Join us to celebrate the release of Sarah J. Maas’ latest book! Partake in activities and crafts inspired by the romantic fantasy realms of mortals and fae. Dress as fae to be entered into a raffle to win a copy of the novel.
Romance bookstore Periwinkle & Prose will be on-site selling copies of Maas' newest release and other romantasy favorites.
Books & Authors
Join the Middletown Library for an afternoon of spooky-themed activities just for adults!
Enjoy a vendor-style event of activities including a horror genre book swap, tarot card making, and our annual family costume swap.
During the event, we will have two terrifying presentations to get us into the Halloween spirit:
2 p.m. - Paranormal 101: Explore unexplained phenomena & the supernatural with Chesapeake Paranormal, a dedicated team of investigators driven by a passion, in uncovering the unknown and exploring the mysteries that lie beyond the ordinary. Founded on curiosity, respect, and a commitment to evidence-based research, the team works to document and understand paranormal activity while supporting those who seek answers.
3 p.m. - Houseplants with Ceme-terrarium Make and Take: Learn about keeping and maintaining houseplants for better wellbeing with the Master Gardeners of Frederick County. After the presentation, attendees are welcomed to make their own spooky cemetery terrarium to take home. Activity available while supplies last.
Calling all mystery lovers! Join us at the Thurmont Library for a special evening with the authors and publishers of Level Best Books, featuring an exciting panel discussion, author Q&A, book sales, and signing opportunities.
Meet an exceptional group of mystery writers and publishing professionals:
Shawn Reilly Simmons — Level Best Books Publisher & Managing Director and Maryland author
Justin Kiska — Maryland author
Judy L. Murray — Maryland author
T. J. O'Connor — Virginia author from Winchester
Shelly Dickson Carr — Internationally recognized mystery author, Level Best Books publisher, and granddaughter of legendary mystery writer John Dickson Carr
Our panelists will take you behind the scenes of the mystery world, sharing stories about their writing journeys, inspirations, characters, publishing, and the art of creating the twists and turns that keep readers turning pages.
Bring your questions! The evening will include an audience Q&A, giving you the opportunity to ask these talented authors what you've always wanted to know about writing, publishing, and the world of mystery.
And don't forget your reading list! Books will be available for purchase, and you'll have the opportunity to meet the authors and get your books personally signed.
Whether you're a lifelong mystery fan, an aspiring writer, or simply someone who loves a good whodunit, this is an evening you won't want to miss!
As you can tell by the title, this is not your usual book club! Each month on a Sunday afternoon, experts from Frederick Health Hospice will explore issues surrounding death AND life through a variety of books and other media. And no, you don’t have to read the titles to attend. Just come with an open mind and an interest in learning about how we live and how death affects us all. The discussion this month will involve themes related to Theo of Golden by Levi Allen.
This program is in partnership with Frederick Health Hospice, FCPL, and Curious Iguana.
As you can tell by the title, this is not your usual book club! Each month on a Sunday afternoon, experts from Frederick Health Hospice will explore issues surrounding death AND life through a variety of books and other media. And no, you don’t have to read the titles to attend. Just come with an open mind and an interest in learning about how we live and how death affects us all. The discussion this month will involve themes related to Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo.
This program is in partnership with Frederick Health Hospice, FCPL, and Curious Iguana.
As you can tell by the title, this is not your usual book club! Each month on a Sunday afternoon, experts from Frederick Health Hospice will explore issues surrounding death AND life through a variety of books and other media. And no, you don’t have to read the titles to attend. Just come with an open mind and an interest in learning about how we live and how death affects us all. The discussion this month will involve themes related to Now Departing by Victor M. Sweeney.
This program is in partnership with Frederick Health Hospice, FCPL, and Curious Iguana.
As you can tell by the title, this is not your usual book club! Each month on a Sunday afternoon, experts from Frederick Health Hospice will explore issues surrounding death AND life through a variety of books and other media. And no, you don’t have to read the titles to attend. Just come with an open mind and an interest in learning about how we live and how death affects us all. The discussion this month will involve themes related to Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen.
This program is in partnership with Frederick Health Hospice, FCPL, and Curious Iguana.
As you can tell by the title, this is not your usual book club! Each month on a Sunday afternoon, experts from Frederick Health Hospice will explore issues surrounding death AND life through a variety of books and other media. And no, you don’t have to read the titles to attend. Just come with an open mind and an interest in learning about how we live and how death affects us all. The discussion this month will involve themes related to The Hot Young Widows Club by Nora McInerny.
This program is in partnership with Frederick Health Hospice, FCPL, and Curious Iguana.
