Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Friends of the Library used book sales resume at Shoreline and Lake Forest Park

Saturday, September 11, 2021

FOLFP board members Carol and Jim Geil
with Lord of the Rings character Legolas.
The Friends of Lake Forest Park Library and the Friends of the Shoreline Library are delighted to re-open their used book sales once again!

You can purchase books at great prices and the funds go directly to support library programming.

We are not able to accept donations of used books at this time.

The Shoreline Library is located at 345 NE 175th and the Lake Forest Park Library is located off the lower lobby of Town Center at the intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way NE.

Hope to see you soon at the library. Happy Reading!



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Book Review by Aarene Storms: The Echo Wife

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

Evelyn Caldwell is a brilliant genetic scientist whose successful advances in cloning have garnered admiration, recognition and awards in a field notoriously stingy with those things. 

Her personal life, though, is a bit of a train wreck: not only has her husband left her for another woman, he has left her for a clone... of herself.

The train wreck really catches fire, though, when the clone crosses an ethical boundary that Evelyn had never imagined. And then another. 

isdeeds by every character in the story add up to a thought-provoking narrative of nature, nurture, morality and principles that will haunt readers long after the final page.

This book carefully rations out the shock, with each vicious twist building on the last. 

Advice for book discussion groups: this story will take several bottles of wine to dissect, so give your book club an extra hour or two to talk about it.

Sexual situations, bullying, abuse, murder and more. Not recommended for young or timid readers. Highly recommended for everybody else.
~~

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at
aarenex@haikufarm.net

"The events may not have happened. Still, the story is true." --Ron Silvern


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Reminder: Kira Jane Buxton will be signing her new book noon Sunday at the LFP Farmers Market

Sunday, August 29, 2021

Our first in-person author signing in over 16 months!

Come meet Kira Jane Buxton, the author of Hollow Kingdom and the new novel Feral Creatures, for a special outdoor book signing at the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market!

Stop by our booth on Sunday, August 29, 2021 from 12pm to 2pm. Copies of Feral Creatures will be available for purchase at the market. No registration required.

To celebrate the release of Feral Creatures, we're also thrilled to offer limited-edition, 11x17 art prints with every purchase you make on site! These prints portray a scene from Feral Creatures that takes place at — you guessed it! — our very own Third Place Books (albeit in a post-apocalyptic future). The print, designed by Stephen Crowe, will come signed by the artist and Kira Jane Buxton. While supplies last.

And in case you missed it, our recording of Kira's launch event with Book Riot's Liberty Hardy is now on YouTube. The conversation covers a range of topics, including: climate fiction! anthropomorphism! Cheetohs! and where in the world did Kira get that great shirt?

The Lake Forest Park Farmers Market is located near the south parking lot of the Town Center at Lake Forest Park. See the Third Place Commons website for instructions on how to get there.

--Third Place Books Lake Forest Park



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Third Place Books author event with Megan Rapinoe - tickets include book

Megan Rapinoe with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
Huge news! (Olympic gold medalist-sized news, in fact!) 

We're partnering with Loyalty Bookstore in DC and The Strand in New York to host two-time Women's World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe in conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at 4:30pm PT

They'll be discussing the young readers edition of Rapinoe's memoir One Life. In other words: an evening for the whole family that promises to inspire!

Tickets are on sale NOW! The first 150 attendees will receive a bookplate signed by the author. All tickets come bundled with either a copy of One Life: Young Readers Edition or the paperback of One Life: A Memoir (for adults). Your choice!

Purchase tickets here

--Third Place Books



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Kira Jane Buxton (Hollow Kingdom) releases new book with virtual presentation and live signing event in Lake Forest Park

Sunday, August 22, 2021

Kira Jane Buxton with Liberty Hardy
in virtual presentation Tuesday
Lynnwood-based author Kira Jane Buxton will release her new novel, FERAL CREATURES, on Tuesday August 24, 2021 in a virtual presentation with Third Place Books.

Virtual book launch

Tuesday, August 24, 2021, 7:00pm, Third Place Books is honored to host local author Kira Jane Buxton for the launch of FERAL CREATURES, the highly anticipated sequel to HOLLOW KINGDOM. 

