Make Fall Fun with BPL

Ahhh....autumn in Brooklyn! Ideally the season means crunchy leaves, sugary apple cider donuts, and sunny walks through Prospect Park. I love to plan trips upstate for hiking and pumpkin picking and excitedly swap out my summer dresses and sandals for sweaters and boots.

Unfortunately, a New York fall can also look like rain-soaked leaves and chilly weekends where you're better off staying inside instead of searching your closet for waterproof shoes. Luckily, the Library has tons of books and programs to carry us through the wind, chill, and precipitation so we can all celebrate the very best parts of the season.

Back to School

If your start to fall is anything like mine, in addition to a renewed love of learning, it's also the start of a seasonal addiction to pumpkin spice lattes and books you just can’t put down, like Vladimir, Carnegie Hill, Pineapple Street (set around the corner from BPL’s Brooklyn Heights Library!), and The Mothers. If you prefer to curl up with a classic, Anna Karenina and Little Women are equally addicting—and just as cozy as your favorite sweater.

Spooky and/or Cozy Vibes

Now that it's October, you may be in the market for something spooky. Your local branch is a great space to hunker down and dive into three chilling stories: A Haunting on the Hill, HOLLY, and The Spite House. If apple-picking and leaf-peeping sound more exciting to you than a haunted house, you'll probably prefer the less spooky but similarly captivating I Meant It Once, The Man Who Could Move Clouds, and Tom Lake.

Seasonal Mayhem & Majesty

Unsure if it’s time to turn on your heat in preparation for winter? Wracking your brain for apolitical subjects to discuss with your uncle at the Thanksgiving table? Devising plans to evade the long lines at the holiday market in Unique Square? Sounds like November....and all the chaos that comes along with it. If you want to experience the mayhem and tradition from a distance, look no further than Love Marriage, Family Lore, and This Is Where I Leave You.

If you need an escape, full stop, take a trip with Culture Pass! November is my favorite month to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in its two locations: Manhattan (where a must-see Manet/Degas exhibit is currently on display) and Fort Tryon Park, where The Met Cloisters are extra magical set against the fall foliage. You can also check out the Brooklyn Is… exhibition at the newly renovated Center for Brooklyn History, which explores the neighborhoods and people of Brooklyn through photographs, maps and more.