As you can tell by the title, this is not your usual book club! Each month on a Sunday afternoon, experts from Frederick Health Hospice will explore issues surrounding death AND life through a variety of books and other media. And no, you don’t have to read the titles to attend. Just come with an open mind and an interest in learning about how we live and how death affects us all. The discussion this month will involve themes related to Build the Life You Want by Arthur C. Books and Oprah Winfrey.
This program is in partnership with Frederick Health Hospice, FCPL, and Curious Iguana.
Everyone has a unique voice and style all their own. In this highly collaborative workshop, we're going to explore how our own personal interpretations can influence the direction of a story. Everyone will begin with the same opening line and then keep running with it until they have the start of a story. At some point, we're going to swap our pages with someone nearby and that person will then continue the story in whatever direction they want. We'll swap a minimum of two times. At the end of the session, we'll have a couple of read alouds and explore how language, tone, and development shifted with each new writer. All materials provided, while supplies last. For Grades 6-12.
The Small Conference room is located on the 2nd floor of the library in Room 302.
Join us for a special creative writing workshop all about working on your own stories, sharing them with your peers, and gathering feedback! All materials provided, while supplies last. For Grades 6-12.
The Small Conference room is located on the 2nd floor of the library in Room 302.
All magic comes with a price. Spells can turn against you. Be careful what you wish for. How do we as writers determine how magic might work in our stories? What does the word 'magic' mean to you? Enjoy the spooky season by creating your own magical system and deciding for yourself what price your characters might have to pay.
The Small Conference Room is located on the second floor of the library in room 302.
Curious Iguana is excite to host author Alma Katsu on Wednesday, October 14 from 6:00-7:00 pm.
Drawing on her background as a former tech futurist for the intelligence community, Alma will be presenting about her latest fiction novel, Incarnate, to discuss the dangers of technology, deep fakes, and the wide-spread impact of social media on our society today. Following her presentation, Alma will answer questions and sign books. Copies of Incarnate will be available for purchase at the event.
This event is free and open to the public. We are proud to partner with Frederick County Public Libraries for this event.
For accessibility requests, email events@curiousiguana.com at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.
About the book: From beloved horror maven Alma Katsu comes a terrifying reimagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray for the internet age.
Beauty doesn’t fade. It feeds.
Dorothy Wagner has spent her whole life wanting nothing more than to be seen. But after failing to make her mark as an influencer, she takes a job working for a brilliant coder whose company is focused on cutting-edge deepfake technology. And there, in secret, is where she creates her salvation.
Isabella. An impossibly gorgeous girl who takes social media by storm. Dorothy's artistry is brilliant, and Isabella seems so real that she garners millions of followers. But everybody knows overnight success doesn’t just happen. And when someone gets a little too close to the truth, a violent confrontation sends Dorothy on the run, forcing her to confront what she’s willing to sacrifice to keep her secrets.
A modern reimagining of a classic tale, Alma Katsu’s Incarnate is an illuminating, haunting tale of algorithmic worship and beauty that can kill.
About the author: Alma Katsu is the award-winning author of ten novels, the most recent of which is Incarnate. She is best known for The Hunger, a reimagining of the story of the Donner Party, which was named by NPR as one of the 100 most loved horror stories and won the Western Heritage Award for best novel. Her story The Wehrwolf won the 2019 Stoker award for long fiction. She also writes spy thrillers, drawing on her career in intelligence, including Red Widow (nominated for the Thriller Writers award for best novel), and The Invisible Enemy, coming spring 2027. She has numerous works being developed for television, including Black Vault which is in pre-production with AMC Studios. She has a masters degree in fiction from the Johns Hopkins Writing Program and has been a contributing reviewer for the Washington Post.
Join Curious Iguana for an evening with Huda Al-Marashi as she talks about her new book Hail Mariam.
Starting middle is challenging enough, but when young Muslim Mariam’s sister is diagnosed with a serious lung condition, Mariam wonders if she’ll have to tackle her concerns about playing Mother Mary in a Christian play on her own. Huda will be in-conversation with fellow middle-grade author Hena Khan. Following their conversation, Huda will answer questions and sign books. Copies of Hail Mariam will be available for purchase at the event.
About the author: Huda Al-Marashi writes for both children and adults. She is the author of the middle grade novel Hail Mariam and a co-author of the Walter Dean Myers Honors award-winning novel Grounded. In addition to her memoir First Comes Marriage: My Not-So-Typical American Love Story, she has contributed essays and op-eds to various anthologies and news outlets, such as the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, and al Jazeera. She is a fellow and mentor with the Muslim Storytellers Program at Boyds Mill, formerly known as the Highlights Foundation, and she lives in San Diego, California.
