Category Reviews

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Give Yourself The Creeps with Fran Krause’s Comic Collections 

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Yellow cover with a black curved hand reaching up from liquid rings.

by Sharon P-Y

Have you ever worried that you’ll trip and fall and inadvertently bite your tongue off? Or that you’ll sneeze so hard with your eyes open that your eyes will pop right out of your head? Do you ever secretly worry that there could be invisible people in your bathroom?  

In Deep Dark Fears and the follow-up collection The Creeps, cartoonist and illustrator Fran Krause brings some of our greatest — and some of our silliest — fears to life in charming ink and watercolor comics. 

Some might recognize the concept from Krause’s popular web comic “Deep Dark Fears,” which continues to run on his Tumblr and Instagram accounts. Readers, sometimes anonymously, submit their occasionally bizarre and often relatable fears for Krause to illustrate, typically in a classic four-panel comic strip. The result is a delightful mix of the macabre and the comical. 

In one comic, Krause depicts a reader’s secret fear that all of life is a simulation. In another, our protagonist admits to wondering if there are hidden cameras in public automatic-flush toilets that snap clandestine photos of every visitor. Finally, in a surprisingly heart-wrenching turn, a particularly memorable vignette follows the ghost of a dead dog who has returned to their owner, who can’t see them, leaving the ghost pup to wonder why they’re being ignored. (If reading that doesn’t send a chill down your spine and make you go and hug your pet, nothing will.) 

There are also the laugh-out-loud funny fears: being told as a kid that the steam rising from the pork dish you were served for dinner is just the pig’s ghost floating away, or that if you eat candy in bed at night, ants will crawl into your ears while you’re sleeping and build a colony in your head. 

Embrace your fears — and maybe even discover a few new ones — and borrow one of Krause’s collections from the Library today. 

Deep Dark Fears is available in print, as is The Creeps.

Sharon Pruitt-Young is an Instructor and Research Specialist at East Columbia Branch. Aside from books, she is passionate about writing, urban sketching, trees, and art of all kinds. 

A large black bird, a raven, with wings spread takes up the left two thirds of the cover with painted swirls and red highlights. The title appears in the bottoom right corner.

Three Teen Reads that Sent Chills Down My Spine 

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A large black bird, a raven, with wings spread takes up the left two thirds of the cover with painted swirls and red highlights. The title appears in the bottoom right corner.

by Julia M.

Once a year, whether I need it or not, I’ll look for something to read in October that gives me all the spine-tingly creepy feelings that go perfectly with a chilly (possibly ghostly) breeze, a lit candle (maybe the breeze will blow it out in a scary way), and a mug of hot tea (bonus points if the book is so good, the tea gets cold). Here are three of my favorite YA reads from past Octobers to keep you on the edge of your seat, and leave you feeling just a little haunted!

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert 

Alice Prosperpine has lived her life constantly on the run from bad luck—literally. She’s 17 years old and has moved dozens of times due to strange occurrences that seem to chase after Alice and her mother, Ella. They’ve lived in the shadow of Alice’s grandmother, the fabled storyteller Althea Prosperpine, whose crowning work was a book of fairy tales called the Hinterland. After Althea’s death, Alice’s mother is suddenly kidnapped by someone who claims the stories from the Hinterland are true—and that he’s from one of them. It’s up to Alice and her classmate, fairy tale fanatic Ellery Finch, to discover what the Hinterland really is, and save her mother—and Alice—before it’s too late.

A gothic mansion behind wrought-iron gates is mirrored on either side of the centered title and author. The bottom image has a red house but dead vines surrounding it, while the top one ha

Gallant by V. E. Schwab 

With a haunted house that may just have a mind of its own, a family that claims you but whom you’ve never met, and a mysterious warning not to go out after dark, Gallant tells the tale of Olivia, a 16-year-old girl who was raised under strict tutelage at an all-girls orphanage after her mother disappeared. One day, when she is soon to reach adulthood and be free, she receives a letter from an uncle she’s never met, inviting her to come live with her family—whom she’s never heard of—at their estate. When she arrives, things are not exactly as promised, and Olivia will need all her cunning to save her family from a doom that began long before her birth. 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater 

Every year, Blue Sargent, her mother, and her aunts have a chance to see the spirits of those who will die in the next year. When Blue sees the spirit of a boy from the wealthy private school, whom she despises, she wants nothing to do with him—until he and his three friends show up at her family’s door, looking for magical ley lines that will help connect them with the grave of a long-dead king. Blue feels drawn into their quest, and reluctantly begins helping the boys sift through knowledge long left undisturbed in an effort to find the tomb. When they discover old bones in the haunted woods, things turn sinister as they realize they’re not the only ones in search of the king’s tomb…and time is running out before the fated death that set Blue on her own quest.  

