The Chuckanut Reader – Summer 2025

HISTORY SUNSET CRUISES

Cruises set sail at 6 pm every Tuesday from July 8 – August 26 Bellingham Cruise and Ferry Terminal | Details and tickets online

History Sunset CRUISE

with KOLBY LABREE of the Good Time Girls

Join Bellingham's favorite guide and Good Time Girl Kolby LaBree for an evening of maritime stories and history.

History Sunset FAMILY Cruise

with JULIE TRIMINGHAM, TAMMY COOPER-WOODRICH, and ANGELA COOPER-WOODRICH

Join local writers and Nooksack storytellers for Salish Sea stories for all ages.

History Sunset TRIVIA Cruise

with QUIZMASTER RANDALL

Join Quizmaster Randall from World's Best Trivia and test your knowledge of Bellingham's past, present, and future!

$45 Museum Members / $55 Public | children 5 and younger sail free

Tickets and details at

WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG/ CRUISE

Dear Reader,

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” –Thomas Jefferson

As we prepare to celebrate Village Books and Paper Dreams' 45th year, we recently came across this quote and took some time to cogitate upon how it may apply to us. Our business is guided by a collection of belief statements that includes, "Change is necessary, desirable, and can be enjoyable." Since 1980, we have experienced a great deal of change, both self-generated and imposed upon us, and we've ever endeavored to swim with the current, rolling with the changes and challenges and improving along the way. We've also experienced so many things that have challenged our principles. This year so far offers us all a whole new set of challenges. One such is unprecedented and ever-shifting tariffs. We're adjusting our buying so we can continue to provide quality goods and services while minimizing the impact on prices. For us, where we stand and how we respond is no different than any other point of principle. We face each challenge as we ever have, by being adaptable in all but our principles that honor humanity and community. We thank you, Dear Reader, for swimming with us and standing by us for 45 years.

The Chuckanut Reader • Summer 2025

Publisher: Village Books and Paper Dreams

Production & Design: Kelly Carbert

Contributors: Kiana Allen, Bee Cabezas, Kendra Calitri, Kelly Carbert, Caitriona Cassel, Erin Chervenock, Stephanie Dethlefs, Sydney Durst, Kelly Evert, Paul Hanson, Chloe Hovind, Sarah Hutton, Megan Jenkins, Hannah Kayser, Kat Kayser, Sean Kearney, Troy Luginbill, Alex Nyberg, Laura Picco, Chloe Quan, Sophie Richmond, Courtney Velthuizen, Heather Williams

Cover: Celebrating 45 Years of Independent Bookselling. Come check out the new Next Chapter Café on the mezzanine level of Village Books in Fairhaven—Yum!

Thanks for your continued support.

Content except art & book covers ©Village Books 2025

Paul, Kelly, Sarah and the Entire Village Books and Paper Dreams Family The Chuckanut Writers Conference June 26-28, 2025, Bellingham WA Registration is now open - go to chuckanutwriters.com

Village Books Owners Sarah Hutton, Paul Hanson, and Kelly Evert

June

Saturday

Fairhaven: 9am-8pm Lynden: 10am-7pm

Fairhaven: 10am-8pm Lynden: 10pm-5pm

Chuck & Dee Robinson open Village Books and Pac Man is released

Celebrating 45 Years

Village Books moves into the Knights of Pythias Building AND Paper Dreams is opened.

Village Books launches into cyberspace with a website—www.villagebooks.com

After years of planning, Village Books moves into a new three-story home … just steps away from the old location. Over 150 volunteer customers helped move the entire store – in just ONE day! The completed Fairhaven Village Green is dedicated.

Sarah Hutton, Paul Hanson and Kelly Evert become the new owners of Village Books and Paper Dreams. The Chuckanut Writers Conference is launched.

Village Books is named the Outstanding Philanthropic Business in Washington State.

Village Books & Paper Dreams in Lynden, WA

The Chuckanut Radio Hour is introduced.

Mark Your Calendars & Join Us!

Fairhaven

CHICKEN FESTIVAL

Saturday, July 5, noon-4pm

Head to the Fairhaven Village Green for a whimsical and family friendly afternoon of all-ages fun. Stop by and enjoy...

• Chicken Themed Vendors

• Carnival Games -Win Prizes!

• A Chicken Costume Contest

• A Rooster Call Contest

• The Chicken Dance

• Live Music And More!

Enjoy the Chicken Fest then stay for the showing of the movie Chicken Little. Make sure to get a chicken stamp and save $1 off the movie entrance.

Don't Miss Out!

Village Books at the Bellingham Bells!

Joe Martin Field, Bellingham, WA

Tuesday, July 8, 6:35pm

Join us in cheering on the Bellingham Bells as they take on the Edmonton Riverhawks at Joe Martin Field. Stop by the Village Books table —we'll have a wheel to spin for prizes! In celebration of the annual Find Waldo Local Hunt in both Fairhaven and Lynden during July (see page 60) our very own Waldo will be in attendance—throwing the first pitch and running the field with the kids. Note: it's a "Tuesdays are for the People (Peoples Bank)" game with 50% off tickets, $3 select draft beers, and $2 off entrée meals that night. Wow!

Meanwhile, local baseball fans should stop by either store and grab their own copy of Bays to Bells: The Story of Baseball in Whatcom County by Kent Holsather and Wes Gannaway.

Game tickets available at bellstickets.com

Fairhaven Annual

Sidewalk Sale

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Head to the Historic Fairhaven district and enjoy browsing for deals on this annual day of discounts. Village Books and Paper Dreams will have our usual books, gift items, seasonal decor, and more out in front of our stores—all at low low prices! Stop by and see what treasures you score!

Art by Scott Ward

Village Books Literary Citizenship AWARD

Village Books is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Literary Citizenship Award. Recipients of this award are of diverse backgrounds and professions, but each have demonstrated a commitment to engage with the literary community with the intent of giving as much, if not more so, than they receive. This can take many different forms such as giving back to the literary community in a meaningful way, making yourself available to other writers to provide your knowledge and expertise, championing other people's successes, and involving yourself in the local literary landscape of independent bookstores, libraries, schools, and writing organizations.

On July 1st, 2025 on the occasion of Village Books’ 45th anniversary, Paul Hanson, Kelly Evert, and Sarah Hutton, co-owners and stewards of Village Books and Paper Dreams, will present this year’s award to:

Joel Gillman Writer, Mentor, Educator, Inspirer

In middle school, Joel proudly told his peers that he would never stoop so low as to become a teacher. It’s poetic justice that he’s now such an inspiration to so many middle school students in his role at as Language Arts Teacher at Fairhaven Middle School. He began his teaching journey in 1989. From taking students to visit the elderly at convalescent homes to interviewing international passengers at the airport, Joel has always pushed learning beyond the classroom. He received a Mayors Arts Award for his partnership with WWU’s Department of Theatre and Dance for the Monologue Project, giving students the opportunity to share their work publicly. Each year, he meets students where they are and inspires them to, as he says, “tap into the extraordinary capacity of the ordinary.” He’s a reader of over 800 Young Adult novels, has four novels under his belt, is a poet, essayist, sports journalist, and is going on his 15th year of putting 1000 words a day onto his blog. And best of all, he believes in miracles—desperately.

Jeremy Voigt Poet, Editor, Educator

Jeremy is a profound poet whose works have been published in more magazines than we can list and has been nominated, runner-upped, or semi-finalist/finalist for nearly as many awards. He’s been a poet on faculty at the Skagit River Poetry Festival, the Unamuno Author Festival, the Chuckanut Writers Conference, and the Wonder in Wyoming poetry conference. He teaches secondary English at Burlington-Edison High School, and work as an adjunct at Whatcom Community College, Wenatchee Valley Community College, and Skagit Valley Community College. He has published two chapbooks and several anthologies. He is an assistant poetry editor for Terrain.org, and a PhD candidate in English Literature at the University of Birmingham. He’s been busy! Throughout his career, his generosity of spirit and thoughtful approach has touched and inspired countless readers, poets, students, writers, and fellow humans.

Continued on page 9

Literary Citizenship Award

Dee Robinson

Mentor, Educator, Community Builder

Dee and Chuck Robinson pulled up their roots in the Midwest, leaving their careers as teachers, and moved to Bellingham in 1980 to found Village Books and Paper Dreams… and the community is all the better for it. Within the first decade of founding the store, it garnered multiple awards and swiftly became the literary and community hub of Bellingham and Whatcom County. It’s gone on to host thousands of authors events, book and writing group meetings, and community-wide events. As busy as they’ve been over the years, when approached with a fresh new idea or proposal, the most frequent answer is, “Yes… and?”

During Dee’s tenure, she’s done most every job and role, growing the store and its place in the literary community. Throughout, she’s been a teacher and mentor to booksellers near and far, by training the many employees that have served within these walls and in the larger bookstore community at the American Booksellers Association Bookseller School, regional trade shows, and national conferences. Always willing to share what she knows, Dee’s generosity of spirit knows no bounds. A voracious and discerning reader, through her recommendations and handselling, she’s gently guided the reading journeys of thousands and helped to foster this vibrant reading culture and community.

Chuck Robinson

Mentor, Educator, Community Builder

Since coming to Bellingham, Chuck has been on more boards that we can count— and likely more than he can remember. As a founding board member of City Club and Sustainable Connections, he’s demonstrated that the building of community extended beyond the four walls of Village Books and Paper Dreams. He’s been an unhesitating re source and mentor to countless bookstores and bookstore owners. His sage advice often comes hand in hand with his unflagging humor. Once, when asked by a prospective bookstore owner if he thought they were crazy for wanting to buy a bookstore, he answered, “You’d have to be.” He’s served as President of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association and the American Booksellers Association. His mentorship is not limited to bookstores and business owners, having given guidance to so many authors on their journey, mentoring them as they navigate the twists and turns in publishing and bookselling landscape. Both Dee’s and Chuck’s lives are literally an open book as you can read more about them both in It Takes a Village Books.

Village Books celebrates and thanks these four talented and dedicated community builders, writers, mentors, and educators. They have each demonstrated, in their own unique way, the virtues that embody a Good Literary Citizen. For this, we award $1000 to each of them and hereby induct them into the Village Books Literary Citizen Hall of Fame which will be on permanent display in Village Books and Paper Dreams, Fairhaven.

Paul

Continued from page 7 Join us as we celebrate the 2025 Award Recipients

Hanson, Kelly Evert, and Sarah Hutton

Co-owners

and Stewards, Village Books and Paper Dreams

Tuesday, July 1, 6pm at Village Books in Fairhaven

We invite any and all who have been touched by these fine literary citizens to attend as we celebrate their generosity and contributions to our community. The event is free and open to the public, though we ask that you register in advance so we know how many chairs to put out.

Sunday, September 14, 3 pm

at Mount Baker Theatre, Downtown, Bellingham, WA

Experience the legendary romance saga with this epic film-to-concert event! A 12-piece ensemble of rock and orchestral musicians will take the stage to perform the beloved film score in perfect synchronization with the original movie, presented in its entirety on MBT’s big screen.Be captivated by the magical atmosphere as over a thousand twinkling candles illuminate the historic Main Stage, creating an ambiance that sets the stage for a truly romantic journey.

Tickets available now—mountbakertheatre.com

Friday, November 14, 2025 Annual Literacy Breakfast with NANCY PEARL

Four Points Sheraton, Bellingham, WA

Mark your calendars and save the date for the always popular annual breakfast with librarian and author Nancy Pearl. All proceeds benefit the Whatcom Literacy Council free adult literacy programs. Registration opens on whatcomliteracy.org after Labor Day.

Fiction

The Compound

by Aisling Rawle

available in June, hardcover, Random House

"The Compound is a blistering takedown of reality TV in our capitalist world, where the gamification of love and power is sold as entertainment. Aisling Rawle masterfully ratchets up the stakes in this sinister and juicy read until the line between paradise and dystopia becomes dangerously blurred."

–Michelle Min Sterling, New York Times bestselling author of Camp Zero

The Original

by Nell Stevens

available in June, hardcover, W.W.

Norton

The Book of Records

by Madeleine Thien

available now, hardcover, W.W. Norton

Brought to her uncle’s decaying estate when she was a child, Grace has grown up on the periphery of a once-great household, an outsider in her own home. Now a selfpossessed and secretive young woman, she has developed unusual predilections: for painting, particularly forgery; for deception; for other girls. Then, a letter arrives from the South Atlantic. The writer claims to be her cousin Charles, long presumed dead at sea, who wishes to reconnect with his family. Is Charles really her cousin? An interloper? A mirror of her own ambitions? And in a house built on illusions, what does authenticity truly mean?

A Family Matter

by Claire Lynch

available in June, hardcover, Scribner

This is a bite-sized novel that packs a huge punch.Quietly heartbreaking (but also full of warmth), it will carry you across two generations of a family of three, chronicling their tragedies, quirks, and love stories. In the 80s, a young new mother meets a woman she's enthralled and enraptured by. In 2021, her husband, after she has passed away, struggles to share a terminal diagnosis with their now adult daughter. Warning: you'll cry. Probably a lot. –Sophie

My Name is Emilia del Valle

by Isabel Allende

available now, hardcover, Ballantine Books

"Isabel Allende's latest novel follows Emilia del Valle's transformative journey across continents and through generations. With her signature lyrical prose, Allende explores themes of love, self-discovery, and resilience, crafting an emotional tapestry that will captivate readers." –AL DÍA

Lina and her father arrive at an enclave called The Sea, a staging post between migrations, with only a few possessions. In this mysterious and shape-shifting place, a building made of time, pasts and futures collide. Memory, political revolution, generational change, and the ethical imagination are at the heart of Lina’s illuminating conversations with her fellows in the Sea: how we come to believe what we believe, and how every person is an irreplaceable, unique vessel of history.

The Emperor of Gladness

by Ocean Vuong

available now, hardcover, Penguin Press

One late summer evening, 19-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond with the power to transform Hai’s relationship to himself, his family, and a community on the brink.

Atmosphere : A Love Story

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

available in June, hardcover, Ballantine Books

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s Space Shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

Great Black Hope

by Rob Franklin

available in June, hardcover, Summit Books

An arrest for cocaine possession on the last day of a sweltering New York summer leaves Smith, a queer Black Stanford graduate, in a state of turmoil. Pulled into the court system and mandated treatment, he finds himself in an absurd but dangerous situation: his class protects him, but his race does not. Smith goes on a dizzying journey through the nightlife circuit, anonymous recovery rooms, Atlanta’s Black society set, police investigations and courtroom dramas, and a circle of friends coming of age in a new era.

Read with PRIDE

READ PROUD

At Village Books, we believe in acceptance, inclusion, and respect for the diversity of human life. We strive to promote and advocate for equal rights. In honor of National Pride Month, you'll find throughout our store displays and shelftalkers highlighting books that explore themes of gender, sexuality, queerness, and communities. You'll also find "Read Proud" and "Read with Pride" next to several titles throughout this issue of the Chuckanut Reader. With these titles, our hope is to help expand visions of love, family, and selfhood in order to cultivate a safe and healthy space for LGBTQ+ community members to live, work, and thrive. Join us as we embrace and celebrate pride throughout our community.

Read Proud

Join us at the PRIDE PARADE

Downtown Bellingham

& Celebration

Sunday, July 13 - Parade 11am-1pm • Festival 12pm-4pm

Village Books is PROUD to be a Presenting Sponsor of Pride IN Bellingham 2025—a collection of celebratory events spread throughout the weekend of July 12 & 13. Check out the full schedule at prideinbellingham.org and be sure to join the joyful throngs in Downtown Bellingham for the Pride Parade and Festival during this annual celebration of inclusiveness and support. Be sure to give us a wave as we march by.

Never Miss Out!

Like us on Facebook! Make sure to select "Get Notifications" so you'll always see our posts about local events and other book-related topics. Go to facebook.com/VillageBooks & facebook.com/VillageBooksLynden for fun and informative posts from both stores.

Find and follow Village Books and Paper Dreams on Instagram (village_books). #Tag your favorite VB/PD photos! We post behind-the-scenes images of staff book and gift favorites, new arrivals, author events, specials, and more. Check us out!

Fiction

Anthology

A Song of War: A Novel of Troy

by Kate Quinn and Others

available in August, paperback original, William Morrow

Troy: city of gold, gatekeeper of the East, haven of the god-born and the lucky, a city destined to last a thousand years. But the Fates have other plans—the Fates, and a woman named Helen. In the shadow of Troy’s gates, all must be reborn in the greatest war of the ancient world: slaves and queens, heroes and cowards, seers and kings. These are their stories. Seven authors vividly recreate the Trojan War. Who will lie forgotten in the embers, and who will rise to shape the bloody dawn of a new age?

The Book of Lost Hours

by Hayley Gelfuso

available in August, hardcover, Atria Books

Historical fiction with a supernatural twist that pulls us between two timelines and a love story for the ages. Not just for the historical fiction fan, this book is also an homage to the power of memories in connecting people and the love of books. –Erin

What We Left Unsaid

by Winnie M. Li

available in August, hardcover, Atria Books

This is an honest and compelling story of three estranged adult siblings on a road trip across the country to visit their ailing mother. Not only family secrets are revealed but so is America itself, and the Chu siblings are forced to reckon with what it means to be Asian American now and throughout time. It's equal parts unsettling, funny, heartwarming, and eye-opening, and I enjoyed every minute. –Stephanie

No Names

by Greg Hewett available now, hardcover, Coffee House Press Mike and Pete were "no names," two workingclass boys lost in the shuffle of their stratified town, brought together by their love of music. By 1978, their punk band was blazing across the underground scene. Now, in 1993, Mike is a hermit living alone on a dot of an island in the North Atlantic. When a mysterious letter from an unlikely fan named Isaac arrives, he's pulled right back into the pain he’s spent over a decade running from.

REBECCA (1940) JAN 12

ROPE (1948) MARCH 12

STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951) MAY 18

REAR WINDOW (1954) JUNE 22

VERTIGO (1958) JULY 13

SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943) FEB 16 TICKETS ON SALE NOW pickfordfilmcenter.org

Show your ticket at

New Fiction

What Hunger

by Catherine Dang

available in August, hardcover, Simon & Schuster

Graphic Novel Spent

by Alison Bechdel

I loved this richly imagined coming-of-age story that exudes feeling and flavor. When Ronny's family experiences an unspeakable tragedy, the tensions in her immigrant family's dynamic become even more obvious. As she tries to find her footing in her altered world, a hunger starts to build in her... for raw meat. Will giving in to these new impulses help her find a new form of freedom? Or is she just running away from her new reality? –Megan J.

You will devour this novel that dissects the rage of girlhood, the tragedy of growing up, and grit; perfect for lovers of weird literary fiction and strangely, for fans of memoir. Dang's descriptions of Vietnamese food are mouthwatering, and her descriptions of fresh, raw meat are viscerally disgusting. Not for the faint of heart. –Sophie

Food Person

by Adam Roberts

available now, hardcover, Knopf

For fans of Alison Espach's The Wedding People and Dolly Alderton's Good Material, a delectable comedy of manners about cooking, ambition, and friendship set in the food world as a young and socially awkward writer takes a job ghostwriting the cookbook for a famous (and famously chaotic) Hollywood starlet.

Meet The Author Wednesday, June 11, 6pm

ADAM ROBERTS

Village Books in Fairhaven Register at villagebooks.com

The River is Waiting

by Wally Lamb

available in June, hardcover, Simon and Schuster

After waiting nine years, we have a new book by the legendary Wally Lamb! A heart-wrenching book right from the start. This is the story of Corby who has pretty much been going through hell. After an accident, he finds himself in prison and while in prison he learns how to cope with all that he has done to find himself there. This book touches on the flaws of the justice system, the insurmountable pain of loss, and the complexity of redemption, and reaching for hope. This book has something for every reader. –Kelly E.

available now, hardcover,

Mariner Books

In Alison Bechdel’s hilariously skewering and gloriously cast new comic novel confection, a cartoonist named Alison Bechdel, running a pygmy goat sanctuary in Vermont, is existentially irked by a climate-challenged world and a citizenry on the brink of civil war. She wonders: Can she pull humanity out of its death spiral by writing a scathingly self-critical memoir about her own greed and privilege?

Run For the Hills

by Kevin Wilson

available now, hardcover, Ecco

An unexpected road trip across America brings a family together, in this raucous and moving new novel from the bestselling author of Nothing to See Here. Infused with deadpan wit, zany hijinks, and enormous heart, Run for the Hills is a sibling story like no other—a novel about a family forged under the most unlikely circumstances and united by hope in an unknown future.