Kira will be joined in conversation by Liberty Hardy -- prolific reader, senior contributing editor for Book Riot, and host of the popular All the Books! podcast.

Art print
To celebrate, every book-bundled ticket purchased on Eventbrite will come with a limited edition, 11x17 art print (while supplies last) based on a scene from the book. You can see the full design here. hy TPB's graphic designer Stephen Crowe.

In person book signing

After Kira Jane Buxton's virtual launch of Feral Creatures on August 24th, she'll be signing in-person at the Lake Forest Park Farmer's Market on August 29th!

Any remaining prints will be available at Kira's in-person signing on Sunday, August 29th at the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market, 12-2pm.

About the new book

With FERAL CREATURES, Kira continues the adventures of S.T., the foulmouthed crowtagonist, in an even funnier, scarier cautionary tale of humankind’s impact on the fragility of the natural world.

From the wilds of Alaska to the outskirts of Seattle, FERAL CREATURES finds S.T. in an epic battle between the animal kingdom and a new mutant threat, all while protecting Dee, the last human on Earth. 

In this stunning follow-up to HOLLOW KINGDOM, the animal kingdom's "favorite apocalyptic hero" is back with a renewed sense of hope for humanity, ready to take on a world ravaged by a viral pandemic.

When the world last checked-in with its favorite Cheeto addict, the planet had been overrun by flesh-hungry beasts, and nature had started re-claiming her territory from humankind. 

S.T., the intrepid crow, alongside his bloodhound-bestie Dennis, had set about saving pets that had become trapped in their homes after humanity went the way of the dodo. 

That is, until S.T. stumbled upon something so rare—and so precious—that he vowed to do everything in his power to safeguard what could, quite literally, be humanity's last hope for survival.

But in a wild world plagued by prejudiced animals, feather-raising environments, new threats so terrifying they make zombies look like baby bunnies, and a horrendous dearth of cheesy snacks, what's a crow to do? 

Why, wing it on another big-hearted, death-defying adventure, that's what! Joined by a fabulous new cast of animal characters, S.T. faces many new challenges plus his biggest one yet: parenthood.

Purchase books

Online here or by phone 206-366-3333



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Author of "The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert" Tuesday in virtual conversation

Sunday, August 15, 2021


Tuesday, August 17 at 6:30pm. Third Place Books welcomes author Shugri Said Salh for a presentation of her debut memoir, The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert

She will be joined in conversation by award-winning writer and educator Dr. Mathangi Subramanian.

Register here and see the fascinating description of the book.



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Clap When You Land

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Every year, Camino Rios looks forward to summer, when her beloved father will come home to the Dominican Republic from New York.

Every year, Yahaira Rios dreads the summer months when her beloved father leaves home in New York to spend time tending to business in the Dominican Republic.

Two girls, separated by distance, never knew the other existed until the day that Papi's plane crashed into the ocean with no survivors. Gradually, all the secrets he has kept on both sides of the ocean are revealed. Suddenly, each girl learns that she has a sister.

Papi had been the center of each family. With him gone, they mourn...and they also wonder if they can ever really forgive him.

This novel-in-verse steadily uncovers the secrets held close by Yahaira and Camino and by the people they love. Read it for the beautiful language, read it for the lush descriptions of people and places, but most of all: read it for the story it tells.

Recommended for ages 14 to adult. Some cussing, kissing, bullying, and sexual situations including an attempted sexual assault.

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Devolution

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Devolution: a firsthand account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre 
by Max Brooks
audiobook read by a full cast

Kate Holland is a self-acknowledged neurotic mess, and she narrates much of this book via her journal, written as letters to her therapist back in California. 

Kate and her husband Dan move to a tiny "eco-community" outside of Seattle: a modern, wi-fi driven, off-grid tech paradise in the Mount Rainier foothills. 

Sure, the mountain has been rumbling, the ground has been shaking, and the sky is full of vented steam, but the designers of Greenloop have thought of everything the residents could possibly need ... right?

