CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en-US" class="no-js"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <link rel="profile" href="https://gmpg.org/xfn/11"> <script>(function(html){html.className = html.className.replace(/\bno-js\b/,'js')})(document.documentElement);</script> <title>Shelf Talk</title> <script type="text/javascript"> WebFontConfig = {"google":{"families":["Open+Sans:r,i,b,bi:latin,latin-ext","Cabin:b:latin,latin-ext"]},"api_url":"https:\/\/fonts-api.wp.com\/css"}; (function() { var wf = document.createElement('script'); wf.src = 'https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcomsh/vendor/automattic/custom-fonts/js/webfont.js'; wf.type = 'text/javascript'; wf.async = 'true'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(wf, s); })(); </script><style id="jetpack-custom-fonts-css">.wf-active body, .wf-active button, .wf-active input, .wf-active select, .wf-active textarea{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active ::-webkit-input-placeholder{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active :-moz-placeholder{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active ::-moz-placeholder{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active :-ms-input-placeholder{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active button, .wf-active button[disabled]:hover, .wf-active button[disabled]:focus, .wf-active input[type="button"], .wf-active input[type="button"][disabled]:hover, .wf-active input[type="button"][disabled]:focus, .wf-active input[type="reset"], .wf-active input[type="reset"][disabled]:hover, .wf-active input[type="reset"][disabled]:focus, .wf-active input[type="submit"], .wf-active input[type="submit"][disabled]:hover, .wf-active input[type="submit"][disabled]:focus, .wf-active .main-navigation, .wf-active .no-comments, .wf-active .tagcloud a, .wf-active .wp_widget_tag_cloud a, .wf-active .top_rated div > p, .wf-active .comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields p.comment-form-posting-as, .wf-active .comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields p.comment-form-log-out, .wf-active .comments-area #respond #comment-form-identity #comment-form-nascar p, .wf-active .comments-area #respond #comment-form-subscribe p, .wf-active .comments-area #respond p.form-submit input#comment-submit, .wf-active .comment-content p.comment-likes span.comment-like-feedback, .wf-active .jp-relatedposts-post-date, .wf-active .jp-relatedposts-post-context{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active .post-password-form label, .wf-active .comment-form label, .wf-active .entry-content .contact-form label, .wf-active .post-navigation .meta-nav, .wf-active .image-navigation, .wf-active .comment-navigation, .wf-active .menu-toggle, .wf-active .widget_recent_entries .post-date, .wf-active .widget_rss .rss-date, .wf-active .widget_rss cite, .wf-active .sticky-post, .wf-active .entry-footer, .wf-active .comment-metadata, .wf-active .pingback .edit-link, .wf-active .comment-reply-link, .wf-active .page-links, .wf-active .page-links a, .wf-active .page-links > span, .wf-active .pd-rating, .wf-active .entry-content .portfolio-entry-meta, .wf-active .entry-content #jp-relatedposts h3.jp-relatedposts-headline, .wf-active .hentry div.sharedaddy h3.sd-title, .wf-active .hentry h3.sd-title{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active .pagination{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active body:not(.logged-in) .site .skip-link{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active .site-description, .wf-active .author-bio, .wf-active .taxonomy-description, .wf-active .entry-caption, .wf-active .comment-notes, .wf-active .comment-awaiting-moderation, .wf-active .logged-in-as, .wf-active .form-allowed-tags, .wf-active .site-info, .wf-active .wp-caption .wp-caption-text, .wf-active .gallery-caption, .wf-active .entry-content .portfolio-entry-content p, .wf-active .entry-content .testimonial-entry-title, .wf-active .entry-content .testimonial-entry-content p, .wf-active .entry-content #jp-relatedposts .jp-relatedposts-items p, .wf-active .entry-content #jp-relatedposts .jp-relatedposts-items-visual h4.jp-relatedposts-post-title{font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif}.wf-active .site-title, .wf-active .post-navigation .post-title, .wf-active .comments-title, .wf-active .comment-reply-title, .wf-active .page-title{font-family:"Cabin",sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-weight:700}.wf-active .widget .widget-title, .wf-active .entry-content .portfolio-entry-title{font-family:"Cabin",sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-weight:700}.wf-active .entry-title{font-family:"Cabin",sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-weight:700}.wf-active .format-aside .entry-title, .wf-active .format-image .entry-title, .wf-active .format-video .entry-title, .wf-active .format-quote .entry-title, .wf-active .format-gallery .entry-title, .wf-active .format-status .entry-title, .wf-active .format-link .entry-title, .wf-active .format-audio .entry-title, .wf-active .format-chat .entry-title{font-style:normal;font-weight:700}@media screen and (min-width: 44.375em){.wf-active .site-title, .wf-active .post-navigation .post-title{font-style:normal;font-weight:700}}@media screen and (min-width: 44.375em){.wf-active .entry-title{font-style:normal;font-weight:700}}@media screen and (min-width: 61.5625em){.wf-active .entry-title{font-style:normal;font-weight:700}}@media screen and (min-width: 61.5625em){.wf-active .format-aside .entry-title, .wf-active .format-image .entry-title, .wf-active .format-video .entry-title, .wf-active .format-quote .entry-title, .wf-active .format-gallery .entry-title, .wf-active .format-status .entry-title, .wf-active .format-link .entry-title, .wf-active .format-audio .entry-title, .wf-active .format-chat .entry-title{font-style:normal;font-weight:700}}</style> <meta name='robots' content='max-image-preview:large' /> <style>img:is([sizes="auto" i], [sizes^="auto," i]) { contain-intrinsic-size: 3000px 1500px }</style> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//secure.gravatar.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//stats.wp.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//widgets.wp.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//jetpack.wordpress.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//s0.wp.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//public-api.wordpress.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//0.gravatar.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//1.gravatar.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//2.gravatar.com' /> <link rel='preconnect' href='//i0.wp.com' /> <link rel='preconnect' href='//c0.wp.com' /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Shelf Talk » Feed" href="https://blog.spl.org/feed/" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Shelf Talk » Comments Feed" href="https://blog.spl.org/comments/feed/" /> <script> window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=6.7.2"}}; /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(i,n){var o,s,e;function c(e){try{var t={supportTests:e,timestamp:(new Date).valueOf()};sessionStorage.setItem(o,JSON.stringify(t))}catch(e){}}function p(e,t,n){e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(t,0,0);var t=new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data),r=(e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(n,0,0),new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data));return t.every(function(e,t){return e===r[t]})}function u(e,t,n){switch(t){case"flag":return n(e,"\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f","\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200b\u26a7\ufe0f")?!1:!n(e,"\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf3","\ud83c\uddfa\u200b\ud83c\uddf3")&&!n(e,"\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f","\ud83c\udff4\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc62\u200b\udb40\udc65\u200b\udb40\udc6e\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc7f");case"emoji":return!n(e,"\ud83d\udc26\u200d\u2b1b","\ud83d\udc26\u200b\u2b1b")}return!1}function f(e,t,n){var r="undefined"!=typeof WorkerGlobalScope&&self instanceof WorkerGlobalScope?new OffscreenCanvas(300,150):i.createElement("canvas"),a=r.getContext("2d",{willReadFrequently:!0}),o=(a.textBaseline="top",a.font="600 32px Arial",{});return e.forEach(function(e){o[e]=t(a,e,n)}),o}function t(e){var t=i.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=!0,i.head.appendChild(t)}"undefined"!=typeof Promise&&(o="wpEmojiSettingsSupports",s=["flag","emoji"],n.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},e=new Promise(function(e){i.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",e,{once:!0})}),new Promise(function(t){var n=function(){try{var e=JSON.parse(sessionStorage.getItem(o));if("object"==typeof e&&"number"==typeof e.timestamp&&(new Date).valueOf()<e.timestamp+604800&&"object"==typeof e.supportTests)return e.supportTests}catch(e){}return null}();if(!n){if("undefined"!=typeof Worker&&"undefined"!=typeof OffscreenCanvas&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&URL.createObjectURL&&"undefined"!=typeof Blob)try{var e="postMessage("+f.toString()+"("+[JSON.stringify(s),u.toString(),p.toString()].join(",")+"));",r=new Blob([e],{type:"text/javascript"}),a=new Worker(URL.createObjectURL(r),{name:"wpTestEmojiSupports"});return void(a.onmessage=function(e){c(n=e.data),a.terminate(),t(n)})}catch(e){}c(n=f(s,u,p))}t(n)}).then(function(e){for(var t in e)n.supports[t]=e[t],n.supports.everything=n.supports.everything&&n.supports[t],"flag"!==t&&(n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&n.supports[t]);n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&!n.supports.flag,n.DOMReady=!1,n.readyCallback=function(){n.DOMReady=!0}}).then(function(){return e}).then(function(){var e;n.supports.everything||(n.readyCallback(),(e=n.source||{}).concatemoji?t(e.concatemoji):e.wpemoji&&e.twemoji&&(t(e.twemoji),t(e.wpemoji)))}))}((window,document),window._wpemojiSettings); </script> <link rel='stylesheet' id='all-css-a423741545773b8cb781470bd30f7edb' href='https://blog.spl.org/_static/??-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' type='text/css' media='all' /> <style id='wp-block-library-inline-css'> .has-text-align-justify{text-align:justify;} </style> <style id='twentysixteen-style-inline-css'> .byline { clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; position: absolute; overflow: hidden; width: 1px; } </style> <style id='wp-emoji-styles-inline-css'> img.wp-smiley, img.emoji { display: inline !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; height: 1em !important; width: 1em !important; margin: 0 0.07em !important; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; background: none !important; padding: 0 !important; } </style> <style id='jetpack-sharing-buttons-style-inline-css'> .jetpack-sharing-buttons__services-list{display:flex;flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0;list-style-type:none;margin:5px;padding:0}.jetpack-sharing-buttons__services-list.has-small-icon-size{font-size:12px}.jetpack-sharing-buttons__services-list.has-normal-icon-size{font-size:16px}.jetpack-sharing-buttons__services-list.has-large-icon-size{font-size:24px}.jetpack-sharing-buttons__services-list.has-huge-icon-size{font-size:36px}@media print{.jetpack-sharing-buttons__services-list{display:none!important}}.editor-styles-wrapper .wp-block-jetpack-sharing-buttons{gap:0;padding-inline-start:0}ul.jetpack-sharing-buttons__services-list.has-background{padding:1.25em 2.375em} </style> <style id='classic-theme-styles-inline-css'> /*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} </style> <style id='global-styles-inline-css'> :root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square: 1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3: 4/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4: 3/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2: 3/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3: 2/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9: 16/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16: 9/16;--wp--preset--color--black: #000000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray: #abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white: #fff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink: #f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red: #cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange: #ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber: #fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan: #7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan: #00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue: #8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue: #0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple: #9b51e0;--wp--preset--color--dark-gray: #1a1a1a;--wp--preset--color--medium-gray: #686868;--wp--preset--color--light-gray: #e5e5e5;--wp--preset--color--blue-gray: #4d545c;--wp--preset--color--bright-blue: #007acc;--wp--preset--color--light-blue: #9adffd;--wp--preset--color--dark-brown: #402b30;--wp--preset--color--medium-brown: #774e24;--wp--preset--color--dark-red: #640c1f;--wp--preset--color--bright-red: #ff675f;--wp--preset--color--yellow: #ffef8e;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(122,220,180) 0%,rgb(0,208,130) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,rgb(207,46,46) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(238,238,238) 0%,rgb(169,184,195) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(74,234,220) 0%,rgb(151,120,209) 20%,rgb(207,42,186) 40%,rgb(238,44,130) 60%,rgb(251,105,98) 80%,rgb(254,248,76) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,206,236) 0%,rgb(152,150,240) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,205,165) 0%,rgb(254,45,45) 50%,rgb(107,0,62) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,203,112) 0%,rgb(199,81,192) 50%,rgb(65,88,208) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 0%,rgb(182,227,212) 50%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(2,3,129) 0%,rgb(40,116,252) 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small: 13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium: 20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large: 36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large: 42px;--wp--preset--font-family--albert-sans: 'Albert Sans', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--alegreya: Alegreya, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--arvo: Arvo, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--bodoni-moda: 'Bodoni Moda', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--bricolage-grotesque: 'Bricolage Grotesque', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--cabin: Cabin, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--chivo: Chivo, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--commissioner: Commissioner, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--cormorant: Cormorant, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--courier-prime: 'Courier Prime', monospace;--wp--preset--font-family--crimson-pro: 'Crimson Pro', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--dm-mono: 'DM Mono', monospace;--wp--preset--font-family--dm-sans: 'DM Sans', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--dm-serif-display: 'DM Serif Display', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--domine: Domine, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--eb-garamond: 'EB Garamond', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--epilogue: Epilogue, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--fahkwang: Fahkwang, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--figtree: Figtree, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--fira-sans: 'Fira Sans', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--fjalla-one: 'Fjalla One', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--fraunces: Fraunces, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--gabarito: Gabarito, system-ui;--wp--preset--font-family--ibm-plex-mono: 'IBM Plex Mono', monospace;--wp--preset--font-family--ibm-plex-sans: 'IBM Plex Sans', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--ibarra-real-nova: 'Ibarra Real Nova', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--instrument-serif: 'Instrument Serif', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--inter: Inter, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--josefin-sans: 'Josefin Sans', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--jost: Jost, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--libre-baskerville: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--libre-franklin: 'Libre Franklin', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--literata: Literata, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--lora: Lora, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--merriweather: Merriweather, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--montserrat: Montserrat, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--newsreader: Newsreader, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--noto-sans-mono: 'Noto Sans Mono', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--nunito: Nunito, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--open-sans: 'Open Sans', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--overpass: Overpass, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--pt-serif: 'PT Serif', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--petrona: Petrona, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--piazzolla: Piazzolla, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--playfair-display: 'Playfair Display', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--plus-jakarta-sans: 'Plus Jakarta Sans', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--poppins: Poppins, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--raleway: Raleway, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--roboto: Roboto, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--roboto-slab: 'Roboto Slab', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--rubik: Rubik, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--rufina: Rufina, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--sora: Sora, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--source-sans-3: 'Source Sans 3', sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--source-serif-4: 'Source Serif 4', serif;--wp--preset--font-family--space-mono: 'Space Mono', monospace;--wp--preset--font-family--syne: Syne, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--texturina: Texturina, serif;--wp--preset--font-family--urbanist: Urbanist, sans-serif;--wp--preset--font-family--work-sans: 'Work Sans', sans-serif;--wp--preset--spacing--20: 0.