About the moderator: Hena Khan has been publishing books for children for over two decades. She writes award-winning picture books, middle grade fiction, pick-your-path adventures, and graphic novels. Her stories are often centered around her culture, community, friendship, and family. Hena’s bestselling novels include Amina’s Voice and More to the Story. She is also the author of the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, Zara’s Rules, and Super You! series. Hena’s picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns and Under My Hijab, and We Are Big Time is her first graphic novel. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland.
Calling all our young dreamers! Curious Iguana is excited to welcome bestselling author Shannon Hale and illustrator Marcela Cespedes on Tuesday, September 15 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Shannon and Mace will be discussing her latest middle-grade graphic novel Dream Big, the sequel to Dream On. The story focuses on Cassie, who’s been cast as an extra in a scary movie being filmed in her neighborhood; will she overcome her fears to nail her role and achieve her dream? Following her talk, Shannon will answer questions and sign books. Copies of Dream Big will be available for purchase at the event.
This free, public event is presented in partnership with Frederick County Public Libraries. For accessibility requests, email info@curiousiguana.com at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.
About the book: A movie is being filmed right in Cassie's neighborhood! Is this her chance to be a star? Dreams come true when she and her best friend Vali get hired as extras. Plus, she'll get paid, which will help her parents with their money troubles. But when Vali drops out of the movie, Cassie is stuck with the mean kid actors. Even worse, it turns out she's in a horror movie, and the monster in it scares her. Will she get called a "baby" or "scaredy-cat"? Can Cassie make it through the movie without her fears driving her away?
Join Cassie as she finds the courage to face her fears and dream big!
With bright and charming illustrations by Marcela Cespedes, Dream Big is a joyful story filled with imagination, fun dreams, and wonder. This book is perfect for readers who want to enjoy a gentle and accessible friendship story, as well as anyone looking for SEL themes about empathy, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.
About the author: Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of fifty books for preschoolers, kids, teens, and adults, including multiple award winners The Goose Girl, Book of a Thousand Days, and Newbery Honor recipient Princess Academy. One of her novels for the adult crowd, Austenland, was made into movie starring Keri Russell and Jennifer Coolidge. With LeUyen Pham, she created her best-selling graphic novel memoirs Real Friends, Best Friends, and Friends Forever, and the Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn picture books. She co-writes books with her husband Dean Hale, like the Eisner-nominated graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge (with Nathan Hale), books for DC Comics about young Wonder Woman (with Victoria Ying), and best-selling chapter book series The Princess in Black (with LeUyen Pham). She lives in Utah with their four children and two ridiculous cats.
About the illustrator: Marcela Cespedes, or Mace, as her friends call her, began stapling together sheets of paper to draw stories on them, from a very early age. Growing up, her love for comics never ceased to exist even when reading on road trips with her family would make her carsick. Her degree in Graphic Design and a subsequent Masters in Illustration have taken her to work in many creative industries such as advertising, animation, film, and most recently, publishing, where she finally brought together all her professional experiences with her love for books and graphic novels. Originally from Cali, Colombia, she currently resides between California and Wellington, New Zealand, getting the best of both hemispheres. marcelacespedes.com
Join us for a fun evening with bestselling author Susan Coll on Tuesday, September 29 from 6:00-7:00 pm to celebrate her latest release, Word Salad! The story follows Matilda as she returns home to D.C. to care for her ailing mother, takes on a new job at a local bookstore, and finds herself in the middle of a surprising turn of bookish events. Susan will be in-conversation with Holly Smith, editor-in-chief of the Washington Independent Review of Books. Following the discussion, Susan will answer questions and sign books. Copies of Word Salad will be available for purchase at the event.
Mary Roach is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including STIFF: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, GULP: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, PACKING FOR MARS: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, FUZZ: When Nature Breaks the Law and her newest book Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy.
Mary Roach will appear on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m. at the Weinberg Center for the Arts. A book signing will follow the event in the lobby of the Weinberg.
This event is open to the public. Tickets are free but required, and can be obtained beginning Thursday, Aug. 20 at 10 a.m. at weinbergcenter.org, or by phone at 301-600-2828. This program is supported by The C. Burr Artz Trust and the Ausherman Family Foundation.
The Friends of the Urbana Regional Library are excited to host their Fall Book Sale! Stock up on gently used books and DVDs at unbeatable prices. Most books are $1 or less and DVDs are 10 for $5.
FURL Members can shop early Saturday at 9 a.m. Visit https://www.urbanafriends.com/ for information on how to join.
