Multnomah County Library

In 2023–2024, Oregon libraries and schools saw a record number of requests to ban books. The top three most-challenged book had LGBTQ+ themes. Book bans are rising! Here's what you can do:
multcolib.org/articles/book-bans-are-rising-heres-what-you-can-do #booksky

Another beautiful fall day in Portland and Multnomah County. When the world asks you to step aside, these titles show you how to stand up 💚 Care for your community and care for yourself in times like these. #booksky

multcolib.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/114633184/2863867217

Yo en el mapa — Multnomah County Library Yo en el mapa — Sweeney, Joan, 1930-2017, — "¿En que parte de la tierra estas? ¡Toma un mapa y descúbrelo! Esta lúdica introducción a los mapas te muestra lo fácil que es encontrar en dónde vives y el...

And if you're looking for "Books to teach about maps for bilingual Spanish/English teens" try Yo en el mapa by Joan Sweeney. #AskALibrarian

The Only Good Indians — Multnomah County Library The Only Good Indians — Jones, Stephen Graham, 1972- — "Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men...

Want "The scariest horror novel you've got"? Try The Only Good Indians by @sgj.bsky.social. #AskALibrarian

How Babies Talk — Multnomah County Library How Babies Talk — Golinkoff, Roberta M. — Explains how babies recognize words and structure sentences during their first three years of life, and provides tips for parents on using everyday interactio...

Our patron requesting "A book about how speech develops in the early years!" might enjoy How Babies Talk by Roberta M. Golinkoff. #AskALibrarian

The Cruelest Miles — Multnomah County Library The Cruelest Miles — Salisbury, Gay, — The story of the 1925 Nome, Alaska, diphtheria epidemic describes the plight of the patients, with a blizzard imminent and the much-needed serum seven hundred mi...

If you want "Books about Balto for adults🐶" check out The Cruelest Miles by Laney Salisbury. #AskALibrarian

Sheepfarmer's Daughter — Multnomah County Library Sheepfarmer's Daughter — Moon, Elizabeth — Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter may be the daughter of a humble sheep farmer in the far north end of the kingdom, but she dreams of so much more. After refusing ...

Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon might be a great fit if you're looking for "Song of the Lioness for grown ups, more of a quest/adventure than politics 🗡️" #AskALibrarian

Nothing but Blackened Teeth — Multnomah County Library Nothing but Blackened Teeth — Khaw, Cassandra, — "Cassandra Khaw's Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a gorgeously creepy haunted house tale, steeped in Japanese folklore and full of devastating twists. A...

For the spookiest among us looking for "Very scary ghost story for spooky season" try Nothing but Blackened Teeth by @casskhaw.bsky.social. #AskALibrarian

The Snips — Multnomah County Library The Snips — Raúl the Third, 1976- — "Casco, Patty, Letty, Nubes and Flealix the Dog aren't your average heroes--they make up Scissors City's beloved crew of crime-fighting, mystery-solving barbers! Bu...

The patron looking for "Something for my 7yo nephew who loves DogMan" might appreciate The Snips by Raúl The Third. #AskALibrarian

The Death of Jane Lawrence — Multnomah County Library The Death of Jane Lawrence — Starling, Caitlin, — "From the Bram Stoker-nominated author of The Luminous Dead comes a gothic fantasy horror--The Death of Jane Lawrence. "Intense and amazing! It's like...

Want to read something "Creepy spooky a la T. Kingfisher"? Get your chills on by The Death of Jane Lawrence by @caitlinstarling.com. #AskALibrarian

Sinister — Multnomah County Library Sinister — Ten years ago, true crime writer Ellison Oswald made his reputation with a best-selling account of a notorious murder. Now, desperate to replicate the success of his first book, he moves hi...

If you're interested in "The scariest DVD or Blu Ray you have!" try Sinister. 😱 #AskALibrarian

Maeve Fly — Multnomah County Library Maeve Fly — Leede, CJ, — "By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child's favorite ice princess. By the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with...

For our patron looking for "'weird girl' books like the eyes are the best part or mothering" we suggest Maeve Fly by @ceejthemoment.bsky.social. #AskALibrarian

Text reading "Ask a Librarian" with colorful overlapping circles in the background.

It’s October, and you know what that means — more book recs from your friendly neighborhood library! Ask us what to read and we’ll send over a librarian’s suggestion just for you tomorrow between 9 and 10 am. Join us every Thursday for #AskALibrarian! 📚

SUCH a joy to recommend! 💚

Feminist City — Multnomah County Library Feminist City — Kern, Leslie, 1975- — Feminist City is an ongoing experiment in living differently, living better, and living more justly in an urban world. We live in the city of men. Our public spac...

