The Kentucky Talking Book Library Newsletter comes out three times a year and is available in large print, braille, and audio.
Spring-Summer 2026
To listen to the Spring-Summer 2026 newsletter in audio visit: SoundCloud
Welcome to Summer Reading!
A message from Kentucky Talking Book Library Branch Manager Jenny Smith:
We are thrilled to invite every KTBL patron to take part in something truly special this year — our very first Summer Reading Program! Whether you’re a lifelong reader or just getting back into the habit, this summer is the perfect time to explore new stories, revisit old
favorites, and connect with the joy of reading.
This summer’s theme, Unearth a Story, is an invitation to dig deep into the world of books. Explore fascinating topics like archaeology, dinosaurs, hidden histories, and gardening — or uncover your next favorite author or genre with a librarian-recommen
ded read. There’s something waiting to be discovered for every reader.
For our younger patrons, summer reading keeps young minds active and engaged between school years. Research shows that students who read over the summer return to class more confident and better prepared to learn.
For adults, this program is a chance to revisit treasured favorites, branch out into new genres, and simply enjoy the pleasure of a great story. Whether you prefer audiobooks or braille, KTBL is here to support your reading adventures all summer long.
Participating is easy! Simply follow the instructions on the included Bingo card to track your reading throughout the summer. Once you complete your Bingo card, return it to KTBL and you’ll receive a free KTBL tote bag as a thank-you for reading.
This newsletter has a list of recommended reads to help you get started. You can also reach out to your librarian directly by calling 800-372-2968 or emailing
ktbl.mail@ky.gov.
For even more titles, the National Library Service has a wealth of audio and braille suggestions on their summer reading webpage here:
NLS Summer Reading.
Photo caption: KTBL Branch Manager Jenny Smith
Summer Reading Activities from NLS
Need a break from reading? The National Library Service is offering a wonderful lineup of free virtual programs for youth and adults from June through August. Highlights include narrated soundscape walks through beloved national parks, conversations with bestselling authors, and much more — all available online or by phone.
Mon., June 15 | NLS Summer Reading Kickoff Event
Information is forthcoming! Be sure to check out the KTBL Facebook page for more details as we get closer!
Tue., June 16, 4pm ET | Author Talk
Best-selling author Peter Heller discusses his novel The Dog Stars (DB 75493) with public radio journalist Maeve Conran.
Starting Mon., June 22 | Narrated Walkthrough
Narrated Soundscape walkthrough of Badlands National Park by Kathleen Slocum, Accessible Library Services Manager at South Dakota Accessible Library Services.
Tue., June 30, 4pm ET | National Parks Discussion
National Parks as Living Archives: Multidisciplinary conversation with National Park Service employees about the stories of science, history, and culture living inside New Mexico’s National Park Designated sites.
Starting Mon., July 6 | Narrated Walkthrough
Narrated Soundscape Walkthrough of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park by Matthew Brown, Managing Librarian at Hawaii State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled.
Tue., July 14, 4pm ET | Author Talk
Blind authors Leona Godin (There Plant Eyes, DB104014, BR23825) and Georgina Kleege (More Than Meets the Eye, DB93533, BR22550) explore nonfiction as excavation - how the personal and the scholarly intertwine to bring buried narratives to the surface.
Starting Mon., July 20 | Narrated Walkthrough
Narrated Soundscape walkthrough of Everglades National Park by Felicia Brown, Talking Book Librarian, Special Services at Miami-Dade Public Library System.
Tue., July 28, 4pm ET | Author Talk
Pulitzer Prize winning biographer Megan Marshall will be in conversation with author Heather Clark about her memoir (After Lives, DBC11807).
Starting Mon., Aug. 3 | Narrated Walkthrough
Narrated Soundscape walkthrough of Cape Cod National Seashore by Kim Charlson, Executive Director at Perkins Library.