Sure enough, the mountain erupts, the cell phones stop working and lahar flows destroy the only road out of Greenloop. 

The residents, lacking expertise, access to information, and even basic tools like a shovel or a bucket, reluctantly realize that they will have to actively problem-solve in order to survive a long snowbound winter.

Then, Kate finds the first enormous footprint, surrounded by the fresh blood and shattered bones of a mountain lion.

This book reads like something Michael Crichton (author of Jurassic Park) would have written:
a. take a bunch of experts in disparate fields (none of which are immediately useful)
b. throw them into a survival situation
c. make them battle science/technology gone awry

As in the Crichton books, most (if not all) of the main characters assume that technology is reliable, and that nature is as sweet and tame as a Disney movie. Both assumptions are utterly, completely wrong.

Kate's journal entries are interspersed with interviews, news articles and commentary, which keeps the pages turning. A full cast narrates the audiobook, with NPR journalists Terry Gross and Kai Ryssdal playing fictional versions of themselves. 

There are a few flubs that Pacific Northwesterners will notice, especially pronunciations of local place-names.

THIS BOOK CONTAINS SCARY AND YUKKY SCENES. I was able to read it by skimming and skipping some parts, but if you are a timid reader (like me), I recommend that you read something else. There is also violence, cussing, death, and a few minor sexual situations.

If you like action, adventure, thriller-horror books with a local flavor, you will like this.

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net


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Book review by Aarene Storms: A Fire Story

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

A Fire Story by Brian Fies
(graphic novel/memoir)

October 7, 2017 was the beginning of the Tubbs Fire. It was, at the time, the most destructive and deadliest wildfire in California state history (since then, the Camp Fire has taken that dubious honor). 

Tubbs burned more than 36,000 acres and killed at least 22 people. 

Author/illustrator Brian Fies and his wife Karen woke up, loaded their pets and a few possessions into the back of a car and escaped. Their home -- and the houses of most of their neighbors in Santa Rosa -- burned to the ground.

The vast destruction of the Tubbs Fire is difficult to grasp, but the thousands of tiny losses experienced by the Fies family and others is relatable. Although the narrative begins with the immediate danger of fire, it continues on to describe the aftermath: staying with family, finding a temporary apartment, discovering that their "comprehensive homeowners insurance" was not even partly comprehensive.

At one point, the author tries to remember if he owns a wristwatch. His wife asks, "did you put one on, the night we left home?" He hadn't. 

And so, we understand, if he ever owned a wristwatch, he didn't own one anymore.

The narrative covers the escape from immediate danger, and also the traumatic aftermath. The loss of keepsakes and treasures was difficult enough for survivors. 

Their experience was made worse by unscrupulous insurance agencies, builders, and other carpetbaggers who swarmed and attempted to exploit victims of the fire.

The Tubbs Fire taught crisis managers a lot of processes and skills that have been used in years since. 

We have not yet learned enough. This timely true story is highly recommended for ages 14 to adult.

Some cussing (can you blame them?) and scary images.

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net



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The Summer of Music heats up with Third Place Commons

Wednesday, July 21, 2021


The Third Place Commons Summer of Music is in full swing and heating up with the first of three streaming concerts this weekend.

On Sunday, July 25th at at 12:00 noon, tune in for a Milner Family Fiddles mini-concert streaming on the Third Place Commons YouTube channel.

Recorded inside Third Place Commons during full COVID restrictions, this performance from the Milner Family Fiddles represents a sweet, sweet return to beloved Commons music programming. Local favorites the Milners have long played the Commons stage every other month with their feel-good, rootsy Americana that never fails to elicit a smile.

Whether you’re digging in the garden, working around the house, reading a good book on the patio, or getting ready to head to the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market, the Milners will provide the perfect musical backdrop.

So be sure to tune in for this streaming concert for some warm-hearted musical cheer to start your Sunday afternoon off right - and to get you ready for their big return IN PERSON to the stage next month on August 15th!

Mark your calendar now, and this coming Sunday at noon, watch the Milner Family Fiddles here.

Of course, there’s plenty more where that came from. Music is also infusing every discussion in the TPC Movie Club and the Commons Community Book Club this summer, including tonight’s book club discussion of The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce.