The Friends of the Urbana Regional Library are excited to host their Fall Book Sale! Stock up on gently used books and DVDs at unbeatable prices. Most books are $1 or less and DVDs are 10 for $5.
Visit https://www.urbanafriends.com/ for more information.
Our Summer Reading celebration continues with another special storytime at Rocky Point Creamery. A series of select “farmyard & fairytale” stories will be read by FCPL Edward F. Fry Memorial staff along with special guest reader Emily Snyder of Rocky Point Creamery. Optional farm tours will be available after the readings. All ages welcome.
Celebrate Summer Challenge with us at Rocky Point Creamery for a special reading by Chuck Fry and his wife Emily Snyder from the book “Tales of The Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish.” The main character of this book was inspired by Rocky Point Creamery’s true-life local dairy farmer Chuck himself! Chuck will be available for Q&A after the reading, followed by optional farm tours! All ages welcome. Rocky Point Creamery is located at 4323a Tuscarora Rd, Tuscarora, MD 21790.
The Friends of the Thurmont Regional Library's Annual Fall Book Sale will take place on Friday, September 11 through Sunday, September 13 at the Thurmont and Emmitsburg Community Show. Come pick up a cozy read for the autumn months that will be here before you know it!
The Community Show takes place at Catoctin High School, 14745 Sabillasville Rd Thurmont MD 21788. The book sale will be held in the auxiliary gym.
Hours and more information can be found by visiting Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show – Bringing Our Communities Together Since 1957.
The Friends of the Thurmont Regional Library's Annual Fall Book Sale will take place on Friday, September 11 through Sunday, September 13 at the Thurmont and Emmitsburg Community Show. Come pick up a cozy read for the autumn months that will be here before you know it!
The Community Show takes place at Catoctin High School, 14745 Sabillasville Rd Thurmont MD 21788. The book sale will be held in the auxiliary gym.
Hours and more information can be found by visiting Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show – Bringing Our Communities Together Since 1957.
The Friends of the Thurmont Regional Library's Annual Fall Book Sale will take place on Friday, September 11 through Sunday, September 13 at the Thurmont and Emmitsburg Community Show. Come pick up a cozy read for the autumn months that will be here before you know it!
The Community Show takes place at Catoctin High School, 14745 Sabillasville Rd Thurmont MD 21788. The book sale will be held in the auxiliary gym.
Hours and more information can be found by visiting Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show – Bringing Our Communities Together Since 1957.
Make a library card! Check out books! Grab limited edition library swag!
Pop Up held at the Emmitsburg Senior Center 300 South Seton Ave Emmitsburg, MD
Make a library card! Check out books! Grab limited edition library swag!
Pop Up held at the Emmitsburg Senior Center 300 South Seton Ave Emmitsburg, MD
Make a library card! Check out books! Grab limited edition library swag!
Pop Up held at the Emmitsburg Senior Center 300 South Seton Ave Emmitsburg, MD
Make a library card!
Check out books!
Grab limited edition library swag!
Step inside the pages of some of the world's best stories! In this hands-on program, we will read an award-winning picture book together and use it as inspiration for fun STEAM activities. For ages 6-10.
October Book: Every Dog in the Neighborhood by Philip C. Stead
Step inside the pages of some of the world's best stories! In this hands-on program, we will read an award-winning picture book together and use it as inspiration for fun STEAM activities. For ages 6-10.
November Book: Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller by Breanna J. McDaniel
Step inside the pages of some of the world's best stories! In this hands-on program, we will read an award-winning picture book together and use it as inspiration for fun STEAM activities. For ages 6-10.
September Book: Stranded: A Mostly True Story from Iceland by Ævar Þór Benediktsson
Meet Jill Constantino—writer, college coach, former Harvard writing teacher and dean—as she shares insight from The People’s Guide to College Applications, a compassionate, practical roadmap for students and families navigating the application process. Drawing on her wide-ranging life experiences and years of supporting students, Constantino offers guidance on authentic essay writing, staying organized, and approaching college conversations with confidence.
Curious Iguana Bookstore will be on site selling copies of the book.
Participants are welcome and encouraged to bring writing materials to this session to begin essay work.
Inspired Prompt for the 2026 One Maryland One Book: No Sense in Wishing. In this workshop, we're going to discuss the importance of identity and how that influences what we write. How do we bring our full selves to our stories? What personal story, memory, or achievement has influenced the way we think about ourselves or the world? We will write a creative essay where we center ourselves as the main character. Anyone who wants to participate can share at the end of the session. All materials provided, while supplies last. For Grades 6-12.
Workshop part of the One Maryland One Book (OMOB) theme: What We Collect, What We Tell. For more details, visit mdhumanities.org