The Fire Concerto

by Sarah Landenwich available in June, hardcover, Sterling Publishing Part history, part mystery, and all fantastic. Clara is a pianist that has not touched the piano since a concert fire nearly took her life.  But everything changes when her teacher dies and leaves Clara an unexpected inheritance that may have a hidden message about her past. Author Sarah Landenwich writes pitch perfectly—this will be a great book for the beach and for your book club.  –Kelly E.

The Catch

by Yrsa Daley-Ward available in June, hardcover, Liveright Twin sisters Clara and Dempsey have always struggled to relate, their familial bond severed after their mother vanished into the Thames. As infants they were adopted into different families, Clara sent to live with a successful, upper-class couple, and Dempsey with a sullen, unaffectionate city councilor. In adulthood, they are content to be all but estranged, until Clara sees a woman who looks exactly like their mother on the streets of London. The catch: this version of Serene, aged not a day, has enjoyed a childless life—the very life, it seems, she might have had if the girls had never been born.

New Fiction

The Whyte Python World Tour

by Travis Kennedy

available in June, hardcover, Doubleday Rikki Thunder, 22-year-old drummer for the scorching new ’80s metal band Whyte Python, is about to have it all: absurd wealth, global fame, and a dream girlfriend. But an unwitting role as an international spy? That was definitely not part of the plan. "A rock-n-roll thrill ride... Heavy Metal icon Rikki Thunder's satirical memoir is sweeter than 'Cherry Pie' and better than a prescription from 'Dr. Feelgood'! You need to read it." –Ernest Cline

Dusk

by Robbie Arnott

available in August, hardcover,

Astra House

If you haven't yet had the chance to read a book partially from the point of view of two siblings tracking down a puma in the Tasmanian wilderness, this is your chance. If not, you should consider it! Arnott writes simply but enchantingly—this is a transportative book if ever there was one, at once old Western (it takes place in Australia, but the vibes are there) and contemporary. Reading it made me want to take a walk in the middle of nowhere and listen to "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" by Marianne Faithfull from Thelma and Louise. –Sophie

Endling

by Maria Reva

available in June, hardcover, Doubleday

Set in Ukraine, an eccentric scientist breeding rare snails crosses paths with sisters posing as members of the marriage industry to find their activist mother. As Russia invades, they embark on a wild journey with kidnapped bachelors and a last-of-its-kind snail. This darkly comic novel explores survival, love, and the impact of war. "Funny and smart. This is essential reading.”– Ann Patchett, bestselling author of Tom Lake

The Magician of Tiger Castle

by Louis Sachar

available in August, hardcover, Ace

I am already a fan of Louis Sachar and eagerly awaited his first adult novel. In Esquaveta, big things are happening, and the court's magician hopes to win back some lost faith by breaking up a Romeo and Juliet-style romance to ensure the princess marries her prince, and not a lowly scribe.

The pacing and character development made for a fantastic pageturner over the course of a rainy spring day. –Erin

Florenzer

by Phil Melanson

available in June, hardcover, Liveright Leonardo da Vinci, twelve years old and a bastard, leaves the Tuscan countryside to join his father in Florence. Francesco Salviati, also a bastard and scorned for his too-dark skin, dedicates himself to the Catholic Church with hopes of salvation. Towering above them both is Lorenzo de’ Medici, soon to be the patriarch of the world’s wealthiest and most influential bank. Each of these young men harbors profound ambition, anxious to prove their potential to their superiors and themselves. Each is, in his own way, a son of Florence. Each will, when their paths cross, shed blood on Florence’s streets.

The Bewitching

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

available in July, hardcover, Del Rey Books

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a modern master of gothic storytelling; expertly weaving together three generations of women, Moreno-Garcia tells a thrilling gothic tale of tragedy, missing friends, and misplaced love. Silvia's enthralling prose lends itself to an increasing sense of dread that doesn't disappoint by the end. Full of witches, ghosts, and Mexican folklore, you will find yourself bewitched by the characters and the horrors that lurk in the dark. –Chloe Q.

The Devil Three Times

by Rickey Fayne

hardcover, available now, Little, Brown

Yetunde awakens aboard a slave ship en route to the United States with the spirit of her dead sister as her only companion. Desperate to survive the hell that awaits her at their destination, Yetunde finds help in an unexpected form—the Devil himself. The Devil, seeking a way to reenter the pearly gates of heaven, decides to prove himself to an indifferent God by protecting Yetunde and granting her a piece of his supernatural power. In return, Yetunde makes an incredible sacrifice. Over the next 175 years, the Devil visits Yetunde's descendants in their darkest hour of need. The Devil offers each of them his own version of salvation, all the while wondering: can he save himself, too?

Fiction

Bug Hollow

by Michelle Huneven

available in June, hardcover, Penguin Press

So Far Gone

by Jess Walter

available in June, hardcover, Harper

"Michelle Huneven's wondrous and intimate journey of the Samuelson family embedded me with their deepest secrets, greatest loves, epic heartbreaks, and a grief that touched them all for generations. Huneven's piercing observations of moments big and small left me feeling not just their witness, but more a distant relative emotionally invested in their outcome. I'm going to carry the Samuelsons in my heart for a very long time." –Griffin Dunne, New York Times bestselling author of The Friday Afternoon Club

Vera, or Faith

by Gary Shteyngart

available in July, hardcover, Random House

In an alternate timeline, young Vera struggles with big questions and "Things I Still Need to Know" (her journal). Shteyngart writes Vera with sensitivity and whimsy that I could not resist, I could not stop turning the pages. I found myself reading passages aloud to everyone near me. One of my favorite releases of 2025 so far. –Erin

People’s Choice Literature :

The Most Wanted and Unwanted Novels by Tom Comitta available in June, paperback, Columbia University Press

What would it look like if Americans’ preferences and aversions materialized in book form? In People’s Choice Literature, Comitta has taken up this challenge, writing two groundbreaking novels based on a nationwide poll about literary taste—one featuring the story elements Americans most desire and another containing everything Americans despise. The Most Wanted Novel is a fast-paced thriller evoking page-turners by Dan Brown, David Baldacci, and Janet Evanovich. It follows a California woman pulled into a tycoon’s apocalyptic ambitions after her brother’s kidnapping, teaming up with a hunky FBI agent with a tragic past. The Most Unwanted Novel is a genre-bending doorstopper: an epistolary Christmas novel set on a near-future Mars, where elderly aristocratic tennis players scour the globe for lost love, venturing from the coldest of arctic wastelands to the darkest caverns of the macabre.

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

The latest novel by prolific local writer Jess Walter! Who doesn't love a curmudgeon in Spokane re-discovering himself and the world around him? Walter writes a beautiful and all too relatable story about the damage that isolation and radicalization can bring to a family. –Kiana

Deep Time

by Susan Sizer Bogue

available now, paperback, She Writes Press

Lauren thrives on the adventure geology affords her. When Mount St. Helens awakens, geologists from all over the world flock to Washington state. Lauren is determined to be part of the action and witness an erupting volcano— the dream event of a lifetime is at hand. The first day, the mountain remains annoyingly quiet. The next day, it erupts with catastrophic power—and irreversibly upends Lauren’s life.

The Lost Masterpiece

by B.A. Shapiro

available in June, hardcover, Algonquin Books

Shapiro embeds us in a circle of famous painters in late-nineteenth-century Paris, centering on the anguished Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot—the one woman in their midst who never got her due—and the story of Morisot’s great-great-great-great granddaughter, Tamara Rubin, who has inherited Édouard Manet’s Party on the Seine. When Tamara inherits Party, she discovers a long-hidden family history replete with unanswered questions: How had it been stolen by the Nazis? How had the painting managed to survive three disasters that destroyed every other artwork around it? And most of all, why had she never known about her ancestor, Berthe Morisot?

Slanting Towards the Sea

by Lidija Hilje

available in July, hardcover, Simon & Schuster

Part heartbreaking story of young love, part love letter to Croatia, this debut novel is as rich and luscious as the part of the world in which it's set. I don't always enjoy stories of characters endlessly pining for one another, but the beautiful language and complex characters kept me reading late into the night. –Stephanie

New Fiction

Palm Meridian

by Grace Flahive

available in June, hardcover, Avid Reader Press

It’s 2067 and Florida is partially underwater, but even that can’t bring down the residents of Palm Meridian Retirement Resort, a utopian home for queer women who want to revel in their twilight years. Inside, Hula-Hoopers shimmy across the grass, fiercely competitive book clubs nearly come to blows, and the roller-ski team races up and down the winding paths. Hannah Cardin has spent ten happy years under these tropical, technicolor skies, but after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, she has decided that tomorrow morning she will close her eyes for the very last time. Tonight, however, Hannah and her raucous band of friends are throwing one hell of an end-of-life party. And with less than twentyfour hours left, Hannah is holding out for one final, impossible thing.

God and Sex

by Jon Raymond

available in August, hardcover, Simon & Schuster

Jon Raymond writes an interesting story that entwines themes of ecology, mortality, art, faith, and the tangled complexities of carnal love that had me finish it in a day! Written like a love story to trees, desire, and writing as well as an internal debate about belief in God, it was a book that I couldn’t put down from start to finish. –Bee

Blonde Dust

by Tatiana de Rosnay

available in June, hardcover, Grand Central Publishing Pauline, a young chambermaid who works at the legendary Mapes Hotel in Reno, Nevada, is asked to step in for a colleague and clean Suite 614. Although she was told the rooms were empty, a dazed, sleepy woman appears before her. This is Mrs. Miller, aka Marilyn Monroe, whose stay in Reno coincides with the breakdown of her marriage and the filming of what was to be her last film. Set in the American West in 1960 where the mustang horses run wild, an unexpected friendship unfolds between the most famous movie star in the world and a young cleaning woman whose life will be changed forever through the course of a few weeks.

BOOK GROUPS

Village Books hosts and co-sponsors a number of great local book groups—open to all! See page 79 for details.

The Satisfaction Café

by Kathy Wang

available in July, hardcover, Scribner

This is the book you need for summer. A total surprise gets you right at the beginning and then takes you down a lovely path. This is a story of Joan Liang, a Taiwanese immigrant that is living in California.  She learns pretty quickly that she is going to have to take life into her own hands and not depend on others. Joan decides to open a cafe, a place where people go to be heard and understood, and find strength and comfort in each other. A great book if you like character development. –Kelly E.

From the very first page I knew I would not be able to put this book down. And after a few chapters it was settled that this would live as one of my favorite reads this year! Kathy Wang has an incredible voice for storytelling and character building. The story follows Joan, an immigrant from Taiwan, on her journey towards a satisfied life in sunny California. Through marriages, children, friends, and foes, this story will completely capture your attention and leave you wondering what true satisfaction means. –Alex

First Time, Long Time

by Amy Silverberg

available in July, hardcover, Grand Central Publishing

After years of dwelling in grief over her brother's unexpected and untimely death and allowing her mercurial parents' feelings and desires to infect her own, Allison feels ready become the main character in her own story again. In L.A., as with anywhere else, she feels lonely and adrift. After a serendipitous run in with a famed radio personality, an idol of her father’s and her late brother’s, Allison is rapidly drawn under his spell, while also developing an unanticipated, tangled relationship with his adult daughter, Maddie. She’s forced to balance her romance with him with her gnawing desire for the intoxicatingly charming Maddie, as it becomes increasingly evident that she and Allison's late brother share more than a few qualities.

Hazel Says No

by Jessica Berger Gross

available in June, hardcover, Hanover Square Press

Wow I consumed this book so fast. Gross hooks you in by the first chapter and doesn't let you go until the very end. This kind of perspective on harassment and how it creates large long term domino effects is not often explored. This story will spark lots of dialogue and would be a great book club choice. –Kiana

Fiction

There Are Reasons for This

by Nini Berndt

available now, paperback, Tin House Lucy’s brother is dead. Two years ago, when he left their small Eastern Colorado town and moved west to Denver, he’d intended to bring Lucy along. But Lucy has only just arrived, and too late. She arrives in search of Helen, a woman he loved. But when Lucy moves in across the hall, she finds nothing is as she expected: the city is crumbling; the weather is tempestuous; a predator is on the loose; the old woman in the attic needs company; desire is being compressed into pills and distributed like candy; and, most distressing of all, she finds herself becoming obsessed with Helen, who is nothing like she expected—and who has no idea who Lucy really is.

The

Deserters by Mathias Énard

translated by Charlotte Mandell available now, paperback, New Directions

An exhausted soldier emerges from the Mediterranean wilderness, escaping from an unspecified war, trying to flee incessant violence. Meanwhile, on September 11, 2001, aboard a small cruise ship, a scientific conference takes place to pay tribute to renowned East German mathematician Paul Heudeber, a committed communist and anti-fascist, and a survivor of the camps at Buchenwald. The tension grows between these two narrative threads, and—pulled together in Mathias Énard’s enchanting, brilliant, erudite prose—time itself seems to become tightly interwoven, drawn together by the immense stakes of love and politics, loyalty and belief, hope and survival.

All Fours

by Miranda July available now, paperback, Penguin Publishing Group All Fours is one of those books that changes the way you perceive yourself and the world around you. This book follows the main character on a cross country road trip which becomes an unconventional path of self discovery. July's writing explores the curiosity about human intimacy and the complexities of the female identity, all with a satirical voice and perfect comedic timing! –Hannah

Forgotten on a Sunday by Valérie Perrin, translated by Hildegarde Serle available in June, paperback, Europa Editions Justine is 21 years old and has lived with her grandparents since the death of her parents. As a nursing assistant at a retirement home, she spends much of her days listening to her residents’ stories. After bonding with Hélène, an almost 100-year-old resident, the two women slowly reveal their stories to one another. Whilst Justine helps Hélène to relive her memories of love and war, Hélène encourages Justine to confront the secrets of her own past, and the loss she keeps buried deep within.

Christina Dodd

Tuesday, June 24, 6pm

Village Books in Fairhaven

With a Kiss I Die

Christina Dodd is a New York Times bestselling author whose suspense, paranormal, historical, romance, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. We're excited to welcome Dodd to celebrate the launch of her new book, Thus With a Kiss I Die —the second in the hugely entertaining Daughter of Montague historical mystery series. Think Knives Out meets Bridgerton in with Romeo and Juliet’s daughter as a clever, rebellious, fiercely independent young woman—told from the delightfully engaging point of view of the captivating Rosie Montague herself.

Register to save your seat at villagebooks.com

Paperback Fiction

The Wedding People

by Alison Espach

available in June, paperback, Henry Holt and Co

I definitely picked this book up because I liked the cover, and I do not regret it! A devastating yet hopeful slice-of-life story that will have you blubbering with laughter and tears through every chapter. Espach's writing feels casual and familiar, but also poetic and profound making it easy to feel completely immersed! –Hannah

Glorious People

by

Sasha Salzmann, translated by Imogen Taylor available in June, paperback, Pushkin Press

In this stunning work of political historical fiction, loaded with “vibrancy and humor,” the collapse of the Soviet Union reverberates throughout multiple generations of two families—presaging and foreshadowing conflicts in Russia's Ukraine War. “An astute, deeply empathic portrayal of the dislocation of first-generation immigrants and intergenerational trauma.” –Financial Times

Enjoy Your Stay

at the Shamrock Motel  by Andrew Kaufman

available in June, paperback, Coach House Books

These motel room stories are connected by the Shamrock Motel, a destination that finds its occupants where they are in life. The proprietor, Rosemary, can size you up and give you the room that will provide you with the transformation you need. The Shamrock provides lessons you need to learn, even if you don't yet know that. This was a fun and easy read, for the fan of the absurd. –Erin

Horsefly

by

Mireille Gagné, translated by Pablo Strauss available now, paperback, Coach House Books

Based on historical events, the backdrop of Horsefly is 1940s Canada, where researchers are looking to send biowarfare pathogens through insects. Told through the eyes of Thomas, circa 1942, Theodore, circa 2024, and most magically through the eyes of a horsefly, this novel will appeal to history fasn and fans of the absurd alike. –Erin

Eternity in Kyoto

by Hector Garcia

available in July, paperback, Tuttle Books

Garcia takes Sci-fi to a new level in this fastpaced techno thriller! Romance, time travel, intrigue, and a dash of existential crisis- what else could you need? This book asked all the right questions to keep me on the edge of my seat, while also providing a healthy space for some much needed introspection! –Sean

In the Absence of Men

by Philippe Besson

available now, paperback, Scribner

A coming-of-age story against the backdrop of France, WWI. Vincent is young, and taken in by a charismatic mentor, where he meets Arthur. Here we see the pleasure of new love played against the horrors of war. For fans of Queer Fiction and historical fiction. –Erin

The Country Under Heaven

by Frederic S. Durbin

available now, paperback, Melville House Set in the 1880s, the story follows Ovid Vesper, a former Union soldier who has been having enigmatic visions after surviving one of the Civil War’s most gruesome battles, the Battle of Antietam. As he travels across the country following those visions, he finds himself in strange and increasingly more dangerous encounters with other worlds hidden in the spaces of his own mind, not to mention the dangers of the Wild West.

Short Stories

Oddbody: Stories

by Rose Keating

available in July, paperback, Simon & Schuster

As I was reading this book I kept telling people that I was reading a weird little book of short stories, and that they were so interesting! Keating manages to take the bizarre and turn it into visceral stories about what it means to be a woman, exploring societal norms and expectations in ways that are surprising and sometimes grotesque. –Caitriona

Romance

Problematic Summer Romance

by Ali Hazelwood

available now, paperback, Berkley

When Maya’s brother decides to get married in Taormina, she and her brother’s best friend Conor end up stuck together in a Sicilian villa for over a week. There, on the beautiful Ionian coast, Maya realizes that Conor might be hiding something from her. And as the destination wedding begins to erupt out of control, she decides that a summer fling might be just what she needs—even if it’s a problematic one.

The Baby Dragon Cafe

by A.T. Qureshi

available in July, paperback, Avon Books

I could not stop swooning over this book! Bringing you all the comfort of a small town romance with the additional thrill of dragons, what more could you need? Imagine yourself with a warm beverage, a fiery adorable baby dragon at your feet, and the tension that only a small town romance can provide! This is one of my top romantasy books of the year, and I wish I could read it again for the first time! –Alex

Alice Chen’s Reality Check

by Kara Loo & Jennifer Young

available in June, paperback, Quirk Books

"Fake dating + reality TV drama + murder mystery = an absolutely addictive read. The sizzling chemistry between Alice and Daniel, the very real and personal stakes for Alice, and the danger lurking beneath the surface in the island paradise setting make this one heck of a page-turner. I loved this book!" –Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo.

The Battle of the Bookshops

by Poppy Alexander

available in July, paperback,Avon

A charming literary-themed novel about a young woman determined to save her greataunt’s beloved bookshop from extinction by the shiny new competition—which also happens to be run by the handsome son of her family’s rivals. Let the battle of the bookshops commence…

The Secret Romantic's Book of Magic : Twelve Spellbinding Romantasy Stories

edited by Marie O'Regan & Paul Kane available in June, hardcover, Random House

This title was even better than I expected! All 12 short stories were uniquely different, heart-racing, and had me kicking my feet in the air. Filled with a series of queer stories and our favorite tropes such as enemies to lovers, convenient marriages, and fairytale retellings I think that this is the perfect book to use as a palate cleanser in between your fantasy series! –Bee

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping

by Sangu Mandanna

available in July, paperback, Berkley Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the dead, lost most of her magic, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she helps Jasmine run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power. A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Building Community One Book at a Time

Celebrating 45 Years!

The Spellshop

by Sarah Beth Durst

available in June, paperback, Tor Publishing Group

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst is such an enchanting read, it had me giggling and kicking my feet! This story follows Kiela, a librarian, and her assistant Caz, a sentient plant, fleeing a revolution and seeking refuge in her hometown. Kiela decides to open a secret spell shop. The only problem? Magic is illegal. This book is filled to the brim with whimsy and cozy vibes. (Plus a nosy neighbor who just so happens to be really hot!) –Hannah

in conversation with Sarah Hawley

Tuesday, June 17, 6pm

I Think I'm in Love with an Alien

He's stranded. He's desperate. He's not looking for love. She's nerdy. She's flirty. She's ready for romance. Galaxy Quest meets Roswell in this new quirky sci-fi rom-com from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre. Join us in welcoming Ann to the Readings Gallery as we celebrate the launch of this new book!

Rose in Chains Deluxe Edition

by Julie Soto

available in July, hardcover, Forever

Romance ANN AGUIRRE

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, the world as Briony Rosewood knows it is changed forever. Evil has won, and her people face imminent servitude, imprisonment, or death. Stripped of her Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly sold off to the highest bidders in an auction—and as Evermore's princess, she fetches the highest price. After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven Hearst, scion of a family known for their cruelty. Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost.