In August, the book club will be discussing the Pulitzer Prize winning A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan while the TPC Movie Club will be discussing the six-time Oscar winner La La Land.

In fact, even this year’s LFP READS selection features music! The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is the bestselling tale of a by-the-book social worker sent to investigate an orphanage full of magical children on an island full of secrets – including the young Antichrist who just happens to have a penchant for the music of dead people.

While Third Place Commons usually welcomes the annual READS event to the stage, that’s not possible this year. So the good folks at Third Place Books will be hosting the event online on Tuesday, July 27th at 7 PM. Read more here and be sure to pick up this delightful, witty, and heartwarming book.

From books and movies about music to streaming concerts to the return of live, in-person performances, Third Place Commons is celebrating the joy of music at every turn.

Here’s a quick rundown of the Summer of Music programs coming up:
  • Online: Commons Community Book Club discusses The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce – July 21 at 5 PM
  • Streaming: The Milner Family Fiddles – July 25 at noon
  • Streaming: Honky Tonk Sweethearts – Aug. 7 at 7 PM
  • Online: TPC Movie Club discusses La La Land – Aug. 10 at 7:30 PM
  • Live Onstage: Milner Family Fiddles – Aug. 15 at 11 AM
  • Online: Commons Community Book Club discusses A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan – Aug. 18 at 5 PM
  • Streaming: Ken Kassover lunchtime concert – Aug. 25 at noon
  • Live Onstage: Rainy City Riff Raff All Ages Outdoor Concert – Sept. 18 at 1 pm
Check the Third Place Commons online calendar for details about each of these events or follow Third Place Commons on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Third Place Commons – a community supported 501(c)3 nonprofit organization – has been building real community in the heart of Lake Forest Park for over 20 years. In addition to presenting its largest program, the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market, Third Place Commons now also fosters real community in digital space with TPC At Home programs. Learn more at ThirdPlaceCommons.org



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Book Review by Mauri Moore Shuler: While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

Monday, July 19, 2021

While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

I bought this book because it sounded like something I would enjoy as a summer read and because I wanted to support the author, as a gesture of gratitude for her civic engagement and fight for voting rights.

Stacey Abrams, a lawyer, is known as a Georgia State Representative who ran for Governor and barely lost but helped turn Georgia into a swing state with a campaign for full and fair elections. 

But, unbeknownst to me, she was also writing books. Eight earlier books were all romances written under the name Selena Montgomery. She writes black women in roles of lawyers, sheriff, undercover agents, botanist… and, frankly, I didn’t even notice the race of the characters in her latest, this fast-paced political thriller, because I was simply caught up the in story.

She worked on While Justice Sleeps for 12 years. Aptly named, it revolves around a Supreme Court Justice who falls into a coma. How it happens and why is happens is unraveled in a tense international story of very high stakes intrigue. He leaves instructions that one of his law clerks is to have his Power of Attorney and Guardianship. This young woman then starts to unravel the full story.

Plot:
Sometimes I could not keep all the details straight, but it hardly mattered. Just keep reading if you get lost. You might be able to predict some twists, but I’ll bet you won’t be able to predict everything. And there is enough truth in the sinister plot of the villains to scare a reader.

Characters:
The hero is well drawn but others are flat. Again, it hardly matters in such a plot-driven story.

Style:
Abrams' style is very easy to read and there are occasional brilliant turns of phrase.

Footnote:
In the Acknowledgements, the reader will get a glimpse of the author’s very impressive family, all of whom helped her write this book.

Bottom line: A good read for political thriller fans.

--Review by Mauri Moore Shuler




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Book review by Aarene Storms: The Ride of Her Life: the true story of a woman, her horse, and their last-chance journey across America

Thursday, July 8, 2021

The Ride of Her Life : the true story of a woman, her horse, and their last-chance journey across America by Elizabeth Letts

In 1954, Annie Wilkins sold her Maine farm for the price of taxes owed on it, bought an ex-racehorse and loaded up her few worldly goods (including some warm socks), and set off with her little dog on the ultimate road trip: across America to California.

