If you’re like me, you know that growing up means stretching regularly to avoid cramps and sleeping well to have energy for the whole day. What it doesn’t necessarily mean is stopping ourselves from reading books geared toward children and young adults. In fact, new juvenile fiction is published every year that catches my interest. […]
Des Moines Public Library
Posted inCommunity/News
Des Moines Public Library eliminates Sunday hours amid citywide budget cuts due to new state law
The Des Moines Public Library will eliminate Sunday service hours at two of its largest branches, Central and Franklin Avenue, after Oct. 25, the Board of Trustees decided Wednesday. The change is a direct response to a $750,000 budget cut — part of a broader effort by city officials to cut costs after a new […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Fully Booked at DMPL: Books best read aloud
Long before we learned to read, we learned to listen. Some of my favorite reading memories are not just about the books themselves, but about the voices that brought those stories to life: A grandparent sharing a favorite tale, a teacher making a character unforgettable, a librarian turning storytime into a magical experience. Reading aloud […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Fully Booked at DMPL: You’re a winner, baby! LGBTQ+ books with literary awards
Last year, I prioritized reading books that were nominated for literary awards as a way to diversify my reading. I was pleased to see that LGBTQ+ authors and stories were well-represented, and encouraged by this, I committed to reading books from a variety of prize lists. Last year was an outstanding year for LGBTQ+ representation […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Fully Booked at DMPL: Dynamic dinosaur books
Lately, I’ve had dinos on the brain. Luckily, as a youth librarian, I’m not alone — after all, kids and dinosaurs go together like mac and cheese! I try to have some fun dino books ready for those eager kids looking to get a little closer to what our planet was like eons ago. I […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Fully Booked at DMPL: Prose books authored by poets
I am a lifelong poetry lover. It began with my Shel Silverstein obsession as a child and carried through into my adulthood, as I discovered amazing poets like Lucille Clifton, Sharon Olds and Sandra Cisneros. I love poetry the same way I love short stories; it’s incredible the way a skilled writer can distill complex emotions […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Fully Booked at DMPL: Food reads to inspire a cooking spree
Books and recipes share a secret: both are meant to be savored. I’ve always loved reading cookbooks, treating them almost like memoirs, full of a chef’s memories, family traditions and tiny windows into their lives. Recipe books and food-forward stories invite you to linger, imagine and taste your way through someone else’s experiences. That love […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
“Awe Stuck” by Dianne Alita Rosales Siasoco: Winner of the DMPL + Little Village short story contest
This fall, the Des Moines Public Library and Little Village partnered on a short story competition titled “This Time Next Year.” Writers were invited to submit a story under 2,000 words encompassing predictions about the year ahead. The contest’s judges included LV Art Director Chuy Renteria and fellow authors and editors Sophia Hanson, Carol Hunter and Carol […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Fully Booked at DMPL: Books to read when you need to feel something
Reading is a daily ritual for me. I’m a mood reader, gravitating towards genre fiction when I need an escape from reality, but my favorite books tend to be emotionally devastating literary fiction. I love to be moved to tears. To be left gasping at the beauty and heartbreak that humans create with words, reflecting […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Fully Booked at DMPL: Haunted houses, haunting reads
Halloween is just around the corner, when larger-than-life skeletons adorn front yards and glowing pumpkins sit on every doorstep. These spooky season staples aren’t always indicative of thrills and chills behind the front door — but if you’re a horror reader like me, you can’t help but wonder what terrors may lurk inside. One of […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Fully Booked at DMPL: Tantalizing Time-Benders
The prequel to the TV show Outlander, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, premiered recently, so I must talk about time slip novels. In these novels, the characters accidentally stumble through time, without any knowledge of how they got there. Alone and desperate, they must navigate a world unknown. Will they find love? Will they meet […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Fully Booked at DMPL: Pageturners for any mood
I’ve just checked out the latest book by one of my favorite authors that I’ve been anticipating for months. I am excited, ready to dive into what is sure to be a new favorite. After reading a few paragraphs, I lose focus. Even if the writing and plot are brilliant, I just don’t feel like […]