Worth Fighting For

by Jesse Q. Sutanto

available in June, paperback & hardcover, Hyperion Avenue

In this clever retelling of the Mulan story, readers find themselves in a world of top-tier whiskey, luxurious  horse ranches, and lovable-if-difficult family members. What’s not to love?! Great for fans of Ali Hazelwood’s strong, smart, and sassy female protagonists and Kevin Kwan’s hilarious and impactful Crazy Rich Asians. –Chloe H.

Bad Publicity

by

Bianca Gillam

available now, paperback, Penguin

This was one of the best vacation reads I've read in a while! For me, it brought to light a different side of the book world, a book tour! I recommend this for anyone who is looking for a fun and light read to calmly pass the time. I enjoyed traveling the world with these nemesis writers who get themselves into hilariously creative situations that made me laugh out loud. –Courtney

The Road

Between Us by Bindu Suresh available now, paperback, Assembly Press Estela, a lawyer, struggles professionally after a deep childhood loss and an ill-advised undergraduate dalliance. Ash is a diplomat posted to Buenos Aires and Beijing who wants what he can’t have. Ophélie, a nurse, makes a grievous medical error that alters the course of her life. And Roman is an academic whose careless sexual escapades after a painful divorce lead to even more painful consequences. Tense, poetic, and as binge-worthy as a miniseries, The Road Between Us explores why we make the decisions we do, and how those decisions affect the people we love.

Mystery and Suspense

The Missing Half

by Ashley Flowers

available now, hardcover,

Bantam

Two women haunted by their sisters' unsolved disappearances band together in this captivating mystery from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All Good People Here. "A propulsive mystery with excellent writing and a genuine beating heart at its center. Simply a great read!" –Gillian Flynn, New York Times bestselling author of Gone Girl.

All the Words We Know

by Bruce Nash

available in July, hardcover, Atria Rose may be in her eighties and suffering from dementia, but she’s not done with life just yet. Alternately sharp as a tack and spectacularly forgetful, she spends her days roaming the corridors of her assisted living facility, musing on the staff and residents, and enduring visits form her emotionally distant children and granddaughters. But when her friend is found dead after an apparent fall from a window, Rose embarks on an eccentric and determined investigation to discover the truth and uncover all manner of secrets … even some from her own past.

A Case of Mice and Murder: The Trials of Gabriel Ward

by Sally Smith

available in June, hardcover, Raven Books

When barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms at exactly two minutes to seven on a sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case—the disputed authorship of bestselling children’s book Millie the Temple Church Mouse—that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep. But even he cannot fail to notice the judge’s dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest.

Death in the Air

by Ram Murali

available now, paperback, Harper

Ro Krishna, the American son of Indian parents, is dramatically forced to leave a high-profile job under mysterious circumstances. He checks in for some much-needed R & R at Samsara, a world-class spa for the global cosmopolitan elite nestled in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. The colorful cast of characters Ro meets harbors a murderer among them. Maybe more than one. The White Lotus meets Knives Out meets Crazy Rich Asians in this devilishly entertaining debut novel: both a lockedroom mystery and a provocative literary whodunit for the 21st century.

Our Last Resort

by Clémence Michallon available in July, hardcover, Knopf I love me a guilty thriller and this one had all the things I like. Multiple timelines, wellness resort, AND a cult? Sign me up. I zoomed through this one in just two days because I had to know who dunnit! Perfect for fans of White Lotus and Big Little Lies. –Kiana

Not Quite Dead Yet

by Holly Jackson

available in July, hardcover, Bantam

After 27-year-old Margaret "Jet" Mason is attacked and left for dead, she decides to spend her remaining few days of life hunting down her would-be murderer. "Propulsive, unputdownable and unexpectedly heart wrenching, Not Quite Dead Yet is a masterclass in thriller writing and an example of storytelling at its finest." –Alex Michaelides, author of The Silent Patient.

Horror

One Yellow Eye

by Leigh Radford

available in July, hardcover, Gallery Books

Zombies, but approached from the pandemic angle. Our main character is a scientist working to find the cure for a highly contagious and unprecedented zombie virus--oh and she also has her zombie husband chained up in their guest room, which is kind of sort of very illegal and quite possibly risking another outbreak. Equal parts zombie novel, pandemic story, and a heart-wrenching story of true love this is such a unique read that kept me riveted from start to finish. –Caitriona

How to Survive a Horror Story

by Mallory Arnold

available in July, paperback, Poisoned Pen Press

Bury Your Gays

by Chuck Tingle

available in June, paperback, Macmillan

Are you looking for a horror book unlike any you have read before? Then this is the one for you! This was an immersive horror story that cleverly juxtaposed elements of terror and gore with societal injustices such as queer erasure, corporate greed, and AI ethics. I could hardly put this book down! –Bee

When legendary horror author Mortimer Queen passes, a group of authors find themselves invited to the last will and testament reading, expecting a piece of his massive fortune for themselves. Each have their own unique connection to the literary icon, some known, some soon to be discovered, and they've been waiting for their chance to step into the great author's shoes for some time. They enter the manor and wait for their prize. Instead, they are invited to play a game. The rules are simple, solve the riddle and progress to the next room. If you don't, someone dies.

Anji Kills a King

by Evan Leikam

available now, paperback, Tor Books

Anji works as a castle servant, cleaning laundry for a king she hates. So when a rare opportunity presents itself, she seizes the chance to cut his throat. Then she runs for her life. In her wake, the kingdom is thrown into disarray, while a bounty bigger than anyone could imagine lands on her head.

A Sorceress Comes to Call

by T. Kingfisher

available in July, paperback, Tor Books

The world's loneliest girl finally makes a friend. Downtrodden and frightened, Cordelia works with her found family to stand up to her abusive mother, a powerful sorceress. T. Kingfisher always has a fresh take on the fantasy genre while still feeling familiar and warm. I found this to be a cozy and invigorating read that I just could not put down. I love T. Kingfisher and so should you!! –Chloe Q.

Silvercloak

by L.K. Steven

available in July, hardcover, Del Rey Books

This book felt like the fantasy book I’ve needed in my life for a long time! Steven has a marvelous take on power systems and magic that felt unique yet familiar- a truly staggering achievement! Silvercloak Academy isn’t your typical magic academy—the students are fierce, and hellbent on revenge. –Sean

A Far Better Thing

by H. G. Parry

available in June, paperback, Tor Books

This heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution is like Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell meets A Tale of Two Cities. The faeries stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faery Realm. Now, he has a rare opportunity for revenge against the fae and Charles Darnay, the changeling left in his stead. Shuttling between London and Paris, generations of violencebegetting-violence lead him to a heartbreaking choice in the shadow of the guillotine.

Science Fiction & Fantasy

The Lady, the Tiger and the Girl Who Loved Death

by Helen Marshall

available in June, paperback, Titan Books

A dark fantasy tale infused with mystery and threat from the award-winning author whose work has been described by Paul Tremblay as “intelligent, dark, wildly inventive.” A young woman is seduced by the glamour of the circus and drawn into a dangerous world of violence, cruelty and revenge. For readers of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and Helen Oyeyemi's Mr Fox.

Arcana Academy

by Elise Kova

available in July, hardcover, Del Rey

Elise Kova is an indie author that I have been following for a very long time, and I was so excited about her new, traditionally published title, Arcana Academy ! Kova does it again with a spellbinding story packed with danger, intrigue, and an irresistibly slow-burn romance that had me hooked from the first page. And the magic system is based off of tarot cards! This book perfectly blends my love of fantasy stories and witchy hobbies. –Bee

Katabasis

Deluxe Limited Edition by R.F. Kuang

available in August, hardcover, Harper Voyager

Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek: The story of a hero’s descent to the underworld. Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world. That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

by V.E. Schwab

available in June, hardcover, Tor Dark, sapphic vampire romance written by the bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue?? Yes please!! This book was all I wanted it to be and more, sure to be one of my top reads of the year. Schwab is a master of taking you on a journey through centuries of tangled relationships, glittering parties, and deep shadows as she weaves together three women's lives, each one of them planted in the midnight soil. –Caitriona

The Stardust Grail

by Yume Kitasei available in June, paperback, Flatiron Books Maya Hoshimoto was once the best art thief in the galaxy. For 10 years, she returned stolen artifacts to alien civilizations—until a disastrous job forced her into hiding. Now she just wants to enjoy a quiet life as a graduate student of anthropology, but she’s haunted by persistent and disturbing visions of the future. Then an old friend comes to her with a job she can’t refuse: find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction.

A Dance of Lies

by Brittney Arena

available in June, hardcover, Del Rey

I have been reading fantasy novels since the beginning of my book journey and have often found certain plotlines and tropes overplayed. However, with this debut novel, that is not the case. This book was very well written with vivid scenes, settings and a brilliant disability/chronic pain representation that we don’t often see. This book had me on the edge of my seat and I believe that it’ll have you on edge of yours. –Bee

Live Literature Local Music & A Little Humor

Join us for the taping of this unique local radio show—an evening of LIVE ENTERTAINMENT including amazing literature, live music, fun skits, poetry, humor, and more!

$5

Entrance Fee can be used towards the purchase of the featured book or other merchandise offered at that show!

Rena Priest

Robert Lashley & Poet Kevin Murphy

Thursday, June 26, 7pm

at the Hotel Leo, Downtown Bellingham, WA

Join us for a special evening of literature and entertainment as we feature Washington State Book Award-winner Rena Priest, Washington State Book Award-finalist Robert Lashley, and our exciting poet-in-residence Kevin Murphy—all part of the amazing 2025 Chuckanut Wrtiers Conference faculty! Enjoy guitar, banjo, and three-part harmonies by the local band, 3-oh. A kick-off to the Conference, this fun event is open to all —tickets available now at villagebooks.com.

Monday, September 15, 7pm

Leif Enger

The acclaimed author of Peace Like a River, will share his latest novel I Cheerfully Refuse —a rollicking narrative, a symphony against despair, and a rallying cry for the future. Save the date and watch for details.

Performed live and recorded for radio, each Radio Hour includes a guest author, live local music, performance poetry by Kevin Murphy, and an episode of "As the Ham Turns" serial radio comedy perfomed by the Chuckanut Radio Players. Hosts Paul Hanson and Kelly Evert are joined by announcer Rich Donnelly for an evening of entertainment. Seating is limited so don't delay—we'll see you there!

co-sponsored by

Tickets $5 available now through villagebooks.com

Featuring Chuckanut Writers Conference Faculty

2025 Chuckanut WRITERS CONFERENCE

Bellingham, WA • June 26-28, 2025

Join us for the opportunity to engage your passion for writing, connect with fellow storytellers, and nurture your craft. Co-hosted by Village Books, The Narrative Project, and Sidekick Press, the Chuckanut Writers Conference offers a welcoming space for every voice—whether you’re just starting your writing journey or you’re an experienced author.

This annual conference features breakout sessions in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and the business of writing, as well as keynote addresses, author panels, an open mic and a faculty reading. Masterclasses and pitch sessions are available as space allows at additional cost.

Join us for a weekend of learning, laughter, networking, encouragement, and creativity that will leave you feeling motivated and ready to bring your words to life.

more information and register to attend at

Kiik Araki-Kawaguchi

Quenton Baker

Kira Jane Buxton

Sharon Castlen

Claudia Castro Luna

Linda Conroy

Eileen Coughlin

Lisa Dailey

Stephanie Dethlefs

Scott Eagan - Agent

Elaina Ellis

Paul Hanson

Thor Hanson

Chloe Hovind

Frances Howard-Snyder

Lyanda Lynn Haupt

Robert Lashley

Priscilla Long

Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor

Laura Mazer - Agent

Nicole Meier

Kevin Murphy

Cami Ostman

Rena Priest

Juan Carlos Reyes

Gretchen Schaffer

Kate Trueblood

Elizabeth Wales - Agent

Kami Westhoff

Jane Wong

VB WRITES...

WRITING GROUPS

Open To Newcomers!

Are you a writer in search of a writing group?

Come meet other writers who can help you get organized, give feedback, and help you with your writing goals. These groups are free and open to newcomers and drop-ins. With the exception of the Lynden group, these groups meet at Village Books in Fairhaven in either the Writers Corner or Readings Gallery.

NOTE: Individual group schedules may change — check villagebooks.com for updates.

ECOLOGICAL WRITING GROUP

Meets 2nd Wednesdays from 10:30am-12pm in the Fairhaven Readings Gallery

Note: Formerly called Environmentalists Anonymous, this group meets once a month

FICTION I

Meets 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 6pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

FICTION II

Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 6pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

WRITING FROM PROMPTS

Meets 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 10:30am-noon in the Readings Gallery

SPECULATIVE FICTION I

Meets 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 6pm-8pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

SPECULATIVE FICTION II

QUEER POETS SOCIETY

Meets 3rd Sundays from 10:30am-Noon at Village Books in Fairhaven - in the Readings Gallery

Read full descriptions and expectations for each group at villagebooks.com. Please note that scheduling changes do occur. Watch the events calendar at villagebooks.com for updates.

MORNING POETRY GROUP

Meets 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 10:30am-noon in the Readings Gallery

EVENING POETRY GROUP

Meets 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 5:30pm-7pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

NONFICTION & MEMOIR

2nd & 4th Tuesdays from 9:30am-11am in the Readings Gallery

Meets 2nd & 4th Sundays, 3:30pm-5:30pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

LYNDEN WRITING GROUP

Meets 2nd Wednesdays, 7-9pm in the Waples Room of the Inn at Lynden - adjacent to Village Books & Paper Dreams, Lynden. Read more on page 38.

Kids & Teens! See page 66 for writing opportunities.

SIT DOWN AND WRITE

Every Friday 9:15am-11:00am

Meets in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine A place to work in quiet, but in tacit silent support, with other writers.

CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK CRITIQUE GROUP

Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 6pm-8pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

Sign up for our Just Write! eNewsletter, a monthly publication highlighting current classes, tips and tricks, writing book reviews and the like! Questions? Contact writing@villagebooks.com

Chuckanut Writers

WhaMemWriMo

Write Your Memoir in September

Since 2014, September has been declared Whatcom Memoir Writing Month (WhaMemWriMo)! Throughout the month, you are encouraged to write 1,666 words every day, resulting in 50,000 words of your memoir—a book—by the end of September.

Led by experienced memoir writers and teachers, Village Books and Whatcom Community College offer a variety of workshops and classes to support you along the way. See whatcomcommunityed.com for class prices and registration information. Pre-registration is required.

Thursday, September 4, 5:30pm-7pm

Generating Scenes for Your Memoir with Nancy Canyon

Village Books Readings Gallery, Fairhaven

Saturday, September 6, 10am-11:30am

Writing Your Way into Your Story with Anne Putnam

Village Books Readings Gallery, Fairhaven

Monday, September 8, 5:30pm-7pm

What Is Your Memoir About? with Stephanie Dethlefs

Village Books Readings Gallery, Fairhaven

Wednesday, September 10, 5:30pm-7pm

Gaining Freedom from Your Inner Critic with Cami Ostman

Village Books Readings Gallery, Fairhaven

Saturday, September 13, 10am-11:30am

Writing Micro-Memoirs with Shoshana Kerewsky

Village Books Readings Gallery, Fairhaven

Thursday, September 18, 5:30pm-7pm

How to Make Characters Out of People You Know with Melissa Johnson

Village Books Readings Gallery, Fairhaven

Tuesday, September 23, 10am-12pm

The Heart & Soul of Memoir Writing with Jennifer Wilhoit Virtual Classroom - on Zoom

The Next Chapter Café

at Village Books in Fairhaven

Here at Village Books in Fairhaven, we're turning the page and are ready for The Next Chapter!

The space on the mezzanine level that once held the Book Fare Café and more recently Evolve Chocolate + Café is transforming into a new space for friends and loved ones to gather, relax, laugh, and enjoy beautifully crafted food, desserts, and beverages.

Jennifer Worthley and Bryan Matamorosa, the wife and husband team behind two of Bellingham's favorite eateries— It's The Sweet Things and Bry's Filipino Cuisine—are fusing their culinary talents and bringing that mix to Fairhaven with their new eatery, aptly named The Next Chapter Café. Jennifer is known for her exquisite artisan desserts and Bryan prepares food made from scratch inspired by his hometown province in the Philippines, yet they find mouth watering ways to both complement and bring their different menus together.

The goal is for the café to be open by the time you're reading this, so stop in and enjoy!

"Nothing means more to me than being able to share my passion, gift and training with the community around me, and I am so grateful that I get to do that each and every day! "–Jennifer Worthley

Village Books and Paper Dreams

Subscribe and Stay In the Know

There is SO much going on at Village Books and Paper Dreams, we've expanded our eNewsletter offerings so you don't miss out! You can now select exactly what type of updates you would like to receive. In addition to our weekly News and Events newsletter, we now have the following newsletters to choose from—pick one or all, it's up to you. Unless otherwise noted, these newsletters arrive monthly.

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In the KITCHEN

Italopunk : 145 Recipes to Shock Your Nonna

by Vanja van der Leeden

available in July, hardcover, Tra Publishing

Who knew cacio e pepe can be improved on with a little bit of mint? If you don't believe me, you should try it—when I I made van der Leeden's pasta, all my doubts melted away along with the pecorino & parmesan. I promise, if you make her a recipe from this book, your Nonna will come around. Plus, this is a gorgeous cookbook—it even has sprayed edges! –Sophie

Gâteaux : Sweets

by Mori Yoshida

available now, hardcover, Tra Publishing

Gâteaux presents recipes for different times of the day, from breakfast pains au chocolat to the indulgent Mont-blanc in the evening. Step-by-step line drawing sequences accompany many recipes to provide clear guidance for assembly. It also features timeless favorites like vanilla flan and chocolate éclairs and revisits French classics inspired by Japanese pastry traditions, such as Paris-Brest with black sesame and Japanese fraisier.

The Mushroom Hunter’s Kitchen : A Culinary Homage to Wild and Cultivated Mushrooms

by

Chad Hyatt

available in July, hardcover, The Experiment

Whether you get your mushrooms from the supermarket or straight from the forest floor, The Mushroom Hunter’s Kitchen will help you make the most of your haul. Because the right cooking method can transform a mushroom from meh to mouthwatering, professional chef and mushroom foraging expert Chad Hyatt starts by sharing the best techniques to use for dozens of varieties, from the humble button mushroom to the revered morel, the common oyster mushroom to more elusive varieties.

Check out our fun & unique assortment of cooking, dining, and entertaining supplies and gifts.

Braided Heritage : Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine

by Jessica B. Harris

available in June, hardcover, Clarkson Potter

Harris has conducted decades of research throughout the Americas, the Caribbean, and Africa. As heritage is history, she intertwines the larger sweeping past with stories and recipes from friends she's made over the years—people whose family dishes go back to the crucial era when Native peoples encountered Europeans and the enslaved Africans they brought with them.

Cooking Lit

Crush: My Year as an Apprentice Winemaker

by Nicholas O’Connell

available in July, hardcover,

Potomac Books

This insider’s view of the wine world includes the intense competition for the best grapes, the bizarre lingo of the tasting rooms, and the visionary winemakers who magically transform grapes into high-end wine. It is a world that includes not only romance and refinement but long hours, backbreaking labor, mind-numbing repetition, and fanatical dedication to quality.

Dirty Kitchen : A Memoir of Food and Family

by Jill Damatac

available now, hardcover, Atria Books

Jill Damatac left the United States in 2015 after living there as an undocumented immigrant with her family for 22 years. First traveling to her native Philippines, Damatac eventually settled in London, England and uses those travels to weave together forgotten colonial history and long-buried Indigenous tradition, taking us through her time in America, and cooking her way through Filipino recipes in her kitchen as she searches for a sense of self and renewed possibility.

Barbie’s Berries, FotoMataio

Celebrating 40 Years!

A recently published feature in Bellingham Alive Magazine highlighted their care beyond just what is served to you on your plate. They are founding members of Sustainable Connections and leaders in both their Towards Zero Waste and Food Recovery campaigns. They continue to work with Village Books promoting summer reading by donating delicious fresh baked cookies to summer challenge participants. You may have even seen them to get a coffee for your birthday if you are a Village Books and Paper Dreams Reader Rewards Club member.

The Colophon Cafe continues to be a community staple and place people can depend on. Whether it's your first time in or your regular Friday date night spot, their cafe is sure to have something to fit anyone's needs. Don't forget to save room for Peanut Butter Pie—featured in Bon Appetit magazine in 1993 and still just as popular!

Village Books donates a portion of proceeds from sales of Solito to Whatcom READS through March, 2026.

by Javier Zamora Solito: A Memoir

Whatcom READS is a countywide program that encourages everyone to read and discuss the same book. The 2026 selection is Solito: A Memoir by New York Times bestselling, award-winning author, poet, and activist Javier Zamora.

