April 16, 2026 Seward Folly by Micheley Kowalski

Locals and visitors around town may have noticed a new mural up above Dreamland – a sweet stack of books lined up with a slight southward lean. We just love it, especially how it integrates with the buildings and draws the eye down Washington St.

Local artist (and sometimes Dreamland bookseller) Liza McElroy had the vision for this row of books sitting atop the building, and she brought it to life perfectly. The books are so photorealistic that sometimes the eye is tricked into thinking the building is miniature and the books are life-sized!

Book selection for the “Stack” was a collaborative effort. Folks who attend the Dreamland Book Club offered suggestions, along with Dreamland staff. Ultimately, we were interested in a mix of titles that reflect our specific place in Alaska, books that inspire and ask questions about what it means to live a good life, and books that celebrate reading. We also took into consideration that we would essentially be recommending these titles to a wide audience, so we wanted them to be somewhat universal in their appeal. Added to all of this, we were looking for colorful spines that looked nice alongside each other visually! 

Those who read all twelve books in the Dreamland Stack will get their name up on a completionists board by the cash register. And after a few requests, we’re also in the process of getting stickers made up.

It’s been so fun dreaming up and developing this larger-than-life mural bookshelf. We hope you can stop by and take a look next time you’re downtown.