To the editor,

I did not expect to spend the last week of May reading a story about a remarkably bright octopus and yet there I was, determined to finish the book before the author came to Alpena on June 3.

I’ll admit, I still had 60 pages left and was reading right up to the lights being dimmed in the auditorium, but I wasn’t going to miss one of my favorite special programs hosted by the Alpena Public Library.

I became completely absorbed in the story that was outside of my typical choice of books because I was too curious to hear more from Shelby Van Pelt, who spent 51 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and yes, I needed to know why a story told through the lens of an octopus landed on the bestseller list for almost a year.

Not only did this book captivate me, but the entire audience was charmed by the presence of Shelby who humbly shared some of her own story in discovering the beloved characters and how they came to be.

Our local library has done it yet again by introducing an incredible author to our charming small town, enabling us to connect beyond our own worldview and giving us the opportunity to learn, grow, and find hope through new characters with familiar themes.

Thank you to our library staff for bringing Shelby Van Pelt to our community! This is just one of the reasons I am voting a resounding “yes” to continuing to support the renewal of our library millage on Aug. 6 and I hope, readers, you too will consider supporting our library as well.

Now to decide, what to read next?

In Connection and Gratitude,

PAIGE ALLIA,

Alpena