Trip. My parents started using that word about a year ago—“one day, you’ll take a trip to be with us. Like an adventure.” Javier Zamora’s adventure at the age of nine is a 3,000mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border. A memoir as gripping as it is moving, Solito provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. Solito is Javier Zamora’s story, but it’s also the story of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home.

“A riveting tale of perseverance and the lengths humans will go to help each other in times of struggle.” –Dave Eggers

Read the book then join us for a series of related events building up to an author visit at Mount Baker Theatre on March 13, 2026.

ART CHALLENGE

Presented in collaboration with Allied Arts of Whatcom County, the Art Challenge offers artists of all ages and experience levels an opportunity to explore themes related to this year’s Whatcom READS title and to present their work for public display. Watch whatcomreads.org for submission details.

Available in English and Spanish.

Whatcom READS is organized by all the public and academic libraries in Whatcom County and Village Books, with significant funding from Friends of the Bellingham Public Library and Whatcom County Library Foundation and support from other local businesses and organizations.

Whatcom WRITES invites writers of all ages and experience levels to explore the theme Family: Formed, Found, and Chosen drawn from Solito by Javier Zamora. Top entries are selected for publication in the Whatcom WRITES anthology and contributors are invited to read at a public presentation. See whatcomreads.org for submission details.

Due Date October 12, 2025

Family: Formed, Found, and Chosen

Book Group Lynden FRONT STREETERS

"Variety is the spice of life!"

Join Gaye from Village Books Lynden and the Front Streeters book group as they discuss titles from a variety of genres. They meet in person in the Waples Room of the Inn at Lynden (adjacent to Village Books) at 7pm the third Wednesday of each month.

Lots to Do in Lynden

Saturdays 10am-2pm, June-September

All of the products at the Lynden Farmers Market are made or grown in Whatcom County—making it easy to shop local, eat in season, and support your community! Check it out at Centennial Park in downtown Lynden (Corner of 4th and Grover Street) and see lyndenfarmersmarket.com for more.

Find Waldo Downtown Lynden

July 1-31 • Downtown Lynden

Spot the famous fellow in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs by visiting businesses in downtown Lynden through the month of July. Grab your passport at Village Books and Paper Dreams1

Thursday, July 31, 2pm - Find Waldo in Lynden Celebration

We’ll play games, give out prizes to those who participated in the multistore search, eat treats, and find Waldo hiding in our store! Come in your red stripes and glasses, and ready to have a good time!

July 18-19 • Downtown Lynden

Celebrating North America’s largest raspberry harvest, the Northwest Raspberry Festival includes activities throughout the town including the 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a classic car show, community salmon barbecue, live music and entertainment, beer garden, wine tasting, and food and crafts vendors. Don’t miss the famous $2 raspberry sundaes and be sure to pop into Village Books and Paper Dreams to check out our collection of raspberry themed gifts! See lynden.org for a festival event schedule.

August 7-16 • Lynden Fair Grounds

Did someone say moo-wich? Poffertjes? Head to Lynden and enjoy ten full days of carnival rides, grandstand entertainment, a variety of farm animals, exhibits, shopping, delicious food, and so much more. Make great memories with your friends and family. See nwwafair.com for a schedule and details.

September 6 • Downtown Lynden

Tastings, music, vendors and more! Ticket purchases support the Lynden Music Festival.Watch lyndenwhiskeyevent.com for details!

Find a Great Selection of

Games & Puzzles

Head Downstairs & Check it Out!

It's time to play! You'll find something for all ages, skill levels, and interests.

Loving Local!

Randy Small PUZZLES

Lynden's own Randy Small has turned his ever-growing library of stunning Whatcom County photographs into puzzles—available now at Village Books! Inspired by the beauty of this amazing place we call home, this pastor, weather forcaster, and self-taught photographer has honed his talents and magically captures the light, weather, and mood of the county. Stop by Village Books and Paper Dreams in Downtown Lynden and check out our selection of Randy's puzzles—great gifts for family, friends, or yourself!

Take the Village Books Summer Reading Challenge

Mid-June through August 31st

Grab a challenge sheet at either our Lynden or Fairhaven location and read your way to prizes, a store coupon, and a sense of accomplishment! We have a challenge for both kids AND adults—Happy Reading!

Lynden Writing Group

2nd Wednesdays at 7pm

• What we are: A safe space to read your work out loud for feedback and an opportunity to gain insight and ideas for furthering your writing project. This group is about nurturing the writer, reflecting on their work and offering ideas or suggestions, or simply listening and encouraging.

• What we are not: A class or critic's circle.

Facilitated by Mary Roy, Village Books Bookseller, we meet every 2nd Wednesday from 7pm9pm adjacent to Village Books in the Inn at Lynden Waples Room. Enter through the Inn side entrance.

Village Books & Paper Dreams

Saturdays at 11am

st rytimes Lynden KIDS

First Saturdays of Each Month

Dino Stories with Jagger

VB's own Troy Luginbill and his puppet pal Jagger will entertain the little ones with a half hour of dinosaur-themed stories and fun! Bring your own stuffed dino to snuggle!

June 7 • July 5 • August 2 • September 6

KIDS!

Princess Poppie Story Time

Join Princess Poppie as she shares her favorite fantastic fairy tales!

Third Saturdays of Each Month

Read to a Dog

Village Books in Lynden is excited to offer this fuzzy friendly story time where THE KIDS do all the reading... TO DOGS!

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Story Time with a FIRE FIGHTER

Second Saturdays of Each Month

June 14 • July 12 • August 9 • September 13

June 21 • July 19 • August 16 • September 20

Fourth Saturday of Each Month

June 28 • July 26 • August 23 • September 27

Join members of the Lynden Fire Department as they sit down with the kiddos for a very special story time. Don’t miss out!

August 30, 11am

Fifth Saturdays!

You and your young book and music lovers can join Gaye for a half hour of stories and songs at this special MUSICAL Saturday story time.

In Fairhaven

Weekly Story Times

Tuesdays at 11am

Stories & Songs with Gaye

Join us in the kids' section of our Fairhaven location every Tuesday at 11am for a half hour of stories, songs, crafts, and movement!

Celebrate Dads

Village Books is celebrating 45 years as your community bookstore with our annual storewide sale! Take advantage of 20% off most merchandise throughout both stores. Some restrictions do apply so please ask one of our booksellers for details. Thanks for celebrating with us.

Shopping with Kelly

You Be Are ART FOR ALL!

As the season turns and we head into summer, we experience a shift in energy and desire for color. In the world of interiors, summer arrives with lemon yellows, seafoam greens, and sun-warmed palettes to capture the beauty of light and escape. Vintage-inspired beach scenes, abstract expressions of movement, and bold botanical prints are dominating this year. Summer-themed art also embraces storytelling, whether through hand-drawn illustrations or glimpses of fashion moments, each offers a micro-vacation.

I was thrilled to meet the owners of You Be Are, Jenny and Eric Larsen of St. George, Utah, as they were setting up a display of their vivid gallery art prints and I knew we just had to bring this line into Paper Dreams. Their unique fusion of vintage and modern instantly drew me in. We now have this unique line of visual art in our store in various forms. From framed to unframed canvas prints for a more relaxed feel (these look fantastic on a bookcase), to stacks of posters encouraging you to leaf through the designs. Each piece creates a mood, whether it be for an apartment that needs a splash of color, to a dorm room to show individuality, to a living space that needs some summer fun. I know there will be something for each of you.

You Be Are

You think, therefore you are, the philosophers like to say. But prior to this thinking, you are part of the world experiencing the world, not in your thoughts, but simply being. This ground truth of our lives is difficult to grasp. It can best be brought into focus by making, enjoying and calling attention to art, through which we can become more attune to our pre-contemplative state of being, thereby helping us better experience our true selves and recognize this shared being-ness in others. Art helps you remember that you do not exist in or because of your thoughts, you simply and wonderfully just exist. It's not that you think, therefore you are, rather, you BE are. Welcome to our passionate mission to celebrate being-ness in itself.

Kelly Evert, Owner of an Independent Business Building Community Since 1980

Health

Steamy: A Menopause Symptomology

by Susan Holbrook

available now, paperback, Coach House Books

Mind, Body & Soul

If, at a certain stage of life, you find yourself sucker-punched by a sweaty fistful of symptoms you can’t believe no one told you about, Steamy is for you—and for all the other hot-andbothereds out there. In this raucous memoir, Holbrook opens up an experience still constrained by cultural silences and myths. Steamy is honest, vulnerable, and might just be the funniest book you’ve ever read about menopause, or anything else.

Anthologies

Want: Sexual Fantasies

by Anonymous

by Gillian Anderson

available in August, paperback, Abrams

I completely fell in love with this book. Anderson put together a wonderful collection of anonymous fantasies that serve has a warm reminder that we all have fantasies and secret thoughts that are ours to cherish and keep close. This is a fun book to read alone, or with another! –Kiana

Contemporary Issues

Nostalgia : A History of a Dangerous Emotion

by Agnes Arnold-Forster available in June, paperback, Picador UK Arnold-Forster blends neuroscience and psychology with the history of medicine and emotions to explore the evolution of nostalgia from its first identification in 17th-century Switzerland (when it was held to be an illness that could, quite literally, kill you) to the present day (when it is co-opted by advertising agencies and politicians alike to sell us goods and policies). Nostalgia is a social and political emotion, vulnerable to misuse, and one that reflects the anxieties of the age. It is one of the many ways we communicate a desire for the past, dissatisfaction with the present, and our visions for the future.

Essays I Want to Burn

This Place Down : Essays

Maris Kreizman

available in July, hardcover, Ecco

There is no fury like a middle-aged American woman with lifelong liberal and feminist ideals realizing that everything she'd ever been taught about the American Dream is, well... This essay collection is a gritty and honest look at the hollow promises we have been given as well as the privileges (accompanied by constant smackdowns) we've received, and begs the question: so what are we going to do about it? A compelling, maddening, radicalizing read! –Stephanie

Psychology We Can Do Hard Things : Answers to Life’s 20 Questions

by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, Amanda Doyle available now, hardcover, The Dial Press

A profoundly insightful exploration of life’s 20 Questions, featuring original writing by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle and the wisest, most life-changing answers shared with the beloved podcast hosts over hundreds of intimate conversations. “Throughout our lives we circle around the same 20 Questions, again and again. Inside this book are those questions—and the answers that saved my life. Life gets easier when we brave the hard questions, together.” —Glennon Doyle

Death & Dying A Beginners Guide to Dying

by Simon Boas available in July, paperback, Vintage Publishing

This brief but intimate read is one that leaves you pondering life, but more so pondering death. Simon Boas tells the tales and revelations of his last days. From psychedelics to religion, Boas explores how much life can be lived when living with a terminal illness. His writing is informative for all readers regardless of your experience with terminal illness. All in all, despite the sorrowful subject, I left this book feeling hopeful that life can give so much more than it can take from us. –Alex

Literature & Art

The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us

by Rachelle Bergstein

available now, paperback, Atria

Blume’s remarkable story is revealed as never before, beginning with her as a mother of two searching for purpose in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence. Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully, her works withstood those culture wars and it’s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now.

Grand Finales : The Creative Longevity of Women Artists

by Susan Gubar

available in June, hardcover, W.W. Norton

Despite the losses generally associated with ageing, quite a few writers and other creative types have managed to extend and repurpose their creative energies. Gubar draws on nine late lives and works to suggest that seniority can become a time of reinvention and renewal. With pizzazz and bravado, Gubar counters the discrediting of elderly women and clarifies the environments, relationships, activities and attitudes that sponsor a creative old age.

Wedding of the Foxes : Essays

by Katherine Larson

available in July, paperback, Milkweed Editions

From celebrated poet and ecologist Katherine Larson, an elegant collection of lyric essays that embraces fractures, contradictions, and the interconnectedness of life on Earth. Raising two children, coping with pandemic isolation, and grappling with the magnitude of the current extinction crisis, Katherine Larson finds herself in need of an antidote for despair. This is when Larson encounters kintsugi—the art of repairing broken pottery with gold-dusted lacquer.

Book O rders

Book Curses

by

Eleanor Baker

available now, hardcover, Bodleian Library

Have you ever wanted to protect your books from forgetful borrowers, merciless page-folders, or outright thieves? Perhaps you have even wished harm on those who have damaged your books—but would you threaten them with hellfire, hanging, or the plague? Book curses are entertaining writings in themselves, but they also offer a tantalizing insight into how passionately texts and books have been valued by their owners and readers over the centuries.

Graphic Novel Not On Display: A Graphic Novel About Female

Nudes in the Louvre by Zelba, translated by Alice Yang available now, hardcover, Helvetiq

When one of the greatest museums in the world gave the illustrator Zelba free rein to make a graphic novel about great art, she knew exactly what she would do: address a double standard. She’d seen the Louvre’s halls filled with sexualized female bodies, ogled at by crowds and sometimes even groped, and wanted to turn the tables. What if, she dreamed, those naked bodies refused to be the objects of our gaze? What if the female nudes in the Louvre went on strike?

Hardly

Creatures : Poems by Rob Macasa Colgate available now, paperback, Tin House Brilliant and innovative, Colgate’s debut poetry collection, takes the form of an accessible art museum. Through nine sections that act as gallery rooms, the book shepherds the reader through the radiance and mess of the disability community. At the heart of the collection is an exploration and recognition of access intimacy. Marked with universal access symbols to guide the way, poems mimic sensory rooms, tactile replicas, benches for resting, and more; “the body of a poem” itself is reimagined through formal experimentation, as abecedarians are scrambled out of order and sestinas are pressurized into new sequences.

Though we stock thousands and thousands of titles, we cannot carry everything on our shelves. Our friendly, knowledgeable booksellers are happy to get any available book for you:

History

The Einstein of Sex : Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, Visionary of Weimar Berlin

by Daniel Brook available now, hardcover, W.W. Norton

As an advocate for trans acceptance and the decriminalisation of homosexuality, Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld served as intellectual impresario to Weimar Berlin’s libertine cabaret culture. Driven from his homeland by fascists, he embarked on a global survey of human sexuality and witnessed the diversity of gay life, as well as the impacts of imperialism and racism firsthand. Hirschfeld spent his final years in exile, working to debunk Nazi race science and warn the world of the genocidal dangers of racism.

The Last Secret Agent : My Life as a Spy

Behind Nazi Lines

by Pippa Latour with Jude Dobson available now, hardcover, St. Martin's Press

From a unique and singular voice comes the incredible true story of the last surviving undercover British female operative in WW2. Pippa Latour parachuted into occupied France in 1944 to conduct sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. Pippa was decorated highly for her actions, including being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and receiving the Légion d’Honneur in France. For years, Pippa kept her involvement in the war effort secret from everyone, including her family, but for the first time, her story can now be told in full.

Dinner

with King Tut : How Rogue Archaeologists Are Recreating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations

by Sam Kean

available in July, hardcover, Little, Brown

Whether it’s the mighty pyramids of Egypt or the majestic temples of Mexico, we have a good idea of what the past looked like. But what about our other senses: The tang of Roman fish sauce and the springy crust of Egyptian sourdough? The boom of medieval cannons and the clash of Viking swords? Lively, offbeat, and filled with stunning revelations about our past, Dinner with King Tut sheds light on days long gone and the intrepid experts resurrecting them today, with startling, lifelike detail and more than a few laughs along the way.

Pre-order your copy today!

The Sisterhood of Ravensbrück : How an Intrepid Band of Frenchwomen Resisted the Nazis in Hitler’s All-Female Concentration Camp by Lynne Olson

available in June, hardcover, Random House "Alternately chilling and inspiring, Sisterhood takes us into Nazi Germany's notorious concentration camp for women, Ravensbrück, as a band of captive French partisans struggles to survive and bolster one another against unimaginable cruelty. Olson demonstrates yet again that she is a master not only of deep and difficult research, but also of gripping nonfiction narrative." –Erik Larson, New York Time s bestselling author of The Demon of Unrest and In the Garden of the Beasts.

Penelope’s Bones : A New History of Homer’s World through the Women Written Out of It

by Emily Hauser

available in June, hardcover, University of Chicago Press

In Penelope’s Bones , classicist and historian Hauser pieces together compelling evidence from archaeological excavations and scientific discoveries to unearth the richly textured lives of women in Bronze Age Greece. Here, for the first time, we come to understand the everyday lives and experiences of the real women who stand behind the legends of Helen, Cassandra, Circe, Calypso, Penelope, and more. Hauser explains era-defining discoveries, such as the excavation of Troy and the decipherment of tablets that reveal thousands of captive women and their children and more recent finds like the tomb of the Griffin Warrior at Pylos.

Sedition : How America’s Constitutional Order Emerged from Violent Crisis

by Marcus Alexander Gadson available now, hardcover, NYU Press

Since January 2021, the threat of constitutional crisis has loomed over our nation. The foundational tenets of American democracy seem to be endangered, and many citizens believe this danger is unprecedented in our history. But Americans have weathered many constitutional crises, often accompanied by the same violence and chaos experienced on January 6. Sedition takes readers through six instances of constitutional crisis and chronicles these turbulent periods of violent anti-government conflict on the state level, explaining what it was like to experience coup d’états, rival governments fighting in the streets, and disputed elections that gave way to violence.

True Tales

Thank You for Calling the Lesbian Line

by Elizabeth Lovatt

Angelica : For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution

by Molly Beer

available in July, hardcover, W.W. Norton

available in June, hardcover, Legacy Lit Elizabeth Lovatt creates a narrative blend of history, cultural criticism, and memoir in celebration of everyday queer women, based on a lesbian helpline that existed in North London in the 1990s. With warmth and humor, Lovatt reimagines the women who called and volunteered for the Lesbian Line, whilst also tracing her own journey from accidentally coming out to disastrous dates to finding her chosen family. With callers and agents alike dealing with first crushes and break-ups, sex and marriage, loneliness and illness, this is a celebration of the ordinary lives of queer women.

Pathemata,

or,

the Story of My Mouth

by Maggie Nelson

available now, hardcover, Wave Books

Something of a companion piece to 2009’s Bluets, Pathemata merges a pain diary chronicling a decade of jaw pain with dreams and dailies, eventually blurring the lines between embodied, unconscious, and everyday life. In scrupulously distilled prose, Pathemata offers a tragicomic portrait of a particularly unnerving and isolating moment in recent history, as well as an abiding account of how it feels to inhabit a mortal body in struggle to connect with others.

So Many Star s: An Oral History of Trans, Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Two-Spirit People of Color

by Caro de Robertis available now, hardcover, Algonquin Books

So Many Stars knits together the voices of trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and twospirit elders of color as they share authentic, intimate accounts of how they created space for themselves and their communities in the world. This singular project collects the testimonies of twenty elders, each a glimmering thread in a luminous tapestry, preserving their words for future generations—who can more fully exist in the world today because of these very trailblazers.

She was born as Engeltje, a Dutch-speaking, slave-owning colonial girl who witnessed the Stamp Act riots. She came of age under English rule as Angelica, the eldest daughter of an important family on the northern part of Hudson’s River, raised to be a domestic diplomat responsible for hosting politicallycharged dinners. She was Madame Church, wife of a privateer turned merchant banker, whose London house was a refuge for veterans of the American war fleeing the guillotine in France. Across nationalities, languages, and cultures, Angelica wove a web of soft-power connections that spanned the War for Independence, the post-war years of tenuous peace, and the turbulent politics and rival ideologies that threatened to tear apart the nascent United States.

This is Your Mother

by Erika J. Simpson available now, hardcover, Scribner

When Erika Simpson was growing up, her mother loomed large, almost biblical in her life. A daughter of sharecroppers, middle child of ten, her origin story served as a Genesis. Her departure from home and a cheating husband, pursuing higher education a kind of Exodus. Her rules for survival, often repeated like the Ten Commandments, guided Erika’s own journey into adulthood. And the most important rule? Throughout her life, Sallie Carol preached the power of a testimony. But where does a mother’s story end and a daughter’s begin?

The

History Gossip: A Slice of Ye Olde Scandal for Every Day of the Year by Katie Kennedy

available now, hardcover, Running Press

From royals embroiled in love triangles to Victorians eating tapeworms for the banter, Kennedy carefully researches the past and delivers shocking and salacious historical facts for each day of the year. Just as informative as it is funny and entertaining, The History Gossip follows an “on this day in history” format with historical events arranged by month and date, and with quirky reference illustrations to help readers visualize the past.

Ture Crime

The Carpool Detectives : A True Story of Four Moms, Two Bodies, and One Mysterious Cold Case by Chuck Hogan available in July, hardcover, Random House

It Really Happened!

