February – May 2026

BITE INTO BOOKS

Join eight public library systems across Cuyahoga County to read, gather, and share stories about food and community this spring.

READ

Explore our NEA Big Read selection Bite by Bite, Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s book about 40 foods that have shaped her story. Then meet Aimee this April!

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GATHER

Enjoy 100+ free programs like book discussions, cooking workshops, open mic nights and other activities for all ages and appetites!

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SHARE

Join the conversation by sharing a sour, spicy, or sweet food memory for our community story project!

Tell Us Your Story

Meet the Author

Wednesday, April 29

Guided Tasting with Aimee Nezhukumatathil

6:00 – 7:15pm | CPL Main Branch

Enjoy a unique tasting experience with award-winning author Aimee Nezhukumatathil! As you sample flavors, Aimee will guide you in a writing prompt to spark creativity and reflection. Together, we’ll explore how food and language can inspire new ways of seeing and storytelling. 

Register for Free

Thursday, April 30

Conversation with Aimee Nezhukumatathil

11:30am – 1:00pm | City Club of Cleveland

Join us at the City Club for The Power of Food, Memory, and the Joy of Being Present: A Conversation with Author & Poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil. The forum will be available in person and via livestream, and will be recorded and shared on the City Club website. ASL interpretation provided.

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Find a Book Discussion

Bite by Bite‘s lyrical food essays invite us to explore the histories that live in our kitchens and at our tables. Join fellow readers to discuss the book in anticipation of Aimee’s visit!

"Home is not just a place, it's people. It's a scent. It's what you can grow in a garden and what you can grow in your community."

Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Featured Events

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Rid-All Green Partnership Documentary Screening

Thu, Apr 236:30 pm - 8:00 pmLee Road Branch Heights LibrariesAdults
Learn about urban agriculture with the documentary Regenerating Community (2025) about three childhood friends from Cleveland who transformed their community in the Kinsman neighborhood into a fertile urban farm. Then meet the founders and staff as they share what's happening at the farm today!
Register

A “Bite By Bite” Celebration

Sat, Apr 2510:00 am - 12:00 pmWestlake Porter Public Library Westlake Porter Public LibraryAll Ages
Drop in to celebrate the wonderful world of waffles at our different stations: syrup tasting, butter-blending, waffle decoration, and more.
Register

Password Game Show: Food Edition

Tue, May 124:00 pm - 5:30 pmEast Cleveland Public Library East Cleveland Public LibraryAdults
Do you love game shows and board games? If so, come and play the game "Password" with us! We will be describing your favorite foods and restaurants. Can you guess which ones?

“Bite by Bite” Food Writing Showcase

Wed, May 137:00 pm - 8:30 pmLee Road Branch Heights LibrariesAdults
Join us for an evening of literary performances as attendees of the Bite by Bite Food Writing Workshops with Literary Cleveland share their work generated from the course.

Our Food Stories

All ages and ideas welcome. Use our prompts or go “off-menu”!

Story Starters

Which foods or traditions taste like home?
Share a sour, spicy, or sweet food memory.
Describe the best meal you’ve ever had.
What lesson has food taught you?
How do you “nourish” yourself or others?

Share Yours

Latest Food Stories

My family heritage is mostly UK, so the food I grew up with was nourishing but bland. Putting black pepper on anything was a bold move. That's why I will never forget my first visit to the West Side market, in my early 20s. The sights and smells made me dizzy with joy!

Sheryl, Age 58
Heights Libraries - Lee Road

Food that tastes like home for me is beet soup borscht. As someone with Polish roots, that deep, earthy flavor carries more than just taste; it carries memory. I don’t even need a full meal sometimes, I’ll buy a bottle of beet juice and drink it straight, and that alone brings me right back.

Andrzej, Age 36
Cleveland Public Library - Main Library (Downtown)

My mom is Liberian and made one of the native dishes I absolutely love, Cassava Leaves, which is a savory stew. It was occasionally made but would bring such comfort and enjoyment. I thought all Cassava Leaves were the same. I learned her secret was chopped spinach which made hers the best!

Voncille, Age 49
Cuyahoga County Public Library - Maple Heights

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