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30: 0.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40: 1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50: 1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60: 2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70: 3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80: 5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural: 6px 6px 9px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep: 12px 12px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined: 6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255, 255, 255, 1), 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);--wp--preset--shadow--crisp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);}:where(.is-layout-flex){gap: 0.5em;}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap: 0.5em;}body .is-layout-flex{display: flex;}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap: wrap;align-items: center;}.is-layout-flex > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}body .is-layout-grid{display: grid;}.is-layout-grid > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;}.has-black-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important;}.has-albert-sans-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--albert-sans) !important;}.has-alegreya-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--alegreya) !important;}.has-arvo-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--arvo) !important;}.has-bodoni-moda-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--bodoni-moda) !important;}.has-bricolage-grotesque-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--bricolage-grotesque) !important;}.has-cabin-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--cabin) !important;}.has-chivo-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--chivo) !important;}.has-commissioner-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--commissioner) !important;}.has-cormorant-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--cormorant) !important;}.has-courier-prime-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--courier-prime) !important;}.has-crimson-pro-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--crimson-pro) !important;}.has-dm-mono-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--dm-mono) !important;}.has-dm-sans-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--dm-sans) !important;}.has-dm-serif-display-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--dm-serif-display) !important;}.has-domine-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--domine) !important;}.has-eb-garamond-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--eb-garamond) !important;}.has-epilogue-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--epilogue) !important;}.has-fahkwang-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--fahkwang) !important;}.has-figtree-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--figtree) !important;}.has-fira-sans-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--fira-sans) !important;}.has-fjalla-one-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--fjalla-one) !important;}.has-fraunces-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--fraunces) !important;}.has-gabarito-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--gabarito) !important;}.has-ibm-plex-mono-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--ibm-plex-mono) !important;}.has-ibm-plex-sans-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--ibm-plex-sans) !important;}.has-ibarra-real-nova-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--ibarra-real-nova) !important;}.has-instrument-serif-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--instrument-serif) !important;}.has-inter-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--inter) !important;}.has-josefin-sans-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--josefin-sans) !important;}.has-jost-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--jost) !important;}.has-libre-baskerville-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--libre-baskerville) !important;}.has-libre-franklin-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--libre-franklin) !important;}.has-literata-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--literata) !important;}.has-lora-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--lora) !important;}.has-merriweather-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--merriweather) !important;}.has-montserrat-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--montserrat) !important;}.has-newsreader-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--newsreader) !important;}.has-noto-sans-mono-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--noto-sans-mono) !important;}.has-nunito-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--nunito) !important;}.has-open-sans-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--open-sans) !important;}.has-overpass-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--overpass) !important;}.has-pt-serif-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--pt-serif) !important;}.has-petrona-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--petrona) !important;}.has-piazzolla-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--piazzolla) !important;}.has-playfair-display-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--playfair-display) !important;}.has-plus-jakarta-sans-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--plus-jakarta-sans) !important;}.has-poppins-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--poppins) !important;}.has-raleway-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--raleway) !important;}.has-roboto-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--roboto) !important;}.has-roboto-slab-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--roboto-slab) !important;}.has-rubik-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--rubik) !important;}.has-rufina-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--rufina) !important;}.has-sora-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--sora) !important;}.has-source-sans-3-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--source-sans-3) !important;}.has-source-serif-4-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--source-serif-4) !important;}.has-space-mono-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--space-mono) !important;}.has-syne-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--syne) !important;}.has-texturina-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--texturina) !important;}.has-urbanist-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--urbanist) !important;}.has-work-sans-font-family{font-family: var(--wp--preset--font-family--work-sans) !important;} :where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;} :root :where(.wp-block-pullquote){font-size: 1.5em;line-height: 1.6;} :where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;} </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='dashicons-css' href='https://blog.spl.org/wp-includes/css/dashicons.min.css?ver=6.7.2' media='all' />    <style id='akismet-widget-style-inline-css'> .a-stats { --akismet-color-mid-green: #357b49; --akismet-color-white: #fff; --akismet-color-light-grey: #f6f7f7; max-width: 350px; width: auto; } .a-stats * { all: unset; box-sizing: border-box; } .a-stats strong { font-weight: 600; } .a-stats a.a-stats__link, .a-stats a.a-stats__link:visited, .a-stats a.a-stats__link:active { background: var(--akismet-color-mid-green); border: none; box-shadow: none; border-radius: 8px; color: var(--akismet-color-white); cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', 'Roboto', 'Oxygen-Sans', 'Ubuntu', 'Cantarell', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-weight: 500; padding: 12px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease; } /* Extra specificity to deal with TwentyTwentyOne focus style */ .widget .a-stats a.a-stats__link:focus { background: var(--akismet-color-mid-green); color: var(--akismet-color-white); text-decoration: none; } .a-stats a.a-stats__link:hover { filter: brightness(110%); box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06), 0 0 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.16); } .a-stats .count { color: var(--akismet-color-white); display: block; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.4; padding: 0 13px; white-space: nowrap; } </style> <style id='jetpack-global-styles-frontend-style-inline-css'> :root { --font-headings: unset; --font-base: unset; --font-headings-default: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif; --font-base-default: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;} </style> <script id="jetpack-mu-wpcom-settings-js-before"> var JETPACK_MU_WPCOM_SETTINGS = {"assetsUrl":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/wp-content\/mu-plugins\/wpcomsh\/jetpack_vendor\/automattic\/jetpack-mu-wpcom\/src\/build\/"}; </script> <script src="https://blog.spl.org/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.min.js?ver=3.7.1" id="jquery-core-js"></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://blog.spl.org/_static/??wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery-migrate.min.js,wp-content/themes/twentysixteen/js/html5.js?m=1686289764'></script> <link rel="https://api.w.org/" href="https://blog.spl.org/wp-json/" /><link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="https://blog.spl.org/xmlrpc.php?rsd" /> <link rel='shortlink' href='https://wp.me/4qrn4' /> <style>img#wpstats{display:none}</style> <style type="text/css" id="twentysixteen-header-css"> .site-branding { margin: 0 auto 0 0; } .site-branding .site-title, .site-description { clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); position: absolute; } </style> <style id="custom-background-css"> body.custom-background { background-color: #ffffff; } </style>  <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Shelf Talk" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://blog.spl.org/" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Shelf Talk" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:alt" content="" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" />  <style type="text/css" id="custom-colors-css">input[type=text],input[type=email],input[type=url],input[type=password],input[type=search],input[type=tel],input[type=number],textarea{background:#f7f7f7;color:#686868}input[type=text]:focus,input[type=email]:focus,input[type=url]:focus,input[type=password]:focus,input[type=search]:focus,input[type=tel]:focus,input[type=number]:focus,textarea:focus{background-color:#fff;color:#1a1a1a}body{background-color:#fff}.site,.main-navigation ul ul li{background-color:#fff}body #infinite-footer .container{background-color:#fff}body #infinite-footer .container{background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)}.main-navigation ul ul:after{border-top-color:#fff}.main-navigation ul ul:after{border-bottom-color:#fff}mark,ins,button,button[disabled]:hover,button[disabled]:focus,input[type=button],input[type=button][disabled]:hover,input[type=button][disabled]:focus,input[type=reset],input[type=reset][disabled]:hover,input[type=reset][disabled]:focus,input[type=submit],input[type=submit][disabled]:hover,input[type=submit][disabled]:focus,.menu-toggle.toggled-on,.menu-toggle.toggled-on:hover,.menu-toggle.toggled-on:focus,.pagination .prev,.pagination .next,.pagination .prev:hover,.pagination .prev:focus,.pagination .next:hover,.pagination .next:focus,.pagination .nav-links:before,.pagination .nav-links:after,.widget_calendar tbody a,.widget_calendar tbody a:hover,.widget_calendar tbody a:focus,.page-links a,.page-links a:hover,.page-links a:focus,.site-main #infinite-handle span,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:active,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:focus,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:hover,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):active,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):focus,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):hover{color:#fff}.menu-toggle:hover,.menu-toggle:focus,a,.main-navigation a:hover,.main-navigation a:focus,.dropdown-toggle:hover,.dropdown-toggle:focus,.social-navigation a:hover:before,.social-navigation a:focus:before,.post-navigation a:hover .post-title,.post-navigation a:focus .post-title,.tagcloud a:hover,.tagcloud a:focus,.site-branding .site-title a:hover,.site-branding .site-title a:focus,.entry-title a:hover,.entry-title a:focus,.entry-footer a:hover,.entry-footer a:focus,.comment-metadata a:hover,.comment-metadata a:focus,.pingback .comment-edit-link:hover,.pingback .comment-edit-link:focus,.comment-reply-link,.comment-reply-link:hover,.comment-reply-link:focus,.required,.site-info a:hover,.site-info a:focus,.main-navigation li:hover>a,.main-navigation li.focus>a,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-service a,.widget_flickr #flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a,.widget_flickr #flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:link,.widget_flickr #flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:active,.widget_flickr #flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:visited,.wp_widget_tag_cloud a:hover,.wp_widget_tag_cloud a:focus,body #infinite-footer .blog-info a:hover,body #infinite-footer .blog-info a:focus,body #infinite-footer .blog-info a:hover,body #infinite-footer .blog-info a:focus,body #infinite-footer .blog-credits a:hover,body #infinite-footer .blog-credits a:focus,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color){color:#007acc}mark,ins,button:hover,button:focus,input[type=button]:hover,input[type=button]:focus,input[type=reset]:hover,input[type=reset]:focus,input[type=submit]:hover,input[type=submit]:focus,.pagination .prev:hover,.pagination .prev:focus,.pagination .next:hover,.pagination .next:focus,.widget_calendar tbody a,.page-links a:hover,.page-links a:focus,#infinite-handle span:hover,#infinite-handle span:focus,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link{background-color:#007acc}input[type=text]:focus,input[type=email]:focus,input[type=url]:focus,input[type=password]:focus,input[type=search]:focus,textarea:focus,.tagcloud a:hover,.tagcloud a:focus,.menu-toggle:hover,.menu-toggle:focus,.comments-area #respond #comment-form-comment.active,.comments-area #comment-form-share-text-padder.active,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields div.comment-form-input.active,.wp_widget_tag_cloud a:hover,.wp_widget_tag_cloud a:focus,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link{border-color:#007acc}body,blockquote cite,blockquote small,.main-navigation a,.menu-toggle,.dropdown-toggle,.social-navigation a,.post-navigation a,.widget-title a,.site-branding .site-title a,.entry-title a,.page-links>.page-links-title,.comment-author,.comment-reply-title small a:hover,.comment-reply-title small a:focus{color:#1a1a1a}blockquote,.menu-toggle.toggled-on,.menu-toggle.toggled-on:hover,.menu-toggle.toggled-on:focus,.post-navigation,.post-navigation div+div,.pagination,.widget,.page-header,.page-links a,.comments-title,.comment-reply-title,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:active,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:focus,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:hover,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):active,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):focus,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):hover{border-color:#1a1a1a}button,button[disabled]:hover,button[disabled]:focus,input[type=button],input[type=button][disabled]:hover,input[type=button][disabled]:focus,input[type=reset],input[type=reset][disabled]:hover,input[type=reset][disabled]:focus,input[type=submit],input[type=submit][disabled]:hover,input[type=submit][disabled]:focus,.menu-toggle.toggled-on,.menu-toggle.toggled-on:hover,.menu-toggle.toggled-on:focus,.pagination:before,.pagination:after,.pagination .prev,.pagination .next,.page-links a,.site-main #infinite-handle span,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:active,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:focus,.wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link:hover,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):active,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):focus,.is-style-outline>.wp-block-button__link:not(.has-text-color):hover{background-color:#1a1a1a}fieldset,pre,abbr,acronym,table,th,td,input[type=text],input[type=email],input[type=url],input[type=password],input[type=search],textarea,.main-navigation li,.main-navigation .primary-menu,.menu-toggle,.dropdown-toggle:after,.social-navigation a,.image-navigation,.comment-navigation,.tagcloud a,.entry-content,.entry-summary,.page-links a,.page-links>span,.comment-list article,.comment-list .pingback,.comment-list .trackback,.comment-reply-link,.no-comments,.main-navigation ul ul,.main-navigation ul ul li,.comments-area #respond #comment-form-comment,.comments-area #comment-form-share-text-padder,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields div.comment-form-input,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-service,.wp_widget_tag_cloud a,body #infinite-footer .container{border-color:#1a1a1a}fieldset,pre,abbr,acronym,table,th,td,input[type=text],input[type=email],input[type=url],input[type=password],input[type=search],textarea,.main-navigation li,.main-navigation .primary-menu,.menu-toggle,.dropdown-toggle:after,.social-navigation a,.image-navigation,.comment-navigation,.tagcloud a,.entry-content,.entry-summary,.page-links a,.page-links>span,.comment-list article,.comment-list .pingback,.comment-list .trackback,.comment-reply-link,.no-comments,.main-navigation ul ul,.main-navigation ul ul li,.comments-area #respond #comment-form-comment,.comments-area #comment-form-share-text-padder,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields div.comment-form-input,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-service,.wp_widget_tag_cloud a,body #infinite-footer .container{border-color:rgba(26,26,26,0)}.main-navigation ul ul:before{border-top-color:#1a1a1a}.main-navigation ul ul:before{border-top-color:rgba(26,26,26,0)}.main-navigation ul ul:before{border-bottom-color:#1a1a1a}.main-navigation ul ul:before{border-bottom-color:rgba(26,26,26,0)}hr,code{background-color:#1a1a1a}hr,code{background-color:rgba(26,26,26,0)}blockquote,.post-password-form label,a:hover,a:focus,a:active,.post-navigation .meta-nav,.image-navigation,.comment-navigation,.widget_recent_entries .post-date,.widget_rss .rss-date,.widget_rss cite,.site-description,body:not(.search-results) .entry-summary,.author-bio,.entry-footer,.entry-footer a,.sticky-post,.taxonomy-description,.entry-caption,.comment-metadata,.pingback .edit-link,.comment-metadata a,.pingback .comment-edit-link,.comment-form label,.comment-notes,.comment-awaiting-moderation,.logged-in-as,.form-allowed-tags,.site-info,.site-info a,.wp-caption .wp-caption-text,.gallery-caption,.jp-relatedposts-post-aoverlay:hover .jp-relatedposts-post-title a,.jp-relatedposts-post-aoverlay:focus .jp-relatedposts-post-title a,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields label,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields label span.required,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields label span.nopublish,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-service a:hover,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-service a:focus,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields p.comment-form-posting-as,.comments-area #respond .comment-form-fields p.comment-form-log-out,.comments-area #respond #comment-form-identity #comment-form-nascar p,.comments-area #respond #comment-form-subscribe p,.comment-content p.comment-likes span.comment-like-feedback,.widget_flickr #flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:focus,.widget_flickr #flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:hover,.top_rated div>p,body #infinite-footer .blog-info a,body #infinite-footer .blog-credits,body #infinite-footer .blog-credits a{color:#686868}#respond.js .comment-form-fields label,#respond.js .comment-form-fields label span.required,#respond.js .comment-form-fields label span.nopublish{color:#686868}.widget_calendar tbody a:hover,.widget_calendar tbody a:focus{background-color:#686868}</style> <link rel="icon" href="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo-bw-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1" sizes="32x32" /> <link rel="icon" href="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo-bw-1.png?fit=120%2C115&ssl=1" sizes="192x192" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo-bw-1.png?fit=120%2C115&ssl=1" /> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo-bw-1.png?fit=120%2C115&ssl=1" /> <style type="text/css" id="wp-custom-css">/* Welcome to Custom CSS! To learn how this works, see http://wp.me/PEmnE-Bt */ #jetpack_widget_social_icons-2 { border-top: none; margin-bottom: 2em; } #text-5 { border-top: none; margin-bottom: 1em; } #search-2 { border-top: none; } .widget.jetpack_widget_social_icons li a { border: 1px solid #EDEDED; border-radius: 50%; color: #0061AC; background-color: #EDEDED; display: block; position: relative; } button { background-color: #0061AC; } .widget { border-top: 3px solid #1a1a1a; } body { color: #1a1a1a; } .social-navigation a { border: 1px solid #EDEDED; border-radius: 50%; color: #0061AC; display: block; background-color: #EDEDED; height: 35px; position: relative; width: 35px; }</style>  <script async src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-8S7DKFC2CL'></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag() { dataLayer.push( arguments ); } gtag( 'js', new Date() ); gtag( 'config', "G-8S7DKFC2CL" ); </script>  </head> <body class="home blog custom-background wp-custom-logo wp-embed-responsive is-twentysixteen group-blog hfeed custom-colors author-hidden has-site-logo"> <div id="page" class="site"> <div class="site-inner"> <a class="skip-link screen-reader-text" href="#content"> Skip to content </a> <header id="masthead" class="site-header"> <div class="site-header-main"> <div class="site-branding"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/" class="site-logo-link" rel="home" itemprop="url"><img width="840" height="120" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/shelftalk-header.png?fit=840%2C120&ssl=1" class="site-logo attachment-twentysixteen-logo" alt="The Seattle Public Library Shelf Talk Blog" data-size="twentysixteen-logo" itemprop="logo" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" data-attachment-id="60362" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/shelftalk-header/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/shelftalk-header.png?fit=840%2C120&ssl=1" data-orig-size="840,120" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="The Seattle Public Library Shelf Talk Blog" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="<p>The Seattle Public Library Shelf Talk Blog</p> " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/shelftalk-header.png?fit=300%2C43&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/shelftalk-header.png?fit=840%2C120&ssl=1" /></a> <h1 class="site-title"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/" rel="home">Shelf Talk</a></h1> </div> <button id="menu-toggle" class="menu-toggle">Menu</button> <div id="site-header-menu" class="site-header-menu"> <nav id="site-navigation" class="main-navigation" aria-label="Primary Menu"> <div class="menu-menu-1-container"><ul id="menu-menu-1" class="primary-menu"><li id="menu-item-39584" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom current-menu-item current_page_item menu-item-home menu-item-39584"><a href="http://blog.spl.org/" aria-current="page">Home</a></li> <li id="menu-item-39585" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-39585"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/subscribe/">Subscribe</a></li> <li id="menu-item-39590" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-39590"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/about-2/">About</a> <ul class="sub-menu"> <li id="menu-item-39591" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-39591"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/about-2/blogroll-linking-policy/">Linking Policy</a></li> <li id="menu-item-39592" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-39592"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/about-2/terms-of-use/">Terms of Use</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul></div> </nav> <nav id="social-navigation" class="social-navigation" aria-label="Social Links Menu"> <div class="menu-social-media-container"><ul id="menu-social-media" class="social-links-menu"><li id="menu-item-60313" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60313"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SeattlePublicLibrary"><span class="screen-reader-text">Facebook</span></a></li> <li id="menu-item-60314" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60314"><a href="https://twitter.com/SPLBuzz"><span class="screen-reader-text">Twitter</span></a></li> <li id="menu-item-60315" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60315"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/SeattlePublicLibrary"><span class="screen-reader-text">YouTube</span></a></li> <li id="menu-item-60316" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60316"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/seattlepubliclibrary"><span class="screen-reader-text">Instagram</span></a></li> <li id="menu-item-60317" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60317"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/seattlelibrary/"><span class="screen-reader-text">Pinterest</span></a></li> <li id="menu-item-60318" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60318"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/seattle-public-library"><span class="screen-reader-text">LinkedIn</span></a></li> </ul></div> </nav> </div> </div> </header> <div id="content" class="site-content"> <div id="primary" class="content-area"> <main id="main" class="site-main"> <article id="post-89075" class="post-89075 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-books tag-frank-b tag-peak-picks"> <header class="entry-header"> <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/" rel="bookmark">A Peek at Peak Picks – April 2025</a></h2> </header> <div class="entry-content"> <div class="tiled-gallery type-rectangular tiled-gallery-unresized" data-original-width="840" data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/2025\/03\/31\/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025\/","likes_blog_id":"65407090"}' itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageGallery" > <div class="gallery-row" style="width: 840px; height: 319px;" data-original-width="840" data-original-height="319" > <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 211px; height: 319px;" data-original-width="211" data-original-height="319" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/chief/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="207"> <meta itemprop="height" content="315"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89101" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/chief.jpg" data-orig-size="263,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="chief" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/chief.jpg?fit=197%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/chief.jpg?fit=263%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/chief.jpg?w=207&h=315&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/chief.jpg?w=263&ssl=1 263w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/chief.jpg?resize=197%2C300&ssl=1 197w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/chief.jpg?resize=230%2C350&ssl=1 230w" width="207" height="315" loading="lazy" data-original-width="207" data-original-height="315" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="chief" alt="chief" style="width: 207px; height: 315px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 207px; height: 319px;" data-original-width="207" data-original-height="319" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/poetry-2/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="203"> <meta itemprop="height" content="315"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89110" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/poetry.jpg" data-orig-size="258,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="poetry" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/poetry.jpg?fit=194%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/poetry.jpg?fit=258%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/poetry.jpg?w=203&h=315&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/poetry.jpg?w=258&ssl=1 258w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/poetry.jpg?resize=194%2C300&ssl=1 194w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/poetry.jpg?resize=226%2C350&ssl=1 226w" width="203" height="315" loading="lazy" data-original-width="203" data-original-height="315" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="poetry" alt="poetry" style="width: 203px; height: 315px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 211px; height: 319px;" data-original-width="211" data-original-height="319" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/sirens/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="207"> <meta itemprop="height" content="315"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89104" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/sirens.jpg" data-orig-size="263,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="sirens" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/sirens.jpg?fit=197%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/sirens.jpg?fit=263%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/sirens.jpg?w=207&h=315&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/sirens.jpg?w=263&ssl=1 263w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/sirens.jpg?resize=197%2C300&ssl=1 197w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/sirens.jpg?resize=230%2C350&ssl=1 230w" width="207" height="315" loading="lazy" data-original-width="207" data-original-height="315" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="sirens" alt="sirens" style="width: 207px; height: 315px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 211px; height: 319px;" data-original-width="211" data-original-height="319" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/alchemy/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="207"> <meta itemprop="height" content="315"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89105" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/alchemy.jpg" data-orig-size="263,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="alchemy" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/alchemy.jpg?fit=197%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/alchemy.jpg?fit=263%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/alchemy.jpg?w=207&h=315&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/alchemy.jpg?w=263&ssl=1 263w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/alchemy.jpg?resize=197%2C300&ssl=1 197w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/alchemy.jpg?resize=230%2C350&ssl=1 230w" width="207" height="315" loading="lazy" data-original-width="207" data-original-height="315" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="alchemy" alt="alchemy" style="width: 207px; height: 315px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  </div>  <div class="gallery-row" style="width: 840px; height: 423px;" data-original-width="840" data-original-height="423" > <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 281px; height: 423px;" data-original-width="281" data-original-height="423" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/medicine/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="277"> <meta itemprop="height" content="419"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89107" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medicine.jpg" data-orig-size="264,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="medicine" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medicine.jpg?fit=198%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medicine.jpg?fit=264%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medicine.jpg?w=277&h=419&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medicine.jpg?w=264&ssl=1 264w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medicine.jpg?resize=198%2C300&ssl=1 198w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medicine.jpg?resize=231%2C350&ssl=1 231w" width="277" height="419" loading="lazy" data-original-width="277" data-original-height="419" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="medicine" alt="medicine" style="width: 277px; height: 419px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 280px; height: 423px;" data-original-width="280" data-original-height="423" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/audition-4/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="276"> <meta itemprop="height" content="419"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89100" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/audition.jpg" data-orig-size="264,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="audition" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/audition.jpg?fit=198%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/audition.jpg?fit=264%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/audition.jpg?w=276&h=419&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/audition.jpg?w=264&ssl=1 264w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/audition.jpg?resize=198%2C300&ssl=1 198w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/audition.jpg?resize=231%2C350&ssl=1 231w" width="276" height="419" loading="lazy" data-original-width="276" data-original-height="419" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="audition" alt="audition" style="width: 276px; height: 419px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 279px; height: 423px;" data-original-width="279" data-original-height="423" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/didion-2/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="275"> <meta itemprop="height" content="419"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89108" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/didion.jpg" data-orig-size="263,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="didion" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/didion.jpg?fit=197%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/didion.jpg?fit=263%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/didion.jpg?w=275&h=419&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/didion.jpg?w=263&ssl=1 263w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/didion.jpg?resize=197%2C300&ssl=1 197w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/didion.jpg?resize=230%2C350&ssl=1 230w" width="275" height="419" loading="lazy" data-original-width="275" data-original-height="419" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="didion" alt="didion" style="width: 275px; height: 419px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  </div>  <div class="gallery-row" style="width: 840px; height: 290px;" data-original-width="840" data-original-height="290" > <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 237px; height: 290px;" data-original-width="237" data-original-height="290" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/grain/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="233"> <meta itemprop="height" content="286"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89106" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/grain.jpg" data-orig-size="325,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="grain" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/grain.jpg?fit=244%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/grain.jpg?fit=325%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/grain.jpg?w=233&h=286&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/grain.jpg?w=325&ssl=1 325w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/grain.jpg?resize=244%2C300&ssl=1 244w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/grain.jpg?resize=284%2C350&ssl=1 284w" width="233" height="286" loading="lazy" data-original-width="233" data-original-height="286" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="grain" alt="grain" style="width: 233px; height: 286px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 191px; height: 290px;" data-original-width="191" data-original-height="290" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/remember-2/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="187"> <meta itemprop="height" content="286"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89103" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/remember.jpg" data-orig-size="262,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="remember" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/remember.jpg?fit=197%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/remember.jpg?fit=262%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/remember.jpg?w=187&h=286&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/remember.jpg?w=262&ssl=1 262w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/remember.jpg?resize=197%2C300&ssl=1 197w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/remember.jpg?resize=229%2C350&ssl=1 229w" width="187" height="286" loading="lazy" data-original-width="187" data-original-height="286" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="remember" alt="remember" style="width: 187px; height: 286px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 193px; height: 290px;" data-original-width="193" data-original-height="290" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/happy-4/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="189"> <meta itemprop="height" content="286"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89102" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/happy.jpg" data-orig-size="264,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="happy" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/happy.jpg?fit=198%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/happy.jpg?fit=264%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/happy.jpg?w=189&h=286&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/happy.jpg?w=264&ssl=1 264w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/happy.jpg?resize=198%2C300&ssl=1 198w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/happy.jpg?resize=231%2C350&ssl=1 231w" width="189" height="286" loading="lazy" data-original-width="189" data-original-height="286" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="happy" alt="happy" style="width: 189px; height: 286px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 219px; height: 290px;" data-original-width="219" data-original-height="290" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/wild-5/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="215"> <meta itemprop="height" content="286"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89109" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wild.jpg" data-orig-size="300,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="wild" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wild.