Adventure Pass Ending in 2025

Due to circumstances outside of our control, the Des Moines Public Library’s Iowa Adventure Pass service will no longer be available in 2025. Any reservation already made for 2025 will be honored, but we encourage anyone with a current reservation to print those passes immediately. Customers can make new reservations for passes that must be used by December 31, 2024. We hope to reintroduce the service at a later time, and we apologize for the inconvenience. 

Gettin' Cozy with 15 Great Reads

Settle into your favorite chair, light your favorite scented candle, and relax. The "Gettin' Cozy" list is full of books to bring comfort and warmth to your social distancing. 

Secret Book and Scone Society

'The Secret, Book, & Scone Society,' by Ellery adams

When Neil Parrish reaches out to bookstore owner Nora for advice on the perfect novel to read, she knows exactly which ones will help, but before he can keep their appointment, he’s found dead on the train tracks. Suspecting murder, Nora and a group of women form the Secret, Book and Scone Society to investigate in this mystical and engaging cozy mystery. 

Traveling Cat Chronicles

'The Traveling Cat Chronicles,' by Hir Arikawa

A sweet warm-hearted story of Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they embark on a road trip across Japan to visit three old friends. Much of the story is told from the perspective of the sassy Nana.

I'd Rather be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life

'I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life,' by Anne Bogel

In this collection of charming and relatable reflections on the reading life, beloved blogger and author Anne Bogel leads readers to remember the book that first hooked them, the place where they first fell in love with reading, and all of the moments afterward that helped make them the reader they are today.

Better Homes and Corpses

'Better Homes and Corpses,' by Kathleen Bridges

In between scouring estate sales for her new interior design business, Cottages by the Sea, Meg Barrett visits the swanky East Hampton home of her old college roommate, Jillian Spenser. But instead of seeing how the other half lives, she learns how the other half dies.

Cupcake Cafe

'Meet Me at the Cupcake Café,' by Jenny Colgan

When she's laid off from her desk job, Issy decides to open her own little café but learns that her fresh start might be a little more complicated than throwing some sugar and butter together. A smart, quirky contemporary confection of recipes and friendship, the story is about how life might not always taste like you expect, but there's always room for dessert!

craftfulness

'Craftfulness: Mend Yourself by Making Things,' by Rosemary Davidson

Craftfulness offers a thought-provoking and surprising reconsideration of craft, and how making things with your hands can connect us to our deepest selves and improve our well-being and overall happiness.

Urban Flowers

'Urban Flowers,' by Carolyn Dunster

Creating color and interest in the smallest of gardens, Dunster reminds us that joy can be found in the most unlikely places.

Homebody

'Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave,' by Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines walks you through how to create a home that reflects the personalities and stories of the people who live there.

Art of Pie

'The Art of Pie,' by Kate McDermott

Nothing quite says comfort like the smell of a pie baking in the oven. McDermott learned to make pie from her Iowa grandmother and believes baking should be simple and fun. Along with beautiful pictures, this book makes it easy to become an accomplished baker. 

Late Bloomers

'The Late Bloomers' Club,' by Louise Miller

Just like comfort food, The Late Bloomers' Club makes you feel warm and cozy inside. A delightful novel about two headstrong sisters, a small town's efforts to do right by the community, and the power of a lost dog to summon true love.

Knitlandia

'Knitlandia: A Knitter Sees the World,' by Clara Parkes

Parkes takes readers along on 17 of her most memorable voyages, big and small, from the fjords of Iceland to a cozy yarn shop in Paris, from a noisy spinning mill in Taos to a fledgling festival in Edinburgh. With her usual mix of eloquence and humor, Parkes weaves a masterful narrative that is both personal and universal, touching on the heart of what it means to be a knitter.

American Cozy

'American Cozy,' by Stephanie Pedersen

American Cozy uses the Danish phenomenon of hygge - comfort, togetherness, and well-being - to bring coziness and ease to readers' homes, work, and lives. Filled with charming four-color illustrations, it explores organization and home décor, entertaining, cooking, creating a happier, more productive work life, de-cluttering, and slowing down.

Cozy Minimalist Home

'Cozy Minimalist Home,' by Myquillyn Smith

A step-by-step guide on making personal design decisions to create a cozy and intentional home. Cozy Minimalism isn’t about going without or achieving a particular style. It’s simply a mindset that helps you get whatever style you love with the fewest possible items.

Lager Queen

'The Lager Queen of Minnesota,' by J. Ryan Stradal

Full of midwestern charm, The Lager Queen of Minnesota is a novel of good family, fate, and world-class beer.  A family saga full of witty, warm, and lovable characters trying to make an impression on a world that is often stacked against them.

Cosy

'Cosy: The British Art of Comfort,' by Laura Weir

Laura Weir perfectly captures the British essence of cosy. She celebrates socks, warms to the joys of toasty open fires, and extols the virtues of a quiet walk. Cosy is a perfect reminder to slow down, have a cuppa, and settle in when life pushes you into overdrive.

Published on April 09, 2020
Last Modified November 21, 2024