Reading Lists

Established as a general holiday in 2021, Juneteenth marks the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans on June 19, 1865, following the end of the Civil War. Celebrate this milestone in America's history by exploring book recommendations, films, and other resources that highlight the history of Black...

Pride Month in June commemorates the Stonewall riots in New York's Greenwich Village, which ignited the gay rights movement in the United States in 1969. The Library offers a collection of book recommendations, events, films, and other resources that celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices and experiences. &n...

Dig into this year's Summer Reading Program with a bounty of HOMEGROWN STORIES that celebrate regional roots and cultivate the seeds of learning. We're commemorating Missouri’s Bicentennial with a crop of book picks that highlight Show-Me State storytelling in many for...

The Library's Director of Branch Operations Cindy Hohl joined U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo in an online conversation April 27, 2021, as part of PBS Books’ Trailblazing American Women Writers series. Harjo is serving her second term as the first Native American poet to...

Passionate about pentameter? Really into rhyme and rhythm? Are you a stanza stan?  The Library can help you get well-versed during National Poetry Month with a collection of reading recommendations, special online events, book discussions, and more!  

What makes a good book, one worth checking out? Many of you count on our librarians for guidance.  Rest assured. They know, firsthand.  During a recent intra-Library reading challenge highlighting children’s and young-adult titles, staff read nearly a quarter of a million pages – 242,218 – in January...

For too long, and in particular since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed acts of senseless, shameless violence against our nation’s Asian and Asian American community. The Library calls on everyone in our city, state, and country to join us in saying: Enough! And to act in ways large and small to tu...

During Women's History Month, we commemorate the lives and achievements of trailblazers throughout history and share experiences of today's changemakers. Check out lists of recommended books and browse the collection of films available through the Library's free streaming services.   

Are you ready for some book-themed Super Bowl fun? Or perhaps it is some Super Bowl-themed book fun. Either way, the Kansas City Public Library has you covered with pun-filled social media posts, Coach Read’s Shelf Help, and enormous, Chiefs-themed video screens visible from outside our Plaza location.  ...

From classic literature to contemporary cinema, the Library offers a number of ways to discover stories celebrating the African American experience. As we commemorate Black History Month, check out a selection of recommended books and browse the collection of films available through the Library's free...