The incredible true story of a group of moms who, united by their love of true crime, attempt to solve a 15-year-old cold case. An emotional and often terrifying odyssey through a DIY criminal investigation, The Carpool Detectives is the ultimate wish fulfillment for any true crime fanatic, an absolutely thrilling read for armchair sleuths and mystery fans alike.

History

The CIA Bookclub: The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature by Charlie English available in July, hardcover, Random House

Charlie English narrates this tale of Cold War spy craft, smuggling and secret printing operations for the first time, highlighting the work of a handful of extraordinary people who stood up to the intellectual strait-jacket Stalin had created. This is a story about the power of the printed word as a means of resistance and liberation. Books, it shows, can set you free.

Sports

Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned From All Three by Dawn Staley available now, hardcover, Atria

Whether you are new to women’s basketball or have been a fan for decades, Dawn Staley is a must-know name. Her path from her Philly home to the University of Virginia to the Olympics and the early days of the WNBA is both inspiring and jaw-dropping. Now, watching her share her wisdom with the youth in her program is inspiring! –Sarah

Memoir

The Salt Stones : Seasons of a Shepherd's Life by Helen Whybrow available in June, hardcover, Milkweed Editions

History

Flashes

of Brilliance : The Genius of Early Photography and How It Transformed Art, Science, and History by Anika Burgess available in July, hardcover, W.W. Norton

In the heart of Vermont's Green Mountains, Helen Whybrow and her partner set out to restore an old 200 acre farm. They begin to intertwine their lives with the land. But soon after releasing a flock of Icelandic sheep onto the worn-out fields, Whybrow realizes that the art of shepherding extends far beyond the flock and fences of Knoll Farm. This book sings of a way of life that is at once ancient and entirely contemporary, inspiring us all to seek greater intimacy and a sense of belonging wherever our home place may be.

In this absorbing mix of science, art and social history, Burgess describes early aerial photography experiments with balloons, kites and pigeons; reveals how photographers first captured the surface of the moon, the bottom of the sea and the structure of snowflakes; recounts the race to photograph motion and how it led to moving pictures; and delves into photography’s social effects.

Cultural Criticism

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

by Amanda Montell

available now, paperback, Harper Perennial

This book is finally out in paperback! I found this book to be really interesting and such a quick read. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of true crime, language, or psychology. Montell also has a podcast called Sounds Like a Cult that is a great listen. –Kiana

On Book Banning: Or, How the New Censorship

Consensus Trivializes Art and

Undermines Democracy

by Ira Wells

available in June, paperback, Biblioasis

From the destruction of libraries in ancient Rome to today’s state-sponsored efforts to suppress LGBTQ+ literature, book bans arise from the impulse toward social control. In a survey of legal cases, literary controversies, and philosophical arguments, Ira Wells illustrates the historical opposition to the freedom to read and argues that today’s conservatives and progressives alike are warping our children’s relationship with literature and teaching them that the solution to opposing viewpoints is outright expurgation.

Ruin Their Crops on the Ground : The Politics of Food in the United States, from the Trail of Tears to School Lunch

by Andrea Freeman

available in July, paperback, Metropolitan Books

From frybread to government cheese, Freeman draws on over fifteen years of research to argue that U.S. food law and policy have created and maintained racial and social inequality. In an epic, sweeping account, Andrea Freeman traces the long-standing alliance between the government and food industries that have produced gaping racial health disparities, and she shows how these practices continue to this day, through the marketing of unhealthy goods that target marginalized communities, causing diabetes, high blood pressure, and premature death.

The Loyalty Trap: Conflicting Loyalties of Civil Servants Under Increasing Autocracy

by Jaime Lee Kucinskas

available now, paperback, Columbia University Press

How do civil servants respond to a presidential turn toward authoritarianism? In what ways can they restrain or counter leaders who defy the norms of liberal democratic governance? Kucinskas argues that the professional culture and ethical obligations of the civil service stabilize the state in normal times but insufficiently prepare bureaucrats to cope with an unstable presidency. Instead, federal employees became ensnared in ethical traps, caught between their commitment to public service and the expectation of compliance with political directives. Kucinskas shares their quandaries, recounting attempts to preserve the integrity of government agencies, covert resistance, and a few bold acts of moral courage in the face of organizational decline and politicized leadership.

Shop 24/7 at villagebooks.com

Erased : What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us

by Anna Malaika Tubbs

available now, hardcover, Flatiron Books

Tubbs grapples with this conundrum: in many ways, women and people of color built the United States. And so why is it that their stories are so rarely commemorated or remembered?

The answer is, in some ways, simple: racism and patriarchy have colluded to ensure white men are the ones recounting history.

But through her research, Tubbs uncovered much more. Building off contemporary historical research, Tubbs rewrites American history from a new perspective: one where women of color are at the center.

The Knowing: How the Oppression of Indigenous Peoples Continues to Echo Today

by

Tanya Talaga

available in June, hardcover, Hanover Square Press

For generations, Indigenous People have known that their family members disappeared, many of them after being consigned to a coordinated system designed to destroy who the First Nations, Métis and Inuit people are. This is one of Canada’s greatest open secrets, an unhealed wound that until recently lay hidden by shame and abandonment. Deeply personal and meticulously researched, The Knowing is a seminal unravelling of the centurieslong oppression of Indigenous People that continues to reverberate in these communities today.

Graphic Novel It Rhymes With Takei

by

George Takei, Steven Scott, Justin Eisinger, illustrated by Harmony Becker

Biographies & Memoirs

Mark Twain by Ron Chernow

available now, hardcover, Penguin Press

available in June, hardcover, Top Shelf Productions George Takei shares his decision to come out as gay at the age of 68, and the way that moment transformed everything. From his youthful experiments in the rigidly conformist 1950s, to global fame as an actor and the terrible fear of exposure, to the watershed moment of speaking his truth and becoming one of the most high-profile gay men on the planet, It Rhymes with Takei offers a sweeping portrait of one iconic American navigating the tides of LGBTQ+ history.

Writing Your Own Memoir?

Village Books is here to support you! See pages 27-29 for information about writing workshops, groups, and our annual Writers Conference. Consider the Village Books Publishing Program when you're ready to share your story.

A Different Kind of Power:

A Memoir by

Jacinda Ardern

available in June, hardcover, Crown

Drawing on Twain’s bountiful archives, including thousands of letters and hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow masterfully captures the man whose career reflected the country’s westward expansion, industrialization, and foreign wars, and who was the most important white author of his generation to grapple so fully with the legacy of slavery. Today, more than 100 years after his death, Twain’s writing continues to be read, debated, and quoted.

What if we could redefine leadership? What if kindness came first? Jacinda Ardern grew up the daughter of a police officer in small-town New Zealand, but as the 40th Prime Minister of her country, she commanded global respect for her empathetic leadership that put people first. This is the remarkable story of how a Mormon girl plagued by self-doubt made political history and changed our assumptions of what a global leader can be.

Octavia E. Butler: H is for

Horse

by Chi-Ming Yang

available now, hardcover, Oxford

This volume combines the early writings of the science fiction author Octavia E. Butler that offers an illustrated background of her juvenilia and extraordinary literary career along with Professor Yang’s retelling of her own memories of childhood in which she, like Octavia, found sanctuary in the public library. Bringing to view a selection of Butler's unpublished writings and drawings, this book traces her fascination with human-alien symbiosis to her early empathy with horses and other marginalized creatures.

Detained : A Boy’s Journal of Survival and Resilience

by D. Esperanza available now, hardcover, Atria D Esperanza was just 13 years old when he lost his caregivers. Since both of his parents were working and living in the United States, D was left on his own and quickly realized he simply could not make enough money to survive. He made the difficult decision to head north with his cousins and hopefully reunite with his parents in el norte. When he is captured and processed at a border facility, neither D nor his family are given an update on when he will be released or where he’ll go next. Over the next five months, he kept a journal of his experience. The pages tell a story of pain, cruelty, friendship, and resilience, a living testament to the reality of the border.

In Timberline's Embrace : What an Old Lodge Taught Me About What's Worth Keeping by Jean Waite available now, paperback, Resource Publications

I loved In Timberline's Embrace. If you've ever felt love for a building that has made you feel at ease, inspired, cozy, and safe, you'll relate to this beautiful book. Jean Waite transports you there to the side of the snowy mountain, and into the peaceful kind of headspace we're looking for when escaping to places like Timberline Lodge. –Heather

Thursday, July 10, 6pm

Village Books in Fairhaven JEAN L. WAIGHT Meet the Author! Register to attend at villagebooks.com

Lost Animals, Disappearing Worlds : Stories of Extinction

by

Barbara Allen

available in August, hardcover, Reaktion Books

Science & Nature

A beautiful portrait of extinct species, as a tribute to them and the way the world used to be. Barbara Allen writes essays from the points of view of these animals - some general, some specific. The reader gets to hear from Martha, the last living passenger pigeon, on her life and world; from a Japanese wolf; from a Steller's Sea Cow. Each short essay is packed with scientific information, as well as history, and a great deal of care and emotion. –Sophie

Take

to the Trees :

A Story of

Hope, Science,

and Self-Discovery

in America’s Imperiled Forests by Marguerite Holloway

available now, hardcover, W.W. Norton

Journalist Holloway arrives at the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop as a novice. Run by twin sister tree doctors, the program helps people—from everyday tree lovers to women arborists working in a largely male industry— develop remarkable skills and channel their passion for the outdoors. As Holloway tackles unfamiliar equipment and dizzying heights, she tells stories of charismatic trees and spotlights experts exploring the ecology of resilience amidst climate-driven plagues of pests and drought.

Forest

Euphoria:

the Abounding Queerness of Nature

by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian available now, hardcover, Spiegel & Grau

The Light Eater s: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth  by Zöe

Schlanger

available now, paperback, Harper Perennial

To live and thrive while rooted in a single place, plants have adapted ingenious methods of survival. Recently, scientists have learned about their ability to communicate, to recognize their kin and behave socially, to hear sounds, to morph their bodies to blend into their surroundings, to store memories that inform their life cycle, and even to trick animals into behaving to their benefit.

Ocean : Earth's Last Wilderness by David Attenborough & Colin Butfield

available now, hardcover, Grand Central Publishing Ocean just might be the nature book of the year. While diving deep into vastly diverse aquatic habitats while traversing through Attenborough's life, this book also envisions a beautiful and achievable future for Earth's oceans. Bonus points if you can make the voice in your head sound like Sir David Attenborough as you read his and Colin Butfield's gorgeous prose. –Sophie

Mathematics

The Mending of Broken

Bones : A Modern Guide to

Classical Algebra

by Paul Lockhart

Growing up, Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian felt most at home in the swamps and culverts near her house in the Hudson Valley. A child who frequently felt out of place, too much of one thing or not enough of another, she found acceptance in these settings, among other amphibious beings. In snakes, snails, and, above all, fungi, she saw her own developing identities as a queer, neurodivergent person reflected back at her—and in them, too, she found a personal path to a life of science.

available now, hardcover, Belknap Press Lockhart argues that once we stop thinking of algebra in terms of its practical applications, we can appreciate it for the beautiful and gratifying subject that it is. In his hands, algebra is the delicate craft of untangling puzzles to reveal hidden patterns and often surprising behaviors of the numbers themselves. As Lockhart traverses numerical systems and delights in the intimate connections between algebra and geometry, we come to see the discipline from his viewpoint: not as the mundane exercises of our school years, but instead as an art form whose beauty lies in its elegant simplicity.

Books A’Sail

A Book Group at Sea

September 16-18, 2025

Come aboard our annual Schooner Zodiac Book Club “Books A’Sail” 3-day adventure in the beautiful San Juan Islands! Village Books owners Paul Hanson and Kelly Evert will guide the literary journey. They’ve arranged for TWO authors to join and discuss their books!* TWO Authors will join us!

• 3-days sailing and exploring the San Juan Islands

Go To

• Navigational & Sail training aboard a classic tall ship

• Delicious and hearty meals and snacks served from the ship’s galley

• Visit amazing islands and explore by hiking or kayaking

• Plenty of wildlife sightings including bald eagles, porpoises, seals, and whales

Adventure

Lonely Planet Women Travel Solo: 30

Inspiring Stories of Adventure, Curiosity, and the Power of Self-Discovery by Lonely Planet, available now, hardcover, Lonely Planet

If you're a hesitant solo traveler, this book is a great jumping off point. Stories of women who have traveled solo are super inspirational, and additionally, paint a picture of destinations that are generally safe for solo travelers. The tips and advice in this book are invaluable, and I read and reread the foreword by Jessica Nabongo, the first black woman to travel to all of the countries of the world (195 of them). –Sophie

Urban Trails Vancouver, BC:

Surrey, Langley, Regional Parks, North Shore by Craig Romano available now, paperback, Mountaineers Books

Urban Trails: Vancouver, BC spotlights 55 trails, parks, preserves and greenbelts within Vancouver and across the 21 municipalities of the greater Vancouver area. Some destinations take readers to old-growth forests, lakeshores, coastal beaches, and riverfront, swhile others uncover accessible trails and peaceful corners right within urban centers. Detailed descriptions and maps feature routes, tips on avoiding crowds, finding trails that are accessible for wheelchairs and strollers, and ways to extend the adventure with extra destinations. Award-winning guidebook author, photographer, conservationist, and hiking expert Craig Romano will join us in the Fairhaven Readings Gallery—don't miss out!

Wednesday, June 25, 6pm Village Books in Fairhaven CRAIG ROMANO

Hiking Zen

: Train Your Mind in Nature by Phap Xa & Phap Luu

available now, paperback, Parallax Press

North

to

the Future :

An Offline

Adventure

through the Changing

Wild

of Alaska by Ben Weissenbach available in July, hardcover, Grand Central

At the age of 20, college student Ben Weissenbach went north to Arctic Alaska armed with little more than inspiration from his literary heroes and a growing interest in climate change. What met him there was a world utterly unlike the 21st century Los Angeles in which he grew up—a land of ice, rock, and grizzlies seen by few outside a small contingent of scientists with big personalities.

and More! Let the experts lead the way. Register to attend at villagebooks.com Set Yourself Up for Summer!

A mobile monastery to stick in your pack whenever you go out on the trail, this book by veteran hikers and Buddhist monks Phap Luu and Phap Xa offers mindfulness practices to explore as you walk to generate inner and outer peace. Grounded in the rich traditions of Zen practice, this book invites you to experience the fundamental connection between humans and the natural world.

Meet The Author!

PUZZLE HUNTS

Village Books & Paper Dreams teamed up with Cryptid Escapes to create two IN-STORE PUZZLE HUNTS—one in Fairhaven and another in Lynden.

These hunts are a great way to challenge yourself and have fun while learning some local history. Try to complete the hunt by yourself or bring some friends to join in on the fun—each challenge takes between 45 minutes and an hour to solve. Just ask a staff member for a clue sheet and the rest is up to you!

Once you've solved the puzzle, turn it in and receive a puzzle hunt sticker and be entered in a monthly drawing to win some great prizes—you earned it! For those who complete BOTH in-store puzzle hunts, a THIRD challenge has been created. Ask you bookseller for details... it's pretty cool!

FUN & GAMES

Puzzles • Puzzles • Puzzles Galore

Meowdle

: 75

Feline Crimes

to Solve

Using Logic, Skill,

and the Power of Catnip by Gareth Moore available now, paperback, Greenfinch

Meowdle —a collection of 75 original cat-themed logic puzzles that promises to purr-plex and entertain amateur sleuths of all ages. This book is packed with a variety of engaging brainteasers, each inspired by the playful antics and cleverness of our feline friends. Perfect for cat lovers and puzzle enthusiasts alike, this book promises hours of fun and intrigue in the company of some of the craftiest cats around.

Check Out Our Vast Selection of

WOOD & METAL

BRAIN TEASERS

Discover unique wood and metal brainteasers that sharpen the mind and spark curiosity. Perfect as desk toys or thoughtful gifts, each piece blends artful design with an engaging challenge.

New York Times Crossword for the Solver Series edited by Will Shortz available now, paperback, St. Martin’s Griffin

This series is a great entry point for the new cruciverbalist or solid exercises for the veteran alike. Instead of being locked in to a certain day, and therefore difficulty, this series has a mix so you can stretch your brain without getting frustrated. It’s hip to be square! —Sarah

The Lewis Carroll Puzzle Book by Lewis Carroll with Brian Sibley available in June, hardcover, Pegasus Books

Lewis Carroll was a mathematician who loved puzzles of all kinds, invented the word ladder, delighted in acrostics and riddles, and posed twisty math and logic questions in his two most famous works, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Mindbending and utterly charming, this celebratory collection of puzzles and games includes delights such as doublets, syzygies, mirror writing, arithmetical croquet, as well as some of the most delightfully puzzling riddles from Alice’s universe.

101

Board Games to

Try Before You Die

(of

Boredom)

by Jarrod Carmichael available now, paperback, Page Street Publishing

Whether you want to dive into board games as a new hobby, explore screen-free fun with friends, or simply host an unforgettable game night, this resource will help you discover what you've been missing in the world of contemporary board games. Carmichael, creator of Three Minute Board Games, has crafted this book so you can find the perfect game for any occasion or play style. Flip through categories such as family-friendly, storytelling, high-conflict, and more, so you can easily pick a great new game at a glance.

Sunday, July 27, 11am

Last Tuesdays in Fairhaven

Read with a Dog

Monthly Story Times

Learn how puppies become service dogs! You'll get a chance to pet a puppy, see the dogs in action, and learn more about Brigadoon Service Dogs—including their amazing program with incarcerated trainers. Please leave your own pups at home.

KIDS!

Join us on the last Tuesday of each month at 11am for a very special story time with our friends Robin and Legend. Legend is a 5 year old Golden and Labrador Retriever mix. He spent his formative years training with Brigadoon Service Dogs and is currently an Ambassador with them. He is certified through Reading With Rover and is a Whatcom Therapy Dog team with Robin, who spent a career in public education. We spend a half hour listening to stories and making new friends—in the kids section of Village Books in Fairhaven.

June 24 • July 29 • August 26

Farm-Raised Kids : Parenting Strategies for Balancing Family Life with Running a Small Farm or Homestead

by Katie Kulla available now, paperback, Storey

Learn to raise tiny agriculturists with this insightful guide full of parenting advice and strategies for engaging kids in farm life while you're running your own homestead. In this first-ever book on the topic, author Katie Kulla offers her own hard-won wisdom, gleaned from more than a decade of raising kids while running a CSA farm with her husband. The book also features invaluable advice and insights from other farmer-parents and a wealth of practical tips and ideas for how to engage children on the farm—including activities for learning and play, and suggestions for how to enlist kids in chores and other farm responsibilities.

ummer Reading Challenge Take the Village Books

Hey Kids!

Join us in celebrating summer with one of our favorite activities—READING! Pick up a Summer Reading Challenge form at either our Fairhaven or Lynden location or download one at villagebooks.com then read your way to rewards. You’ll even get to write a review card telling us about your favorite book of the summer which we’ll hang in the store!

Rewards you say? Return your completed challenge by Wednesday, August 31st and receive a $5 gift certificate to Village Books and Paper Dreams PLUS a delicious treat from a partnering business.

BONUS: We will hold a drawing in early September from the completed forms and if we draw your name, Village Books will donate a $100 gift certificate to YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY! When a homeschooler wins, we donate to an appropriate charity of their choice.

for Everyone!

A Summer Reading Challenge for Teens and Adults

Why let the kids have all the fun? Check out the Village Books Summer Reading Bingo Challenge for teens and adults! Grab a bingo sheet and track your summer reading. Get a bingo and we'll give you a coupon towards a purchase here at the store. Fill the ENTIRE board and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a Village Books & Paper Dreams gift card! Give it a try!

ROUND IT UP

The mission of Communities in Schools (CIS) is simple but powerful: to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Trusted mentors called Site Coordinators are placed directly inside schools where they build strong, lasting relationships and become trusted connectors for students, families, and staff. The model is intentionally flexible—they adapt to the unique needs of each school community, helping to fill the critical gaps left by an overstretched education system.

Communities in Schools works in close partnership with educators, not only to uplift and reinforce the work of school staff, but to advocate for students who are often overlooked, and to connect families to local resources that strengthen their wellbeing beyond the classroom. Whether it’s access to food, stable housing, mental health services, afater school programming, physical needs like socks and deoderant, or simply someone to talk to—they meet students where they are, and walk alongside them toward where they want to go.

– Melinda, Executive

Round It Up, our amazingly simple giving program, was designed to support local non-profits.

Join Village Books and Paper Dreams customers who are supporting our community by rounding up your next purchase to the nearest dollar.

