Registration now closed

Conversation with Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures

One Book, One Community Finale

Celebrate the finale of Geneva's One Book, One Community program with author Shelby Van Pelt. Learn about her writing process, characters, and more!

Geneva's second annual One Book, One Community event concludes with a dynamic presentation from best-selling author Shelby Van Pelt. Remarkably Bright Creatures is her debut novel and was selected as a Today Show “Read with Jenna” pick in 2022. Local to the Chicago Western suburbs, Shelby has written a heartwarming tale of friendship and new beginnings. 

This event is made possible with generous sponsorship by the Geneva Library Foundation. You can find more information here: https://www.genevalibraryfoundation.org/.   

Visit the Library to pick up a copy of our One Book, One Community book selection.  Copies will be available as giveaways and available for checkout starting in February 2023.  Giveaway copies are made possible by a generous donation from the Friends of the Geneva Public Library, and are available while supplies last. Find out more about the Friends of the Library here: https://gpld.org/friends-of-geneva-public-library-8641.  

One Book, One Community is an annual community-wide reading event sponsored by Geneva Public Library and is dedicated to creating a shared conversation along through a range of related events and activities for residents of all ages. 

Reviews for Remarkably Bright Creatures: 

“Shelby Van Pelt has done the impossible. She’s created a perfect story with imperfect characters, that is so heartwarming, so mysterious, and so completely absorbing, you won’t be able to put it down because when you’re not reading this book you’ll be hugging it.”
— Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

“Remarkably Bright Creatures is the rarest of feats: a book that manages to be wry and wise, charming and surprising, and features one of the most intriguing and satisfying characters I’ve encountered in fiction in a very long time—Marcellus the Octopus. I don’t know how Shelby Van Pelt managed to make this uncommon tale sing so beautifully, but sing it does, and I defy you to put it down once you’ve started.”
— Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, author of Good Company and The Nest

“Truly original and touching, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a story of family, community, and optimism in spite of darkness. Prepare to fall in love with a most exceptional octopus.”
— Helen Hoang, author of The Heart Principle

Upcoming events