Hit the books: 9 places to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on the Peninsula

Local independent bookstores have helped keep many a restless mind grounded during the unpredictability of the past couple of years with a steady supply of compelling reading material, along with hosting a variety of online author talks and events. And for the first time in two years, there's ample opportunity to celebrate these businesses in person, on Independent Bookstore Day, which takes place on Saturday, April 30. 

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“Maybe their time is past”: Dr. Seuss’s godson (& Redwood City native) supports book critics

Michael Thompson says he’s proud of his godfather but supports Seuss estate’s action on offensive imagery. By Kate Bradshaw Michael Thompson knew his godfather as Uncle Ted. But to many, many others, Theodor Seuss Geisel was best known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss. Thompson, who now lives in Redwood City, said he was around 3 years old when Geisel dedicated his book “If I Ran the Zoo” to him. That book is one of ...

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It’s reading cats and dogs: How Peninsula shelters are improving literacy on the Peninsula

Kittens, cockatoos and lizards are stepping into virtual learning (and they’re available for adoption too — see our local list of shelters) (Image via Pets In Need) One topic weighing on many Bay Area parents’ minds has been engaging squirrely kids through, often monotonous, online learning sessions. But what if the next time they checked in on little Timmy, they found him reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar to a bearded dragon? This whimsical circumstance is ...

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Inside The Queen’s Gambit: Exploring the unknown Bay Area origins of the Netflix hit

Addiction, obscurity and how Walter Tevis’ childhood experience at Stanford shaped Beth Harmon’s backstory. (Original 650 illustration by Kaz Palladino / Awkward Affections) If you’re having a hard time purchasing a chess set for Christmas this year—blame Walter Tevis. Yes, the surge of interest in the age-old game (and the ensuing retail run on chess sets) has been squarely attributed to the recent success of the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit, which is based ...

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