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Earth Day Book List

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Earth Day has been celebrated on the 22^nd of April every year since 1970. The theme for 2021 is “Restore Our Earth.” In honor of Earth Day, Spokane Public Library created a list of books about the environment. Including fiction and non-fiction, this booklist should have something for everyone who cares about the natural world.

Non-fiction

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life by Edward O. Wilson

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert

Book | CD Audiobook | eBook

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells

The Water Will Come by Jeff Goodell

Fiction

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

Book | Audiobook | eBook

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

Book | Audiobook | eBook

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Book | CD Audiobook | eBook

The Overstory by Richard Powers

Book | Audiobook | eBook

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

~ Northwest Librarian

Posted April 14, 2021

Book List for Muslim Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr

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View these titles for kids and young adults about Islam, Ramadan, and Eid al-Fitr. This year, Ramadan takes place April 12- May 12, 2021.

Picture Books

Lailah’s Lunchbox: a Ramadan Story by Reem Faruqi

Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

Ramadan Moon by Na’ima B. Robert

Salam Alaikum: a message of peace by Harris J

The Night of the Moon: a Muslim holiday story by Hena Khan

The Proudest Blue: a story of hijab and family by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Under my Hijab by Hena Khan

Yo Soy Muslim by Mark Gonzales

The Gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard

Like the Moon Loves the Sky by Hena Khan

Middle Grade

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi

More to the Story by Hena Khan

Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices Edited by S.K. Ali

Book | Audiobook

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian

Sadiq and the Ramadan Gift by Siman Nuurali

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

Book | eBook | Audiobook

Young Adult

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali

More than Just a Pretty Face by Sayed Masood

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

Internment by Samira Ahmed

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

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Posted April 7, 2021

Money Smart Week | April 10 – 17

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April 10-17 is Money Smart Week, a national public education program that empowers people with the knowledge and skills to make better-informed personal financial decisions around the key financial pillars of saving, spending, borrowing, and planning. Here is a list of resources from Spokane Public Library:

Know Yourself, Know Your Money: discover why you handle money the way you do, and what to do about it! by Rachel Cruze

The Price You Pay for College: an entirely new road map for the biggest financial decision your family will ever make by Ron Lieber

Personal Finance 101: from saving and investing to taxes and loans, an essential primer on personal finance by Alfred Mill

The Ultimate Retirement Guide for 50+: winning strategies to make your money last a lifetime by Suze Orman

The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan: discover the joy of spending less, sharing more, and living generously by Liesl Clark

How to Make Your Money Last: the indispensable retirement guide by Jane Bryant Quinn

10,001 ways to live large on a small budget

Get Money : live the life you want, not just the life you can afford by Kristin Wong

The Financial Diet: a total beginner’s guide to getting good with money by Chelsea Fagan

Also available at www.spokanelibrary.org:

Digital Branch Subscription Databases: Linkedin Learning, Gale Presents: Udemy, Morningstar Investment Research Center, and Teen Resource Center all have information on financial literacy.

Magazine and Newspaper Resources: Full text articles from popular and business-related magazines and journals.

From our Ask a Money Doctor series about Social Security benefits featuring Bonita Bell-Andersen of Freedom Financial Coaching:

When to Claim Social Security Benefits

Qualifying for Social Security

How COLA Affects Your Benefits

Spousal Benefits

Working While Receiving Social Security Benefits

Financial Literacy Workshops are also available from Spokane Teachers Credit Union

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Posted April 1, 2021

Student Newsletter | April 2021

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~ Skyler

Posted April 1, 2021

National Poetry Month Book List for Kids

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Elementary

A Place Inside of Me: a Poem to Heal the Heart by Zetta Elliot
Book

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
Book

Hello, Earth! Poems to Our Planet by Joyce Sidman
Book

Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley Newton
Book

Gone Fishing by Tamera Will Wissinger
Book

One Last word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes
Book | eBook

My Hippo has the Hiccups by Kenn Nesbitt
Book

Papa is a Poet: a Story about Robert Frost by Natalie S. Bober
Book

Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade
Book

A Portrait in Poems: The Storied Life of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas by Evie Robillard
Book

Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest
Book

This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman
Book

Hi, Koo!: A Year of Seasons by Jon J. Muth
Book

Thanku: Poems of Gratitude by Joseph Bruchac
Book

Can I Touch Your Hair: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham
Book

Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander
Book

Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths by Marilyn Singer
Book

Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems by Bob Raczka
Book

Red Sings from the Treetops by Joyce Sidman
Book

Neon Aliens Ate My Homework: and Other Poems by Nick Cannon
Book

Woke: a Young Poet’s Call to Justice by Mahogany Browne
Book

Middle Grade

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan
Book

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Book | eBook

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhà Lai
Book | eBook | Audiobook

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
Book | eBook

Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander
Book

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech
Book | eBook | Book on CD

The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Book

The Canyons Edge by Dusti Bowling
Book

Land of Cranes by Aida Salazar
Book

Alone by Megan Freeman
Book

The Lightning Dreamer by Maragrita Engle
Book

You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen by Carole Boston Weatherford
Book

Say Her Name by Zetta Elliot
Audiobook

Young Adult

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Book | Large Print

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Book Club Kit | Graphic Novel

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi
Book | eBook

Everybody Looking by Candice Iloh
Book

Kent State by Deborah Wiles
Book

Solo by Kwame Alexander
Book

Clap When you Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Book | eBook

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
Book | eBook

One by Sarah Crossan
Book

A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman
Book

Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath
Book

Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth
Book

When You Ask Me Where I’m Going by Jasmin Kaur
Book

Audacity by Melanie Crowder
Book

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Posted March 29, 2021

Her Story is Your Story | Finding the Women in Your Family Tree

laura-fuhrman-73ojlcahqhg-unsplash March is Women’s History Month – an opportunity to honor the women who paved the way with their contributions to history, society, and culture. Women have often been relegated to the back rooms of history, only to be mentioned when they step out of their expected roles. Daughters, sisters, mothers, aunts, wives, and grandmothers play important roles in our upbringing. This month we acknowledge them, and it is the perfect time to learn more about their lives.

As a genealogist, I often hear how hard it is to trace the maternal line, and I have encountered this myself many times. Women had few rights before the 1970s and rarely were identified on their own without a man attached to them – a father, a husband, a brother, a son. And yet, our female ancestors held the family together as they labored, cared, and nurtured our ancestors. Most of us can name our mothers, our grandmothers, and perhaps our great grandmothers, but knowing women earlier in our lineage becomes a blur. Few may know these women’s maiden names, let alone what they went through. You are missing out on half of your family if you don’t pursue these branches.

Some helpful hints when researching women is to look for records concerning the husband or the son. This may seem counterintuitive, but many records concerning the men list breadcrumbs to the women in their lives. Many birth, marriage, and death certificates ask for the names of the parents, including the mother’s maiden name. You will also need to know the name of the husband as many women were referred to by his full name, such as Mrs. John Doe. A unique record that is available from our collection is the Postal Forwarding Directory, which often included the woman’s first name to make mail delivery easier. This is especially important because before 1913, a woman was not mentioned by name in the directory unless she was widowed or a spinster. Another brick wall can be when women have multiple marriages. Because a woman changed her last name to her husband’s, following her can be difficult. You must know the previous last name to find the next one. Children are a great way to track a woman’s marriages, as they usually kept their father’s name.

Some of the best stories in my family tree come from the maternal line and have helped me to understand who I am, the strong women I am descended from, and what they went through so I could be here. This March, I encourage you to start your search. Due to the pandemic, Ancestry LE is available remotely through June 30, 2021. For assistance with your research and getting started, watch this video. By understanding her story, you can better understand yours.

-Becky

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Posted March 29, 2021

Library response to rise in anti-Asian violence and racism

The Spokane Public Library condemns the continuing acts of violence and harassment on the Asian and Pacific Islander communities throughout the US. We stand in solidarity with all of our communities of color during this trying time in our history, but today we stand stronger for our Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander communities.

There has been a pandemic-era rise in verbal and physical targeted harassment and violence against Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander individuals and communities. National conversation about anti-Asian racism was sparked last week following a violent incident in Atlanta, but we have also seen indicators of targeted harassment here in Spokane.

Our library is committed to unlearning racism, including anti-Asian racism. We are uplifting the voices and stories of Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through our collections, upcoming programming in May for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and year round. Please see our adult and youth booklists highlighting Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander authors.

We will continue through our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access work to evaluate ways we can further combat racism and xenophobia. Also, we encourage our staff, customers and community to explore these resources to join us in standing against anti-Asian racism: Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association’s Statement Against Anti-Asian Violence and 2021 COVID-19 anti-xenophobia and anti-racist information resources.