She had no Google, no Gore-Tex, and not very much money -- she didn't even have a map. What she did have was a sense of humor and a tremendous willingness to talk to strangers.

Author Elizabeth Letts draws on contemporary sources, including newspapers and Annie Wilkins' own journals, to tell the story of this great adventure with plenty of side-quests into historic Americana. 

As cars and trucks whizzed by on newly-constructed highways, Annie Wilkins experienced a version of America that most people will never know, by travelling across it one step at a time on the back of a good horse.

Highly recommended for ages 12 to adult.

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net  



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Book review by Aarene Storms - Chance: escape from the Holocaust

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Chance: escape from the Holocaust  
by Uri Shulevitz

...if our Warsaw apartment hadn't had flowered wallpaper, I wouldn't have stared at the flowers and I wouldn't have been named Uri.

If my name hadn't been Uri, we would've gotten Soviet passports.

If we had Soviet passports, we would have remained in Belarus, where Father had work and we had an apartment.

By remaining in Belarus, we would have been swept away by the invading Nazis and sent back to Poland to die with the rest of our family....


Uri Shulevitz tells the story of his early childhood, from the time that German bombs started falling on Warsaw through years of hunger and fear, recounting the setbacks and lucky breaks that brought him, eventually, to his career as a Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator and author of books for children.

This is not a "normal" Holocaust book: the family avoided the horrors of concentration camps simply because of a bureaucratic snafu, but they didn't live in luxury while others suffered: they suffered from illness and starvation as refugees for more than eight years. 

Although the text is aimed at middle grade readers, I found myself drawn into this compelling narrative and unwilling to look at anything else until I had finished the book. Shulevitz tells his story as a child might have told it at the time, with simple reflections on the random chances that saved his family. The illustrations complement the text without drawing attention away from the events.  

Highly recommended memoir for ages 10 to adult. Uri Shulevitz has also published two picture book memoirs for younger children: How I Learned Geography (about a time his father couldn't find food to buy, and bought a beautiful map instead) and When I Wore My Sailor Suit (about life in pre-war Poland). 
----
Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net



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Book review by Aarene Storms: All Systems Red

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #1)
audiobook read by Kevin R. Free

On a remote planet, a team of scientists are conducting routine tests when something goes terribly wrong. At the last moment, the team is saved by their security robot. All normal so far, right? Except that this security android has hacked its own governor module and doesn't have to answer to the corporate overlords anymore.

So, why is it still saving humans from their own bad choices?

That's a question that the Murderbot never really answers -- it would rather be watching interstellar soap operas and complaining about stupid humans -- while it continues to keep people safe (mostly).

The adventures of a cynical, grouchy, socially-awkward security droid with a serious addiction to bad television are perfect escape stories for summer afternoons at the beach or a stuck-in-traffic-again audiobook. The books are quick and funny and I'm just as addicted to them as the Murderbot is addicted to "Sanctuary Moon."

Cussing, violence, blood, no sex (security droids don't have gender or sex), plus action, adventure and sarcasm. Recommended for teen and adult readers.

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net



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Book review by Aarene Storms: What If We Were by Axelle Lenoir

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

What If We Were by Axelle Lenoir

17-year-old buddies Marie and Natalie battle boredom by playing a game called "What if we were ___" in which one player names a topic (Vikings! Superheros! Spies! Fruit!) and they both imagine their lives as that subject.

In between sessions of the game, the friends attend classes, cope with awkward parent conversations (SO AWKWARD!) and tease each other about love interests.

This is a sweet, slice-of-life comic and a fun excuse to let imaginations run wild. No explosions, no car chases (not even imaginary car chases) but lots of relatable stuff with diverse, likeable characters.

Recommended for readers ages 14 to adult.

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net  



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Nubia

Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Nubia by L.L. McKinney (graphic novel)

Nubia has always been special. She's strong. (She pushed over a tree to rescue a kitty when she was just a little kid). She's smart. Her moms have taught her how to fight, and how to avoid a fight. 

In fact, she has exactly the same powers as Wonder Woman...except that Nubia is Black. And when Nubia helps foil a robbery (by throwing an ATM at the bad guy!), she ends up in handcuffs!

