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Swarthmore, PA

Celia Bookshop

We are a woman-owned independent bookstore in the heart of Swarthmore offering a curated selection of new books including bestsellers, classics, and a large children's section. Community-centered, Celia is more than a bookstore—it’s a place to connect, explore, and find something you didn’t know you were looking for.

Celia Bookshop Exterior

Upcoming Events

Nov3
Dog Man Release Party
Book ReleaseSwarthmore, PA

Dog Man Release Party

12:00 PM • Tuesday, November 3, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$20

No school on Tuesday, Nov 3 (Election Day)! Spend it with Dog Man! Preorder the new Dog Man book and pick it up at our release day party. Celebrate with themed games, prizes, and pizza! Ticket + book purchases include a copy of Dog Man: A Sprinkle in Time . This is not a drop-off event. Kids under 3 and adults over 15 get in free! Attending the program across the street at the PAC Center? This event runs during the lunch hour, and a bookseller will walk kids to and from the store.

Nov3
Author Talk + Q&A with Evan Brooke
Author EventSwarthmore, PA

Author Talk + Q&A with Evan Brooke

7:00 PM • Tuesday, November 3, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$31

Join us for an evening with Evan Brooke, author of Madeline McKnight Signs Off, in conversation with Beyond the Bookends. What begins as an unusual arrangement becomes a moving intergenerational friendship and a story about ambition, loyalty, redemption, and coming of age at any age. In a nod to fly fishing's role in Madeline McKnight Signs Off, there will be a live fly tying demonstration featuring the signature fly from the cover. The event includes an author signing and wine + cheese reception.

Nov7
Author Talk + Q&A with Jaclyn Gilbert
Author EventFictionSwarthmore, PA

Author Talk + Q&A with Jaclyn Gilbert

7:00 PM • Saturday, November 7, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$24

Join us for an evening with Jaclyn Gilbert, author of Butter Road , in conversation with Cara Blue Adams. At the heart of Butter Road are questions of identity and home: what makes a place ours, what we carry with us, and how we create homes for ourselves outside of traditional expectations. In the spirit of the book, attendees are encouraged to bring a small piece of home with them, whether it’s a quilt scrap, photograph, garden clipping, or another meaningful object. Together, we’ll explore the stories and connections that shape our sense of belonging. The event includes an author signing and wine + cheese reception.

Nov8
What Now? An Evening of Joyful Abundance
MusicPoetrySwarthmore, PA

What Now? An Evening of Joyful Abundance

5:00 PM • Sunday, November 8, 2026Celia BookshopFree

Joyful Abundance is a new choral project featuring five original works by emerging Philadelphia composers and poets, performed by the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia. Join the mentors and poets who created the librettos for an intimate conversation about the project and their creative process. Hear them read from their work and get a behind-the-scenes look at how these new choral pieces came to life. At the heart of Joyful Abundance is a simple question: What now? Come explore the question through poetry and conversation. Joyful Abundance was originally commissioned by ArtPhilly as part of the What Now: 2026 festival with lead support provided by the William Penn Foundation.

Nov12
Author Talk & Q+A with Seth Fleisher
Author EventSwarthmore, PA

Author Talk & Q+A with Seth Fleisher

7:00 PM • Thursday, November 12, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$22

Join us to celebrate The Farther Shore with author and Swarthmore College alumnus Seth Fleisher, in conversation with novelist Janet Benton. Together, they’ll discuss Fleisher’s novel, its exploration of love and loss, of race and the ways science can be weaponized, and of the unexpected paths that shape our lives. The conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A, book signing, and wine and cheese reception.

Nov13
Poetry & Soup Potluck with Major Jackson and Airea D. Matthews
Author EventPoetrySwarthmore, PA

Poetry & Soup Potluck with Major Jackson and Airea D. Matthews

7:00 PM • Friday, November 13, 2026Celia Bookshop$0–$27

Join us for an evening of poetry, conversation, and something warm to share as we celebrate Major Jackson’s anthology A Bowl of Goodness . Major will be joined in conversation by poet Airea D. Matthews for a discussion of poetry, A Bowl of Goodness , and what nourishes and comforts us in difficult times. Afterward, we’ll gather around the table for a community soup potluck! Bring a pot of your favorite soup to share and your admission to the event is free. Ticket options: Event Only: $5 Book + Event: $27 Bring a Pot of Soup: FREE admission ("purchasing" the $0 ticket is required for planning purposes) Come for the poetry, stay for the soup and community!

Nov15
Author Talk & Q+A with Dr. Karabi Acharya
Author EventSwarthmore, PA

Author Talk & Q+A with Dr. Karabi Acharya

5:00 PM • Sunday, November 15, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$30

Join us to celebrate Multitudes with author and public health expert Dr. Karabi Acharya , in conversation with author Kat Yeh . Together, they’ll discuss Multitudes and its exploration of identity, being multiracial, belonging, connection, and the experiences that shape who we are. The conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A, book signing, and wine and cheese reception.

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