Want to read about "Matriarchal solutions for public policy, urban planning, and community development"? Try Feminist City by Leslie Kern. #AskALibrarian

Unicorns Are the Worst! — Multnomah County Library Unicorns Are the Worst! — Willan, Alex, — A grumpy goblin hates having unicorns as neighbors, but when dragons threaten his home and the unicorns come to the rescue, he has to admit that maybe unicorn...

We suggest Unicorns Are the Worst! by Alex Willan if you're looking for "Lesser known banned books." #AskALibrarian

Howl's Moving Castle — Multnomah County Library Howl's Moving Castle — Jones, Diana Wynne, — The eldest of three sisters, in a land where it is considered to be a misfortune, Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch tur...

For our patron requesting a "fantasy series with no s/a" we suggest Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. #AskALibrarian

The Forbidden Territory of a Terrifying Woman — Multnomah County Library The Forbidden Territory of a Terrifying Woman — Lynch, Molly, — "Ada--a woman from Montreal living reluctantly in Michigan--vanishes from her bed one night while her husband Danny is asleep beside her...

Try The Forbidden Territory of a Terrifying Woman by Molly Lynch if you're looking for "A book like When women were dragons for someone who doesn't normally read fantasy." #AskALibrarian

The Murmur of Bees — Multnomah County Library The Murmur of Bees — Segovia, Sofía, — "From the day that old Nana Reja found a baby abandoned under a bridge, the life of a small Mexican town forever changed. Disfigured and covered in a blanket of ...

Check out The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia if you're looking for "Mexican history by Mexican authors and historical Mexican fiction." #AskALibrarian

Building Portland — Multnomah County Library Building Portland — Graf, Victor, 1949- — "General history, original photographs, graphics and guide related to selected historically-architecturally notable existing buildings in the one square mile ...

If you're interested in "Portland architectural history💖" check out Building Portland by Victor Graf. #AskALibrarian

You're Not the Problem — Multnomah County Library You're Not the Problem — Villiers, Helen, — "Many emotionally abusive behaviors from parent to child have become socially acceptable because of the way we repeat things our parents said and did, thing...

Read You're Not the Problem by Helen Villiers if you're looking for "Books about growing up with a Narcissistic parent." #AskALibrarian

House of Hunger — Multnomah County Library House of Hunger — Henderson, Alexis, — "WANTED: Bloodmaid of exceptional taste. Must have a keen proclivity for life's finer pleasures. Girls of weak will need not apply. A young woman is drawn into t...

In the mood for "Queer vampires with fall vibes🍁"? Explore the House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson. #AskALibrarian

Check, Please! Book 2, Sticks & Scones — Multnomah County Library Check, Please! Book 2, Sticks & Scones — Ukazu, Ngozi, — "Eric Bittle is heading into his junior year at Samwell University, and not only does he have new teammates -- he has a brand new boyfriend! Bi...

If you're longing for "College LDR, but one where they met later in college, not as HS seniors that got separated" we suggest Check Please Book 2 by Ngozi Ukazu. #AskALibrarian

Sourdough — Multnomah County Library Sourdough — Sloan, Robin, 1979- — "A new novel about an underground food community by the author of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore" --<br/>In his much-anticipated new novel, Robin Sloan does for the...

Want to read "Speculation fiction set in the Bay Area"? Try Sourdough by Robin Sloan. #AskALibrarian

For our patron requesting a "Book series for a 9 year old boy who enjoys diary of a wimpy kid, the big Nate series etc." we suggest Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr. #AskALibrarian

Robot salvaje — Multnomah County Library Robot salvaje — Brown, Peter, 1979- — Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there, and her only hope of survival is to tr...

For our patron who requested "Beginner-to-intermediate Spanish language audiobook for an adult! Fiction preferred." we suggest Robot salvaje by Peter Brown. #AskALibrarian

Devil House — Multnomah County Library Devil House — Darnielle, John, — "Gage Chandler is descended from kings. That's what his mother always told him when he was a child. Years later, he is a true crime writer, with one grisly success -- ...

If you want "a book like The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward," get haunted by Devil House by John Darnielle. #AskALibrarian

She Is a Haunting — Multnomah County Library She Is a Haunting — Tran, Trang Thanh, — Seventeen-year-old bisexual Jade Nguyen is spending the summer in Vietnam at the French colonial house her estranged father is fixing up as a vacation rental, ...

She Is a Haunting by @nvtran.bsky.social could be right for you if you're hoping for "a book like We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer!" #AskALibrarian

Horrorstör — Multnomah County Library Horrorstör — Hendrix, Grady, — Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans ...

If you're looking for "horror/spooky books for beginners to the genre :)" try Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix. #AskALibrarian

The Calculating Stars — Multnomah County Library The Calculating Stars — Kowal, Mary Robinette, 1969- — "Pilot, physicist, wife. On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to Earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United Stat...

Want "Something written by a femme that husband and I can read together - action/space travel"? Try The Calculating Stars by @maryrobinettekowal.com. #AskALibrarian