Oct. 14, 2025 – The Cedar Rapids Public Library is made possible by our incredible staff. And we are staffed by book lovers. To celebrate the people who keep our library running, we're highlighting different staff members and books they love.
Programming Specialist John Z.-H. started with the library in June 2022 as a seasonal staff member, and joined the full time staff that fall. Programming Specialists plan and host library programs, from story times to park outreaches to games and activities for all ages. They also work with patrons in the library's Maker Spaces.
"My favorite part of my job is connecting people with similar interests to each other through our programming. I enjoy all the ways I get to be creative – from crafting Dungeons & Dragons campaigns to crafting objects in our Maker Spaces," John said. "My job is to provide programs that enrich the community and promote learning and creativity."
Browse John's book recommendations below, and put books on hold in our catalog by clicking on their covers.
"The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien
The perfect example of high-end fantasy. A master work in world building and storytelling. A desperate battle of good versus evil in a tale where the actions of a small few have world shifting consequences far and wide. I’m not picking one book of the trilogy; Tolkien intended it as one book, and that’s how I think of it.
"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" by Arthur Conan Doyle
I really enjoy all of Sir Arthur’s works on Sherlock, but if I had to pick a single book, it is this first collection of short stories. “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is great for those who prefer novels, but bite-sized mysteries consistently hold my attention better.
"Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll
My preference toward classic British literature continues. "Alice’s Adventures," plus its sequel, “Through the Looking Glass,” combine the highly logical with the absurd, resulting in reflections (pun intended) of our own world’s absurdities. I love a book that helps me see the world in a different way.
"The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
Similar to Alice, our protagonist, Milo, goes through a tollbooth into a magical world which has its own absurd logic. Milo undergoes a quest to reach The Castle in the Air to rescue the princesses Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason and return order to this strange land. Puns, wordplay, and the confusion between reality and metaphor make this one of my favorite easy reads. I won’t spoil it, but there is a reveal near the end that was truly life-changing for a 10-year-old me.
"The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
I love "The Kingkiller Chronicles" as much as I hate them. It has been fourteen years since the second main line book was released, and we still don’t have the conclusion. Even so, I keep coming back to this series, searching for clues, trying to unravel the mysteries and connect the dots between what happens in the main narrative and what we know must happen between then and the present when the unreliable narrator is telling his story. It is truly a fascinating fantasy series which, if ever completed, will likely be remembered as one of the greats.