Julia is a Teen Instructor & Research Specialist at the Glenwood Branch + Makerspace. She loves reading YA books, playing the cello, practicing martial arts, trying new cookie recipes, and generally trying to squeeze as many hobbies into a day as possible.

An elaborate brick house with railed porches on the second floor and turrets, with a blooming pink cherry tree in the bottom right. The sky appears to have storm clouds piling above, with the title in fine white type.

Our House by Louise Candish

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An elaborate brick house with railed porches on the second floor and turrets, with a blooming pink cherry tree in the bottom right. The sky appears to have storm clouds piling above, with the title in fine white type.

by Angie E.

Louise Candlish is known for her domestic suspense and intricately woven stories. With a keen eye for detail and a talent for exploring the complexities of human relationships, she immerses readers in suspenseful tales that often blur the lines between right and wrong. Her ability to create relatable characters facing moral dilemmas resonates deeply with audiences, drawing them into a world where secrets and betrayals lurk just beneath the surface. Candlish’s skillful storytelling and gift for plot twists have earned her a devoted following, making her a standout voice in contemporary fiction.

Our House, which won the 2019 Crime & Thriller of the Year award at the British Book Awards, blends psychological tension with a fresh narrative construction. Fiona Lawson returns home one day to find strangers moving into her South London house. The shock of discovering that her estranged husband, Bram, has sold their family home without her knowledge sets off a chain of events that spirals into a nightmare.

Candlish stands out in creating a claustrophobic atmosphere, making readers feel the protagonist’s growing sense of helplessness and desperation. The novel delves deep into themes of trust, betrayal, and the fragility of relationships. Fiona’s journey is not just about reclaiming her home but also about uncovering the layers of deceit within her marriage. Our House’s exploration of the concept of “bird’s nest custody,” where parents rotate living in the family home to provide stability for their children, is both innovative and thought-provoking. This arrangement, meant to protect the family, ironically becomes the catalyst for the unraveling of their lives.

While the novel is undeniably suspenseful, it also offers moments of introspection and empathy. Fiona’s character is complex and flawed, making her empathetic and human. Her journey from a seemingly perfect wife and mother to a woman fighting to reclaim her life is both heart-wrenching and empowering. The pacing is perfect, balancing moments of quiet reflection with heart-pounding revelations that leave you gasping. Just when you think you’ve pieced together the truth, the narrative flips, leaving you questioning your own assumptions. Candlish’s ability to weave in social commentary—particularly regarding the implications of social media and the concept of ‘home’—adds an extra layer of depth, prompting readers to consider how well they truly know the people closest to them.

Our House by Louise Candlish is available in print and e-audiobook.

Angie is an Instructor & Research Specialist at Central Branch and is a co-facilitator for Reads of Acceptance, HCLS’ first LGBTQ-focused book club. Her ideal day is reading in her cozy armchair, with her cat Henry next to her.

A deep purple background shows a plant and fountain pen, with the four words of the title interlaced in light yellow.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs

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A deep purple background shows a plant and fountain pen, with the four words of the title interlaced in light yellow.

by Kristen B.

There seems to be a trend these days that recognizes the inherent magic of books. I mean, what’s more magical than a book? A bound set of white paper pages, set with solid black type that absolutely transports you via your imagination. Maybe you’re sleuthing for clues to solve a crime? Maybe you’ve stepped through the back of a wardrobe into a snowy woods? (still waiting for this to happen, honestly) Maybe you’re falling in love with your worst enemy from high school? So many books, so little time!

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs takes the magic of books one step further, giving us spell books and the scribes who write them. It’s an entirely enthralling concept in a debut novel that reads as part family saga and part thriller, with a bit of romance thrown in to keep things fun. The three alternating POV main characters are desperately trying to figure out what’s going on in their world, and I enjoyed putting together the pieces with them.