YOUNG READERS Their Families & Educators

Picture Books

Aggie and the Ghost

by Matthew Forsythe available in August, hardcover, Paula Wiseman Books

Will an intense game of tic-tac-toe tear Aggie and the Ghost apart, or could it bring them closer than ever? Yet again, Matthew Forsythe creates a world in Aggie and the Ghost filled with intrigue and delightful illustrations—I wanted to jump in and join the adventure. –Kat

Wait 'Til You're Older

by Maria Marianayagam illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich available in June, hardcover, Sourcebooks

A heartwarming picture book that teaches children about patience and living in the moment. Reha despises the present, all because her brother says he won’t let her play with his dinosaur toys until she’s older. To solve this problem, she decides to build a time machine. But even though she does everything her time travel book says, she can’t seem to get it right. Then, in her last attempt to find what she needs, her brother asks if he can help. Perhaps the present could be okay after all?

This Year, a Witch!

written and illustrated by Zoey Abbott available in July, hardcover, Atheneum Books

Sometimes all you want is to NOT be considered adorable for Halloween, but choosing what to dress up as can be an enormous decision. Zoey Abbott brings readers on the highs and lows on a journey to a non-adorable costume in the picturebook This Year, a Witch! However, what will happen when THE costume is found? –Kat

Recess : A Picture Book

by Lane Smith available in July, hardcover, Abrams

The Monarch

by Kirsten Hall, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault available now, hardcover, Atheneum Books What’s that? In the air! Over here? Over there!

It’s the start of a brand-new story… With sweetly fluttering verse and lush, gorgeous illustrations, this brightly beautiful picture book celebrates the wonders of monarch butterflies—a treasured species in need of care and preservation!

I Hate Everything!

written and illustrated by Sophy Henn available in August, hardcover, Beach Lane Books Bright colors completely surround two ghosts and their conversation bubbles, vibrant colors enhance each back-andforth exchange in an attempt to find out if everything really is hated. I Hate Everything! demonstrates the roller coaster of emotions that can occur as you get to know what your buddy is really saying - is there a color that truly matches each emotion? –Kat

How to Catch Bigfoot

by Alice Walstead, illustrated by Andy Elkerton available in August, hardcover, Sourcebooks From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series comes a BIG, all-new outdoor adventure with a supernatural mystery aFOOT...do YOU have what it takes to catch BIGFOOT? The How to Catch kids are in a bit of a HAIRY situation while camping in the woods...BIGFOOT is on the loose, and it is up to them to find him! Filled with adventurous hijinks and a look in the mysterious life of the legendary Sasquatch himself, this title seamlessly blends STEAM concepts with the hilarity that has made How to Catch so popular amongst readers.

Pre-order your copies today!

Featuring the distinctive humor and beloved art of bestselling Caldecott honoree Lane Smith, this irresistibly fun, interactive read aLOUD invites readers to take a break, run wild with their imaginations, and join in on some goodnatured, school-sanctioned shenanigans. It is the perfect stress reliever to send kids into fits of giggles and shaking out their wiggles.

The Village Books

2025 Winners Announced ExtraordinaryAwardsEducator 2025

Earlier this year, Village Books and Paper Dreams proudly announced the first annual Extraordinary Educator Awards! Nominated by their students, three kindergarten –grade 12 Whatcom County educators were randomly selected to receive the honor and a host of gifts, generously donated by partner businesses.

Swept Away at Witch Camp

by Erin Vanessa

• Grace Meloy (Fairhaven Middle School - 7th grade)

• Bev Williams (Assumption Catholic School - 3rd grade)

• Landon Wynne (Nooksack Valley High School - band/music)

available now, hardcover, Running Press Kids

Sid loves being a witch. She can make a Rainbow Mushroom potion, turn butterflies into frogs, and use her crystal ball to predict the weather! But she’s nervous about starting Witch Camp. Why? Because Sid has a secret—she can’t fly on a broomstick! Sid confesses to her moms that she’s nervous about the Broomstick Race and that she’s going to quit Witch Camp for good. But then something happens that reminds Sid that being a witch isn’t just about flying well— and that maybe trying your best and not giving up is part of Witch Camp too. This empowering book about self-esteem provides kids with a spunky role model for facing one's fears and trying to succeed.

Adventures in Desolation Sound

by Grant Lawrence, illustrated by Ginger Ngo available in June, hardcover, Harbour Publishing

The Lawrence family is on their way to a rustic cabin in the remote Desolation Sound, but Grant and his sister Heather would rather stay at home in the city and watch TV. But slowly, the kids discover the magic of the place and learn that there’s a lot more to life than television, gaining confidence through exciting and hilarious adventures with family and new friends. Now they can’t wait to come back next summer!

Chosen from over 225 worthy candidates, these and many other educators were acknowledged at a ceremony during Teacher Appreciation Week. It was a great time—we can't wait until next year!

Picture Books

The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers : And Other Mysterious Creatures

by Jami Gigot

available now, hardcover, Kids Can Press

While there are many dangerous creatures in the forest, there’s one species that Bigfoot fears most: campers! They’re smelly and noisy, and they make a mess of everything. Thankfully, Bigfoot has ten simple guidelines sure to keep anyone safe from these interlopers. Only, when he slips up on Guideline #2 – ”Never, EVER allow yourself to be seen by a camper.“ In this fresh, flipped take on Bigfoot, readers discover how reconsidering what we think we know about others can be a great way to make a friend.

Minh and the Magic Grains of Rice

by Ðo Nguyet Hà, illustrated by Lê Phuong Quynh, translated by Bac H. Tran available now, hardcover, Chronicle Books

A modern reimagining of a Vietnamese folktale, this enchanting story overflows with delight and wisdom. Follow Minh on a spellbinding trek that beautifully illustrates the age-old process of growing and harvesting rice—and the limitless power of the ancient grain.

Read with PRIDE  Educate Reflect • Accept Celebrate!

There are many benefits of LGBTQ+ books for readers of all ages and backgrounds. Whether they're a member of the LGBTQ+ community or not, having the opportunity to read about different perspectives helps children prepare for living in this diverse world. These books help inform and educate readers about accepting differences and reducing stereotypes, providing meaningful messages of keeping an open heart to others. From picture books to chapter books, and graphic novels, everyone should be able to see themselves reflected in quality literature. Read Proud!

O.K. Is Gay: A Picture Book by Vincent X. Kirsch available now, hardcover, Abrams

From author-illustrator Vincent X. Kirsch comes a sweet story of queer joy that explores how—even in loving and supportive communities—there is power in being able to name who you are, and in finding others who share your experience.

Make Your Own Rainbow:

A Drag Queen's Guide to Color by Lil Miss Hot Mess, illustrated by Olga de Dios Ruiz available now, hardcover, Running Press Kids

Nonfiction Anthology

A Year of Pride and Joy: LGBTQ+ Voices Share Their Life Passions by Simon James Green, illustrated by Ruth Burrows available now, hardcover, Magic Cat

An uplifting and empowering anthology, A Year of Pride and Joy shares joyful contributions from 52 contemporary LGBTQIA+ voices, including Olympic gold medalist diver Tom Daley, author and historian Blair Imani, and singer Rina Sawayama. This buoyant title delivers a full year of celebration. Each of the 52 entries—one for each week of the year—is tied to a particular season, event, international day, or week. Ages 8-12

Explore a kaleidoscope of colors beyond the rainbow in this celebratory and empowering book. Drag queens love to dance to their own beat, speak their minds, and let their best selves shine. They love all the colors of the rainbow—as well as all the colors beyond! You, too, can use any color or hue to express yourself and your fierce imagination! Travel through a colorful, playful, and uplifting world in this all inclusive picture book.

Join us in the kids' section of our Fairhaven location every Tuesday at 11am for a half hour of stories, songs, and movement!

In Lynden: Saturdays at 11am

Lynden Fire Fighters! Friendly Dogs! Dinosaurs and a Princess! See page 39 for a line-up of the fun and varied story times taking place at our Lynden store.

in Fairhaven and Lynden! FIND WALDO LOCAL

July 1-31, 2025

Have You Seen Waldo?

He's an elusive fellow, but rumor has it that he'll be hanging around Whatcom County again this summer. If you look carefully, you might just spot him. Yes, you read that right: “Find Waldo Local” is back in July!

As we've done in the past, multiple local businesses in Fairhaven and Downtown Lynden will participate in a scavenger hunt all month long.

Do you think YOU can find Waldo? Pick up a passport from either location of Village Books and Paper Dreams or one of the other participating merchants, then look for the guy in stripes. He'll be hiding somewhere in each of the businesses listed on the passport. After you find Waldo in 10 different stores, come back to Village Books for a cool Waldo sticker (while supplies last). If you find Waldo in all the participating stores, you'll be entered in a raffle for the chance to win all sorts of great prizes! Fairhaven and Lynden will each have their own list of participating businesses.

PARTIES!

Join our Grand Celebrations at Village Books in Fairhaven AND in Lynden

Thursday, July 31, 2pm

Stop by either store for games, treats, and the prize drawing for scavenger hunt participants. Come in your red stripes and glasses!

We hope you'll join us as we search for Waldo all around Fairhaven and Downtown Lynden in July!

Take it Outside Celebrating Summer!

5-Minute Ocean Stories

by Gabby Dawnay, Illustrated by Mona K available now, hardcover, Magic Cat

Dive into the world of oceans with this lavish read-aloud nonfiction collection. Each 5-minute story celebrates life in our oceans, from the deepest sea to the brightest coral reef. Each story ends with an information page that explains more about the topic. Kids will discover interesting facts about life cycles, migration, food chains, and much more. Written by science writer and poet Gabby Dawnay, and illustrated with adorable characters created by Instagram star Mona K, this is a gorgeously packaged title will inform and delight the youngest ocean lovers. Ages 5-7

Sharkabet , 2nd Edition:

A Sea of Sharks from A to Z by Ray Troll available in July, paperback, WestWinds Press

This newly revised edition of Sharkabet is an educational swim through the ABCs of sharks that kids (and adults!) can sink their teeth into! Featuring Ray Troll's spectacular art, Sharkabet explores different shark varieties, both living and extinct, sharing fascinating and bizarre facts along the way— a swimmingly good read. Ages 7+

Check out our fantastic and inspiring collection of STEM activity kits and toys!

Riverkeeper: Protecting an American River

by Nancy F. Castaldo available now, hardcover, Holiday House

Every inch of the United States is in a river’s watershed. But in 1966, one of our most important watersheds was dying. Dead fish washed up on the Hudson River’s shores, and the once-clear water reeked of oil. With too much pollution to support human or animal life, America’s “First River” was in too deep—until a Riverkeeper, a pioneering group of environmental activists, fought to get rivers around the globe out of troubled waters. Dive headfirst into this history of environmental activism and learn how you can help organizations like Riverkeeper protect clean water around the globe! Part of the Books for a Better Earth Series. Ages 10+

Critters of Washington : Pocket Guide to Animals in Your State

by Alex Troutman available in June, paperback, Adventure Publications

Get the perfect kids’ introduction to the state of Washington’s mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Critters of Washington is your wildlife pocket guide that’s informative, concise, and easy to use. Written by wildlife biologist Alex Troutman, this handy book presents 63 critters of the Evergreen State. Each species is showcased in a professional-quality photograph that’s paired with such neat-to-know details as habitat, range, and preferred food sources. and a “Did You Know?” paragraph provides fascinating trivia worth sharing with family, friends, and teachers. Critters of Washington includes important-to-know Ages 7-12

My First Day Fishing: A Beginner’s Guide

by Will Millard, illustrated by Joanna Lisowiec available now, hardcover, Magic Cat The book is packed with kid-friendly tips and tricks for catch-and-release freshwater fishing. It helps readers to “think like a fish” as they learn the watercraft of reading a river, pond, or canal; how to find the best spots to fish; and how to cast for the catch of their dreams. This comprehensive handbook provides step-by-step instructions for everything a young angler might need to know on their first freshwater fishing trip. BBC presenter and fishing expert Will Millard is the perfect guide to accompany kids on their first day fishing as he blends detailed information with plain good advice and some amusing anecdotes along the way—including his first-ever catch made with a rubber boot after he fell in a river! Ages 7-12

Where the Deer Slip Through

by Katey Howes, Illustrated by Beth Krommes available in June, hardcover, Beach Lane Books

Discover the wonder that wildlife brings to a small woodland farm in this “atmospheric… lilting” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) cumulative picture book with stunning illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Beth Krommes. This is the hedge that grew and grew. The wall of stone a bit askew. This is the gap where the deer slip through, when the sky is still more pink than blue… Throughout the course of a beautiful summer day, from sunrise to moonrise, a host of animals find their way through a gap in the hedge, bringing the farm to life. Ages 4-8

Growing Home

by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Terry Fan and Eric Fan available now, hardcover, Simon & Schuster

Middle Readers

A motley crew of talkative plants, a curious spider, and a grumpy goldfish use their newfound magical abilities to defend their family from a greedy human in this charming middle grade novel from New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry, with illustrations from the award-winning Fan brothers. Ivy is the beloved houseplant of young Jillian Tupper, much to the constant dismay of Toasty the goldfish, who is technically the family pet—swimming in his special place of honor, the antique octagonal fish tank—and should be the most loved. It seems that’s how the cookie (or cheese puffs, in Toasty’s case) crumbles in the curious Tupper household, but soon a sequence of thrilling and magical events challenges that way of life forever.

El Niño by Pam Muñoz Ryan

available now, hardcover, Scholastic

Pam Muñoz Ryan is an author that I fell in love with in grade school and have continued to follow as I have become an adult. Her latest book is an aquatic adventure rippling with mystery and magical realism that dives deep into the grieving process that some young adults may face. El Nino is also perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo, Tae Keller, Jacqueline Woodson, and Meg Medina. –Bee

The Library of Unruly Treasures

by Jeanne Birdsall, illustrated by Matt Phelan available in August, hardcover, Little Brown

The Borrowers meets Matilda in this funny, winning story of a girl who finds herself an unlikely hero when she stumbles upon a big secret about little creatures. The latest book from the National Book Award-winning author of the Penderwicks series.

The Weirdies

by Michael Buckley, illustrated by Forrest Burdett

available in August, hardcover, Little Brown Books

The Girl in the Walls by Meg Eden Kuyatt available now, hardcover, Scholastic

A novel in verse that explores what it is like to be neurodivergent in a family and world that are not always accepting of such differences. Part ghost story and part reckoning with generational trauma, you will be rooting for the lovably stubborn and artistic main character V as she explores the secrets her family has kept and helps lead them towards healing. –Caitriona

The Village Beyond the Mist

by Sachiko Kashiwaba, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, illustrated by Miho Satake available now, hardcover, Yonder

A mountain town that’s not on any map, a messy bookstore with infinite doors, and a spoiled prince under a forgetful wizard’s curse . . . this school break might hold more than Lina bargained for! From the bestselling, Batchelder Award–winning author and translator of Temple Alley Summer and The House of the Lost on the Cape comes the fantastic adventure that first inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film, Spirited Away. Now, 50 years after its debut and decades of blockbuster success in Japan, Sachiko Kashiwaba’s acclaimed novel is available in English and certain to delight readers of all ages.

The Cave of Time

by

Edward Packard

available in August, paperback, Choose Your Own Adventure

I'm thrilled to see that Choose Your Own Adventure books are being reprinted! This is an excellent exercise in both reading and adventure, and the perils and wonders of The Cave of Time are sure to provide nostalgia for the already initiated, or a fresh experience for young readers. I had this exact book growing up, and wore the spine thin with how many times I restarted from the beginning. –Sophie

From the bestselling author of The Sisters Grimm comes a hilarious tale of the Weirdie triplets—three VERY weird siblings— and their journey to find true family. Perfect for fans of The Swifts and A Series of Unfortunate Events, you'll follow tenyear-old triplets Barnacle, Melancholy, and Garlic Weirdie to Our Lady of the Perpetual Side-Eye orphanage, where they meet Miss Emily, a sweet and loving caseworker who attempts to smooth their rough edges. The triplets, however, are truly weird—causing chaos and mayhem in their adoptive home on picture-perfect Sunshine Circle. Will the Weirdies and Miss Emily become the family they all desperately need, or will it end in disaster for everyone?

Middle Readers

Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom

written and illustrated by Jessixa Bagley available in July, hardcover, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Flying Day is getting closer and closer and everyone is pumped—except Jazzy. Although she enjoys her life as a witch with her moms, grandma, best friend, and bat sidekick, Jazzy wants to find her own passion ... and it does not seem to be flying. I cannot stop talking about how much I loved this graphic novel—a true delight! –Kat

The

Bizarre

Bazaar: Mirror Town

by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Liz Enright available in July, paperback, Little Brown Ink

Miss Camper: A Graphic Novel

written and illustrated by Kat Fajardo available in July, paperback, Graphix Camp seems to be all figured out—Sue knows what classes she and her best friend will be taking and knows this will be the time to get even closer (if that is possible). One thing after another changes all of Sue's plans quickly. Miss Camper took me back to the emotions of middle school and figuring out friendships. –Kat

Graphic Novels

Enter the Bizarre Bazaar, a phantasmagorical graphic novel series sure to enchant or entrap its curious customers! In this first twisted tale, a boy stumbles—literally—into Mirror Town, a world where he gets everything he's ever wanted...or so he thinks. No one ever pays attention to 12-year-old Abel Azari but that all changes the day he discovers—and falls through—a peculiar mirror in his neighbor's garage. What waits for him on the other side is a world just like his, except something is...off. Suddenly, his busy parents are spending every minute with him, his classmates treat him like a king, and now the girl he's been crushing on wants to hang out? It's the life Abel’s always dreamed of! But not everything—or everyone—is as it seems. Mirror Town hides evil secrets, and Abel will have to unravel them fast before he ends up trapped there forever.

Keep Their Minds Engaged

Science

The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing

the World

by Dylan Thuras and Jennifer Swanson, illustrated by Ruby Fresson available in August, hardcover, Workman Kids

The team behind the bestselling Atlas Obscura presents a kids’ illustrated STEM-oriented exploration of the world’s most interesting technologies, inventions, and scientific discoveries. Following up on the New York Times bestselling Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid, here is a globe-spanning history of invention like no other. This illustrated and STEM-oriented exploration of the planet’s 50 most interesting inventions and scientific discoveries sends middle-grade readers on an unforgettable trip around the planet and across time.

Biography

Lighthouse Ladies: Shining a Spotlight on Hardy Heroines by Kris Coronado, illustrated by Islenia Mil available now, hardcover, Clarion Books Ahoy! To man a lighthouse over a century ago in America required guts, courage, and bravery. It was a job tackled by hundreds every day, many of whom . . . were not men! This true tale chronicles the amazing feats of four fascinating women. Each real lighthouse lady featured in this book—whether she’s on a wind-walloped Hawaiian cliff or an icy channel off the Virginia coast—shows that girl power was around long before it became a popular phrase. Ages 4-8

Short Stories

Home Has No Borders

edited by Sona Charaipotra and Samira Ahmed available now, hardcover, Harper Collins

Young Adult Reads

Romance

The Singular Life of Aria Patel

by Samira Ahmed

available now, hardcover, Hachette Book Group

A contemporary fiction teen anthology edited by New York Times bestselling author Samira Ahmed and Sona Charaipotra that features a collection of poignant and heartwarming stories written by award-winning, bestselling, and emerging authors from across the South Asian diaspora. From first crushes to first heartbreaks, complicated family dynamics to community relationships, this powerful collection of stories explores race, class, culture, language, and the very idea of home as both a place and a feeling. This is an essential collection of captivating stories about what it means to be South Asian.

Pre-order your copies today!

Romance

The Beautiful Maddening by Shea Ernshaw available in June, hardcover, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw comes a haunting romantic contemporary fantasy about a teen navigating her family’s love curse that blooms with their enchanted tulips every year. Seventeen yearold Lark Goode wants only one thing: to escape her small town and the history of her family name. It’s a history that began during the Dutch tulip mania of 1636, when Lark’s ancestor stole the last remaining tulip bulbs and fled to America. But when the tulips bloomed on American soil, madness sprouted from their snowy white petals. The madness was love.

Biography

At Last She Stood : How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom by Erin Entrada Kelly available now, hardcover, Greenwillow Books

Erin Entrada Kelly’s engaging nonfiction debut combines themes of the Philippines, World War II, the Asia-Pacific War, spy stories, Louisiana, immigration, disease and medicine, racism, perseverance, religious devotion, and hope. Illustrated with photographs, maps, and other illustrative material and featuring sidebars that clearly illuminate key moments in history, At Last She Stood is for readers and educators who love Candace Fleming, Deborah Heiligman, Christina Soontornvat, and Steve Sheinkin.

