“OPEN A BOOK OPEN A WORLD"
The Great Reads from Great Places are books representing the literary heritage of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and are selected by the Library of Congress Centers for the Book affiliates. Join us as we share the 2021 Great Reads Authors videos from the National Book Festival, where the authors unravel more of the worlds they revealed through their books.
Watch and listen to the 2021 Great Reads Authors videos as the authors unravel more of the worlds they revealed through their books. Ask yourself, your friends, family: “What book opened the world to you?”
Watch and listen to the 2021 Great Reads Authors videos as the authors unravel more of the worlds they revealed through their books. Ask yourself, your friends, family: “What book opened the world to you?”
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: Family
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Family features Sara Peté, co-manager of the Washington Center for the Book, in conversation with Aida Salazar, author of "Land of the Cranes" (chosen by the California Center for the Book); Ellen Hopkins, author of "Closer to Nowhere" (chosen by the Nevada Center for the Book); Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, author of "Layla's Happiness" (chosen by the Rhode Island Center for the Book); NoNieqa Ramos, author of "Your Mama" (chosen by the Virginia Center for the Book); Christine Day, author of "The Sea in Winter" (chosen by the Washington Center for the Book); and Cathy Camper, author of "Ten Ways to Hear Snow" (chosen by the Wisconsin Center for the Book).
Great Reads from Great Places: Family
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Family features Sara Peté, co-manager of the Washington Center for the Book, in conversation with Aida Salazar, author of "Land of the Cranes" (chosen by the California Center for the Book); Ellen Hopkins, author of "Closer to Nowhere" (chosen by the Nevada Center for the Book); Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, author of "Layla's Happiness" (chosen by the Rhode Island Center for the Book); NoNieqa Ramos, author of "Your Mama" (chosen by the Virginia Center for the Book); Christine Day, author of "The Sea in Winter" (chosen by the Washington Center for the Book); and Cathy Camper, author of "Ten Ways to Hear Snow" (chosen by the Wisconsin Center for the Book).
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: Friendship
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Friendship features Joe Davich, director of the Georgia Center for the Book, in conversation with Abdul-Razak Zachariah, author of "The Night Is Yours" (chosen by the Connecticut Center for the Book); Nora Shalaway Carpenter, author of "The Edge of Anything" (chosen by the North Carolina Center for the Book); Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, author of "Your Name Is a Song" (chosen by the Pennsylvania Center for the Book); and Aisha Saeed, author of "Bilal Cooks Daal" (chosen by the Georgia Center for the Book).
Great Reads from Great Places: Friendship
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Friendship features Joe Davich, director of the Georgia Center for the Book, in conversation with Abdul-Razak Zachariah, author of "The Night Is Yours" (chosen by the Connecticut Center for the Book); Nora Shalaway Carpenter, author of "The Edge of Anything" (chosen by the North Carolina Center for the Book); Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, author of "Your Name Is a Song" (chosen by the Pennsylvania Center for the Book); and Aisha Saeed, author of "Bilal Cooks Daal" (chosen by the Georgia Center for the Book).
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: History
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: History features Rebekah Manley, coordinator for the Texas Center for the Book at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, in conversation with Brian K. Mitchell, co-author of "Monumental: Oscar Dunn and His Radical Fight in Reconstruction Louisiana" (chosen by the Louisiana Center for the Book); Sharon Cameron, author of "The Light in Hidden Places" (chosen by the Tennessee Center for the Book); Tim Johnson, editor of "Marfa for the Perplexed" by Lonn Taylor (chosen by the Texas Center for the Book); Lauren Tarshis, author of "I Survived the Children's Blizzard, 1888" (chosen by the South Dakota Center for the Book); and Preston Love Jr., co-author of "Your Bridge to History" (chosen by the Nebraska Center for the Book).
Great Reads from Great Places: History
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: History features Rebekah Manley, coordinator for the Texas Center for the Book at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, in conversation with Brian K. Mitchell, co-author of "Monumental: Oscar Dunn and His Radical Fight in Reconstruction Louisiana" (chosen by the Louisiana Center for the Book); Sharon Cameron, author of "The Light in Hidden Places" (chosen by the Tennessee Center for the Book); Tim Johnson, editor of "Marfa for the Perplexed" by Lonn Taylor (chosen by the Texas Center for the Book); Lauren Tarshis, author of "I Survived the Children's Blizzard, 1888" (chosen by the South Dakota Center for the Book); and Preston Love Jr., co-author of "Your Bridge to History" (chosen by the Nebraska Center for the Book).
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: Mystery and Magic
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Mystery and Magic features Rocco Staino, director of the Empire State Center for the Book, in conversation with Blue Balliett, author of "Out of the Wild Night" (selected by the Illinois Center for the Book); Elizabeth C. Bunce, author of "Premeditated Myrtle" (selected by the Kansas Center for the Book); Christiane M. Andrews, author of "Spindlefish and Stars" (selected by the New Hampshire Center for the Book); Dan Gutman, author of "Houdini and Me" (selected by the Empire State Center for the Book); and Eden Royce, author of "Root Magic" (selected by the South Carolina Center for the Book). The authors discuss their books, including the ways they weave magic and mystery into their narratives, and the privilege of writing for middle grade readers.
Great Reads from Great Places: Mystery and Magic
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Mystery and Magic features Rocco Staino, director of the Empire State Center for the Book, in conversation with Blue Balliett, author of "Out of the Wild Night" (selected by the Illinois Center for the Book); Elizabeth C. Bunce, author of "Premeditated Myrtle" (selected by the Kansas Center for the Book); Christiane M. Andrews, author of "Spindlefish and Stars" (selected by the New Hampshire Center for the Book); Dan Gutman, author of "Houdini and Me" (selected by the Empire State Center for the Book); and Eden Royce, author of "Root Magic" (selected by the South Carolina Center for the Book). The authors discuss their books, including the ways they weave magic and mystery into their narratives, and the privilege of writing for middle grade readers.