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wild.jpg?fit=300%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wild.jpg?w=215&h=286&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wild.jpg?w=300&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wild.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wild.jpg?resize=263%2C350&ssl=1 263w" width="215" height="286" loading="lazy" data-original-width="215" data-original-height="286" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="wild" alt="wild" style="width: 215px; height: 286px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  </div>  </div> <p>We’re adding eleven new Peak Picks in April!</p> <p>In fiction, Katie Kitamura returns with an exhilarating, destabilizing Möbius strip of a novel that asks whether we ever really know the people we love in <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4037162"><i><strong>Audition</strong></i></a><i>; </i>Jon Hickey debuts with a gripping literary debut about tribal power and corruption, family, and facing the ghosts of the past in <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4037163"><i><strong>Big Chief</strong></i></a><i>;<strong> </strong></i>inspired by true events, the latest from Dolen Perkins-Valdez features a woman who learns the incredible story of a real-life American Kingdom of formerly enslaved men and women who were ruled by royalty in the mountains of the Carolinas in <strong><a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4037171"><i>Happy Land</i></a></strong>; RomCom star Abby Jimenez delivers a playful yet deeply emotional romance where one date is all it takes for two people to know they’re perfect for each other . . . until one of them moves 2,000 miles away the next day in <strong><a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4037178"><i>Say You’ll Remember Me</i></a></strong><i>; </i>and<i> </i>Emilia Hart’s sophomore novel, <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4028182"><i><strong>The Sirens</strong></i></a><i>, </i>is a spellbinding novel about sisters separated by centuries, but bound together by the sea.</p> <p>In nonfiction, Suleika Jaouad (<i><a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3628704">Between Two Kingdoms</a>) </i>presents a guide to the art of journaling–and a meditation on the central questions of life– with contributions from 100 authors, journalists and artists in <strong><a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4027888"><i>The Book of Alchemy</i></a></strong><i>; </i>Gena Hamshaw offers one simple, classic formula to make countless, flavorful, plant-based meals any night of the week with over 80 delicious recipes in <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4028249"><i><strong>A Grain, A Bean, A Green</strong></i></a><i>; </i>Mary Annette Pember debuts with a sweeping and trenchant exploration of the history of Native American boarding schools in the U.S., and the legacy of abuse wrought by systemic attempts to use education as a tool through which to destroy Native culture in<strong> </strong><a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4027898"><i><strong>Medicine River</strong></i></a><i>; </i>Joan Didion’s detailed and intimate chronicle of sessions with a psychiatrist written for her husband John Gregory Dunne are featured in her unmistakable voice in <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4033064"><i><strong>Notes to John</strong></i></a><i>; </i>and David B. Williams’ latest, <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4027907"><i><strong>Wild in Seattle</strong></i></a><i>, </i>is an entertaining and history-packed exploration of Seattle’s familiar yet often overlooked natural, urban, and geological wonders. Finally, the paperback edition of the 2025 Seattle Reads title, <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4038243"><i><strong>You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World</strong></i></a><i>, </i>rounds out the month’s selections.</p> <p><em>~posted by Frank. All descriptions provided by publishers. </em></p> </div> <footer class="entry-footer"> <span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=49&d=identicon&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=98&d=identicon&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' decoding='async'/><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://blog.spl.org/author/rablogspl/">rablogspl</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published" datetime="2025-03-31T09:30:16-07:00">March 31, 2025</time><time class="updated" datetime="2025-03-25T13:22:40-07:00">March 25, 2025</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/" rel="category tag">BOOKS</a></span><span class="tags-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Tags </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/tag/frank-b/" rel="tag">Frank B.</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/tag/peak-picks/" rel="tag">Peak Picks</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/31/a-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025/#respond">Leave a comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on A Peek at Peak Picks – April 2025</span></a></span> </footer> </article> <article id="post-89033" class="post-89033 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-books category-databases category-nature-science category-non-fiction category-research tag-health-databases tag-menopause tag-posted-by-v tag-womens-health"> <header class="entry-header"> <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/" rel="bookmark">Women’s Health Resources: Menopause</a></h2> </header> <div class="entry-content"> <p>With government health care information becoming spotty at best, or altogether missing at worst, especially as it relates to women’s health and individuals who are LGBTQIA+, it can feel overwhelming to try to find accurate medical information without making an appointment with your doctor, just to ask questions. Though staff are not medical professionals and therefore cannot offer any medical advice, the Library does have a plethora of resources to help. From <a href="https://www.spl.org/online-resources/health-and-medicine">databases</a> like <a href="https://www.consumerlab.com/">ConsumerLab.com</a>, which provides scientific information from independent labs on a wide variety of consumer products, to our <a href="https://go.gale.com/ps/start.do?p=HWRC&u=spl_main">Health & Wellness database</a>, which makes medical reference texts, journals, and articles available to the public for free with a Library card, the resources found at the Library can be an excellent place to start finding answers to questions.</p> <p>The Library also, of course, has books! Books upon books of information that now feels more vital than ever before. In the past few years, more and more books have been published on a topic that I find myself ill-informed of: women’s anatomy and menstrual cycles, including and specifically menopause, something I never learned about in school, yet will be and already has been an indelible part of my life. In honor of Women’s History Month, I wanted to highlight some recent books that demystify menopause and all of the attendant changes that accompany this phase of women’s lives.</p> <div class="tiled-gallery type-rectangular tiled-gallery-unresized" data-original-width="840" data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/2025\/03\/28\/womens-health-resources-menopause\/","likes_blog_id":"65407090"}' itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageGallery" > <div class="gallery-row" style="width: 840px; height: 315px;" data-original-width="840" data-original-height="315" > <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 211px; height: 315px;" data-original-width="211" data-original-height="315" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/menopause-manifesto/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="207"> <meta itemprop="height" content="311"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89037" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause-manifesto.jpg" data-orig-size="266,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="menopause manifesto" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause-manifesto.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause-manifesto.jpg?fit=266%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause-manifesto.jpg?w=207&h=311&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause-manifesto.jpg?w=266&ssl=1 266w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause-manifesto.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause-manifesto.jpg?resize=233%2C350&ssl=1 233w" width="207" height="311" loading="lazy" data-original-width="207" data-original-height="311" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="menopause manifesto" alt="menopause manifesto" style="width: 207px; height: 311px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 210px; height: 315px;" data-original-width="210" data-original-height="315" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/medical-bondage/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="206"> <meta itemprop="height" content="311"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89039" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medical-bondage.jpg" data-orig-size="265,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="medical bondage" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medical-bondage.jpg?fit=199%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medical-bondage.jpg?fit=265%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medical-bondage.jpg?w=206&h=311&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medical-bondage.jpg?w=265&ssl=1 265w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medical-bondage.jpg?resize=199%2C300&ssl=1 199w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/medical-bondage.jpg?resize=232%2C350&ssl=1 232w" width="206" height="311" loading="lazy" data-original-width="206" data-original-height="311" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="medical bondage" alt="medical bondage" style="width: 206px; height: 311px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 211px; height: 315px;" data-original-width="211" data-original-height="315" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/new-menopause-2/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="207"> <meta itemprop="height" content="311"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89041" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/new-menopause.jpg" data-orig-size="266,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="new menopause" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/new-menopause.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/new-menopause.jpg?fit=266%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/new-menopause.jpg?w=207&h=311&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/new-menopause.jpg?w=266&ssl=1 266w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/new-menopause.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/new-menopause.jpg?resize=233%2C350&ssl=1 233w" width="207" height="311" loading="lazy" data-original-width="207" data-original-height="311" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="new menopause" alt="new menopause" style="width: 207px; height: 311px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 208px; height: 315px;" data-original-width="208" data-original-height="315" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-small" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/dare-i-say-it/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="204"> <meta itemprop="height" content="311"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89040" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dare-I-say-it.jpg" data-orig-size="263,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="dare I say it" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dare-I-say-it.jpg?fit=197%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dare-I-say-it.jpg?fit=263%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dare-I-say-it.jpg?w=204&h=311&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dare-I-say-it.jpg?w=263&ssl=1 263w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dare-I-say-it.jpg?resize=197%2C300&ssl=1 197w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dare-I-say-it.jpg?resize=230%2C350&ssl=1 230w" width="204" height="311" loading="lazy" data-original-width="204" data-original-height="311" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="dare I say it" alt="dare I say it" style="width: 204px; height: 311px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  </div>  </div> <p><a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3642568"><strong>The Menopause Manifesto</strong></a> by Dr. Jen Gunter offers plenty of up-to-date scientifically accurate information on the various aspects of menopause, including the role medical racism plays in accurate diagnoses and treatment for women of color (for a comprehensive analysis of the enduring racism in American medicine that systematically exploited Black women for scientific advancement in gynecology, read Diedra Cooper Owens’ harrowing <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3502542"><strong>Medical Bondage</strong></a>). Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3939688"><strong>The New Menopause</strong></a> aims to be comprehensive in scope and authoritative on the science of menopause. Haver also contributed the forward to Award-winning actor Naomi Watt’s recent memoir <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4009718"><strong>Dare I Say It</strong></a>, which offers a more personal entry to exploring the realities of menopause. Though it’s lighter on the medical side of things, Watts shares relatable stories about the complicated emotional aspects of menopause and the challenges she faced as a woman in her 30s going through perimenopause, including the disbelief she faced from male doctors due to her age.</p> <div class="tiled-gallery type-rectangular tiled-gallery-unresized" data-original-width="840" data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/2025\/03\/28\/womens-health-resources-menopause\/","likes_blog_id":"65407090"}' itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageGallery" > <div class="gallery-row" style="width: 840px; height: 380px;" data-original-width="840" data-original-height="380" > <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 254px; height: 380px;" data-original-width="254" data-original-height="380" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/me-in-menopause/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="250"> <meta itemprop="height" content="376"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89038" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/me-in-menopause.jpg" data-orig-size="266,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="me in menopause" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/me-in-menopause.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/me-in-menopause.jpg?fit=266%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/me-in-menopause.jpg?w=250&h=376&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/me-in-menopause.jpg?w=266&ssl=1 266w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/me-in-menopause.