The Friends of the North Bend Library present the second book in our series Valley Reads.

Registration begins Aug. 13 at any local KCLS or online at kcls.org. All registrants will receive a copy of the book “The Middle Fork” by Brad Allen complements of the Friends of the North Bend Library. The author event—book discussion and slide show will be held at the North Bend Library on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.

Books will be distributed to registrants beginning Sept. 4 at each of the three libraries in the Snoqualmie Valley:

North Bend, Snoqualmie and Fall City.

In “The Middle Fork,”Allen takes the reader on a journey through valleys, up mountains, back in time, and ultimately to a place of significance. Starting out looking for giant trees in the Middle Fork Valley near North Bend, the forest comes to represent something more than just another life pursuit.

The author faces the challenges of raising kids and the questions posed as they come of age. Ultimately, he finds significance in a place and way he never anticipated. “The Middle Fork” is a book about the magic and hope in the middle of life. A Washington State native, Allen grew up hunting and camping in the Cascade Mountains. Allen, his wife Ann, and their three kids have spent countless weekends and vacations hiking and camping throughout the West. They have lived for the past 17 years in a house east of Redmond tucked among the cedar trees. An engineer and artist at heart, Allen works as a manager for a major manufacturer of construction equipment.

This Valley Reads event is in partnership with the Snoqualmie Valley Historical Society.