Book Nook: Summer reading, author talks and reptiles — oh my!
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 8, 2026
July is Disability Pride Month
According to the Center for People with Disabilities, every July, “Disability Pride Month invites us to celebrate a powerful truth: people with disabilities may have different abilities, and that is something to honor and celebrate.
“It’s no coincidence that this celebration happens in July, the month we commemorate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On July 26, 1990, this landmark piece of civil rights legislation changed the legal landscape for accessibility and inclusion in the U.S.”
The staff Timberland Regional Library [TRL] has curated booklists for adults, teens and kids. Visit the TRL website at https://trl.org/ to learn more.
Help Elma restock its tiny library
Elma’s tiny sharing library is running low on books for the youngest of readers. They are looking for donations of gently used or new children’s books. If you have any books that your family has outgrown, please consider sharing them with young readers. You can drop off the donations at Elma City Hall during regular business hours.
Ocean Shores Public Library’s 2026 Local Author Fair date set
The Ocean Shores Public Library [OSPL] Local Authors Fair is set for Saturday, Oct. 3.
The OSPL is calling all local authors to apply for an opportunity to showcase their work. At the Author Fair, writers will have the opportunity to sign and sell their books at a shared table, introduce themselves and their work to local readers, and network with other writers in the community.
Spots are limited so apply early. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Aug. 3.
Visit the OSPL website to find out how to apply: https://www.oslibrary.info/programs/local-authors-fair.html
As It Was in Grandma’s Time back in print
With permission from the Kestner Family Descendants, the Lake Quinault Museum has reprinted March [Dickey] Morris’s recollections of growing up on/near the Kestner Homestead with Grandma Josephine and Grandpa Anton Kestner.
Funny, informative, and evocative of another time, As It Was in Grandma’s Time is an engaging read for locals and visitors alike. Grab a copy from the museum and take it over to the Homestead for an immersive reading experience.
Timberland Regional Library Summer Library Program in full swing
Timberland Regional Library’s Summer Library Program runs until Aug. 31 and is open to all ages — from babies to adults and everyone in between. Discover new books, movies, and more, and come enjoy exciting free events happening across all TRL. Stop by your local Timberland Library to sign up for the Summer Library Program. Learn more: https://trl.org/blogs/post/slp-2026/
Ocean Shores Public Library Summer Reading programs
Children
Magician Jeff Evans — Thursday, July 9, 2 to 3 p.m.
Hands on Children’s Museum — Thursday, July 16, noon to 2 p.m.
Teen
Video Game Tournament — Friday, July 10 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Adult
Plant A Seed, Read! For every 100 pages that you read, black out a book on the tree. Attend any library program or bring in two non-perishable food bank donations to black out a root. Receive an entry into the end of summer drawing for every five books or every two roots that you black out. Finish the entire tree to get a special entry.
Aberdeen Library in the Parks rolls on
The Aberdeen Timberland Library has partnered with the Aberdeen School District, Aberdeen Parks and Recreation and the Grays Harbor YMCA for its 2026 Library in the Parks Program. Programming, including crafts, outdoor activities, books and more, takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesdays: Peterson Playfield
Wednesdays: Finch Park
Thursdays: North End Playfield
Fridays: Garley Park
UPCOMING AUTHOR EVENTS
Seabrook Beachside author series
Featuring Noah Galuten, author of GRILL TIME!: Why You Should Be Grilling for Better, Healthier, Easier, and More Delicious Meals
Sunday, July 19 at 5 p.m. on the Town Hall Lawn
Chef, writer, and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Noah Galuten brings a fresh, approachable perspective to cooking at home. Based in Los Angeles, his work blends bold flavors, flexible techniques, and real-life practicality, inspired in part by cooking for his young family. His books, including The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook, focus on meals that are satisfying, adaptable, and easy to pull together.
Join Noah Galuten for a relaxed summer evening of burgers, beer, and coastal vibes on the Town Hall lawn. This special gathering brings together great food, easy conversation, and the simple joy of being together by the beach.
Author Talk: Elizabeth Flanders
Saturday, Aug. 1 from 2 to 3 p.m.
Naselle Self-Service Library
Elizabeth Flanders shares her new book, Sam, Maddie, and the Mirror Dragon, about two inspired teens and their quest to discover Mother Earth’s secrets. This story for all ages brings nature alive.
Author Talk: Sue DeMarinis
Thursday, Aug. 13 from 5 to 6 p.m.