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/me-in-menopause.jpg?resize=233%2C350&ssl=1 233w" width="250" height="376" loading="lazy" data-original-width="250" data-original-height="376" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="me in menopause" alt="me in menopause" style="width: 250px; height: 376px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 296px; height: 380px;" data-original-width="296" data-original-height="380" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/fresh-hell/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="292"> <meta itemprop="height" content="376"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89036" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fresh-hell.jpg" data-orig-size="310,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="fresh hell" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fresh-hell.jpg?fit=233%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fresh-hell.jpg?fit=310%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fresh-hell.jpg?w=292&h=376&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fresh-hell.jpg?w=310&ssl=1 310w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fresh-hell.jpg?resize=233%2C300&ssl=1 233w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fresh-hell.jpg?resize=271%2C350&ssl=1 271w" width="292" height="376" loading="lazy" data-original-width="292" data-original-height="376" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="fresh hell" alt="fresh hell" style="width: 292px; height: 376px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  <div class="gallery-group images-1" style="width: 290px; height: 380px;" data-original-width="290" data-original-height="380" > <div class="tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"> <a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/menopause/" border="0" itemprop="url"> <meta itemprop="width" content="286"> <meta itemprop="height" content="376"> <img decoding="async" class="" data-attachment-id="89042" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause.jpg" data-orig-size="304,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="menopause" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause.jpg?fit=228%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause.jpg?fit=304%2C400&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause.jpg?w=286&h=376&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause.jpg?w=304&ssl=1 304w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause.jpg?resize=228%2C300&ssl=1 228w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/menopause.jpg?resize=266%2C350&ssl=1 266w" width="286" height="376" loading="lazy" data-original-width="286" data-original-height="376" itemprop="http://schema.org/image" title="menopause" alt="menopause" style="width: 286px; height: 376px;" /> </a> </div> </div>  </div>  </div> <p>TikTok darlings Carol King and Dr. Ashley Alexis, co-authors of <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S53C3121408"><strong>Are you there, God? It’s Me, in Menopause</strong></a>, offer a more wry, humorous take on the trials and tribulations of experiencing menopause while still offering practical suggestions for dealing with the symptoms. <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3670847"><strong>What Fresh Hell Is This?</strong></a> by Heather Corrina, long-time sex educator, founder of queer sexual health information website <a href="https://www.scarleteen.com/">Scarleteen</a>, and contributing editor for the landmark <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C2733531">Our Bodies, Ourselves</a> is at the top of my reading list just for the title alone, but this is truly a book about menopause for every body, including the bodies of people usually left out of this discussion: queer, trans, non-binary, gender diverse, and those with disabilities are welcome and will see themselves in these pages. For a truly comic(al) take on menopause, editor MK Czerwiec (cocurator of <a href="https://www.graphicmedicine.org/">GraphicMedicine.org</a>) showcases the work of more than 20 diverse creators who share their personal experiences in <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3599449"><strong>Menopause: A Comic Treatment</strong></a>. No matter what your relationship to menopause is – whether you’re in the middle of it, it’s on your horizon, or you have someone in your life who is or will experience it – the information and stories in these books can help you make sense of these changes and reaffirm that you are not alone in dealing with them.</p> <p><em>~Posted by V.</em></p> </div> <footer class="entry-footer"> <span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=49&d=identicon&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=98&d=identicon&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' decoding='async'/><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://blog.spl.org/author/rablogspl/">rablogspl</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published" datetime="2025-03-28T09:49:37-07:00">March 28, 2025</time><time class="updated" datetime="2025-03-21T17:04:10-07:00">March 21, 2025</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/" rel="category tag">BOOKS</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/research/databases/" rel="category tag">databases</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/non-fiction/nature-science/" rel="category tag">Nature & Science</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/non-fiction/" rel="category tag">Nonfiction</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/research/" rel="category tag">re:SEARCH</a></span><span class="tags-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Tags </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/tag/health-databases/" rel="tag">health databases</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/tag/menopause/" rel="tag">menopause</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/tag/posted-by-v/" rel="tag">posted by V.</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/tag/womens-health/" rel="tag">women's health</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/28/womens-health-resources-menopause/#comments">1 Comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on Women’s Health Resources: Menopause</span></a></span> </footer> </article> <article id="post-89150" class="post-89150 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-communications category-events category-library-events category-northwest-authors category-staff-favorites"> <header class="entry-header"> <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/" rel="bookmark">10 Not-to-Miss Author and Community Events for Spring 2025</a></h2> </header> <div class="entry-content"> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The Library’s <a href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/authors-and-books-calendar">spring calendar</a> is blooming with inspiring events, from an April 14 talk with Shamichael Hallman, author of “Meet Me at the Library,” to a May 7 discussion with Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of “The Sympathizer,” about his much-anticipated new book.</span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">All Library events are free and open to the public, but many require reservations; see links below for information on how to get your ticket. </span></p> <p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559731":720,"335559739":0,"335559740":360}">Also see our post on </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/19/u-s-poet-laureate-ada-limon-to-visit-seattle-and-more-seattle-reads-news/"><span data-contrast="none">Seattle Reads programs</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> to see the multitude of community events celebrating this year’s selection for our citywide book club, “You’re Still Here,” edited by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559731":720,"335559739":240,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <p><a href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/authors-and-books-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181072075"><b><span data-contrast="none"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="89154" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/meet-me-at-the-library-jacket/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Meet-Me-at-the-Library-Jacket.jpg?fit=210%2C315&ssl=1" data-orig-size="210,315" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Meet Me at the Library Jacket" data-image-description="<p>Meet Me at the Library, by Shamichael Halman</p> " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Meet-Me-at-the-Library-Jacket.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Meet-Me-at-the-Library-Jacket.jpg?fit=210%2C315&ssl=1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-89154" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Meet-Me-at-the-Library-Jacket.jpg?resize=210%2C315&ssl=1" alt="Meet Me at the Library, by Shamichael Halman" width="210" height="315" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Meet-Me-at-the-Library-Jacket.jpg?w=210&ssl=1 210w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Meet-Me-at-the-Library-Jacket.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 210px) 85vw, 210px" />Shamichael Hallman discusses “Meet Me at the Library: A Place to Foster Social Connection and Promote Democracy.”</span></b></a> <b><span data-contrast="none">Monday, April 14, 7:30 p.m. to 8:40 p.m.</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Town Hall Seattle. Drawing from Hallman’s experience at the Memphis Public Library and his extensive research and interviews across the country, “Meet Me at the Library” offers us a revealing look at one of our most important civic institutions and how it can help heal our divided nation. Partners include Elliott Bay Book Company, Soapbox Project and Town Hall Seattle. </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Registration is required.</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> </span></p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="89159" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/nguyen-phan-que-mai-c-tapu-javeri-sm/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NGUYEN-PHAN-QUE-MAI-c-Tapu-Javeri-sm.jpg?fit=500%2C750&ssl=1" data-orig-size="500,750" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1647793433","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="NGUYỄN PHAN QUẾ MAI (c) Tapu Javeri sm" data-image-description="<p>Dust Child, by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai </p> " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NGUYEN-PHAN-QUE-MAI-c-Tapu-Javeri-sm.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NGUYEN-PHAN-QUE-MAI-c-Tapu-Javeri-sm.jpg?fit=500%2C750&ssl=1" class="aligncenter wp-image-89159" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NGUYEN-PHAN-QUE-MAI-c-Tapu-Javeri-sm.jpg?resize=350%2C525&ssl=1" alt="Dust Child, by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai " width="350" height="525" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NGUYEN-PHAN-QUE-MAI-c-Tapu-Javeri-sm.jpg?w=500&ssl=1 500w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NGUYEN-PHAN-QUE-MAI-c-Tapu-Javeri-sm.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NGUYEN-PHAN-QUE-MAI-c-Tapu-Javeri-sm.jpg?resize=233%2C350&ssl=1 233w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 350px) 85vw, 350px" /></p> <p><a href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/authors-and-books-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181039881"><b><span data-contrast="none">Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai and Peter Steinhauer: “Enduring Spirit of Vietnam.”</span></b></a> <b><span data-contrast="none">Tuesday, April 15, 2025, from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. </span></b><span data-contrast="none">Central Library, Level 1 Microsoft Auditorium. Against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnamese author Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai and award-winning photographer Peter Steinhauer, author of “Enduring Spirit of Vietnam” and other monographs, will highlight how the arts have played a powerful role in healing and reconciliation. Partners include the Vietnam Society, Peace Trees Vietnam, Friends of Little Saigon and Elliott Bay Book Company. </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Registration is required.</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"134233279":false,"201341983":0,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="89156" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/duel/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Duel.jpg?fit=268%2C400&ssl=1" data-orig-size="268,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Duel" data-image-description="<p>Duel</p> " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Duel.jpg?fit=201%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Duel.jpg?fit=268%2C400&ssl=1" class="aligncenter wp-image-89156" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Duel.jpg?resize=250%2C373&ssl=1" alt="Duel" width="250" height="373" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Duel.jpg?w=268&ssl=1 268w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Duel.jpg?resize=201%2C300&ssl=1 201w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Duel.jpg?resize=235%2C350&ssl=1 235w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 250px) 85vw, 250px" /></p> <p><a href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/authors-and-books-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181717398"><b><span data-contrast="none">Celebrate “Duel” with Jessixa and Aaron Bagley</span></b></a><b><span data-contrast="none">.</span></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">Saturday, April 19, from 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 a.m.</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Lake City Branch. Join us to hear 2024 Washington State Book Award-winning children’s author and illustrator Jessixa and Aaron Bagley discuss their debut graphic novel “Duel,” about a rivalry between middle-school sisters that culminates in a fencing duel. Registration is not required.</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.spl.org/event-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D182056418"><b><span data-contrast="none">Poetry in Public with D.A. Navoti, Troy Osaki and Guests</span></b></a><span data-contrast="none">. </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Tuesday, April 29, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Central Library, Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium. Celebrate the first event in our new “Poetry in Public” series, curated by poet planner Laura Da’. Through a submission process open to all King County residents, poems inspired by the theme ‘Places of Landing’ were shared with the public on transit. </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Registration is required.</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"134233279":false,"201341983":0,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}"> </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233279":false,"201341983":0,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="89164" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/strangers-in-the-land/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Strangers-in-the-Land.jpg?fit=264%2C400&ssl=1" data-orig-size="264,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Strangers in the Land" data-image-description="<p>Strangers in the Land, by Michael Luo</p> " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Strangers-in-the-Land.jpg?fit=198%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Strangers-in-the-Land.jpg?fit=264%2C400&ssl=1" class="aligncenter wp-image-89164" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Strangers-in-the-Land.jpg?resize=250%2C379&ssl=1" alt="Strangers in the Land, by Michael Luo" width="250" height="379" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Strangers-in-the-Land.jpg?w=264&ssl=1 264w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Strangers-in-the-Land.jpg?resize=198%2C300&ssl=1 198w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Strangers-in-the-Land.jpg?resize=231%2C350&ssl=1 231w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 250px) 85vw, 250px" /></p> <p><a href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/authors-and-books-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181108454"><b><span data-contrast="none">New Yorker editor Michael Luo discusses “Strangers in the Land.”</span></b></a> <b><span data-contrast="none">Friday, May 2, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Elliott Bay Book Company. In a captivating debut, Michael Luo, executive editor of The New Yorker, tells the story of a people who, beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century, migrated by the tens of thousands to a distant land they called Gum Shan ––Gold Mountain. Luo follows the Chinese from these early years to modern times, as they persisted in the face of bigotry and persecution, including a series of federal laws that marked the first time the United States barred a people based on their race. </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Registration is required.</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"134233279":false,"201341983":0,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="89165" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/to-save-and-destroy-sm/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/To-Save-and-Destroy-sm.jpg?fit=263%2C400&ssl=1" data-orig-size="263,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="To Save and Destroy sm" data-image-description="<p>To Save and to Destroy, by Viet Thanh</p> " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/To-Save-and-Destroy-sm.jpg?fit=197%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/To-Save-and-Destroy-sm.jpg?fit=263%2C400&ssl=1" class="aligncenter wp-image-89165" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/To-Save-and-Destroy-sm.jpg?resize=250%2C380&ssl=1" alt="To Save and to Destroy, by Viet Thanh" width="250" height="380" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/To-Save-and-Destroy-sm.jpg?w=263&ssl=1 263w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/To-Save-and-Destroy-sm.jpg?resize=197%2C300&ssl=1 197w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/To-Save-and-Destroy-sm.jpg?resize=230%2C350&ssl=1 230w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 250px) 85vw, 250px" /></p> <p><a href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/authors-and-books-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181108746"><b><span data-contrast="none">Viet Thanh Nguyen and Shawn Wong discuss “To Save and Destroy.”</span></b></a> <b><span data-contrast="none">Wednesday, May 7, from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Central Library, Level 1 Microsoft Auditorium. Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of “The Sympathizer,” will discuss his new book with fellow author and scholar Shawn Wong. “To Save and Destroy” is a moving and unflinchingly personal meditation on the literary forms of otherness and a bold call for expansive political solidarity. Partners include the Elliott Bay Book Company. </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Registration is required.