Tue., Aug. 11, 4pm ET | Panel Discussion
Fact Meets Fiction Historical Panel: Author-led exploration of the research, craft, and creative rewards of historical fiction.
Bingo!
KTBL is excited to announce our Summer Reading Bingo Card! Read a book in braille or audio for each square. Five squares in any direction make a bingo. All KTBL patrons are welcome to participate. Children, teens, and adults can all receive a prize.
Each square can be interpreted in a wide variety of ways so if you love nonfiction then the “Solve a Mystery!” square could be a True Crime book, but if you love cozy mysteries that’s perfect too! Feel free to take the broadest possible interpretation, we just want you to have fun reading.
We’ve included a few book recommendations for the “Dinosaurs!” And “America 250” squares just to get you started, but if you have any questions or would like to get recommendations from one of our librarians please reach out to us via email or phone.
Once you get a bingo, write down the titles and send the card back to us by folding it so that the return address on the back of the bingo card is facing outward. Or if you would rather call in and tell us the titles that’s fine too! We can even keep track of your card for you so you can call in one title at a time.
Here is a digital copy:
Bingo Card. If you would like to receive a list of the squares in braille or via email give us a call us at 800-372-2968, or email us at
ktbl.mail@ky.gov.
Here are all prompts for easier reading, please pick five:
COLUMN 1
Music or Musicians, Recorded in Frankfort, Award Winner, Dinosaurs!, Outside Your Comfort Zone
COLUMN 2
Solve a Mystery, Childhood Favorite, Set Outside the USA, Short Stories/Anthology, Magazine
COLUMN 3
Science or Sci-Fi, Book in a Series, YOUR CHOICE!, Historical Figures, Celebrate America 250
COLUMN 4
Page to Screen, Biography or Memoir, All Things Kentucky!, Classic, Animals or Nature
COLUMN 5
Friend/Family Selection, Fall in Love with Romance, Escape into Fantasy, Librarian Pick for Me, Bestsellers
Unearth a Story
This year’s theme for summer reading is Unearth a Story! Read books about dinosaurs, paleontology, and archeology. Or, just unearth a good book that’s new to you! To get you started, we’ve included a few paleontology recommendations below.
This summer also marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America! We’ve selected a few titles to honor our country’s history.
Photo caption: An open book, copper digging tools and a fossil.
DB 133835 | The Monster’s Bones: The Discovery of T. Rex and How it Shook Our World by David K. Randall
In the wake of the Gilded Age, socialite Henry Fairfield Osborn and fossil hunter Barnum Brown saved the struggling American Museum of Natural History by discovering the Tyrannosaurus rex. Their partnership turned the prehistoric giant into a public sensation, cementing dinosaurs as a permanent fixture of modern culture. For grades 5-8 and up. Narrated by Stephen Van Doren. Approximate Reading Time: 5 hours, 11 minutes.
DB 130559 | Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth’s Extinct Worlds by Thomas Halliday
Paleobiologist Thomas Halliday uses cutting-edge science and evocative prose to breathe life into sixteen fossil sites, spanning from the Ice Age to the dawn of microbial life. By reconstructing extinct ecosystems—from tropical Antarctic forests to the flooding Mediterranean—he illustrates the historical patterns of migration, adaptation, and extinction. Ultimately, the book offers a profound perspective on our current environmental crisis by highlighting the fragility of ecosystems and the inevitability of wholesale change throughout Earth's history. Narrated by Adetomiwa Edun. Approximate Reading Time: 11 hours, 10 minutes
DB 123653, BR 26477 (in process) | Dinosaurs at the Dinner Party: How an Eccentric Group of Victorians Discovered Prehistoric Creatures and Accidentally Upended the World by Edward Dolnick
Chronicles how the accidental discovery of massive fossils in the 19th century shattered the Victorian worldview and introduced the unnerving concept of extinction. Through the stories of eccentric pioneers like Mary Anning and William Buckland, Edward Dolnick explores how these early paleontologists pieced together the prehistoric record to revolutionize our understanding of Earth's history. Unrated. Narrated by Cassandra Campbell. Approximate Reading Time: 8 hours, 55 minutes
DB 134040 | The American Revolution: An Intimate History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
Explores the global and domestic impact of the war, reframing the conflict as an international struggle and a complex civil war. By highlighting the perspectives of marginalized groups alongside the Founding Fathers, the book examines the persistent questions of liberty and equality that continue to shape the American identity today. Unrated. Narrated by Ken Burns, Beth Hicks, Robert Petkoff, and Fred Sanders. Approx. Reading Time: 22 hours, 51 minutes
DB 101822, BR 23497 | We the People: The United States Constitution Explored and Explained by Aura Lewis
An introduction to the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the rest of the amendments. The authors combine the history of each section
with accessible examples, case studies, and profiles of relevant politicians and activists. For grades 5-8. Narrated by Deborah Desmone. Approximate Reading Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes.