The book opens with Esther loving her life and falling in love at the scientific station in Antarctica. She moves every year, trying to stay hidden from the people who killed her mother. Only this time, she likes the work and she has a girlfriend, and she’s literally at the far end of the earth. What could go wrong? Then, a new batch of researchers arrives and bad things start to happen, like people disappearing on the ice fields. She notices that mirror magic seems to have found its way into the dormitories. Esther knows about magic but is immune to it. She flees, terrified by an attempt on her life and anonymous notes that reach her through a mirror at the station.

Joanna, Ester’s half sister, lives a completely home-bound life in New England, as compared to Esther’s constant movement. She has an obsessive routine that protects the books her father collected throughout his life, books that led to her parents’ divorce and an almost complete estrangement with her mother. Joanna can perform the spells in their family’s magical library to maintain the protective wards on the estate. Before events get underway, Joanna found her father dead in the front yard, bleeding from one finger into one of the spell books. Her personality and life seem as opposite from Esther’s as possible, but the sisters miss each other terribly.

Nicholas is the poor, little, rich kid that no one feels terribly sorry for – until you do. He seemingly has an enchanted life of parties, limos, bodyguards, and a huge family estate in the English countryside. Nick is one of the last known living Scribes, a person who can write spells. There’s a catch, though – a scribe has to use their own blood as the ink. It turns out that Nick’s guardian and mentor is not (surprise surprise) an entirely ethical person, despite family ties. Uncle Richard has some fairly classic failings. When Nick runs away with his grumpy bodyguard Collins, they meet Esther on her way out from Antarctica. This coincidence has been carefully engineered – but I don’t want to give away more than that. Also, Collins is one of the best side characters ever, along with Nicholas’ dog Sir Kiwi.

From there on, it’s a flat out race to save the three protagonists, foil nefarious plans, and make magic accessible again. I don’t want to spoil any of many plot twists and turns, some of which are well telegraphed and others are more surprising. The interlocking story lines take a while to resolve, but I loved every word of discovering hidden libraries, teasing out the meaning of long-lost spells, and unraveling family secrets. The conclusion is satisfying, if a little rushed after the prolonged setup. I would love to read more about these characters in the future.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs is available in print, e-book, and e-audiobook.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball (but not all at the same time).

In the vein of old pulp covers, a red-haired woman (maybe a doll?) in a short green dress holds an old-fashioned square camera. She looks startled, and there's a carnival above and behind her.

Joyland by Stephen King

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In the vein of old pulp covers, a red-haired woman (maybe a doll?) in a short green dress holds an old-fashioned square camera. She looks startled, and there's a carnival above and behind her.

Stephen King is an author whose work, while distinctive in style and subjects, spans many genres. This is proven, in some ways, by the breadth of Stephen King movie adaptations. Many know his work through classic Hollywood horror films like The Shining and Misery, but fewer know that non-horror classics like The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption have their origins in his work. Even fewer know of his forays into fantasy (The Dark Tower, The Eyes of the Dragon) or science fiction (The Tommyknockers, Running Man).  

One particular stylistic foray of King’s was his trilogy for Hard Case Crime, a publishing label that focuses on a style of detective novels known as hard-boiled fiction. This extends to the cover art for their releases, which all pay homage to pulpy paperbacks of the 1940s and 50s. King has written three books for the imprint: The Colorado Kid (2005), Joyland (2013), and Later (2021).  

The middle of these, Joyland, less resembles the detective noir fiction of the 40s by Raymond Chandler and Mickey Spillane than it is more akin to King’s classic coming of age story The Body (later adapted into the Hollywood hit Stand by Me). The book’s adult narrator, Devin Jones, recalls his summer job at Joyland carnival in North Carolina from his high school years. He describes it as a popular, dingy, and dubious little fairground that’s ideal for students who want to make a little money on their summer break. Devin, though, seems to be a natural at carny work, rising to the top of the ranks and becoming buddy-buddy with the management. After becoming somewhat of a local hero with a particularly good performance in a blistering hot mascot suit, he elects to take a break from school to work full-time at the carnival, much to the dismay of his parents. 

Again, the tone is far less Maltese Falcon and more sentimental and sweet, a nostalgic ode to the growing pains and new experiences that are expected from a carnival summer job in a beach town. Much of the book provides a nuts-and-bolts look at how carnys work, down to their slang and the way they work the rides, games, booths, and stands. Eventually, an murder mystery emerges (and a connection to one of King’s other novels, as introduced by a fortune teller), but it’s overwhelmingly clear that King’s heart lies elsewhere; It’s one of his sweeter novels, aching with nostalgia and an overwhelming amount of heart. I found it best experienced through its audiobook, a great performance by actor Michael Kelly, best known for his work in the show House of Cards.  