</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233279":false,"201341983":0,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="88349" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/02/03/2025-seattle-reads-selection-celebrates-poetry-and-the-natural-world/webcomponent_seattlereads2025-500/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WebComponent_SeattleReads2025-500.jpg?fit=500%2C349&ssl=1" data-orig-size="500,349" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="WebComponent_SeattleReads2025-500" data-image-description="<p>Ada Limon and “You Are Here,” the 2025 Seattle Reads selection</p> " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WebComponent_SeattleReads2025-500.jpg?fit=300%2C209&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WebComponent_SeattleReads2025-500.jpg?fit=500%2C349&ssl=1" class="aligncenter wp-image-88349" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WebComponent_SeattleReads2025-500.jpg?resize=400%2C279&ssl=1" alt="Ada Limon and "You Are Here," the 2025 Seattle Reads selection" width="400" height="279" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WebComponent_SeattleReads2025-500.jpg?w=500&ssl=1 500w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WebComponent_SeattleReads2025-500.jpg?resize=300%2C209&ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 85vw, 400px" /></p> <p><b><span data-contrast="none">Seattle Reads presents Ada Limón. </span></b><span data-contrast="none">The 24th U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón will travel to Seattle to speak at several events related to this year’s Seattle Reads selection, “You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World.” Central Library, Level 1 Auditorium: </span><a href="https://www.spl.org/event-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181569855"><span data-contrast="none">Friday, May 16, from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m</span></a><span data-contrast="none">, The event will also feature Seattle’s new Civic Poet Dujie That, who will read a poem to start off the evening. Green Lake Branch: </span><a href="https://www.spl.org/event-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181569874"><span data-contrast="none">Saturday, May 17, from 11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m</span></a><span data-contrast="none">. Former Washington State Poet Laureate Rena Priest will read a poem to start. Columbia Branch: </span><a href="https://www.spl.org/event-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181570022"><span data-contrast="none">Saturday, May 17, from 3 p.m. to 4:10 p.m</span></a><span data-contrast="none">. Youth Poet Laureate Janae Lu will open the event with a poem.   </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233279":false,"201341983":0,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="89163" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/storybook-ending/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Storybook-Ending.jpg?fit=264%2C400&ssl=1" data-orig-size="264,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Storybook Ending" data-image-description="<p>Storybook Ending, by Moira MacDonald</p> " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Storybook-Ending.jpg?fit=198%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Storybook-Ending.jpg?fit=264%2C400&ssl=1" class="aligncenter wp-image-89163" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Storybook-Ending.jpg?resize=250%2C379&ssl=1" alt="Storybook Ending, by Moira MacDonald" width="250" height="379" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Storybook-Ending.jpg?w=264&ssl=1 264w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Storybook-Ending.jpg?resize=198%2C300&ssl=1 198w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Storybook-Ending.jpg?resize=231%2C350&ssl=1 231w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 250px) 85vw, 250px" /></p> <p><a href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/authors-and-books-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D181570471"><b><span data-contrast="none">Moira Macdonald and Bethany Jean Clement discuss “Storybook Ending: A Novel.”</span></b></a> <b><span data-contrast="none">Wednesday, May 28, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Central Library, Level 1 Microsoft Auditorium. Seattle Times arts critic Moira Macdonald will discuss her debut novel, “Storybook Ending,” with Seattle Times food critic Bethany Jean Clement. When an anonymous note left in a book finds the wrong recipient, two women — a lonely remote worker and a widowed single mom— find themselves in an unusual love triangle with a handsome local bookstore clerk. </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Registration is required.</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"134233279":false,"201341983":0,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <p><span class="TextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8">See our </span></span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW144705843 BCX8" href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/arts-and-culture/arts-and-culture-calendar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW144705843 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">arts</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8"> and</span> </span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW144705843 BCX8" href="https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/authors-and-books-calendar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW144705843 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">a</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">uthor event</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">s </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW144705843 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">calendars </span></span></a><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW115658702 BCX8">for more events. We are grateful to <a href="https://www.supportspl.org">The Seattle Public Library Foundation</a> and the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW115658702 BCX8">Gary and Connie </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW115658702 BCX8">Kunis Foundation for their support of events at the Library. </span></p> </div> <footer class="entry-footer"> <span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=49&d=identicon&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=98&d=identicon&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' loading='lazy' decoding='async'/><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://blog.spl.org/author/rablogspl/">rablogspl</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published updated" datetime="2025-03-27T12:51:11-07:00">March 27, 2025</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/communications/" rel="category tag">Communications</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/local-interest/events/" rel="category tag">Events</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/local-interest/library-events/" rel="category tag">Library Events</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/northwest-authors/" rel="category tag">Northwest Authors</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/staff-favorites/" rel="category tag">Staff Favorites</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/27/10-not-to-miss-author-and-community-events-for-spring-2025/#respond">Leave a comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on 10 Not-to-Miss Author and Community Events for Spring 2025</span></a></span> </footer> </article> <article id="post-88890" class="post-88890 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-books category-fiction category-historical-fiction-fiction-books"> <header class="entry-header"> <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/" rel="bookmark">Historical Fiction for Women’s History Month</a></h2> </header> <div class="entry-content"> <p>Though nonfiction is a great way to learn about the past, historical fiction can also open readers’ eyes to the settings, lessons, and experiences of those who came before us. To celebrate Women’s History Month, here are some recent historical fiction titles celebrating women’s stories across time.</p> <div data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/2025\/03\/25\/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month\/"}' id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-88890 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'> <div class='gallery-icon portrait'> <a href='https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/harlem-rhapsody/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="397" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/harlem-rhapsody.jpg?fit=397%2C600&ssl=1" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Book cover of "Harlem Rhapsody" by Victoria Christopher Murray" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/harlem-rhapsody.jpg?w=397&ssl=1 397w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/harlem-rhapsody.jpg?resize=199%2C300&ssl=1 199w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/harlem-rhapsody.jpg?resize=232%2C350&ssl=1 232w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 397px) 85vw, 397px" data-attachment-id="88906" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/harlem-rhapsody/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/harlem-rhapsody.jpg?fit=397%2C600&ssl=1" data-orig-size="397,600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="harlem rhapsody" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/harlem-rhapsody.jpg?fit=199%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/harlem-rhapsody.jpg?fit=397%2C600&ssl=1" /></a> </div></figure><figure class='gallery-item'> <div class='gallery-icon portrait'> <a href='https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/by-any-other-name/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/by-any-other-name.jpg?fit=400%2C600&ssl=1" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Book cover of "By Any Other Name" by Jodi Picoult" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/by-any-other-name.jpg?w=400&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/by-any-other-name.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/by-any-other-name.jpg?resize=233%2C350&ssl=1 233w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 85vw, 400px" data-attachment-id="88905" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/by-any-other-name/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/by-any-other-name.jpg?fit=400%2C600&ssl=1" data-orig-size="400,600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="by any other name" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/by-any-other-name.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/by-any-other-name.jpg?fit=400%2C600&ssl=1" /></a> </div></figure><figure class='gallery-item'> <div class='gallery-icon portrait'> <a href='https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/lotus-shoes/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="399" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/lotus-shoes.jpg?fit=399%2C600&ssl=1" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Book cover of "The Lotus Shoes" by Jane Yang" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/lotus-shoes.jpg?w=399&ssl=1 399w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/lotus-shoes.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/lotus-shoes.jpg?resize=233%2C350&ssl=1 233w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 399px) 85vw, 399px" data-attachment-id="88904" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/lotus-shoes/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/lotus-shoes.jpg?fit=399%2C600&ssl=1" data-orig-size="399,600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="lotus shoes" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/lotus-shoes.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/lotus-shoes.jpg?fit=399%2C600&ssl=1" /></a> </div></figure> </div> <p>In <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4021385"><strong>Harlem Rhapsody</strong></a>, Victoria Christopher Murray highlights Jessie Redmon Fauset, an underappreciated but vital figure in the Harlem Renaissance literary movement. Fauset became the first female editor of the NAACP magazine <em>The Crisis</em>, where she elevated such names as Langston Hughes and Nella Larsen, alongside her complex relationship with the magazine founder, her mentor and lover, W.E.B. DuBois. Fauset has to decide how much she’s willing to give up for her professional ambitions in a world that practically demands the sacrifice of Black women.</p> <p>Jodi Picoult also investigates the sidelining of women writers in <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3966820"><strong>By Any Other Name</strong></a>, a dual-timeline novel interrogating the authorship of Shakespeare’s works. In the present day, Melina Green struggles to garner the recognition she deserves for her plays; her newest is about her ancestor Emilia Bassano, a 16th century courtesan Green believes is responsible for some of Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays. In order to give her show a leg up, Melina has her male friend submit the play under the pseudonym “Mel Green,” and the resulting comedy of errors, along with exploration of racism and sexism in the industry, make for a compelling read.</p> <p>Jane Yang’s <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4014320"><strong>The Lotus Shoes</strong></a> gives voice to two young women in 18th century China navigating jealousy, scandals, and the pressure to climb in status. Little Flower is sold to the Fong family as a maidservant for their spoiled daughter Linjing, but despite her lower status, Little Flower’s bound feet and talent for embroidery make the richer girl cruel to her. After a scandal tarnishes the Fong family, though, the two girls move through their tense past in an homage to the complications of sisterhood in a society that subjugates all women.</p> <div data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/2025\/03\/25\/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month\/"}' id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-88890 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'> <div class='gallery-icon portrait'> <a href='https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/hazelbourne/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hazelbourne.jpg?fit=400%2C600&ssl=1" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Book cover of "The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club" by Helen Simonson" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hazelbourne.jpg?w=400&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hazelbourne.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hazelbourne.jpg?resize=233%2C350&ssl=1 233w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 85vw, 400px" data-attachment-id="88903" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/hazelbourne/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hazelbourne.jpg?fit=400%2C600&ssl=1" data-orig-size="400,600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="hazelbourne" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hazelbourne.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hazelbourne.jpg?fit=400%2C600&ssl=1" /></a> </div></figure><figure class='gallery-item'> <div class='gallery-icon portrait'> <a href='https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/isola/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="395" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/isola.jpg?fit=395%2C600&ssl=1" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Book cover of "Isola" by Allegra Goodman" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/isola.jpg?w=395&ssl=1 395w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/isola.jpg?resize=198%2C300&ssl=1 198w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/isola.jpg?resize=230%2C350&ssl=1 230w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 395px) 85vw, 395px" data-attachment-id="88902" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/isola/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/isola.jpg?fit=395%2C600&ssl=1" data-orig-size="395,600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="isola" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/isola.jpg?fit=198%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/isola.jpg?fit=395%2C600&ssl=1" /></a> </div></figure><figure class='gallery-item'> <div class='gallery-icon portrait'> <a href='https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/kingdom/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="398" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/kingdom.jpg?fit=398%2C600&ssl=1" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Book cover of "Kingdom of No Tomorrow" by Fabienne Josaphat" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/kingdom.jpg?w=398&ssl=1 398w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/kingdom.jpg?resize=199%2C300&ssl=1 199w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/kingdom.jpg?resize=232%2C350&ssl=1 232w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 398px) 85vw, 398px" data-attachment-id="88901" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/kingdom/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/kingdom.jpg?fit=398%2C600&ssl=1" data-orig-size="398,600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="kingdom" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/kingdom.jpg?fit=199%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/kingdom.jpg?fit=398%2C600&ssl=1" /></a> </div></figure> </div> <p>For something a little lighter, check out <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3951096"><strong>The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club</strong></a> by Helen Simonson, set in the post-WWI British seaside. Constance Haverhill lost her prestigious estate management job after the war and is now serving as a lady’s companion to a wealthy woman recovering from influenza by the sea. A chance encounter with spunky Poppy, who is trying to start a business for female motorcycle drivers, gives Constance a new route to independence.</p> <p>Inspired by the real life of Marguerite de la Rocque, Allegra Goodman follows the path of an aristocratic French woman marooned on an island with her lover in 1500s Canada in <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C4021387"><strong>Isola</strong></a>. After being orphaned and left the sole heir to a hefty fortune at age 3, Marguerite’s guardian, Roberval, is supposed to look after her and ensure her successful marriage. Instead, he treats her cruelly, selling off her property and eventually taking her with him as he sails to colonize New France in what is now called Canada. On board, Marguerite falls in love with Roberval’s secretary Auguste; their resulting stranding tests Marguerite’s ability to survive.</p> <p>Finally, history moves closer to the present in Fabienne Josaphat’s <a href="https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3999076"><strong>Kingdom of No Tomorrow</strong></a>, a coming-of-age story of one woman weighing her dream of medical school against the allure of the Black Panther Party. In 1968 Oakland, Haitian premed student Nettie is researching sickle cell anemia and caring for all-Black patients in a local hospital, thinking of her doctor father murdered back in Haiti. When she meets the cool and charismatic Melvin, a leader in the Party, Nettie gets further drawn in to the politics of liberation and fighting the constant systemic racism she sees. With vivid depictions of late 1980s Oakland and Chicago, the parallels between then and now are undeniable.