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Cozy mysteries to warm your November nights

November is National Native American Heritage Month. To honor indigenous peoples, we have made this list of fiction and nonfiction books written by authors of indigenous heritage. "Own Voices" is a term libraries use to describe books written by people with lived experience in an identity.

Whether you're grateful, thankful, or just plain hungry, check out one of these seasonal picks!

This time of year is all about being thankful for the people, place, and things that make up life's precious moments.

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ICPL Recommends

The bright sword : a novel of King Arthur book cover
The bright sword : a novel of King Arthur book cover

The bright sword : a novel of King Arthur

Lev Grossman

SCIENCE FICTION Grossman Lev
Fantasy, Historical Fiction

"Collum, a brilliantly gifted young knight from the provinces, arrives at Camelot two weeks after the Battle of Camlann, hoping to compete for a spot on the Round Table. But he finds the city empty, King Arthur dead, and the Table destroyed. The remaining six knights aren't the mighty...

I'm a huge fan of Grossman's "Magicians" trilogy, so I was very excited to dive into his new novel. It did not disappoint at all, and it's easily my favorite book of the year. It reimagines Arthurian legend and gives it great emotional heft. It follows the "leftover" knights after Arthur has fallen and fills in their backstories, while bringing a new knight, Collum, into the fold. I highly recommend to readers who enjoy Arthurian legend and those who know nothing about it all. -Brian

Godzilla minus one book cover
Godzilla minus one book cover

Godzilla minus one

DVD MOVIE SF/HORROR Godzillz
Science Fiction

A disgraced kamikaze pilot returns to his obliterated house after witnessing an unbelievable attack on Odo Island. Rebuilding his home and life out of the detritus of the city, he takes in a displaced baby and the woman who found her, creating a family that gives him the courage to bring his...

What works so well about Gozilla Minus One is that the creators understand that you have to care about the human characters in monster movies. They pull it off in spades too with an incredibly affecting story about grief, guilt, and found family. Also, the special effects are amazing, and they're even more impressive when you learn that the team that made it was tiny. -Brian

Hokuloa Road book cover
Hokuloa Road book cover

Hokuloa Road

Elizabeth Hand

MYSTERY Hand Elizabet
Fiction, Mystery

"On a whim, Grady Kendall applies to work as a live-in caretaker for a luxury property in Hawai'i, as far from his small-town Maine life as he can imagine. Within days he's flying out to an estate on remote Hokuloa Road, where he quickly uncovers a dark side to the island's...

Elizabeth Hand consistently writes interesting mysteries that have an uncanny weirdness to them, and in Hokuloa Road you get that plus the beautiful setting of Hawaii, with flora, fauna, customs, and lore. Our protagonist, Grady, is a laid-back good guy who gets the job of a lifetime, but soon finds himself enmeshed in a situation that seems to defy explanation, but requires him to keep sleuthing. There are many likable characters here, as well as a satisfying ending. -Candice

The Tea Dragon Society book cover
The Tea Dragon Society book cover

The Tea Dragon Society

Katie (Cartoonist) O'Neill

jGRAPHIC NOVEL O'Neill
Diverse Characters, Adventure, LGBTQ+, Graphic Novels, Kids

After discovering a lost Tea Dragon in the marketplace, apprentice blacksmith Greta learns about the dying art form of Tea Dragon caretaking from the kind tea shop owners.

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill introduces us to an incredible world filled with miniature dragons that, when loved and cared for properly, produce magical tea leaves. When these tea leaves are brewed and consumed, they have the power to share memories. Check out this trilogy for an incredibly heartwarming universe -- complete with a miniature tea dragon guide that I just adored! -Violette

Umami book cover
Umami book cover

Umami

Jacob Grant

jE Grant
Humor, Kids, Picture Books

"Umami is tired of eating cold fish. But fish is what the penguins eat. Fish for every meal and birthdays too. To find new exciting foods, Umami adventures across the sea and discovers flavors and spices that are inspiring! She has to share them. But will the other penguins share her love for...

Spicy is an adventure! -Casey

The Mesmerist : a novel book cover
The Mesmerist : a novel book cover

The Mesmerist : a novel

Caroline (Caroline Courtney) Woods

FICTION Woods Caroline
Historical Fiction, Suspense

"A tightly plotted page-turner ripped from the headlines of history, as three very different women must work together to stop a killer and save the truest home they've ever known"--

Set in 1894 Minneapolis, the backdrop is a new city, teeming with possibilities--and every vice that comes with that. Abby, a progressive crusader and treasurer of the Bethany House for Unwed Mothers is desperately trying to solicit donations and lobby city leaders to support the work of the respite home. She needs to shore up their reputation as their work might not have the support of the incoming mayoral administration. And then Faith shows up. Newly pregnant, unable to speak, wearing an expensive gown, and looking as if she survived a serious act of violence, Faith is welcomed into the house’s community. But she comes with rumors—rumors of the occult, of magic powers, of mesmerism and she is quickly blamed by the other girls in the house for any small misfortune. Abby wants to help the girl—that is her prerogative and the purpose of the Bethany Home. But she also doesn’t want Faith’s reputation to be a blight on their tenuous stance in Minneapolis. She tasks May, Faith’s roommate to figure out how Faith got to Bethany. The answer is far more human than supernatural. -Anne M

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Sunday Fun days! Handprint Dinos, Nov. 3, 2-4 p.m. Storytime Room. Pastasaurus Skeleton, Nov. 10, 2-4 p.m. Storytime Room. Triceratops Headband, Nov. 17, 2-4 p.m. Storytime Room. Pterodactyl Puppet, Nov. 24, 2-4 p.m. Storytime Room. Iowa City Public Library.
UI Youth Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker Storytime! Saturday, Nov. 23, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Meeting Room A. Iowa City Public Library.
School's Out: Dinosaur Dimensions! Friday, Nov. 22, 1 to 2 p.m. Meeting Room A. Iowa City Public Library.
Book to Art Club: Stegosaurus Day! Tuesday, Nov. 26. 4 to 5 p.m. Storytime Room. Iowa City Public Library.
Free DIY Gift Wrapping! ICPL Digital Media Lab. Nov. 15 - Dec. 31, during open hours. Iowa City Public Library.
Chess Butterflies. Sundays 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. Storytime Room. Iowa City Public Library.
Community Writing Center. Iowa City Public Library. Coralville Public Library. Kirkwood Community College. Iowa.
The Iowa Libraries Adventure Pass Program
Get Making with Creativebug.
Staff Picks Just for you - get recommendations on what to read next
Bookmobile schedule

News

by Sam H November 20, 2024
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by Anne M November 18, 2024
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I had this idea too late last year, so we...
by Heidi K October 12, 2024
As part of Book Festival 2024, Dr. Kirsten Kumpf Baele, Associate...
by Katie October 4, 2024
Join us in the lobby and Meeting Room D on Saturday, October 5th from...
by Elsworth October 3, 2024
Every year at this time, we invite our community to explore the...