Sno-Isle Libraries Launches Annual Community Reading Initiative

Sno-Isle Libraries has kicked off its yearly community reading program, inviting residents across Snohomish and Island counties to explore this year’s featured title: *Remarkably Bright Creatures* by Shelby Van Pelt. The initiative aims to foster dialogue, deepen connections, and celebrate shared experiences through literature.

The novel follows Tova Sullivan, a widow living in the Pacific Northwest, who develops an unexpected bond with a long-serving giant Pacific octopus at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Through this inter-species friendship, Tova reflects on her life, reexamines her role in the community, and pieces together the circumstances surrounding her younger son’s disappearance three decades earlier.

Program offerings include guided book discussions, outdoor and marine-focused events, and a chance to engage directly with the author. Van Pelt, a Washington native, drew on regional landscapes and marine ecology in crafting her acclaimed first novel.

Support for the initiative comes from the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation, enabling free access to the book and related programming for participants.

Readers can choose from multiple formats: physical copies, digital editions, and audiobooks are all available through local branches. The story has also expanded beyond the page, earlier this year, a feature film adaptation premiered on Netflix, featuring Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, and Alfred Molina in leading roles.

Author Appearances Scheduled

Shelby Van Pelt will visit two in-person locations this fall, followed by a virtual session:

  • October 21 at 6 p.m. at Rosehill Community Center in Mukilteo
  • October 22 at 6 p.m. at Oak Harbor Yacht Club
  • October 28 at 6:30 p.m. in a livestreamed event, with registration via sno-isle.org

Sno-Isle Libraries operates 23 branch locations, the Library on Wheels outreach service, and robust digital platforms, serving a population of more than 800,000. Its guiding principles emphasize equitable access to information and active community involvement in shaping library services.