles that are in turn… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2020: On your shelf
I’ve always been a reader but, as time goes on, I find that my eyes are perpetually larger than my literary stomach, resulting in piles of books all over the house and a Goodreads “to read” shelf that requires constant pruning. Between teleworking and homeschooling there isn’t nearly much time to read as I had… Continue reading
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The Joys of Winter Gardening
There’s nothing like a sunny Seattle day during the long dreary winter, especially for those who like to garden. The minute the sun breaks through that cloud cover, even just for a few minutes, you’ll see gardeners all over the city trying to get things in order. For those willing to brave the colder months,… Continue reading
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Pride and Prejudice Redux
Published in 1813, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice seems to be showing no signs of slowing down in terms of either popularity or endurance. In fact, a recent handful of offerings make it abundantly clear that the famous novel of romance and manners still has plenty to offer for modern readers. Pride, Prejudice, and Other… Continue reading
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2019 Lambda Literary Awards: LGBTQ Titles for Children and Young Adults
The 2019 Lammy Award finalists were announced earlier this month, and there are eight contenders in the LGBTQ Children’s/Young Adult category. Among them are some of our favorite recent titles, including last year’s National Book Award Winner The Poet X and both(!) of Kheryn Callender’s novels. We were especially pleased at the diversity of both… Continue reading
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Social Justice and Activism for Young Adults
From #MeToo to Black Lives Matter to March for Our Lives, the voices of activists are ringing loud and clear across this country right now. Many of these voices are those of young people, and teens today are more empowered than ever before to create change and make their voices heard. As a result, there… Continue reading
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Twenty Children’s Books We Loved in 2018
What a wonderful year for children’s books this was! Children’s Librarians from Seattle Public Library selected Ten Amazing Picture Books and Ten Wonderful Novels and Comics that were published in 2018. Each list is rich with stories that reflect a range of different experiences and perspectives. Here is just a sample of what you can… Continue reading
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Ten Young Adult Books We Loved 2018
There are so many truly outstanding books for young people published these days that it gets more and more difficult to chose our favorites at the end of the year. These ten, selected by the Teen Services Librarians at Seattle Public Library, stood out for their strength of writing, quality of characters, and stories that… Continue reading
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New Voices in Teen Fiction
It’s always exciting to discover new books and authors and, as usual, some of the freshest voices can be found in young adult publishing. Here are three recent debut novels you should know about: Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles Twins Tyler and Marvin have always been close, but lately Tyler has been increasingly… Continue reading
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Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Books for Children and Teens by Latinx Authors
Hispanic Heritage month, running from September 15 to October 15, is an annual celebration of the rich cultures and traditions of people living in the United States who trace their ancestry to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. There has been a very welcome increase in books written by and for the Latinx… Continue reading
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Banned Books Week September 23-29
Every year, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of all the books that have been challenged and banned during the previous year. In 2017, there were 416 reports of challenges or outright bans in libraries and schools. Here are the Top Ten Most Challenged Books from the previous year, including the reasons… Continue reading
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New Voices in Young Adult Literature
It’s always exciting to discover new books and authors and, as usual, some of the freshest voices can be found in young adult publishing. Here are three debut titles that have quickly become librarian favorites around here. Melissa Albert writes with an authority that belies her status as a first-time author in the deliciously creepy… Continue reading
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Novellas: Small Commitment, Big Payoff
What is a novella, exactly? If you start poking around for definitions you will find a wide range of conflicting criteria (mostly surrounding word count) but what it really comes down to is that a novella is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. They are found in every genre and are… Continue reading
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Mindfulness for a New Year
Like most folks, I generally look at the beginning of a new year as a chance to reset, hopefully shedding some of those old, bad habits and starting some healthier new ones. And, as I get older and ponder more deeply how I want to be living my life (rather than how I sometimes find… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2017: Young adult
Need a book for that Young Adult square but aren’t quite sure where to start? Young adult fiction has come a long way since Sweet Valley High, with captivating, well-written titles that cross and blend just about every genre out there. There is, of course, an abundance of teen romance, but there is also excellent… Continue reading
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Streetwise Revisited: Homeless Youth
Follow us throughout the fall for posts which highlight library resources and information that supports the Tiny: Streetwise Revisited exhibit at the Central Library and its community programming. Every year the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness conducts a One Night Count, a county-wide effort to count the number of individuals sleeping on the streets, in… Continue reading