DB 110077 | O Say Can You Hear?: A Cultural Biography of The Star-Spangled Banner by Mark Clague
Explores the evolution of the "Star-Spangled Banner" from an 1814 broadside ballad to a powerful and often controversial national anthem. By examining its musical origins, iconic performances, and role in political protest, Clague reveals how the song’s shifting meaning reflects America’s ongoing struggle to define its identity and values. Narrated by Reuben J. Tapp. Approximate Reading Time: 9 hours, 41 minutes.
KTBL Book Club
KTBL hosts a monthly virtual book club on the third Tuesday of each month at 3:30pm Eastern Time. Books are selected by KTBL staff members and we take suggestions from regular book club attendees!
Photo Caption: The KTBL Book Club logo.
DB 48924 | Crimes of the Century: From Leopold & Loeb to O.J. Simpson \ By Gilbert Geis and Leigh B. Bienen | Narrated by Bill Wallace
May 19, 2026
Discusses five of the most publicized trials of the twentieth century: Leopold and Loeb, the Scottsboro affair, the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, the Alger Hiss spy case, and the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Examines sensational legal dramas within the social and political climate of the times Approximate Reading Time: 10 hours, 13 minutes.
DB 129483, BR 26313 | My Friends | By Fredrik Backman | Narrated by Marin Ireland
June 16, 2026
Driven by her curiosity about three mysterious figures in a famous painting, an aspiring artist named Louisa embarks on a journey to uncover the artwork's origins in a distant seaside town. Her search reveals a poignant history of teenage friendship and refuge, ultimately demonstrating the enduring power of art to transform lives across generations. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Approximate Reading Time: 13 hours, 9 minutes.
DB 123822 | Girl, Serpent, Thorn | By Melissa Brashardoust | Narrated by Nikki Massoud
July 21, 2026
"Soraya, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch, has lived eighteen years in the shadows but as her twin brother's wedding approaches, she faces choices with unimaginable consequences."-- From publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. Approximate Reading Time: 10 hours, 8 minutes.
DB 122023, BR 25583 | Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice | By David S. Tatel | Narrated by John Lescault
August 18, 2026
In this inspiring memoir, long-serving federal judge David Tatel reflects on his thirty-year career championing equal justice while privately navigating his transition into blindness. After decades of hiding and working around his visual impairment, Tatel shares his journey toward finally embracing his disability as a core part of his identity and a defining element of his professional life. —Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Approx Reading Time: 10 hr, 22 min.
Book Selections
All of the books in this newsletter are available for download on BARD. If you would like to request any of these titles on cartridge, please contact us at 800-372-2968 or 502-564-5791. You can also email us at ktbl.mail@ky.gov.
Contact Information
Kentucky Talking Book Library
PO Box 537
Frankfort KY 40602
800.372.2968
502.564.5791
KTBL.Mail@ky.gov
We are available to assist you 8:00 am - 4:00 pm (Eastern Time Zone) Monday-Friday.