Anchorage Public Library has partnered with Science Friday to bring the Sci Fri Book Club to the science and reading enthusiasts in our community. The SciFri Book Club is a program created by Science Friday to bring people together around all things science reading – anything from sci-fi short stories to nonfiction science books to science articles from various publications to science-y poetry!
There’s lots of ways to participate: Read the book, join our community space, attend an event, or send a message on the SciFri VoxPop app.
In November and December 2026, the Science Friday Book Club will read The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl. Both poetic and practical, The Comfort of Crows explores the changing landscapes, plant life, and animal visitors in Renkl’s yard across the course of a year. Along the way, she contemplates the transitions in her own life and in the lives of the people around her. Written as a journal, the book invites readers to contemplate their own experiences with nature and encourages everyone to take a moment to really look at the wild world around them.
The Comfort of Crows” is the Community Choice selection for 2026, voted on by our SciFri Book Club community.
There are so many ways to dive in and participate! Get the ebook or audiobook from the Alaska Digital Library. You can also purchase a copy of the book (and support the author and SciFri).
Join the SciFri Book Club community forum here.
Sign up for our email newsletter.
This Book Club season kicks off on Sunday, November 1, and you can read along with us! Discussion questions are shared in the community group on Monday of each week and via the newsletter on Wednesdays.
We’ll be (loosely) following this schedule, but all our readers are welcome to join us at their own pace. Note: Book pages are given as a reference; the exact pages may vary in your copy.
- November 1–8: “Wherever You Are, Stop What You’re Doing” to “Praise Song for Mole Hands in Coyote Scat,” pages xv–44
- November 9–15: “The Crow Family” to “Praise Song for the Alien in the Shade Garden,” pages 45–94
- November 16–22: “Hide and Seek” to “Praise Song for the Baby Chickadees,” pages 95–132
- November 23–29: “The Season of Singing” to “Praise Song for the Carpenter Bees Eating Our Fence to Ruin,” pages 133–160
- November 30–December 6: “Kept Safe in the Womb of the World” to “Praise Song for Fingers That Do Not Form a Fist,” pages 161–198
- December 7–13: “The Season of Making Ready” to “Because I Can’t Stop Drinking in the Light,” pages 199–232
- December 14–20: “The Lazarus Snail” to “Author’s Note,” pages 233–266
For this book, we have also created a shared interactive space in our online community group for members to post their own doodles, snapshots, and reflections on nature. Come get creative with us!
Book Club Kickoff
Got thoughts about our podcast episode featuring Margaret Renkl? Let’s talk about it! Join us on Zoom for a free, informal conversation to kick off our reading of The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year. We’ll dig into the interview, share first impressions, and get oriented on what’s ahead. No prior reading is required, and if you haven’t heard the interview yet, we’ll catch you up. Everyone is welcome.
The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year
Tuesday, November 10
4 PM | Zoom
Book Club Meeting
Want to connect with other Science Friday Book Club members, share your thoughts about the reading, and discover resources for deeper learning—all without leaving your home? Our community meeting is the place for you! While the conversation will focus on themes and topics from the current book, you’re welcome to join us regardless of how far you’ve read; no spoilers. Come and chat!
The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year
Thursday, December 17
4 PM | Zoom
Author Live Stream
Join us online for a livestream all about the science topics featured in the SciFri Book Club pick. Come with your queries and wonderings—we’ll be taking your questions in the livestream comments!
Award-winning author, editor, and columnist Margaret Renkl has written about flora, fauna, and culture for nearly a decade. Learn about her work and writing as we discuss “The Comfort of Crows” and more. Come with your curiosity—we’ll be taking your questions in the YouTube livestream chat. You do not need to have read the book to participate.
The Comfort of Crows Q&A with Margaret Renkl
Friday, November 20
Noon | Science Friday's YouTube Livestream
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