Set firmly in 2020, this new superhero series offers everything a comic should have: an action-packed story, great artwork, sympathetic backstory for the main character(s), social commentary, and a promise of more stories to come.

Read it, share it, join me in waiting for the next issue!

Content alerts: violence, racism, bullying, social activism, excellent friendships, great parenting, diversity and epic gayness. Highly recommended for ages 12 to adult.

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net



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Library Summer Reading Program for age 5 and up


The King County Library System (KCLS) encourages King County residents of all ages to participate in its annual Summer Reading Program from June 1 to August 31. 

Participants ages 5 and up are invited to track minutes spent reading during the summer, with a 500-minute halfway goal and a 1,000-minute final goal. Preschoolers (birth to age 5) may complete a series of early literacy activities. Everyone who reads for 500 minutes or more can enter a drawing to win a gift certificate for books.

Participants may read anything they want, and reading to someone else or listening to an audiobook counts toward reading minutes. Browse through a selection of book recommendations, curated by KCLS staff, to find great titles and get started. With modified in-building services being offered at many KCLS libraries now, physical materials can either be picked up inside, or outside at a contactless Curbside to Go location or 24/7 lockers. See what’s available near you at kcls.org/visit.

Residents may also participate in fun and educational activities all summer long, such as arts and crafts workshops, music and magic programs, outdoor StoryWalks, STEM learning opportunities and a variety of literary events. 

All programming will be held online, except for StoryWalks. StoryWalks are self-guided literary adventures located outside KCLS libraries and community spaces that lead readers along a stories’ path, page by page. Visit kcls.org/summer for more information about events and activities.

Participants may post photos of their reading activity on Instagram with the hashtag #ShareYourSummerReading. These can include photos of books they are reading, recent visits to StoryWalks or other literary activities they have completed. Sharing posts can help others discover the fun of summer reading.

Use the Beanstack app to sign up for the Summer Reading Program and log reading hours

Or, starting June 1, print a downloadable reading log to track hours instead. If patrons are using Beanstack to track their progress, they will be entered into the drawing automatically. If patrons are using a printed reading log, they will need to go to the Summer Reading Program page to enter the drawing manually.

Reading is important for all ages, and has been shown to decrease stress and increase empathy. It’s especially important to keep children’s minds active and engaged during the summer to prevent learning loss while students are out of school. Parents and caregivers can encourage reading by setting aside time every day to read together as a family.

“KCLS’ online Summer Reading Program offers a safe, innovative and fun way for families to keep up on reading and prevent the “summer slide,” said KCLS Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum. “We hope readers enjoy our virtual programming, and get lost in a great book or two this summer.”

Founded in 1942, the King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the busiest public library systems in the country. Serving the communities of King County (outside the city of Seattle), KCLS has 50 libraries and over 1.1 million cardholders. 

In 2020, residents checked out more than 7.4 million digital eBooks and audiobooks through Rakuten OverDrive, making KCLS the No. 3 digital circulating library system in the world and the highest per capita in the U.S. In 2011, KCLS was named Library of the Year by Gale/Library Journal.

Local readers have access to King county libraries in Richmond Beach, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore.



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Free books for the community Wednesdays at Brookside Elementary in Lake Forest Park

Monday, June 7, 2021

Brookside Elementary School in Lake Forest Park has hundreds of FREE BOOKS for the community. 

There are books for every age group, every reading level, both fiction and non-fiction.

The books are on tables in the covered area on the south side of campus on Wednesdays from 10:00am - 6:00pm. Take as many as you want!

📖📙📘🎒📖
Park in the front lot off 37th Ave NE or in the back lot off 35th Ave NE and walk on to campus. Brookside Elementary is located at: 17447 37th Ave NE Lake Forest Park, WA 98155.

Watch for pedestrians and be aware that the speed limit around Brookside is very strictly enforced.



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Book review by Aarene Storms: The House in the Cerulean Sea

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

Linus Baker is a caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, embedded deeply in a grey, dystopic world where magic is registered, classified, and most of all: wrong. Linus trudges through his colorless job -- and his equally colorless life -- until he is sent on a classified and very strange assignment: to assess an orphanage on a distant island and determine the fate of the six magical children there.