Joyland by Stephen King is available in print and e-book, e-audiobook and book on CD.

Alex Pyryt works in the Customer Service department in the Savage Branch of the Howard County Library System. 

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I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue 

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Big 3D type lettering with orange pull out rest against a pink wall and an orange floor. A line drawing of an office cube rests below, with legs sticking out, half hidden by a cube wall.

by Piyali C.

It is always exciting for me to read a fabulous story written by a debut author. Natalie Sue has done a tremendous job in her first novel, I Hope This Finds You Well, to drive home the point that everyone around us has a unique story, fighting their own individual battles. As humans, we need to recognize that fact and show others some grace. But that is not always easy. 

Jolene had a life altering experience in high school. As a result of that incident and the ramifications of it in society and in her head, she is stuck in her life. She is 33, stagnant in a confining job as an administrative assistant in a big corporation called Supershops. She lives in a decrepit apartment after finally moving out of her parents’ house. She drinks too much, lives a lonely life, and evades the intrusive texts of her Persian mother.

As we meet Jolene at the beginning of the story, it is hard to like her. Her petty coworkers are trying to back stab each other to climb the corporate ladder and, most importantly, to avoid the layoffs that are looming over them. Jolene’s way of coping with the nastiness at her workplace is writing unsavory comments about her colleagues in her official emails to them but changing the text color to white. When she forgets to change the color of the font in one of her emails to another administrative assistant, Caitlin, Jolene is called to HR for an intervention.

She must take mandatory training under a new HR guy, 33-year-old Cliff. Although Cliff is helpful and pleasant, Jolene does not trust him since he is part of the enemy, a.k.a management. As part of the training, IT must change some settings in Jolene’s computer, which backfires. Jolene finds to her surprise that she has access to all her coworkers’ work emails and chats. Through her prying, Jolene can see what changes are coming in the organization and what her coworkers think about her. This unexpected glimpse into private conversations gives Jolene a chance to maneuver her own actions to position herself to get the next promotion over her fellow administrative assistant.

It also gives her access to the secrets that her coworkers harbor. The correspondence of her coworkers reveals to her the challenges that all her coworkers struggle with in their personal lives. Cliff, the HR guy and Jolene become friends, but can they be more than that as there is definitely a conflict of interest in their respective roles? 

The story is full of humor and observations of basic human nature. It is also full of love, loneliness, mental health challenges, eccentricities of people who surround us, the push and pull of second-generation immigrant experiences, and above all the human connections that free from our past. 

I Hope this Finds You Well by Natalie Sue is available in Howard County Library System in print, e-book, and e-audiobook formats.

Piyali is an instructor and research specialist at HCLS Miller Branch, where she facilitates two book discussion groups: Light But Not Fluffy and Global Reads. She keeps the hope alive that someday she will reach the bottom of her to-read list.

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The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos

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by JP Landolt

I am experiencing melancholy. Instead of trying to push away the feeling, I’ve been leaning into it. I couldn’t say the same thing last summer, though, when I was waiting for The In-Between. I had been following Nurse Hadley on TikTok for a while and when I heard she was writing a book, I had to read it.

I was lucky to get a copy in June 2023 but the moment I started the book, I had to put it down. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t prepared for what I was experiencing emotionally. So, I returned the book so someone else could borrow it. As silly as it sounds, I believe that some books have particular timing. Have you ever encountered a story you thought you were ready for, then you’re surprised by how absolutely NOT ready you were? That was me. It was the wrong time for me and this book. 

Somehow, my somberness led me to listen to this book instead of reading it. Now, I was resolute in the knowledge that I have lost loved ones: I held my father’s hand when he died in hospice. I’ve had cancer a couple times and experienced being close to death. They were all the same things I said to myself last year. However, this time, I also added gentleness in allowing space and time to listen, feel, and process. All this to say, leaning into the various stories of hospice patients has been cathartic. 

Last December, The In-Between was picked to be made into a television series, which the author has been promoting heavily. Hadley’s book and subsequent (and soon-to-be released) TV show has helped her realize one of her many dreams – founding her own hospice house, which will help people navigate their end-of-life preparations. Amidst all this success, she is currently mitigating divorce. All of which makes reading this book more complex, because this book is a memoir. These are Hadley’s experiences with hospice patients and families intertwined with her own growth and familial issues.

