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One Book, One Community is an annual community-wide reading event sponsored by Geneva Public Library and dedicated to creating a shared conversation through a range of related events and activities for residents of all ages. This event is made possible with generous sponsorships by the Friends of Geneva Public Library and the Geneva Library Foundation.

This YEAR's Selection

Remarkably Bright Creatures

by Shelby Van Pelt

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in the Puget Sound over 30 years ago.

As she works, Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine, but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight tentacles for his human captors—until he forms an unlikely friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. As his affection for Tova grows, Marcellus must use every trick his old, invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

Charming, compulsively readable, and full of wit, Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a beautiful exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope–a reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate

Winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal and a #1 New York Times bestseller, this stirring and unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendship. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated novel is told from the point of view of Ivan himself.

In this timeless story, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create a tale of friendship, art, and hope.

Get a Copy

Visit the Library to pick up a copy of our One Book, One Community book selection! Copies will be available as giveaways and for checkout in February 2023. Giveaway copies are made possible by a generous donation from the Friends of the Geneva Public Library. One book per person is available while supplies last.