Linus gradually learns more about each of the children, including Talia, a gnome with a fantastic talent for gardening, Chauncey, an amorphous blob whose great ambition is to be a bellhop, and most of all Lucy, who is the Antichrist. In the process, he also makes some gradual realizations about himself ... and about Arthur, the master of the orphanage.

Part 1984, part Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, plus small amounts of Peter Pan and Anne of Green Gables, this delightful story teases apart all the elements of "home" and "society" and "family" and weaves them back together into a cozy new thing that simultaneously encourages both smiles and deeper thought.

This book is marketed for adult readers, but I will happily hand it to my middle school-aged friends. Some minor cussing, bullying, and references to physical and verbal abuse of children, countered by some very affirming love.

Put this book at the top of your list, y'all. The audiobook was not narrated in a British accent, which surprised me -- although the story never explicitly says the locations, it feels very British. It was still enjoyable (but Jim Dale, narrator of the Harry Potter series) would have been a best choice.

Aarene Storms is a librarian who reads and reviews books for all ages. She can be reached at aarenex@haikufarm.net




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A Jam-Packed June coming up with Third Place Commons

Tuesday, June 1, 2021


With summer nearly here, things are heating up at Third Place Commons with a calendar packed full of great free, Zoom events all month long.

First up, on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 9:30am is Civic Saturday, a nonpartisan gathering with music, poetry, readings, and small group discussions. While not religious in nature, it is like a faith gathering as it brings friends and strangers together to nurture a spirit of shared purpose. It's a time to connect with others and reflect on what it means to live as a citizen in today's American society.

Civic Saturday is a national initiative – these gatherings are happening all over the United States in communities large and small. This gathering is led by Erika Olson, who received her training from Citizen University in February 2021. Register here for Civic Saturday.


Next up, on June 16th at 7pm, you won’t want to miss “Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion.”

Presenter Clarence Moriwaki will share the story of Bainbridge Island — the origin point of the Japanese American exclusion, a national strategy that led to more than 120,000 Japanese American men, women, and children forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II.

Recent events in our country have reminded us how important it is to learn from the past. Moriwaki’s talk will examine both the history and its contemporary parallels to offer a lens through which to evaluate and respond to current events. Register here for “Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion"

Also coming up, parts two and three of Third Place Commons’ Going Green Series. On Saturday, June 19th at 11am, get environmentally friendly gardening tips at Green Gardening with Master Gardener Julie Yasny. Register here.

And last but certainly not least, on Wednesday, June 30th at 7pm, Republic Services Recycling Coordinator Natalie Caulkins returns for “Keep the Cycle Turning: How to be a Savvy Recycler.” Caulkins will dispel myths and common misconceptions about what can and can’t be recycled and why, delve into the important concept of wish-cycling, and field all your burning questions about both recycling and composting. Register here.

You can also join in with the many ongoing programs from Third Place Commons. The TPC Movie Club (register here) meets next on Tuesday, June 8th at 7:30pm when the group will discuss the critically acclaimed, feel-good indie “Hearts Beat Loud.” This fun and fresh gem is free to stream for Hulu subscribers or can be readily rented from most popular streaming services.

Then the Commons Community Book Club (register here) meets on Wednesday, June 16th at 5pm to discuss the #1 bestseller The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, the perfect book for any book lover.

And of course, don’t forget to drop in to the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market every Sunday, 10am to 2pm, to connect with your community safely and in person while shopping for farm fresh and locally produced goodies galore.

(The health department still requires face coverings at farmers markets, so don’t forget your mask!)

Third Place Commons – a community supported 501(c)3 nonprofit organization – has been building real community in the heart of Lake Forest Park for over 20 years. 

In addition to presenting its largest program, the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market, Third Place Commons now also fosters real community in digital space with TPC At Home programs. 

Learn more at ThirdPlaceCommons.org

Third Place Commons is located on the upper level of Town Center in Lake Forest Park at the intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way NE.



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