If you want to feel something and maybe even have a cry, I invite you to read or listen to this book. If you’re looking for a thoughtful daily devotional, this could be it. I probably feel this way because that was how I paced this book. One story at a time. One hospice case at a time. One lesson at a time. You don’t have to be spiritual or religious or have magical thinking to appreciate what this compilation offers. A peek into the future. A glimpse of what a “good death” looks and feels like. A chance to reconcile what we all must face at some point. Simple, confusing, beautiful, and real because death is all of those things.   

The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Hadley Vladhos is available in print, e-book, and e-audiobook.

JP Landolt is a Children’s Instructor & Research Specialist for the Savage Branch and has been with HCLS since 2006. “Free people read freely” – ALA

The book cover shows someone in blue jeans and a blue hoodie riding a red lawn mower across a vast expanse of lawn towards trees and a large building. The rider's back is to the viewer as if moving in the opposite direction.

Groundskeeping by Lee Cole

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The book cover shows someone in blue jeans and a blue hoodie riding a red lawn mower across a vast expanse of lawn towards trees and a large building. The rider's back is to the viewer as if moving in the opposite direction.

by Kristen B.

Books on Tap (an HCLS book discussion group) recently discussed Groundskeeping, seemingly an ideal title for book clubs: well written, timely, and with just enough spaces in the story to poke at. This debut novel by Lee Cole takes place at small liberal arts college in western Kentucky in 2016. The heart of the story revolves around a coming-of-age journey for Owen Callahan, a rather fatalistic young man with dreams of becoming a writer. After he graduated from a local state college, Owen ended up in Colorado, living out of his car, working odd jobs, and doing drugs. In the manner of a prodigal son, he swallowed his pride at age 28 and moved home into his grandfather’s basement. When we meet him, he has taken a job on the groundskeeping crew at the local college, which pays for creative writing classes.

As the book opens, Owen is lurking in the corner at a friend’s party as the new semester begins. He strikes up a conversation with an attractive young woman, who claims to come from a country that no longer exists. Alma provides the other half of the story’s equation, as the child of Bosnian Muslims who fled to the States when Yugoslavia fell apart. She grew up in northern Virginia, an Ivy League-educated over-achiever who became a published author fairly quickly. She has won a year-long fellowship at Ashby College, where she’s teaching workshops and polishing a volume of poetry.

The attraction that begins at the party blossoms into a true romance, with all the requisite drama and confusion. Owen and Alma are an “opposites attract” couple in almost every sense. He’s wholly from Kentucky and wants nothing more than to make his way out into the world, both physically and professionally. She has all the advantages-economic status, education, literary success, and a path forward, but her family’s history is rooted in trauma and tragedy. Given these fundamental differences, Owen and Alma have the capacity to both hurt and heal each other to staggering degrees.

A wide variety of supporting characters make the spaces and situations believable. Owen’s family sheds light on the disaffected rural Americans who became Trump supporters in the pivotal 2016 election. His uncle rages against opportunities lost while addicted to pain killers. His co-workers at the college provide another set of perspectives, and Alma’s family demonstrates how immigration (in something close to a refugee situation) can be a mixed blessing.

Cole’s language offers a constant recursive flow of Owen learning how to write and how to love, as he journals about the details of his days and discusses writing assignments. Combined with the richness of the characters, this is a more discuss-able book than is immediately apparent. In many ways, the setting is the third main character of the book. The hills, rivers, flea markets, bars, towns, and even the jargon and accents of western Kentucky give the novel a veritable grounding – a ground to keep, indeed.

Groundskeeping by Lee Cole is available in print, e-book, and e-audiobook.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball (but not all at the same time).

The cover's background looks like a transparency screen. It features a large, furry tabby cat on its back, with goggles around it's neck. A black splotch reads, You will all be cats!

Night of the Living Cat by Hawkman 

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The cover's background looks like a transparency screen. It features a large, furry tabby cat on its back, with goggles around it's neck. A black splotch reads, You will all be cats!

by Robyn E.

As soon as I saw the cover, a captivatingly adorable kitty belly-up with goggles slung around his neck, I knew this manga was for me. Night of the Living Cat (also known as Nyaight of the Living Cat) combines the post-apocalyptic zombie pandemic genre with the fun ridiculousness of horror B-movies.  