</p> <p><em>~posted by Jane S.</em></p> </div> <footer class="entry-footer"> <span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=49&d=identicon&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=98&d=identicon&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' loading='lazy' decoding='async'/><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://blog.spl.org/author/rablogspl/">rablogspl</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published" datetime="2025-03-25T09:30:33-07:00">March 25, 2025</time><time class="updated" datetime="2025-03-24T10:50:04-07:00">March 24, 2025</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/" rel="category tag">BOOKS</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/fiction/" rel="category tag">Fiction</a>, <a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/books/fiction/historical-fiction-fiction-books/" rel="category tag">Historical Fiction</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/25/historical-fiction-for-womens-history-month/#comments">1 Comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on Historical Fiction for Women’s History Month</span></a></span> </footer> </article> <article id="post-89067" class="post-89067 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-communications"> <header class="entry-header"> <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/24/imls-provides-invaluable-support-to-libraries-in-washington-state-and-throughout-the-u-s/" rel="bookmark">IMLS provides invaluable support to libraries in Washington state and throughout the U.S.</a></h2> </header> <div class="entry-content"> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="89069" data-permalink="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/24/imls-provides-invaluable-support-to-libraries-in-washington-state-and-throughout-the-u-s/imls_logo_2c/" data-orig-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/imls_logo_2c.bmp" data-orig-size="732,333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="imls_logo_2c" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/imls_logo_2c.bmp" data-large-file="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/imls_logo_2c.bmp" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-89069" src="https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/imls_logo_2c.bmp" alt="IMLS Logo" width="732" height="333" /></p> <p><em>Statement by <a href="https://www.spl.org/">The Seattle Public Library</a> and the <a href="https://kcls.org/">King County Library System</a></em></p> <p>On the evening of Friday, March 14, a White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/">Executive Order</a> was issued to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), among other federal agencies. IMLS is the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services. Its mission is to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development.</p> <p>IMLS funding represents less than 0.003% of the annual federal budget, but its impact on libraries, library workers, and library patrons throughout the U.S. is invaluable. The IMLS provides funding support, in big and small ways, for most of the nation’s 125,000 public, school, academic, and special libraries in all 50 states.</p> <p>In Seattle and King County, the majority of funding for our public library systems is provided through local funds, including the City of Seattle General Fund, the voter-approved <a href="https://www.spl.org/about-us/the-organization/budget-and-operations/library-levy">2019 Library Levy</a>, and King County property taxes. However, the IMLS has funded several important library initiatives in Seattle and King County over the years. Just some recent examples include:</p> <ul> <li>Supporting post-pandemic <strong>teen mental health programs</strong> in Seattle and across the U.S. for the last five years;</li> <li>Expanding Seattle’s access to Wi-Fi hotspots to <strong>help close the digital divide</strong> for underserved communities;</li> <li>Investing in <strong>hybrid meeting rooms</strong> to offer more connections to King County library patrons;</li> <li>Increasing King County patron access to <strong>real-time translation for customer service</strong>; and</li> <li>Enhancing access to library materials with <strong>24/7 lockers in King County</strong>.</li> </ul> <p>In addition to putting these types of programs at risk for library systems like ours, eliminating the IMLS would put important core services at risk for libraries serving rural, tribal, and underserved communities, both locally and nationally.</p> <p>For example, as recently covered by <a href="https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/washington-library-concerned-over-trump-executive-order/281-c7a33be4-da9e-4f0d-80df-fdac17970123">KING5 News</a>, the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library – which provides statewide library services for Washington residents who are unable to read standard print materials due to blindness, visual impairment, physical disability, or reading disability – relies heavily on IMLS funding.</p> <p>In rural and tribal communities throughout the nation, the IMLS helps fund public access to e-books, research databases, internet access, and more.</p> <p>Eliminating an agency as impactful as the IMLS is a step that should not be taken lightly. We hope that this will be reconsidered as Americans learn more about the resources, learning opportunities, and value the IMLS provides to U.S. communities.</p> <p><strong>Related Resources</strong><strong>:</strong></p> <p>The American Library Association has provided additional information about the potential impacts of this executive order, and has <a href="https://www.ala.org/faq-executive-order-targeting-imls">shared several ways</a> that library patrons can express their support for the IMLS and libraries throughout the U.S.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ala.org/faq-executive-order-targeting-imls">American Library Association FAQ: Executive Order Targeting IMLS</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.urbanlibraries.org/initiatives/advocacy/americas-public-libraries-support-imls">Urban Libraries Council: America’s Public Libraries Support IMLS</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2024-03/fy25cj.pdf">IMLS Budget: 2025 Congressional Justification for Appropriations Request</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.imls.gov/about/learn-about-imls/our-strategic-plan">IMLS Strategic Plan 2022-2026</a></li> </ul> <p> </p> </div> <footer class="entry-footer"> <span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=49&d=identicon&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6?s=98&d=identicon&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' loading='lazy' decoding='async'/><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://blog.spl.org/author/rablogspl/">rablogspl</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/24/imls-provides-invaluable-support-to-libraries-in-washington-state-and-throughout-the-u-s/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published updated" datetime="2025-03-24T12:21:07-07:00">March 24, 2025</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://blog.spl.org/category/communications/" rel="category tag">Communications</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/2025/03/24/imls-provides-invaluable-support-to-libraries-in-washington-state-and-throughout-the-u-s/#comments">1 Comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on IMLS provides invaluable support to libraries in Washington state and throughout the U.S.</span></a></span> </footer> </article> <nav class="navigation pagination" aria-label="Posts pagination"> <h2 class="screen-reader-text">Posts pagination</h2> <div class="nav-links"><span aria-current="page" class="page-numbers current"><span class="meta-nav screen-reader-text">Page </span>1</span> <a class="page-numbers" href="https://blog.spl.org/page/2/"><span class="meta-nav screen-reader-text">Page </span>2</a> <span class="page-numbers dots">…</span> <a class="page-numbers" href="https://blog.spl.org/page/764/"><span class="meta-nav screen-reader-text">Page </span>764</a> <a class="next page-numbers" href="https://blog.spl.org/page/2/">Next page</a></div> </nav> </main> </div> <aside id="secondary" class="sidebar widget-area"> <section id="block-5" class="widget widget_block"> <ul class="wp-block-social-links is-layout-flex wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex"><li class="wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook wp-block-social-link"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SeattlePublicLibrary" class="wp-block-social-link-anchor"><svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z"></path></svg><span class="wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text">Facebook</span></a></li> <li class="wp-social-link wp-social-link-twitter wp-block-social-link"><a href="https://twitter.com/SPLBuzz" class="wp-block-social-link-anchor"><svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M22.23,5.924c-0.736,0.326-1.527,0.547-2.357,0.646c0.847-0.508,1.498-1.312,1.804-2.27 c-0.793,0.47-1.671,0.812-2.606,0.996C18.324,4.498,17.257,4,16.077,4c-2.266,0-4.103,1.837-4.103,4.103 c0,0.322,0.036,0.635,0.106,0.935C8.67,8.867,5.647,7.234,3.623,4.751C3.27,5.357,3.067,6.062,3.067,6.814 c0,1.424,0.724,2.679,1.825,3.415c-0.673-0.021-1.305-0.206-1.859-0.513c0,0.017,0,0.034,0,0.052c0,1.988,1.414,3.647,3.292,4.023 c-0.344,0.094-0.707,0.144-1.081,0.144c-0.264,0-0.521-0.026-0.772-0.074c0.522,1.63,2.038,2.816,3.833,2.85 c-1.404,1.1-3.174,1.756-5.096,1.756c-0.331,0-0.658-0.019-0.979-0.057c1.816,1.164,3.973,1.843,6.29,1.843 c7.547,0,11.675-6.252,11.675-11.675c0-0.178-0.004-0.355-0.012-0.531C20.985,7.47,21.68,6.747,22.23,5.924z"></path></svg><span class="wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text">Twitter</span></a></li> <li class="wp-social-link wp-social-link-youtube wp-block-social-link"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/SeattlePublicLibrary" class="wp-block-social-link-anchor"><svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M21.8,8.001c0,0-0.195-1.378-0.795-1.985c-0.76-0.797-1.613-0.801-2.004-0.847c-2.799-0.202-6.997-0.202-6.997-0.202 h-0.009c0,0-4.198,0-6.997,0.202C4.608,5.216,3.756,5.22,2.995,6.016C2.395,6.623,2.2,8.001,2.2,8.001S2,9.62,2,11.238v1.517 c0,1.618,0.2,3.237,0.2,3.237s0.195,1.378,0.795,1.985c0.761,0.797,1.76,0.771,2.205,0.855c1.6,0.153,6.8,0.201,6.8,0.201 s4.203-0.006,7.001-0.209c0.391-0.047,1.243-0.051,2.004-0.847c0.6-0.607,0.795-1.985,0.795-1.985s0.2-1.618,0.2-3.237v-1.517 C22,9.62,21.8,8.001,21.8,8.001z M9.935,14.594l-0.001-5.62l5.404,2.82L9.935,14.594z"></path></svg><span class="wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text">YouTube</span></a></li> <li class="wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram wp-block-social-link"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/seattlepubliclibrary" class="wp-block-social-link-anchor"><svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z"></path></svg><span class="wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text">Instagram</span></a></li> <li class="wp-social-link wp-social-link-linkedin wp-block-social-link"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/seattle-public-library" class="wp-block-social-link-anchor"><svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M19.7,3H4.3C3.582,3,3,3.582,3,4.3v15.4C3,20.418,3.582,21,4.3,21h15.4c0.718,0,1.3-0.582,1.3-1.3V4.3 C21,3.582,20.418,3,19.7,3z M8.339,18.338H5.667v-8.59h2.672V18.338z M7.004,8.574c-0.857,0-1.549-0.694-1.549-1.548 c0-0.855,0.691-1.548,1.549-1.548c0.854,0,1.547,0.694,1.547,1.548C8.551,7.881,7.858,8.574,7.004,8.574z M18.339,18.338h-2.669 v-4.177c0-0.996-0.017-2.278-1.387-2.278c-1.389,0-1.601,1.086-1.601,2.206v4.249h-2.667v-8.59h2.559v1.174h0.037 c0.356-0.675,1.227-1.387,2.526-1.387c2.703,0,3.203,1.779,3.203,4.092V18.338z"></path></svg><span class="wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text">LinkedIn</span></a></li></ul> </section><section id="text-5" class="widget widget_text"> <div class="textwidget"><p><a href="http://www.spl.org"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-recalc-dims="1" class="alignleft wp-image-60326" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.spl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/spl-footer-logo-e1529600867269.png?resize=75%2C84&ssl=1" alt="" width="75" height="84" /></a>Shelf Talk is created and maintained by the staff of <a title="Seattle Public Library" href="http://www.spl.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Seattle Public Library</a>.</p> </div> </section><section id="block-6" class="widget widget_block widget_search"><form role="search" method="get" action="https://blog.spl.org/" class="wp-block-search__button-outside wp-block-search__text-button wp-block-search" ><label class="wp-block-search__label screen-reader-text" for="wp-block-search__input-1" >Search</label><div class="wp-block-search__inside-wrapper " ><input class="wp-block-search__input" id="wp-block-search__input-1" placeholder="Search" value="" type="search" name="s" required /><button aria-label="Search" class="wp-block-search__button wp-element-button" type="submit" >Search</button></div></form></section><section id="categories-2" class="widget widget_categories"><h2 class="widget-title">Categories</h2><form action="https://blog.spl.org" method="get"><label class="screen-reader-text" for="cat">Categories</label><select name='cat' id='cat' class='postform'> <option value='-1'>Select Category</option> <option class="level-0" value="177">art  (85)</option> <option class="level-0" value="2806">Art & Design  (110)</option> <option class="level-0" value="15999869">Book Bingo  (28)</option> <option class="level-0" value="178">BOOKS  (2,848)</option> <option class="level-0" value="15490082">Children’s Books  (258)</option> <option class="level-0" value="7742">Communications  (150)</option> <option class="level-0" value="1098">CULTURE  (403)</option> <option class="level-0" value="10286">databases  (83)</option> <option class="level-0" value="842">Downloads  (37)</option> <option class="level-0" value="924">Events  (265)</option> <option class="level-0" value="9413183">Fantasy  (181)</option> <option class="level-0" value="1747">Fiction  (1,014)</option> <option class="level-0" value="218686682">FILM & TV  (416)</option> <option class="level-0" value="586">Food and Gardening  (145)</option> <option class="level-0" value="1651">graphic novels  (65)</option> <option class="level-0" value="214386290">Historical Fiction  (166)</option> <option class="level-0" value="380769">History and Biography  (279)</option> <option class="level-0" value="1252">Horror  (23)</option> <option class="level-0" value="47544">Library Events  (364)</option> <option class="level-0" value="141630">Library Services  (106)</option> <option class="level-0" value="1832">LISTS  (172)</option> <option class="level-0" value="54004">local history  (138)</option> <option class="level-0" value="347879">LOCAL INTEREST  (586)</option> <option class="level-0" value="18">MUSIC  (175)</option> <option class="level-0" value="61039">Mystery and Crime  (219)</option> <option class="level-0" value="452125">Nature & Science  (155)</option> <option class="level-0" value="3748">Nonfiction  (991)</option> <option class="level-0" value="12207589">Northwest Authors  (131)</option> <option class="level-0" value="5309">parenting  (62)</option> <option class="level-0" value="218686683">Question of the Month  (40)</option> <option class="level-0" value="668">re:SEARCH  (191)</option> <option class="level-0" value="601337">Romance  (172)</option> <option class="level-0" value="2563440">Science Fiction  (230)</option> <option class="level-0" value="92084592">Shared on Facebook  (5)</option> <option class="level-0" value="18319">Sports & Recreation  (57)</option> <option class="level-0" value="4470398">Staff Favorites  (77)</option> <option class="level-0" value="58277">style guide  (1)</option> <option class="level-0" value="225218">Teen Books  (112)</option> <option class="level-0" value="14694">theater  (38)</option> <option class="level-0" value="1">Uncategorized  (167)</option> </select> </form><script> (function() { var dropdown = document.getElementById( "cat" ); function onCatChange() { if ( dropdown.options[ dropdown.selectedIndex ].value > 0 ) { dropdown.parentNode.submit(); } } dropdown.onchange = onCatChange; })(); </script> </section><section id="blog_subscription-3" class="widget widget_blog_subscription jetpack_subscription_widget"><h2 class="widget-title">Follow Blog via Email</h2> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-subscriptions__container"> <form action="#" method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" id="subscribe-blog-blog_subscription-3" data-blog="65407090" data-post_access_level="everybody" > <p id="subscribe-email"> <label id="jetpack-subscribe-label" class="screen-reader-text" for="subscribe-field-blog_subscription-3"> Email Address </label> <input type="email" name="email" required="required" value="" id="subscribe-field-blog_subscription-3" placeholder="Email Address" /> </p> <p id="subscribe-submit" > <input type="hidden" name="action" value="subscribe"/> <input type="hidden" name="source" value="https://blog.spl.org/"/> <input type="hidden" name="sub-type" value="widget"/> <input type="hidden" name="redirect_fragment" value="subscribe-blog-blog_subscription-3"/> <input type="hidden" id="_wpnonce" name="_wpnonce" value="db4965bec8" /><input type="hidden" name="_wp_http_referer" value="/" /> <button type="submit" class="wp-block-button__link" name="jetpack_subscriptions_widget" > Follow ShelfTalk </button> </p> </form> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-subscriptions__subscount"> Join 2,173 other subscribers </div> </div> </section> </aside> </div> <footer id="colophon" class="site-footer"> <nav class="main-navigation" aria-label="Footer Primary Menu"> <div class="menu-menu-1-container"><ul id="menu-menu-2" class="primary-menu"><li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom current-menu-item current_page_item menu-item-home menu-item-39584"><a href="http://blog.spl.org/" aria-current="page">Home</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-39585"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/subscribe/">Subscribe</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-39590"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/about-2/">About</a> <ul class="sub-menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-39591"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/about-2/blogroll-linking-policy/">Linking