To our Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander communities: we stand with you. We want you to feel safe and supported in our libraries, our community, and beyond.

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Posted March 22, 2021
Tags: Anti-AsianRacism, Anti-Racism, Racism

Standing Against Anti-Asian Violence | A Book List for Kids and Young Adults

“Read people who are in racial groups other than your own. If you’re a man, read women. Listen to your friends who are non-white — and if you don’t have non-white friends, that’s a problem.” – Cathy Park Hong, author of Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin

A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

A Different Pond by Boa Phi

After the Fall by Dan Santat

Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow = Sabaku ni saita himawari by Amy Lee-Tai

Drawn Together by Minh Lê

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin

Juna’s Jar by Jane Bahk

The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina M. Cho

Ojiichan’s Gift by Chieri Uegaki

Outside Inside by LeUyen Pham

Puddle by Hyewon Yum

Skunk on a String by Thao Lam

Watercress by Andrea Wang

Middle Grade

Alvin Ho (Series) by Lenore Look

A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Book | eBook | Audiobook

Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen by Debbi Michiko Florence

Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly

Measuring Up by Lily Lamotte

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng

Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim

Stargazing by Jen Wang

The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Yang

The Thing About Luck Cynthia Kadohata

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Young Adult

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang

Flamer by Mike Curato

Frankly in Love by David Yoon

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee

I Love You So Mochi by Sara Kuhn

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

Book | MP3 | Audiobook | eBook

The Magic Fish by Le Nguyen Trung

The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

Want by Cindy Pon

We are Not Free by Traci Chee

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Book | eBook | Book Club Kit

Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

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Posted March 19, 2021

Standing Against Anti-Asian Violence | A Book List

“Read people who are in racial groups other than your own. If you’re a man, read women. Listen to your friends who are non-white — and if you don’t have non-white friends, that’s a problem.” – Cathy Park Hong, author of Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning. If you are looking for a place to start, read some of these titles or many titles from Asian American, Asian, or Pacific Islander authors on our shelves.

Fiction

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Book | Audiobook | eBook | Large Type

The Leavers by Lisa Ko

Book | Audiobook | eBook

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Book | Audiobook | eBook | Large type

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

Book | Audiobook | eBook | Large Type

Non-Fiction

All you can Ever Know : a Memoir by Nicole Chung

The Displaced : Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls : a Memoir by T Kira Madden

Minor Feelings : an Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

The Woman Warrior : Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston

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Posted March 19, 2021

Hiking in the Inland Northwest

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Spokane is a terrific place to be for outdoor recreation; particularly after the long winter months of inactivity. Opportunities abound along the trails and on the water for fun and adventure. Hiking is one of the great things to do this time of year, particularly in the lower elevations where the trails are no longer snowy or muddy. Make sure you’re equipped with the appropriate clothing and footwear – and don’t forget those 10 Essentials in your rucksack! See The Day Hiker’s Ten Essentials — The Mountaineers. Other good items to have along are insect repellant, a whistle, toilet paper, binoculars or monocular, and a walking stick or trekking poles.

For tips on the correct gear and places to go, here is a list of resources from Spokane Public Library to get you started and answer any questions. Many of the trails in the local guides, particularly south of town, are quite level and very low impact. So – see you on the trail! And to paraphrase Henry David Thoreau – “You shall see many wild and noble sights before night, such as they who sit in parlors never dream of.”

Library Book List and Resources

Go to our catalog at www.spokanelibrary.org for many more titles on these subjects!

Day hiking Eastern Washington: Kettles-Selkirks, Columbia Plateau, Blue Mountains by Rich Landers

Urban trails : Spokane and Coeur d’Alene: Spokane County, Kootenai County, Centennial Trail by Rich Landers

Five-star trails, Spokane: 30 spectacular hikes in the inland Northwest by Seth Marlin

Best hikes Spokane: the greatest views, lakes, and rivers by Fred Barstad

Day hike!: Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, and Sandpoint by Seabury Blair

Best easy day hikes: Spokane/Coeur d’Alene by Fred Barstad

Mount Spokane State Park: a user’s guide by Cris M. Currie

The ultimate hiker’s gear guide: tools & techniques to hit the trail by Andrew Skurka

How to hike the Pacific Crest Trail [videorecording (DVD)]

Book
Magazine Resources

Explore our selection of eMagazines and articles about outdoor recreation!