Ilwaco Timberland Library
Join author Sue DeMarinis as she discusses her book, The Station Master’s Wife, a historical fiction novel set in the San Francisco Bay area and the Oregon Coast, telling the scandalous tale of a woman of exceptional resourcefulness.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY USED BOOK SALES
Aberdeen
Thursday, July 9 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, July 10 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 16 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, July 17 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Saturday, July 18 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Hoquiam
Thursday, July 9 from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 11 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 16 from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
WRITERS GROUPS
Ocean Shores Public Library
Calling all writers! The Ocean Shores Writers Group’s maiden voyage has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 2 to 3 p.m. This initial meeting will include a discussion of group goals and they’ll leave time for writers to read. Bring a poem or part of an essay and a notebook and pen for a timed writing session.
BOOK GROUPS AND CLUBS
Harbor Books — Hoquiam
Flights of Fantasy Book Club
Monday, July 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Flights of Fantasy is a monthly book club for lovers of Fantasy and Magical Realism. The group meets the second Monday of each month. July’s read will be Confessions of An Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire. Copies available for purchase at Harbor Books (purchase not required for participation).
All-Genre Book Club
Sunday, July 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The All-Genre Book club meets the last Sunday of the month to discuss the book selected by group members the previous month. July’s read is Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarozuk. This book is available for purchase in store (no purchase necessary to participate.)
Ocean Shores Public Library
BYOB [Bring Your Own Book]
Wednesday, July 15, from 5 to 6 p.m.
Share what great books you have been reading with other book lovers and get ideas for your TBR pile.
Book Group
Monday, July 20 from 3 to 4 p.m.
Book Group meets on the 3rd Monday of the month. July’s read is A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler. The Friends of the Library purchase 10 copies of each title that can be checked out for two weeks. Books are kept in the work room, so ask the staff at the circulation desk for a copy.
TRL PageTurners Book Group
Westport — Saturday, July 11 and Saturday, Aug. 1 from 3 to 4 p.m.
TRL Sponsored Offsites
Aberdeen
Birth to Five Storytime: Off Site Event at North End Playfield
Thursdays from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
This library-sponsored event is occurring off-site at North End Playfield, 1509 Young St. in Aberdeen. Participate in stories, music, movement and rhymes that help develop your child’s early literacy skills, followed by an activity or play time. Older siblings are welcome to attend but this program is designed for early learners ages 0-5.
McCleary
McCleary Book Club: Off Site Event at McCleary Museum and Event Center
Tuesday, July 14 from 11 a.m. to noon
This library-sponsored event is occurring off-site at 426 S 3rd St. in McCleary. Join community members and library staff for a monthly book discussion. Copies of each month’s selection are available at the McCleary Library service desk during regularly staffed hours while supplies last.
The Reptile Lady
McCleary Events Center
Tuesday, July 21, from 11 a.m. to noon
North End Playfield in Aberdeen
Thursday, July 23 from 11 a.m. to noon
Snakes, alligators, and lizards! Join us for an interactive program with April Jackson, the Reptile Lady, and learn about having love and respect for reptiles. Get up close and personal with her reptile ambassadors … if you dare! All ages.
STORY TIME
Ocean Shores Public Library Story Time
Saturdays from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Timberland Regional Library Family Storytime
Aberdeen and Montesano — Thursdays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Elma — Fridays 10 to 11 a.m.
Westport — Wednesdays 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
McCleary — Wednesdays 11 a.m. to noon
Hoquiam — Fridays 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Raymond Book Babies — Wednesdays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
OLYMPIA LITERARY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Barnes & Noble
Author Event: Jim Boland — Saturday, July 11 at noon
Storytime every Saturday at 11 a.m. featuring a different picture book each week.
Browsers Bookshop
Story Time — first Saturday of each month from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
Singer, artist and author Arrington de Dionyso to discuss his book When the Lion Eats the Dragon: A Fool’s Guide to the Sorcery of Sound, Saturday, July 11 at 4 p.m.
Writer Jason Dove Mark to discuss his book The Earth Said Remember Me: How to Revive Our Memories and Restore the Planet, Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m.
July Browsers Book Club — Thursday, July 16, at 6 p.m. Please purchase the book at Browsers to reserve your spot. This month’s read is The Oyster Diaries by Nancy Lemann.
[Nearly] Silent Writing Club — Sunday, July 19 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Hosted by Star Wuerdemann.
Orca Books Cooperative
Women’s Liberation Book Club — Friday, July 10, at 6 p.m. On Lynching by Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