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: Natural World
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Natural World features Michael Pearce, head of the Alabama Center for the Book, in conversation with Rick Bragg, author of "The Speckled Beauty" (selected by the Alabama Center for the Book); Carter Goodrich, author of "Nobody Hugs a Cactus" (selected by the Arizona Center for the Book); Katy S. Duffield, author of "Crossings: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals" (selected by the Arkansas Center for the Book); Jessica Lanan, author of "The Fisherman & the Whale" (selected by the Colorado Center for the Book); Bridget Heos, author of "Treemendous: Diary of a Not Yet Mighty Oak" (selected by the Missouri Center for the Book); and Casey Rislov, author of "Rowdy Randy" (selected by the Wyoming Center for the Book). During the discussion, the authors respond to this prompt: How does interacting with the natural world, including reading about the natural world, help people get through the trials of the pandemic?
Great Reads from Great Places: Natural World
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Natural World features Michael Pearce, head of the Alabama Center for the Book, in conversation with Rick Bragg, author of "The Speckled Beauty" (selected by the Alabama Center for the Book); Carter Goodrich, author of "Nobody Hugs a Cactus" (selected by the Arizona Center for the Book); Katy S. Duffield, author of "Crossings: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals" (selected by the Arkansas Center for the Book); Jessica Lanan, author of "The Fisherman & the Whale" (selected by the Colorado Center for the Book); Bridget Heos, author of "Treemendous: Diary of a Not Yet Mighty Oak" (selected by the Missouri Center for the Book); and Casey Rislov, author of "Rowdy Randy" (selected by the Wyoming Center for the Book). During the discussion, the authors respond to this prompt: How does interacting with the natural world, including reading about the natural world, help people get through the trials of the pandemic?
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: Picture Books
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Picture Books features Alayne Hopkins, director of programs and services at the Minnesota Center for the Book, in conversation with Daniel Bernstrom, author of "Big Papa and the Time Machine" (chosen by the Minnesota Center for the Book); Suzanne Greenlaw and Gabriel Frey, authors of "The First Blade of Sweetgrass" (chosen by the Maine Center for the Book); Barbara Lowell, author of "My Mastodon" (chosen by the Oklahoma Center for the Book); and John Micklos Jr., author of "Raindrops to Rainbow" (chosen by the Delaware Center for the Book).
Great Reads from Great Places: Picture Books
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Picture Books features Alayne Hopkins, director of programs and services at the Minnesota Center for the Book, in conversation with Daniel Bernstrom, author of "Big Papa and the Time Machine" (chosen by the Minnesota Center for the Book); Suzanne Greenlaw and Gabriel Frey, authors of "The First Blade of Sweetgrass" (chosen by the Maine Center for the Book); Barbara Lowell, author of "My Mastodon" (chosen by the Oklahoma Center for the Book); and John Micklos Jr., author of "Raindrops to Rainbow" (chosen by the Delaware Center for the Book).
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: Social Justice
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Social Justice features Deborah Taylor, former coordinator of school and student services at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, in conversation with Andrew Smith, author of "Grasshopper Jungle" (chosen by the Iowa Center for the Book); Annette Bay Pimentel, author of "All the Way to the Top" (chosen by the Idaho Center for the Book); and Lesa Cline-Ransome, author of "Before She Was Harriet" (chosen by the Maryland Center for the Book).
Great Reads from Great Places: Social Justice
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Social Justice features Deborah Taylor, former coordinator of school and student services at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, in conversation with Andrew Smith, author of "Grasshopper Jungle" (chosen by the Iowa Center for the Book); Annette Bay Pimentel, author of "All the Way to the Top" (chosen by the Idaho Center for the Book); and Lesa Cline-Ransome, author of "Before She Was Harriet" (chosen by the Maryland Center for the Book).
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: Hawaii’s Great Reads
Summary
Explore Hawaii’s Great Reads from Great Places 2021 selection, "Cook Real Hawai'i: A Cookbook” by Sheldon Simeon and Garrett Snyder, in this video on the Hawaii State Public Library YouTube channel.
Great Reads from Great Places: Hawaii’s Great Reads
Summary
Explore Hawaii’s Great Reads from Great Places 2021 selection, "Cook Real Hawai'i: A Cookbook” by Sheldon Simeon and Garrett Snyder, in this video on the Hawaii State Public Library YouTube channel.
Title
Great Reads from Great Places: Fitting In
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Fitting In is a panel discussion featuring Cheryl Lawton Malone, author of "Dario and the Whale" (selected by the Massachusetts Center for the Book); Jasmine Warga, author of "Other Words for Home" (selected by the Ohio Center for the Book); Susan Vaught, author of "Together We Grow" (selected by the Kentucky Center for the Book); and Alexandra Diaz, author of "The Crossroads" (selected by the New Mexico Center for the Book).
Great Reads from Great Places: Fitting In
Summary
Great Reads from Great Places: Fitting In is a panel discussion featuring Cheryl Lawton Malone, author of "Dario and the Whale" (selected by the Massachusetts Center for the Book); Jasmine Warga, author of "Other Words for Home" (selected by the Ohio Center for the Book); Susan Vaught, author of "Together We Grow" (selected by the Kentucky Center for the Book); and Alexandra Diaz, author of "The Crossroads" (selected by the New Mexico Center for the Book).