This new captivating YA novel is a bit of a departure from Samira Ahmed's previous issue-driven books; a more commercial romance with a speculative twist. It offers a second chance romance for those who are tiring of enemies-to-lovers stories and there is travel across the multiverse, but the sci fi element is executed with a light touch. But it also has the gravity of exploring the very nature of self and what it means to love someone in another lifetime. Samira's fans and fans of You've Reached Sam and David Levithan's Every Day will love it.

Fantasy

A Girl Walks into the Forest by Madeleine Roux

available in June, hardcover, Quill Tree Books Midsommar meets The Shadows Between Us in this alluring mash-up of horror and fairy tale from bestselling author Madeleine Roux, where a girl must embark on a harrowing journey through a deadly forest filled with otherworldly creatures, supernatural forces, and one maniacal villain who will stop at nothing to bring her down. In this ruthlessly female-forward narrative that borrows from the best of horror, fairy tales, and folklore, a chewed-up-and-spit-out heroine must lean on the brutality of nature and her biggest fears in order to win back what’s she's been robbed of: her life.

Fantasy

His Face Is the Sun

by Michelle Jabès Corpora available now, hardcover, Sourcebooks

Ancient Egyptian Game of Thrones for YA readers! Romance, magic, adventure, and horror collide in the start to this lush, epic trilogy perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas. Four strangers—a princess, a young priestess, a rebel, and a tomb robber—are ripped from their lives and thrown into the conflict. Amid murder and betrayal, magic and monsters, gods and visions, love and war, these four unlikely heroes find themselves connected by a forgotten oracle that whispers insistently across the land. Only together can they save the kingdom from destruction, but when the bloodshed is done, who of Khetara’s children will sit on the throne?

Summer Girls

by Jennifer Dugan

available now, hardcover, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

This is the perfect sweet, sapphic summer read, with a dash of enemies to lovers and characters you'll absolutely relate to, and an excellent beach read! I've loved Jennifer Dugan since Hot Dog Girl, and Summer Girls exceeded my expectations. This one takes place in Rhode Island, and may make you want to take a trip - for the gorgeous locale, and perhaps to find love. –Sophie

Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth

available now, paperback, Macmillan

Voice of the Ocean

by Kelsey Impicciche

available now, hardcover, Blackstone Publishing What begins as a tale reminiscent of The Little Mermaid fable quickly evolves into a journey full of danger, piracy, and enchanting adventure. Join Celeste, a siren princess, as she hunts down a human prince to regain her honor and her kingdom. Little does she know, however, that there is a lot more than just a pair of legs and a forbidden Voice that stands in her way! –Chloe H.

Young Adult Reads

This is a delightful read that is a love letter to fandom and gaming cultures! It is a YA romantic comedy filled with grumpy-sunshine banter, Shakespeare references, gamer culture with nods to nerd franchises, and a slow-burn romance that has you yearning for more. And at the same time, it’s a coming-of-age story about taking up space in the world and learning what it means to let others in that people of all ages would find relatable. –Bee

KIDS OPEN M IC

Last Mondays from 5-6pm

Ages 18 & Under

Village Books in Fairhaven invites kids 18 and under to share their own stories, poems and essays. Pre-registration to read is required and spaces are limited so please email host Seán Dwyer at sean@seandwyerauthor.com to secure a spot!

June 30 • July 28 • August 25

Public speaking can be scary but it is an important skill to develop. It helps build confidence, increases communication skills, and enhances leadership qualities. Learning to effectively convey ideas helps to connect and influence others—a valuable personal and professional asset. Open mic at Village Books offers an opportunity to speak in front of a small, nurturing community of other writers—see you there!

Hey, Teen Authors - Ages 13-18!

Teen Author Cohort

The Village Books Teen Author Cohort (T.A.C.) is a supportive and inclusive community of young writers who meet weekly to support each other, learn from professionals, grow their writing skills, and put their writing into the world. We’re taking a brief summer break but would love you to join us in the fall. Scan the adjacent code to apply

Young Adult Reads

Where Wolves Don't Die

by Anton Treuer

available in August, paperback, Levine Querido

This is one of the best young adult novels I have read in a long time. I highly recommend this for fans of the Firekeeper's Daughter and Demon Copperhead. Treuer is an Ojibwe professor himself and his addition of Ojibwe language throughout the story is so enriching! I also recommend the audiobook which can be found on Libro.fm! –Kiana

Fateless

by Julie Kagawa

available in July, hardcover, Harper

I recommend this book to anyone who likes story-driven video games. The world building made me think this novel could be a great role-playing game, except I enjoyed imagining what each insane monster looked like while reading! I loved all the twist and turns of every chapter. Prepare to immerse yourself in a fantastic desert adventure with surprise magic, thieves, betrayal, and a pinch of romance. –Courtney

Soulmatch

by Rebecca Danzenbaker available in July, hardcover, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

This book kept me guessing in a way a book hasn't in a loooong time! With the feel of a classic YA dystopian romance novel, but full of fresh and interesting ideas, I could not eat this book up fast enough—and I truly did not see the MANY twists that happened throughout the story. With lovable characters and lots of intrigue this is a perfect quick and immersive read! –Caitriona

The Wilderness of Girls

by Madeline Claire Franklin

available now, paperback, Zando Young Readers

Staff Recommended

A Fragile Enchantment

by Allison Saft

available in July, paperback, Wednesday Books

This was an absolutely delightful, fun read that left me feeling light and satisfied. Allison Saft has done it again in this novel with the way she weaved together a story of romance with the passion of the Regency era trope and the magic, whimsy, and heart of a Ghibli film. From the cover to the characters, I was utterly enchanted with this book! –Bee

Graphic Novel Song of the Lioness

#01: Alanna  by

Tamora Pierce

available now, paperback & hardcover, Abrams Fanfare

This gorgeously illustrated retelling of Alanna introduced me to a female fantasy icon that would have otherwise completely escaped my notice, and for that I'm so grateful! An adventure-packed reminder that girls can do anything—from becoming a knight, to fighting off the grim reaper, to banishing gods—regardless of traditions, odds, and whatever else may be stacked against us. –Chloe H.

That Devil, Ambition

by Linsey Miller

available in June, hardcover, Harper Collins Dark Academia in its most wicked form! This book sank its fangs into me early on and I couldn’t put it down until the mystery was unraveled! Devilish characters play a game of life and death against the most unlikely of professors in this tale of treachery and mystery-all packaged up with a healthy dose of magic! –Sean

This is one of my favorite YA novels. It lays bare the magic and grief that can make up girlhood, dancing along the line between magical realism and simply reality (thought is it really simple?). The bond between four girls found in the wilderness and and the girl who finds them is beautiful and heart-wrenching, and I have been thinking about this book ever since I read it (over a year ago). –Caitriona

Reading Recommendations For Teens By Teens

Y.A.R.C. (yark), n. 1. Young Adult Review Committee.

2. A select group of local teens and young adults reading and writing reviews of brand-spanking-new books.

3. Awesome.

Our YARC members have been busy reading are excited to share the titles they've recently enjoyed. All of these titles are available now or for pre-order from Village Books and Paper Dreams!

Run Away With Me

by Brian Selznick

available now, hardcover, Scholastic

It's Rome in the 1980s, and two boys meet: an American visiting for the summer and a mysterious Italian boy. The two quickly form a romance, spending their days exploring the secrets of Rome's artifacts and history. Run Away With Me blends illustrations and myths of Rome beautifully in this captivating story. –Coco, age 17

Meet Me on Love Street

by Farah Heron

available in June, hardcover, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

If you're looking for a story with cheesy love then this book is a great find! I loved the main characters positivity and found this book charming when I first picked it up. If you want the comfort of a cute romance you should give this book a go because the story is a delight! –Rose, age 16

Immortal Consequences :

The Souls of Blackwood Academy #1 by L.V. Marie

available in July, hardcover, Delacorte Press Immortal Consequences was a book that was full of shocking twists and a unique plot that kept me hooked from the start. It's set at Blackwood Academy, a school set in the afterlife—with no way out except for a series of competitive trials to become magically elite or to cross over the unknown Other Side. This is perfect for anyone looking for a unique YA dark fantasy and will leave you realizing that some fates ARE worse than death. –Kiona, age 14

Goodbye, My Princess

by Fei Wo Si Cun, translated by Tianshu available in July, hardcover, Simon & Schuster Goodbye, My Princess will break your heart, don’t be fooled by the cheesy title. You’ll read the first half of the book, happy but slightly bored. Then suddenly, you won’t be able to stop reading it. Everything will and won’t make sense. And then suddenly you’ll be crying in your bed at 2AM, and you wont regret any of it. Goodbye, My Princess is a beautiful book with beautiful characters, that you won’t want to miss out on. Trust me. –Evy, age 14

What Comes After

by Katie Bayerl

available now, hardcover, Nancy Paulsen Books

After the untimely death of her eccentric mother Mari is finally getting her life on the right track. She is set to go to college and start a new beginning when she dies mysteriously and is sent to a modern version of the afterlife. Here she has 90 days to mend her broken relationship with her mother and ascend to the next level. Perfect for fans of The Good Place, follow Mari as she seeks to unravel the mystery of how she died and reveal the dark underbelly of paradise gate. –Kat, age 17

Y A RC

Enjoy additional reviews on our Y.A.R.C. web page at villagebooks.com and on display at Village Books in Fairhaven!

You Don't See Me by Chris Ricketts

available now, paperback, Little Island Books

Ros is living a lie: they are not a girl. But when they try to explain, nobody seems to understand their need to live the truth of who they really are–a man. In this novel, Ricketts offers astonishing insight into what it's like being afraid to reveal your nonconformity in a binary world and still allow time for acceptance. Furthermore, You Don't See Me reveals how social labels don't begin to capture how all of us are rarely who we appear to be. A fitting selection for LGBTQIA+ Pride month! –Kaatri, age 18

Dear

Manny by Nic Stone available now, hardcover, Crown Books for Young Readers

Dear Manny is the chilling addition to the Dear Martin series. After reading the first two, I was so excited when I discovered that a third book is now available. It brings up topics that people don't feel comfortable talking about, in a very real way. Issues that our society is still facing, and this book shines a light on people who are accepting and want to make change in the world. If you have read Dear Martin and Dear Justyce, I highly recommend you read the third installment. It will not disappoint! –Will, age 14

How to Survive a Slasher

by Justine Pucella Winans available now, hardcover, Bloomsbury YA I was already excited to start this novel because it included a slasher in it, a staple of horror and one of my personal favorite genres. After reading it, it's so much more! There's a lot of inclusivity, the characters all have differing backgrounds and personalities, and overall, the characters feel real and allow you to get lost in the book. I recommend this book for any horror fans, or people just looking for a good read! –Milo, age 14

Middle Grade Graphic Novel Free Piano (Not Haunted)

by Whitney Gardner available in July, paperback, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

It says it’s not… but it’s totally haunted. I’d never read a book like this before, it was delightfully refreshing. I really enjoyed the messages of the negative effects of social media on our lives. For those looking for a fun read about an 80s pop star haunting a present day girl through a piano- and the occasional smashing of things—this book is for you. –Eleanor, age 16

Recommendations For Teens By Teens

The Village Books Literary Events Program Literature LIVE! EVENTS

Additions and changes to this schedule will occur so check out VillageBooks.com to stay updated–or even better, let us come to you! Register for the Village Books eNewsletter!

June 2025

Saturday, June 7, 2pm ALL AGES

Storytelling Performance with HILDE FESTERLING

Join us for an all ages, barnyard gothic, live performance! Think Babe the Pig meets Bunnicula the Vampire Rabbit, but it's all goats, voiced by humans. Hilde Festerling is a writer/storyteller for the alternative family audience. Her mission is to speak to the childhood awakenings in every listener, but she is best known for telling stories about naughty cats at schools and festivals in the PNW. FREE TO ATTEND.

Sunday, June 8, 6pm

KEVIN MURPHY

–The Last Normal Year

Join us for an evening of entertainment with one of Bellingham’s favorite local poets! Winner of the Bellingham Mayor Arts Award, Kevin Murphy’s poetry tends toward the comic and the surreal. Just in time for the end of history, his latest collection, The Last Normal Year, features new, selected, and previously undetected compositions. With nods to the Beats, the bards, the surrealists, and the blues , Murphy’s approach is exuberant and slightly mad. Enjoy this live reading—including Murphy’s own guitar and percussion accompaniment! We are proud to have Kevin Murphy as the “poet-in-residence” of the Village Books radio show, The Chuckanut Radio Hour. Don’t miss out!

Tuesday, June 10, 6pm

Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater

OPEN MIC with special guests

Haiku Northwest

Please welcome special guests, members of Seattle's Haiku Northwest, who will be joining us to read from their new 35th anniversary anthology, Glimmering Hour. This group meets the second Tuesday of each month at Village Books in Fairhaven. Questions? You can contact emcee Carla Shafer at chuckanutsandstone@gmail.com.

For Details & Registration go to our

EVENTS CALENDAR

Unless otherwise noted, events take place at Village Books in Fairhaven and include a book presentation/reading, plus a Q&A. Registration to save your seat is required for most events. When a $5 fee applies, you will receive a voucher for that amount to use for purchases at the event! Tickets may be available at the door. Details & registration at VILLAGEBOOKS.COM

Wednesday, June 11, 6pm ADAM ROBERTS

–Food Person : A Novel Celebrate Adam Roberts debut fiction novel, Food Person, with us in the Readings Gallery! For fans of Alison Espach's The Wedding People and Dolly Alderton's Good Material, Food Person is a delectable comedy of manners about cooking, ambition, and friendship set in the food world as a young and socially awkward writer takes a job ghostwriting the cookbook for a famous (and famously chaotic) Hollywood starlet.Adam Roberts is the author of The Amateur Gourmet, Secrets of the Best Chefs, and Give My Swiss Chards to Broadway. He started his food blog The Amateur Gourmet in 2004, and also hosts the podcast Lunch Therapy.

Thursday, June 12, 6pm COLL THRUSH

–Wrecked: Unsettling Histories from the Grave of the Pacific

The Northwest Coast of North America is a treacherous place. Unforgiving coastlines, powerful currents, unpredictable weather, and features such as the notorious Columbia River bar have resulted in more than 2,000 shipwrecks, earning the coastal areas of Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver Island the moniker “Graveyard of the Pacific.” Wrecked is a provocative retelling of the stories of many vessels that met their fate along the rugged coast and the meanings made of these events by both Indigenous and settler survivors and observers. Coll Thrush is professor of history at the University of British Columbia. He is author of Native Seattle: Histories from the Crossing-Over Place and Indigenous London: Native Travelers at the Heart of Empire.

Saturday, June 14, 2pm GERALD BARON with Terry Crump –It Was My Turn: One of Vietnam's Most Decorated Pilots and America's Secret War

It Was My Turn is the story of Bellingham's own Terry Crump who was awarded an unprecedented seven Distinguished Flying Crosses during his one year tour in Vietnam. This book puts you in the cockpit of a Cobra gunship as Terry and his fellow Pink Panther pilots fought to protect the lives of the Green Berets and their teams sent into the forbidden territory of Laos and Cambodia, most often against overwhelming enemy forces. This is the little known story of the war in the skies above the embattled Special Forces. Author Gerald Baron founded and owned several local businesses including Business Pulse and PIER Systems. His other books include Now Is Too Late on crisis communication and A Fighter Pilot in Buchenwald , the Joe Moser story.

Keep turning for more events

Poetry & Music!

Don't Miss Out!

Receive

VB Email Updates

Every week, Village Books sends out an email newsletter packed full of store and book information including our upcoming Literature Live events. Sign up for this newsletter and others in the store or at villagebooks.com today!

VB READS

Book Groups

Village Books hosts multiple book groups who read and discuss a variety of genres. Flip to page 79 to find a group that works for you! Watch villagebooks.com for meeting times and reading selections. All are welcome!

VB WRITES

Writing Groups

Village Books is excited to host a variety of writing groups —each with a unique focus. Turn to page 26 for a full list and meeting times then see villagebooks.com for descriptions. Be sure to sign up for our Just Write! eNewsletter, a monthly publication highlighting current classes, tips and tricks, writing book reviews and the like!

Writing Workshops & Classes

Village Books and WCC Community & Continuing Education program have created a writing instruction collaboration called Chuckanut Writers to support writers at all stages of their writing journey throughout the year. Turn to page 29 for upcoming classes and go to whatcom.edu for more information, prices, and to register.

Chuckanut Writers

June 26-28, 2025

OPEN MICS

Open Mic with Seán Dwyer

Last Mondays from 6-7pm

Village Books invites everyone to enjoy local talents as they share their own stories, poems and essays. Published and unpublished writers are encouraged to attend and enjoy a welcoming audience. Our regular emcee and celebrated local author, Seán Dwyer, will host as he does every month. Pre-registration to read is required and spaces are limited so whether you plan to read in person or on Zoom, please email Seán at sean@seandwyerauthor.com to secure your spot!

June 30 • July 28 • August 25

KIDS!

KIDS OPEN MIC with Seán Dwyer

Last Mondays from 5-6pm

Village Books in Fairhaven invites kids 18 and under to share their own stories, poems and essays. Our regular emcee and celebrated local author Seán Dwyer will host. Pre-registration to read is required and spaces are limited so please email Seán at sean@seandwyerauthor. com to secure a spot!

June 30 • July 28 • August 25

Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater

Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater

Open Mic

Second Tuesdays from 6-8pm

Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater (CSWT) Open Mic is held at Village Books in Fairhaven on the second Tuesday of the month from 6-8pm. Our CSWT emcee is Carla Shafer, who founded Bellingham’s first continuous Open Mic in Bellingham in 1991. Pre-registration to read is encouraged a so whether you plan to read, please email Carla Shafer at chuckanutsandstone@gmail.com to secure your spot!

June 10 - With Haiku Northwest!

July 8 • August 12

Sunday, June 15, 4pm

PATRICIA GREYHALL

in conversation with Michelle Harmeier

–A Place for Us

Literature LIVE!

We are thrilled to host Patricia Greyhall, winner of the 2024 National Indie Excellence Award for LGBTQIA Non-fiction and Memoir. She will share her thrilling tale of two women who find each other irresistible but must struggle for a second chance for love, redemption, and sanctuary when the world is against them. Grayhall is a medical doctor and also the author of Making the Rounds; Defying Norms in Love and Medicine and a romance novel, Golden Years and Silver Linings. Michelle Harmeier, founder of the Bellingham Queer Collective.

Tuesday, June 17, 6pm

ANN AGUIRRE in conversation with Sarah Hawley

–I Think I'm in Love with an Alien

Wednesday, June 25, 6pm

CRAIG ROMANO

–Urban Trails: Vancouver, BC

Join us in welcoming Craig Romano, outdoor writer, guidebook author, and creator of the popular Urban Trails series—hugely popular at Village Books! In this region rich with natural beauty, Urban Trails: Vancouver, BC spotlights 55 trails, parks, preserves and greenbelts within Vancouver and across the 21 municipalities of the greater Vancouver area. Some destinations take readers to old-growth forests, lakeshores, coastal beaches, riverfronts, and wildlife-rich wetlands while others uncover accessible trails and peaceful corners right within urban centers.

The Crystal Ballroom of the Hotel Leo

Thursday, June 26, 7pm

Join Village Books in celebrating the launch of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre's newest book, I Think I'm in Love with an Alien! He's stranded. He's desperate. He's not looking for love. She's nerdy. She's flirty. She's ready for romance. When alien meets adorkable, they're destined for an out-of-this-world affair... Galaxy Quest meets Roswell in this quirky new sci-fi rom-com. Aguirre will be joined by local favorite Sarah Hawley! Pre-order your autographed copy through Village Books and receive an exclusive enamel pins or sticker (while supplies last).

Saturday, June 21 & Sunday, June 22

20%

OFF STOREWIDE ANNIVERSARY SALE in Fairhaven AND Lynden

We're celebrating 45 amazing years as your community bookstore with our annual storewide anniversary sale. Take advantage of 20% off merchandise throughout Village Books and Paper Dreams in both Fairhaven and Lynden! Stock up on summer reading, activities, gifts, and fun decor. Yes, chocolate IS included in the sale. Some restrictions do apply so please ask a bookseller for details.

BOOK LAUNCH!

Tuesday, June 24, 6pm CHRISTINA DODD

–Thus With a Kiss I Die

Christina Dodd's suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. We're excited to welcome Christina Dodd to celebrate the launch of her new book, Thus With a Kiss I Die in which the delightfully irreverent eldest daughter of the not-so-ill-fated Romeo and Juliet returns to sleuth another day in fair Verona, in this hugely entertaining historical mystery series with a refreshingly bold premise.

The CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR with RENA PRIEST

ROBERT LASHLEY and Poet KEVIN MURPHY

Join Village Books for an evening of live local music, humor, and fun at the taping of our live radio show. In addition to our usual amazing cast, and emcees, we're welcoming Washington State Book Award winner & nominee Rena Priest and Robert Lashley, and poet-in-residence Kevin Murphy—all faculty at the 2025 Chuckanut Writers Conference—to the stage. You'll also enjoy music by local band 3-oh! Shows sell out so register to save your seat soon.

Thursday, June 26 - Saturday, June 28

THE CHUCKANUT WRITERS CONFERENCE

Whether you’re just starting your writing journey or you’re an experienced author, the Chuckanut Writers Conference offers the opportunity to engage your passion for writing, connect with fellow storytellers, and nurture your craft. See page 27 for faculty and registration details.

Friday, June 27, 6pm

SARITA DASGUPTA –Seeds of Fate

Seven stories, seven secrets, and seven surprising connections: Seeds of Fate artfully brings to light the power of kismet in human relationships. Set among the romantic tea plantations of Assam, author Sarita Dasgupta offers a new collection that not only reflects her rich imagination but the wealth of her knowledge in the world of tea.

Events take place at Village Books in Fairhaven unless otherwise noted. Additions and changes to this schedule will occur so check out VillageBooks.com to stay updated–or even better, let us come to you! Register for a Village Books eNewsletter!

turning for more events

Saturday, June 28, 4pm

MICHAEL MCGREGOR

in conversation with Dr. Laura Laffrado

–An Island to Myself :

The Place of Solitude in an Active Life

Tuesday, July 1, 6pm

Village Books Literary Citizenship Awards Ceremony

Join us in welcoming award-winning author, essayist, journalist, and biographer Michael N. McGregor back to the Readings Gallery. In his twenties, McGregor traveled to the remote Greek island of Patmos to spend two winter months alone, 6,000 miles from home. Although he expected his solitude to be meaningful, he wasn’t prepared for how it would change him. His first novel, The Last Grand Tour, received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, and his first book, Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax, was a finalist for a Washington State Book Award and several other prizes. Dr. Laura Laffrado is an award-winning Professor of English at WWU.

Sunday, June 29, 2pm

MARK STROHSCHEIN

in conversation with Jeffrey Morgan

New Date & Time!

–Cries Across Borders

Founded in 2023, the Village Books Literary Citizenship Award honors people who have demonstrated a commitment to engage with the literary community with the intent of giving as much, if not more so, than they receive. Join us as we induct the 2025 recipients—Joel Gillman, Jeremy Voight, Dee Robinson, and Chuck Robinson—into the Village Books Literary Citizen Hall of Fame. Read about each of these deserving recipients on pages 7 and 9.

Thursday, July 3, 6pm

Publishing Panel & Book Release with author BRITTANY MICKA-FOOS,

Joe Donley & Chloe Hovind

–It's No Fun Anymore

Join us in welcoming Pushcart Prize-nominated poet Mark Strohschein in celebration of his new chapbook, Cries Across Borders — about the vagaries of the immigration system, poignantly and deftly addresses how difficult and trying unification with a loved one can be. In intelligent poems of longing, perplexity and discovery, the poet deconstructs the metaphor of exile and asks why borders still separate us. Jeffrey Morgan is a two-time National Poetry Series Finalist and the author of Crying Shame and The Last Note Becomes Its Listener.

Sunday, June 29, 5pm

CHRISTINA BALDWIN

–The Beekeeper's Question

Join Christina Baldwin in the Readings Gallery to celebrate her debut historical novel, The Beekeeper's Question —a moving tale of one family's journey through World War II, both at home and overseas. Young lovers, old friends, a mountain valley and a North African battlefield: Two Montana families face loss, prejudice, violence and redemption in the uncertainty of 1940s America. Christina Baldwin is a pioneer in personal writing and story with eight classic books in this field. For 25 years she taught circle facilitation across North America and around the world. The Beekeeper's Question is her debut historical novel.

Join us for a panel discussion with a representative from the Village Books publishing team, local independent publisher Joe Donley, and author Brittany Micka-Foos as they discuss the different avenues of independent publishing writers might consider. With input from the other panelists, Brittany will share the ups and downs, pros and cons of creating her new book, It's No Fun Anymore. This haunting compendium of eight stories reaches into the darkest corners of modern womanhood, illuminating themes of trauma, identity, and the elusiveness of safety in our capitalist society. Micka-Foos deftly juxtaposes the everyday with the uncanny across diverse territories, from anime conventions to kindergarten classrooms. The result is an eerie familiarity, an intensity that lingers long after the final page.

Friday, July 4 - Special Hours

Happy 4th of July!

Have fun, be safe, and thanks for always celebrating your local Independents! Please note our hours for the day:

• IN FAIRHAVEN: OPEN 9am-6pm

• IN LYNDEN: CLOSED

Saturday, July 5

Unless otherwise noted, events take place at Village Books in Fairhaven and include a book presentation/reading, plus a Q&A.

Registration to save your seat is required for most events. When a $5 fee applies, you will receive a voucher for that amount to use for purchases at the event! Tickets may be available at the door. Details, updates, and registration information can be found at VILLAGEBOOKS.COM

Chicken Festival AND Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema Summer Series Kick Off!

Head into Fairhaven for the annual Chicken Festival (see page 6) and stay for the evening showing of Chicken Little!

Yes, the tradition continues! The Fairhaven Association is eggcited to invite you to spend your Saturday evenings on the Fairhaven Village Green this summer. Enjoy live entertainment and a great line-up of movies weekly in July and August. Find a schedule and details on page 11.

We Appreciate Your Continued Support of Village Books and our Literature Live Programming

Saturday, July 5, 2pm

THOMAS KARMGARD

–F*ck Your Thoughts and Prayers

In his debut crime fiction novel, former federal prosecutor and ATF attorney Thomas Karmgard takes the reader inside a criminal investigation to stop a teenager—who has posted threatening messages against his classmates and who is amassing an arsenal of military-style weapons—from becoming the next school shooter. Thomas Karmgard spent more than 20 years as a prosecuting attorney specializing in firearms, explosives, and arson cases. Karmgard also spent 12 years as an attorney advisor for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Chicago, St. Paul, and Phoenix Field Divisions. He now calls Bellingham, Washington home.

Saturday, July 5, 6pm

AMY A. RONHAAR –From the Dogs Jaws

In her poignant 2023 memoir, Amy Ronhaar took us on an exceptional journey through grieving daughterhood and continuous search into understanding the deeply interesting, complex pathology of mental disorder and rage. Her debut poetry collection From the Dogs of Jaws paints an impassioned work of art interpreting life through the eyes of her phenomenally unbound spirit. Join us as we welcome her to the Readings Gallery.

Tuesday, July 8, 6:35pm Village Books at BELLINGHAM BELLS

Joe Martin Field, Bellingham, WA

Join us at the ballpark as our own Bellingham Bells take on the Edmonton Riverhawks. Stop by the Village Books table and spin the wheel for a prize while keeping an eye out for the ever elusive Waldo! Game tickets available at bellstickets.com. See you there!

Thursday, July 10, 6pm JEAN WAIGHT

–In Timberline's Embrace : What an Old Lodge Taught Me About What's Worth Keeping

From her first ski trip, Jean Waight is entranced by the beauty and welcoming feel of Oregon's historic Timberline Lodge—an inspired 1937 creation. Winter by winter, her friends share weather, mishaps, and ale. She braves a comical encounter with a pine marten and is less brave when alone in a freakish snow accident that takes her to life's very edge. But Timberline Lodge's whisperings only become clear after she has to give up skiing. When skiers and snowboarders head for the slopes and all is quiet inside, the past comes out to play. Even the linocut murals there hold up a mirror to her own life. In Timberline's Embrace reflects on this national treasure, how close the lodge once came to being lost, and what its magic owes to generations of caring hands. Waight is also the author of The River Beyond the Dam: Shooting the Rapids of Progressive Christianity.

Sunday, July 13, 11am-1pm

BELLINGHAM PRIDE PARADE

Village Books and Paper Dreams is a proud sponsor of Pride IN Bellingham. Check out all the planned festivities at prideinbellingham.org and be sure to head to downtown Bellingham for the Pride Parade and Festival —a celebration of inclusiveness and support. Be sure to wave as the Village Books & Paper Dreams team march by!

Literature LIVE!

Saturday, July 19, 4pm

SARAH L. BLUM

–Warrior Nurse :

PTSD and Healing

At the 12th Evacuation Hospital Cu Chi, Vietnam, Sarah Blum, ARNP was an operating room nurse during the fighting in the iron triangle in 1967. Here she learned the essentials to healing PTSD and shares some tools and adjuncts to therapy that ensure anyone with PTSD has the best healing outcome. People and veterans with PTSD need to know someone has been through it and come out whole on the other side. They need hope and guidance. Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing gives them both.

Sunday, July 20, 4pm

MICHAEL CHRZASTOWSKI

–Keturah's Wish: A Story for Abraham's Second Wife

In the Bible's Book of Genesis, Keturah bore six of Abraham's eight sons. Whether she became Abraham's second wife while Sarah was alive or after Sarah's death is a centuries-old debate. Keturah's Wish imagines the earlier timeline. The result is a story that retells the familiar narrative from a thought-provoking new perspective. Michael J. Chrzastowski, PhD, had a career as a coastal geologist studying beaches and shoreline change. After retirement he earned an MA degree in religion. Keturah's Wish is an outgrowth of his MA research.

Friday, July 25, 6pm

IAN MACKAY in conversation with Karen Polinsky

–Ian’s Ride : A Long Distance Journey

Ian’s Ride is both a personal journey and an adventure quest for nature lovers, endurance athletes, and anyone struggling with a life-changing loss or diagnosis. This deeply moving true story examines how we exist in our bodies, adapt to and overcome adversity, and what it means to push our limits. "Ian's Ride will remind you from start to finish that the quality of our life is largely what we make of it." –Heather Anderson, author of Mud, Rocks, Blazes

Sunday, July 27, 11am ALL AGES

BRIGADOON SERVICE DOGS

Puppies and prison? How do these two go together? Join Village Books and Brigadoon Service Dogs as we take you on the transformative journey of how puppies become service dogs with the assistance of incarcerated trainers. You will get a chance to pet a puppy, see the dogs in action, and learn how vital prison programs are to producing these incredible dogs. Kids welcome! Brigadoon Service Dogs provides trained service dogs for veterans, children, and adults with physical, developmental, and behavioral health disabilities to promote a more independent and enriched life.

Keep turning for more events

Thursday, July 31, 2pm

Two Find Waldo Celebrations

In Fairhaven AND In Lynden

We're having parties at BOTH of our stores - in Fairhaven AND in Lynden! Join us at either Village Books in Lynden OR Fairhaven for a celebration to wrap up our Fairhaven “Find Waldo Local” program. We’ll play games, give out prizes to those who participated in the multistore search, eat treats, and find Waldo hiding in our store! Come in your red stripes and glasses, and ready to have a good time!

August

Sunday, August 3, 2pm

KATIE KULLA

in conversation with Amy Frye –Farm-Raised Kids: Parenting Strategies for Balancing Family Life with Running a Small Farm or Homestead

Literature LIVE!

Note: Additions and changes to this schedule WILL OCCUR so watch villagebooks.com—and register for our weekly eNewsletter - FULL of store happenings!

Monday, August 11, 6pm

County Highway Magazine

The State of America

“A magazine about America in the form of a 19th century newspaper.”

Village Books is excited to welcome County Highway managing editor RYAN

Essential parenting advice and practical strategies for engaging kids in farm life—to create opportunities for play and learning, to foster resilience and independence, and to keep kids busy while you're running your farm or backyard homestead. In this first-ever book on the topic, author Katie Kulla offers her own hard-won wisdom, gleaned from more than a decade of raising kids while running a CSA farm with her husband. She will be in conversation with Amy Frye of Boldly Grown Farm in Burlington.

Saturday, August 9, 2pm

MARIJKE MCCANDLESS

–Naked in the Now: Juicy Practices for Getting Present WORKSHOP

In this mini workshop, we will dive into the natural beauty of our mind as we allow our written words flow. This is a little different from other writing classes. Marijke calls it naked writing, others call it freewriting. Instead of facing a blank page and trying to share something we know, we will dive into the unknown. We let go of our inner critic along with our worries about punctuation, grammar and eloquence. When we let our words flow unfettered, without striving to perfect our words, we learn to trust our natural voice without effort. Then we share. When we share our naked, unedited, writing, we practice being vulnerable, daring to expose ourselves. When others share, we learn to listen carefully without judgment, opening our hearts and reflecting on the passages that moved us. We encourage each other. Inexplicably, a sense of community forms as we experience our shared humanity.Whether you are an experienced writer or a complete newbie, this introduction is for you! Are you curious? Come join us!

Poetry/Memoir

Sunday, August 10, 4pm

WAYNE LEE

–Dining on Salt :

Four Seasons of Septets

Dining on Salt: Four Seasons of Septets is a hybrid memoir in verse, a story of love, loss and recovery composed of seven-line poems written during a 12-month period in which Wayne Lee’s disabled wife took her life. As her long-time husband and caregiver, Lee had to learn to reinvent himself. Lee’s poems have appeared in Tupelo Press, Slipstream, The New Guard, Writer’s Digest and many other journals and anthologies. He was awarded the 2012 Fischer Prize and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and four Best of the Net Awards.

BAESEMANN, fiction editor GARY

FISKETJON (a PNW legend who edited the likes of Cormac McCarthy and Haruki Murakami), and San Juan Islands-based writer HEATHER HEYING. They will read from past County Highway issues and discuss the state of the American and PNW literary tradition.

So far in September

Saturday, September 6, 6pm HEATHER DURHAM

in conversation with Lyanda Lynn Haupt

–Sylvan Crone : A Midlife Quest

Join Heather Durham and Lyanda Lynn Haupt for an enchanting evening as they dive into Durham's newest book, Sylvan Crone: A Midlife Quest! In her third collection, Durham invites readers into the terrain of a feral woman entering midlife amidst personal and cultural turmoil, encountering new insights in the realms of folklore, feminism, ecophysiology, and mysticism. At once restless and rooted, these lyric forays range far— epic meanderings on the path to becoming crone.

Friday, September 12, 6pm

MARTHA BRAY & CHERYL STRITZEL MCCARTHY

–Tragedy to Triumph : Rebuilding a Traumatized Heart

When Martha Bray’s husband Bob is killed in a devastating traffic accident (by a criminal who’s evading police), it smashes her world like a meteor striking Earth. She navigates debilitating grief while somehow finding humor in life, eventually braving online dating on an often-hilarious quest to regain true love. Join Martha and her co-author Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy (pictured) in the Readings Gallery to hear this true tale of navigated loss and new beginnings.

Unless otherwise noted, events take place in the Readings Gallery at Village Books in Fairhaven 1200 11th St., Bellingham, WA

A Nature of Writing Series Event

Saturday, September 13, 2pm

PAUL KOBERSTEIN

–Canopy of Titans: The Life and Times of the Great North American Temperate Rainforest In Canopy of Titans, Paul Koberstein and Jessica Applegate examine the global importance of the Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest that stretches from Northern California to Alaska. Their urgent and authoritative account sets out the threats facing a vital environmental resource, and celebrates the beauty and complexity of one of the world's great forests. Drawing on years of on-the-ground reporting, Koberstein and Applegate pull back the curtain on policies of governmental bodies that have seriously diminished the rainforest's capacity to store carbon, and uncover industry practices that have led to the destruction of swaths of a major ecological resource. Co-sponsored by North Cascades Institute as part of the Nature of Writing Speaker Series. This title is also the reading selection for the new Forest Talks Forest Walks Book Group—see page 79 for details.

Mark Your Calendars!

Tuesday, September 15, 7pm THE CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR featuring LEIF ENGER –I Cheerfully Refuse

Enjoy a special evening of music, stories, and fun as we welcome Leif Enger to join us for the live taping of Bellingham's favorite radio variety show. This acclaimed author of Peace Like a River, will share his latest novel I Cheerfully Refuse —a rollicking narrative, a symphony against despair, and a rallying cry for the future. Save the date and watch for details.

Literature LIVE!

Thank you for your continued support of Village Books and our Literature Live Events. We couldn't do it without you!

Tuesday, September 16, 6pm An Evening of Self Compassion with Carolyn McCarthy

Join local mindfulness and self compassionteacher Carolyn McCarthy for an exploration of mindfulness practices that promote self-compassion. Interested in learning to be kinder to yourself when you're suffering? Wish you had better tools for handling difficult emotions? Want to be able to motivate yourself with encouragement rather than criticism and start to leave that harsh inner-critical voice behind? Start here! Take this 1-hour journey to becoming a friend to yourself. We will explore how mindful self-compassion practices open the door to a supportive and kind relationship with ourselves, reducing stress and enhancing well being. You'll leave with a handout and a tool kit of simple practices to use at work and home.

Find additional events and registration information on our

EVENTS CALENDAR at villagebooks.com

Want a signed edition of the book but can’t make it to the reading? Order through our website or over the phone and write your request for a signature or personalization in the comments field at checkout. Please call if you’re placing your order within 24 hours of the event.

You Receiving the

Let us come to you with the scoop! Every week, Village Books sends out an email newsletter packed full of store and book information including upcoming Literature Live events, sale dates, new releases, and special promotions. Twice each week, we also provide Shelf Awareness for Readers book reviews.

In addition, we also offer monthly newsletters for specific interests including one geared towards book groups, another full of information for educators & librarians, one for college students, one all about our new gift items and another that shares the latest opportunities for writers. Find a link to register to receive the newsletters of your choice at villagebooks.com!

Explore the World of VILLAGE BOOKS PAPER DREAMS

Created to reward customers as they make new discoveries at the store, our 32-page, whimsical passport includes a range of experiences that passport holders will complete to earn prizes, including T-shirts, special discounts, journals, candy, treats, books, games, and more.

Upon completion of the passport, you’ll be inducted into the exclusive League of Extraordinary Readers. Honors can include a year supply of fudge, a behind-the scenes party at the bookstore, a chance to win a variety of other prizes, and a guest appearance on The Chuckanut Radio Hour.

Thanks for supporting local

Make Discoveries • Complete Tasks

Earn Prizes & Discounts!

BOOK GROUPS

VB Reads...

Armchair Historians

Let's chat, discuss, and dissect the most current and interesting history being written. We meet in the Readings Gallery at Village Books in Fairhaven the third Monday of the month at 6pm.

• June 16 –American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy's Forgotten Crisis by Adam Hochschild

• July 21 – Devil in the Grove : Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King

• August 18 –Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant

Village Books both hosts and co-sponsors a variety of lively book groups and YOU are invited to join in! All are welcome.

Find additional information under the Readers' Corner tab at villagebooks.com. Book groups are free to attend with no registration required.*

Join Sittrea in the Readings Gallery on the second Wednesday of the month at 1pm for a lively early afternoon book chat. Everyone welcome.

• June 11 – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

• July 9 –The Fury by Alex Michaelides

• August 13 – Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See

Reads...

Lynden Front Streeters

Unless otherwise noted, authors do not attend our book groups.

• June 18, 7pm at Village Books in Lynden

– Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

See page 36 for more additional meeting information.

Attendees recieve 15% off book group selections

Forest Talks & Forest Walks Book Group

Join a new kind of book club—where stories spark action, ideas grow into movements, and our love for forests brings us together. Brought to you by Forest Talks & Forest Walks—a collaboration between RE Sources, the Center for Responsible Forestry, The Legacy Forest Defense Coalition, and the Whatcom Million Tree Project, and Village Books—this group offers a variety of meeting options including virtual discussions, forest walks, and even an in-store event with the author of the fall discussion title:

Saturday, September 13, 2pm at Village Books in Fairhaven for PAUL KOBERSTEIN

– Canopy of Titans

*For details and registration, see villagebooks.com

VB Reads...Motherhood by the Book

Join in on an hour of spirited discussion of books that celebrate the trials, tribulations, and rewards of motherhood—both fiction & non-fiction. This group meets on the second Sunday of most months at 2pm in the writer's corner on the mezzanine level of Village Books in Fairhaven. Go to villagebooks.com upcoming reads & dates!

Bellingham Symphony Orchestra Book Group

Pairing Concerts and Literature!

The Bellingham Symphony Orchestra's Book Club is a great way to connect with music in a new and fun way! We read and discuss titles that touch on specific themes related to the different BSO programs and performances. The new season starts in the fall so watch villagebooks. com for upcoming reading selections and discussion meeting times!