Policy</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-39592"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/about-2/terms-of-use/">Terms of Use</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul></div> </nav> <nav class="social-navigation" aria-label="Footer Social Links Menu"> <div class="menu-social-media-container"><ul id="menu-social-media-1" class="social-links-menu"><li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60313"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SeattlePublicLibrary"><span class="screen-reader-text">Facebook</span></a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60314"><a href="https://twitter.com/SPLBuzz"><span class="screen-reader-text">Twitter</span></a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60315"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/SeattlePublicLibrary"><span class="screen-reader-text">YouTube</span></a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60316"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/seattlepubliclibrary"><span class="screen-reader-text">Instagram</span></a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60317"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/seattlelibrary/"><span class="screen-reader-text">Pinterest</span></a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-60318"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/seattle-public-library"><span class="screen-reader-text">LinkedIn</span></a></li> </ul></div> </nav> <div class="site-info"> <span class="site-title"><a href="https://blog.spl.org/" rel="home">Shelf Talk</a></span> <a href="https://wordpress.com/?ref=footer_custom_svg" title="Create a website or blog at WordPress.com"><svg style="fill: currentColor; position: relative; top: 1px;" width="14px" height="15px" viewBox="0 0 14 15" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" aria-labelledby="title" role="img"> <title id="title">Create a website or blog at WordPress.com</title> <path d="M12.5225848,4.97949746 C13.0138466,5.87586309 13.2934037,6.90452431 13.2934037,7.99874074 C13.2934037,10.3205803 12.0351007,12.3476807 10.1640538,13.4385638 L12.0862862,7.88081544 C12.4453251,6.98296834 12.5648813,6.26504621 12.5648813,5.62667922 C12.5648813,5.39497674 12.549622,5.17994084 12.5225848,4.97949746 L12.5225848,4.97949746 Z M7.86730089,5.04801561 C8.24619178,5.02808979 8.58760099,4.98823815 8.58760099,4.98823815 C8.9267139,4.94809022 8.88671369,4.44972248 8.54745263,4.46957423 C8.54745263,4.46957423 7.52803983,4.54957381 6.86996227,4.54957381 C6.25158863,4.54957381 5.21247202,4.46957423 5.21247202,4.46957423 C4.87306282,4.44972248 4.83328483,4.96816418 5.17254589,4.98823815 C5.17254589,4.98823815 5.49358462,5.02808979 5.83269753,5.04801561 L6.81314716,7.73459399 L5.43565839,11.8651647 L3.14394256,5.04801561 C3.52312975,5.02808979 3.86416859,4.98823815 3.86416859,4.98823815 C4.20305928,4.94809022 4.16305906,4.44972248 3.82394616,4.46957423 C3.82394616,4.46957423 2.80475558,4.54957381 2.14660395,4.54957381 C2.02852925,4.54957381 1.88934333,4.54668493 1.74156477,4.54194422 C2.86690406,2.83350881 4.80113651,1.70529256 6.99996296,1.70529256 C8.638342,1.70529256 10.1302017,2.33173369 11.2498373,3.35765419 C11.222726,3.35602457 11.1962815,3.35261718 11.1683554,3.35261718 C10.5501299,3.35261718 10.1114609,3.89113285 10.1114609,4.46957423 C10.1114609,4.98823815 10.4107217,5.42705065 10.7296864,5.94564049 C10.969021,6.36482346 11.248578,6.90326506 11.248578,7.68133501 C11.248578,8.21992476 11.0413918,8.84503256 10.7696866,9.71584277 L10.1417574,11.8132391 L7.86730089,5.04801561 Z M6.99996296,14.2927074 C6.38218192,14.2927074 5.78595654,14.2021153 5.22195356,14.0362644 L7.11048207,8.54925635 L9.04486267,13.8491542 C9.05760348,13.8802652 9.07323319,13.9089317 9.08989995,13.9358945 C8.43574834,14.1661896 7.73285573,14.2927074 6.99996296,14.2927074 L6.99996296,14.2927074 Z M0.706448182,7.99874074 C0.706448182,7.08630113 0.902152921,6.22015756 1.25141403,5.43749503 L4.25357806,13.6627848 C2.15393732,12.6427902 0.706448182,10.4898387 0.706448182,7.99874074 L0.706448182,7.99874074 Z M6.99996296,0.999 C3.14016476,0.999 0,4.13905746 0,7.99874074 C0,11.8585722 3.14016476,14.999 6.99996296,14.999 C10.8596871,14.999 14,11.8585722 14,7.99874074 C14,4.13905746 10.8596871,0.999 6.99996296,0.999 L6.99996296,0.999 Z" id="wordpress-logo-simplified-cmyk" stroke="none" fill=“currentColor” fill-rule="evenodd"></path> </svg></a> </div> </footer> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> var infiniteScroll = {"settings":{"id":"main","ajaxurl":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/?infinity=scrolling","type":"scroll","wrapper":true,"wrapper_class":"infinite-wrap","footer":"content","click_handle":"1","text":"Older posts","totop":"Scroll back to top","currentday":"24.03.25","order":"DESC","scripts":[],"styles":[],"google_analytics":false,"offset":1,"history":{"host":"blog.spl.org","path":"\/page\/%d\/","use_trailing_slashes":true,"parameters":""},"query_args":{"error":"","m":"","p":0,"post_parent":"","subpost":"","subpost_id":"","attachment":"","attachment_id":0,"name":"","pagename":"","page_id":0,"second":"","minute":"","hour":"","day":0,"monthnum":0,"year":0,"w":0,"category_name":"","tag":"","cat":"","tag_id":"","author":"","author_name":"","feed":"","tb":"","paged":0,"meta_key":"","meta_value":"","preview":"","s":"","sentence":"","title":"","fields":"","menu_order":"","embed":"","category__in":[],"category__not_in":[],"category__and":[],"post__in":[],"post__not_in":[],"post_name__in":[],"tag__in":[],"tag__not_in":[],"tag__and":[],"tag_slug__in":[],"tag_slug__and":[],"post_parent__in":[],"post_parent__not_in":[],"author__in":[],"author__not_in":[],"search_columns":[],"posts_per_page":5,"ignore_sticky_posts":false,"suppress_filters":false,"cache_results":true,"update_post_term_cache":true,"update_menu_item_cache":false,"lazy_load_term_meta":true,"update_post_meta_cache":true,"post_type":"","nopaging":false,"comments_per_page":"50","no_found_rows":false,"order":"DESC"},"query_before":"2025-04-02 11:08:35","last_post_date":"2025-03-24 12:21:07","body_class":"infinite-scroll neverending","loading_text":"Loading new page","stats":"blog=65407090&host=blog.spl.org&v=ext&j=1:14.5&x_pagetype=infinite-jetpack"}}; </script>  <meta id="bilmur" property="bilmur:data" content="" data-customproperties="{"woo_active":"0"}" data-provider="wordpress.com" data-service="atomic" data-site-tz="America/Los_Angeles" > <script defer src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/js/bilmur.min.js?m=202514"></script> <div style="display:none"> <div class="grofile-hash-map-e6c17504267dcb7fd418d22865f526d6"> </div> </div> <div id="infinite-footer"> <div class="container"> <div class="blog-info"> <a id="infinity-blog-title" href="https://blog.spl.org/" rel="home"> Shelf Talk </a> </div> <div class="blog-credits"> <a href="https://wordpress.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" rel="generator">Proudly powered by WordPress</a> Theme: Twenty Sixteen. </div> </div> </div> <div id="jp-carousel-loading-overlay"> <div id="jp-carousel-loading-wrapper"> <span id="jp-carousel-library-loading"> </span> </div> </div> <div class="jp-carousel-overlay" style="display: none;"> <div class="jp-carousel-container">  <div class="jp-carousel-wrap swiper-container jp-carousel-swiper-container jp-carousel-transitions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageGallery"> <div class="jp-carousel swiper-wrapper"></div> <div class="jp-swiper-button-prev swiper-button-prev"> <svg width="25" height="24" viewBox="0 0 25 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <mask id="maskPrev" mask-type="alpha" maskUnits="userSpaceOnUse" x="8" y="6" width="9" height="12"> <path d="M16.2072 16.59L11.6496 12L16.2072 7.41L14.8041 6L8.8335 12L14.8041 18L16.2072 16.59Z" fill="white"/> </mask> <g mask="url(#maskPrev)"> <rect x="0.579102" width="23.8823" height="24" fill="#FFFFFF"/> </g> </svg> </div> <div class="jp-swiper-button-next swiper-button-next"> <svg width="25" height="24" viewBox="0 0 25 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <mask id="maskNext" mask-type="alpha" maskUnits="userSpaceOnUse" x="8" y="6" width="8" height="12"> <path d="M8.59814 16.59L13.1557 12L8.59814 7.41L10.0012 6L15.9718 12L10.0012 18L8.59814 16.59Z" fill="white"/> </mask> <g mask="url(#maskNext)"> <rect x="0.34375" width="23.8822" height="24" fill="#FFFFFF"/> </g> </svg> </div> </div>  <div class="jp-carousel-close-hint"> <svg width="25" height="24" viewBox="0 0 25 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <mask id="maskClose" mask-type="alpha" maskUnits="userSpaceOnUse" x="5" y="5" width="15" height="14"> <path d="M19.3166 6.41L17.9135 5L12.3509 10.59L6.78834 5L5.38525 6.41L10.9478 12L5.38525 17.59L6.78834 19L12.3509 13.41L17.9135 19L19.3166 17.59L13.754 12L19.3166 6.41Z" fill="white"/> </mask> <g mask="url(#maskClose)"> <rect x="0.409668" width="23.8823" height="24" fill="#FFFFFF"/> </g> </svg> </div>  <div class="jp-carousel-info"> <div class="jp-carousel-info-footer"> <div class="jp-carousel-pagination-container"> <div class="jp-swiper-pagination swiper-pagination"></div> <div class="jp-carousel-pagination"></div> </div> <div class="jp-carousel-photo-title-container"> <h2 class="jp-carousel-photo-caption"></h2> </div> <div class="jp-carousel-photo-icons-container"> <a href="#" class="jp-carousel-icon-btn jp-carousel-icon-info" aria-label="Toggle photo metadata visibility"> <span class="jp-carousel-icon"> <svg width="25" height="24" viewBox="0 0 25 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <mask id="maskInfo" mask-type="alpha" maskUnits="userSpaceOnUse" x="2" y="2" width="21" height="20"> <path fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M12.7537 2C7.26076 2 2.80273 6.48 2.80273 12C2.80273 17.52 7.26076 22 12.7537 22C18.2466 22 22.7046 17.52 22.7046 12C22.7046 6.48 18.2466 2 12.7537 2ZM11.7586 7V9H13.7488V7H11.7586ZM11.7586 11V17H13.7488V11H11.7586ZM4.79292 12C4.79292 16.41 8.36531 20 12.7537 20C17.142 20 20.7144 16.41 20.7144 12C20.7144 7.59 17.142 4 12.7537 4C8.36531 4 4.79292 7.59 4.79292 12Z" fill="white"/> </mask> <g mask="url(#maskInfo)"> <rect x="0.8125" width="23.8823" height="24" fill="#FFFFFF"/> </g> </svg> </span> </a> <a href="#" class="jp-carousel-icon-btn jp-carousel-icon-comments" aria-label="Toggle photo comments visibility"> <span class="jp-carousel-icon"> <svg width="25" height="24" viewBox="0 0 25 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <mask id="maskComments" mask-type="alpha" maskUnits="userSpaceOnUse" x="2" y="2" width="21" height="20"> <path fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M4.3271 2H20.2486C21.3432 2 22.2388 2.9 22.2388 4V16C22.2388 17.1 21.3432 18 20.2486 18H6.31729L2.33691 22V4C2.33691 2.9 3.2325 2 4.3271 2ZM6.31729 16H20.2486V4H4.3271V18L6.31729 16Z" fill="white"/> </mask> <g mask="url(#maskComments)"> <rect x="0.34668" width="23.8823" height="24" fill="#FFFFFF"/> </g> </svg> <span class="jp-carousel-has-comments-indicator" aria-label="This image has comments."></span> </span> </a> </div> </div> <div class="jp-carousel-info-extra"> <div class="jp-carousel-info-content-wrapper"> <div class="jp-carousel-photo-title-container"> <h2 class="jp-carousel-photo-title"></h2> </div> <div class="jp-carousel-comments-wrapper"> <div id="jp-carousel-comments-loading"> <span>Loading Comments...</span> </div> <div class="jp-carousel-comments"></div> <div id="jp-carousel-comment-form-container"> <span id="jp-carousel-comment-form-spinner"> </span> <div id="jp-carousel-comment-post-results"></div> <form id="jp-carousel-comment-form"> <label for="jp-carousel-comment-form-comment-field" class="screen-reader-text">Write a Comment...</label> <textarea name="comment" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-field jp-carousel-comment-form-textarea" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-comment-field" placeholder="Write a Comment..." ></textarea> <div id="jp-carousel-comment-form-submit-and-info-wrapper"> <div id="jp-carousel-comment-form-commenting-as"> <fieldset> <label for="jp-carousel-comment-form-email-field">Email (Required)</label> <input type="text" name="email" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-field jp-carousel-comment-form-text-field" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-email-field" /> </fieldset> <fieldset> <label for="jp-carousel-comment-form-author-field">Name (Required)</label> <input type="text" name="author" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-field jp-carousel-comment-form-text-field" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-author-field" /> </fieldset> <fieldset> <label for="jp-carousel-comment-form-url-field">Website</label> <input type="text" name="url" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-field jp-carousel-comment-form-text-field" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-url-field" /> </fieldset> </div> <input type="submit" name="submit" class="jp-carousel-comment-form-button" id="jp-carousel-comment-form-button-submit" value="Post Comment" /> </div> </form> </div> </div> <div class="jp-carousel-image-meta"> <div class="jp-carousel-title-and-caption"> <div class="jp-carousel-photo-info"> <h3 class="jp-carousel-caption" itemprop="caption description"></h3> </div> <div class="jp-carousel-photo-description"></div> </div> <ul class="jp-carousel-image-exif" style="display: none;"></ul> <a class="jp-carousel-image-download" href="#" target="_blank" style="display: none;"> <svg width="25" height="24" viewBox="0 0 25 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <mask id="mask0" mask-type="alpha" maskUnits="userSpaceOnUse" x="3" y="3" width="19" height="18"> <path fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M5.84615 5V19H19.7775V12H21.7677V19C21.7677 20.1 20.8721 21 19.7775 21H5.84615C4.74159 21 3.85596 20.1 3.85596 19V5C3.85596 3.9 4.74159 3 5.84615 3H12.8118V5H5.84615ZM14.802 5V3H21.7677V10H19.7775V6.41L9.99569 16.24L8.59261 14.83L18.3744 5H14.802Z" fill="white"/> </mask> <g mask="url(#mask0)"> <rect x="0.870605" width="23.8823" height="24" fill="#FFFFFF"/> </g> </svg> <span class="jp-carousel-download-text"></span> </a> <div class="jp-carousel-image-map" style="display: none;"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script id="coblocks-tinyswiper-initializer-js-extra"> var coblocksTinyswiper = {"carouselPrevButtonAriaLabel":"Previous","carouselNextButtonAriaLabel":"Next","sliderImageAriaLabel":"Image"}; </script> <script id="twentysixteen-script-js-extra"> var screenReaderText = {"expand":"expand child menu","collapse":"collapse child menu"}; </script> <script id="jetpack-carousel-js-extra"> var jetpackSwiperLibraryPath = {"url":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/wp-content\/plugins\/jetpack\/_inc\/build\/carousel\/swiper-bundle.min.js"}; var jetpackCarouselStrings = {"widths":[370,700,1000,1200,1400,2000],"is_logged_in":"","lang":"en","ajaxurl":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","nonce":"42d6edeb9d","display_exif":"1","display_comments":"1","single_image_gallery":"1","single_image_gallery_media_file":"","background_color":"black","comment":"Comment","post_comment":"Post Comment","write_comment":"Write a Comment...","loading_comments":"Loading Comments...","image_label":"Open image in full-screen.","download_original":"View full size <span class=\"photo-size\">{0}<span class=\"photo-size-times\">\u00d7<\/span>{1}<\/span>","no_comment_text":"Please be sure to submit some text with your comment.","no_comment_email":"Please provide an email address to comment.","no_comment_author":"Please provide your name to comment.","comment_post_error":"Sorry, but there was an error posting your comment. Please try again later.","comment_approved":"Your comment was approved.","comment_unapproved":"Your comment is in moderation.","camera":"Camera","aperture":"Aperture","shutter_speed":"Shutter Speed","focal_length":"Focal Length","copyright":"Copyright","comment_registration":"0","require_name_email":"1","login_url":"https:\/\/blog.spl.org\/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.spl.org%2F2025%2F03%2F31%2Fa-peek-at-peak-picks-april-2025%2F","blog_id":"1","meta_data":["camera","aperture","shutter_speed","focal_length","copyright"]}; </script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://blog.spl.org/_static/??-eJyVkM1uwkAMhF+oZoUo/TlUfZRqcRzqxPGu1t6G8PQQtVEPUESPY2u+GXvMgEmd1EOWume10JHniH34YMWwqyxNYG1Z2QkMSxJZ9LQaWFedPYyXFEw7SdhbaNg8dL8DiMpDdE53O79Im1QsOOsENnKm8u/Q2ftthbk5R+HjBcY/aaBzzngWk/HBiXSmWM8ZhLWHNmE1aPlwp7OtivOp9kfhK7/GWFI1kmUHy+DGs69gnIUa2EcRKtMt9YN9H97Wz5vHzfbldf10AsvbzBk='></script> <script src="https://secure.gravatar.com/js/gprofiles.js?ver=202514" id="grofiles-cards-js"></script> <script id="wpgroho-js-extra"> var WPGroHo = {"my_hash":""}; </script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://blog.spl.org/wp-content/plugins/jetpack/modules/wpgroho.js?m=1730206540'></script> <script id="jetpack-stats-js-before"> _stq = window._stq || []; _stq.push([ "view", JSON.parse("{\"v\":\"ext\",\"blog\":\"65407090\",\"post\":\"0\",\"tz\":\"-7\",\"srv\":\"blog.spl.org\",\"hp\":\"atomic\",\"ac\":\"2\",\"amp\":\"0\",\"j\":\"1:14.5\"}") ]); _stq.push([ "clickTrackerInit", "65407090", "0" ]); </script> <script src="https://stats.wp.com/e-202514.js" id="jetpack-stats-js" defer data-wp-strategy="defer"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var extend = function(out) { out = out || {}; for (var i = 1; i < arguments.length; i++) { if (!arguments[i]) continue; for (var key in arguments[i]) { if (arguments[i].hasOwnProperty(key)) out[key] = arguments[i][key]; } } return out; }; extend( window.infiniteScroll.settings.scripts, ["jquery","jetpack-mu-wpcom-settings","jquery-core","jquery-migrate","twentysixteen-html5","the-neverending-homepage","coblocks-animation","coblocks-tiny-swiper","coblocks-tinyswiper-initializer","twentysixteen-skip-link-focus-fix","twentysixteen-script","jetpack-carousel","tiled-gallery","grofiles-cards","wpgroho","jetpack-stats"] ); extend( window.infiniteScroll.settings.styles, ["twentysixteen-jetpack","the-neverending-homepage","wp-block-library","wp-block-library-theme","jetpack-layout-grid","mediaelement","wp-mediaelement","coblocks-frontend","coblocks-extensions","coblocks-animation","wpcom-text-widget-styles","wp-components","godaddy-styles","twentysixteen-fonts","genericons","twentysixteen-style","twentysixteen-block-style","jetpack-carousel-swiper-css","jetpack-carousel","tiled-gallery","jetpack_likes","twentysixteen-wpcom-style","jetpack-subscriptions","infinity-twentysixteen","wp-emoji-styles","videopress-video-style","jetpack-sharing-buttons-style","classic-theme-styles","global-styles","dashicons","twentysixteen-ie","twentysixteen-ie8","twentysixteen-ie7","akismet-widget-style","jetpack-global-styles-frontend-style","core-block-supports-duotone"] ); })(); </script> <span id="infinite-aria" aria-live="polite"></span> </body> </html>