Stream videos on Kanopy

Stream films from our subscription to Kanopy and watch the series Outdoor Fundamentals: Everything You Need to Know to Stay Safe. 24 insightful videos will give you the practical skills you need to set off for the water or the woods. Topics such as canoeing and kayaking skills, backpacking, navigation, and first aid are covered.

Other Resources

Spokane Parks & Recreation: Parks & Recreation – City of Spokane, Washington

Washington Trails Association: Washington Trails Association

Bureau of Land Management: Oregon-Washington | Bureau of Land Management

Washington State Department of Natural resources: WA – DNR

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Posted March 17, 2021

Student Newsletter | March 2021

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~ Skyler

Posted February 25, 2021

Women’s History Month | Book List for Kids & Young Adults

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March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the struggles and accomplishments women made throughout history, and to read stories depicting female empowerment.

Anthologies

Rad American Women A-Z by Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl

Little Book of Feminist Saints by Julia Pierpont

Artists, Creators, and Musicians

Bon Appetit! The Delicious life of Julia Child by Jessie Hartland

Dancing Hands: how Teresa Carreño played the piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle and Rafael López

Ella Fitzgerald: the Tale of a vocal virtuosa by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Frida by Jonah Winter

Harlem’s Little Blackbird by Renée Watson

Hot Pink: the life and fashions of Elsa Schiaparelli by Susan Goldman Rubin

Imogen by Amy Novesky

Lily Renée, escape artist: from Holocaust survivor to comic book pioneer by Trina Robbins

Through Georgia’s Eyes by Rachel Rodriguez

Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the power of a protest Song by Gary Golio

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer!: a very improper story by Shana Corey and Chesley McLaren

Social Justice and Civil Rights Activists

Being Jazz by Jazz Jennings

Clara Barton by Kathleen Deady (nurse/red cross)

Fight of the Century: Alice Paul battles Woodrow Wilson for the vote by Barb Rosenstock and Sarah Green

History Smashers: Women’s Right to Vote by Kate Messner

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Book | eBook | Audiobook

Lift As You Climb: the story of Ella Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell and R. Gregory Christie (soon to be on order)

Noisemakers: 25 women who raised their voices and changed the world – a graphic collection from Kazoo edited by Erin Bried

Only Passing through: the story of Sojourner Truth by Anne F. Rockwell

On Our Way to Oyster Bay: Mother Jones and her march for children’s rights by Monica Kulling and Felicita Sala

Red Scarf Girl: a memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-li Jiang

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer by Carole Boston Weatherford

Women’s Suffrage Kids Books

Politicians and Judges

Eleanor Roosevelt Fighter for Justice by Ilene Cooper

Elizabeth Warren: Nevertheless, She Persisted by Susan Wood

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg makes her mark by Debbie Levy and Elizabeth Baddeley

Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice by Nikki Grimes

Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Jonah Winter

The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor by Sonia Sotomayor

What do you do with a voice like that? by Chris Barton

Inventors, Scientists, and Mathematicians

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Nothing Stopped Sophie: the story of unshakable mathematician Sophie Germain by Cheryl Bardoe and Barbara McClintock
Book

Temple Grandin by Sy Montgomery

Marie Curie by Leonard Everett Fisher

Marvelous Mattie: how Margaret E. Knight became an inventor by Emily Arnold McCully

Sally Ride: a photo biography of America’s pioneering women in Space by Tam E. O’Shaughnessy

The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s life with the chimps by Jeanette Winter

Dancers, Athletes and Aviators

Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming

Breaking Through: how female athletes shattered stereotypes in the roaring twenties by Sue Macy and Muffet McGraw
(soon to be on order)

Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Proud: Living My American Dream by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Rising Above: Inspiring Women in Sports by Gregory Zuckerman

Talkin’ ’bout Bessie: the story of aviator Bessie Coleman by Nikki Grimes

Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief and Rosemary Wells and Gary Kelley

Tillie the Terrible Swede: how one woman, a sewing needle, and a bicycle changed history by Sue Stauffacher and Sarah McMenemy

Strong Female Stories in YA

Audacity by Melanie Crowder

Because I Was a Girl by Melissa De la Cruz

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Girls Write Now: Two Decades of True Stories from Young Female Voices

I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Book | Audiobook

Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson

A Tyranny of Petticoats: 15 Stories of Belles, Bank Robbers & Other Badass Girls by Jessica Spotswood

Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson

~ admin

Posted February 25, 2021

Check our holiday schedule →