It starts with a mysterious explosion at a cat food factory. Since then, the human population has been slowly declining, while the cat population has been increasing. A virus is discovered that is transmitted through physical contact with an infected cat. If an unfortunate human contracts this virus, there is one main symptom: they are fully transformed into a cat. Which means that if one should wish to survive as a human, their previous life as a friend to feline-kind is over. There can be no petting, no ear scritches, not even a little boop on the nose. A world where cats are both revered and feared – how paw-sitively dreadful! (My apologies, I could not help myself.) 

Kunagi is a man with a mysterious past and a tough determination to survive. He can’t remember who he is or anything about his past, but he possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of all facts pertaining to cats. Kaoru, who was previously the co-owner of a cat café, is quick-witted and resilient. She is the person who found Kunagi wandering the streets in his amnesiac state and took him in. They and a group of other survivors join together to defend themselves against the hordes of cats that have taken over the city. As cat lovers, they naturally take great pains to ensure that any cat whose path they cross does not get hurt, to comedic effect. Catnip or a toy mouse on a string might be used to lure or distract, but to use a water spray bottle to frighten them can instill over-the-top anguish in some of the more cat-sensitive characters. Some of the cats seem to have special powers, such as super intelligence and siren-like caterwauling that beckons surrounding cats to gather in clusters (clowders, even!). These talents are likely carried over from their previous human lives. 

The art style, courtesy of artist Mecha-Roots, is fantastic. The action sequences are artistically treated seriously, balanced with the levity of the cuddly creatures from which they are defending themselves. The realistic illustrations display the gamut of cat breeds in fluffy detail, from Norwegian Forest cat to Devon Rex. I love how newly transformed cats are often depicted with a distinguishing physical characteristic or clothing accessory from their previous human forms: cats with cool sunglasses, spiked collars, and little baseball caps.  

Sprinkled with (sometimes) plot-relevant cat facts and care tips, along with the occasional reference to horror/sci-fi movies and meme culture, Night of the Living Cat is perfect for the cat-lover who enjoys post-apocalyptic theming and wants something that’s just plain fun. Some might feel that there’s an over-reliance on one main joke (downfall by CUTE KITTIES), but it’s one I’m coming back for time and time again. 

The series is ongoing, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store. What’s the connection between the explosion at the cat food factory and the ensuing cat pandemic? Who was Kunagi really before that fateful day? And will humanity ever get to feel the warm purr of a cat ever again? A deserved anime adaptation is also reportedly coming out in 2025 at the time of this writing. 

HCLS owns Night of the Living Cat volume 1 and volume 2 in print, geared towards teens and adults. 

Robyn is a Customer Service Specialist at the East Columbia Branch. She enjoys various media that paint a surreal or dark atmosphere, animation, drawing, cats, and anything related to Finland, especially Moomin. 

A deep golden background shows five dancers in a variety of poses, photographed in black and white.

Sheila Rohan: One of the Swans of Harlem

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A deep golden background shows five dancers in a variety of poses, photographed in black and white.

Wed, Oct 9  | 7 – 8 pm  
HCLS Miller Branch

For everyone. Register here.

“A vibrant and captivating look at five trailblazing women.” —Arlington Magazine

Hear the story of The Swans of Harlem directly from former dancer Sheila Rohan, a founding member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem. These ground-breaking dancers performed for the Queen of England, Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, at the White House, and beyond. But decades later, almost no record existed of their history. Out of a sisterhood that had grown even deeper with the years, these Swans joined forces again—to share their story with the world.

Rohan toured extensively in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe, performing as soloist in several works in the repertoire, including Geoffrey Holder’s Dougla, Arthur Mitchell’s Rhythmetron. She was soloist and Ballet Mistress with the Nanette Bearden Contemporary Dance Theatre and toured China and Korea with the Myung Sook Chun Dance Company, a modern dance troupe. She performed the role of Rosa Parks in Gordon Parks’ televised ballet Martin and, as a choreographer, assisted legends such as Louis Johnson and Walter Rutledge.

Karen Valby’s book, The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History, tells the captivating tale in vivid detail, steeped in the glamour and grit of professional ballet. The Swans of Harlem offers a riveting account of five extraordinarily accomplished women, a celebration of both their historic careers, and the sustaining, grounding power of female friendship, and a window into the robust history of Black ballet, hidden for too long.

The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History is available in print and large print formats, and as an e-book and an e-audiobook on Libby/OverDrive.