Pennsylvania Center
for the Book

The Pennsylvania Center for the Book will be attending the National Book Festival on Saturday, August 22nd from 9:00am-6:00pm at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.!

The Center is part of the festival's "Roadmap to Reading," an area dedicated to the 56 Library of Congress Center for the Book Affiliates and their 2026 selections for the Library of Congress' Great Reads from Great Places Program.

Cordelia Jensen, author of Lilac and the Switchback, the 2026 PA Great Read for Young Readers will be signing books at our table from 11:00am-1:00pm.

Visit our table to learn more about the 2026 Pennsylvania Great Reads and to pick up some fun PA bookish swag!

To celebrate Read-a-Romance Month in August, we are highlighting a few romance authors from Pennsylvania:

• Gabriela Gonzales (Young Adult Romance), author of How to Love You When You're Gone
• Ava Rani (Contemporary Romance), author of Out of Her League
• Emmy Lewes (Contemporary Romance), author of Diving Heart First
• Philip William Stover (LGBTQ+ Romance), author of My Mother's Ridiculous Rules for Dating
• Alex Aster (Romantasy), author of Starside

The Pennsylvania Center for the Book uploads all of its short videos and reels to their YouTube channel. Check out some of their most recent videos:

• Author Interview: Cordelia Jensen
• Author Interview: Lindsey Smith
• Author Interview: Stewart O'Nan
• How Can You Help Prevent Book Deserts?
• If Gritty Worked at the Library...
• Romance Authors from Pennsylvania
• Showing My Library Card Around Penn State
• Unique Pennsylvania Libraries

This summer, the Pennsylvania Center for the Book is hosting a digital Pennsylvania Bookish Bingo! All participants who complete five bingo squares in a continuous horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line can submit their bingo card for a prize (while supplies last).

Download the official 2026 Summer Pennsylvania Bookish Bingo card here to get started. If you get bingo, submit your completed bingo card here by Friday, August 28th at 11:59PM EST to receive a prize (while supplies last).

Any U.S. resident aged 18+ is eligible to participate. Limit of one bingo card submission and prize per person.

To celebrate National Book Lovers day on August 9th, we are highlighting a few Pennsylvania authors of different genres to read:

• Candice Iloh (Children's Books), author of Emeka, Eat Egusi!
• Sarah Valentine (Nonfiction), author of Decoding the Devil
• Kate Baer (Poetry), author of How About Now
• Marc Avery (Crime Fiction), author of Discipline
• Gloria Duke (Paranormal Romance), author of There's Something Fishy About My Boyfriend

Here are some upcoming releases from Pennsylvania authors:

• The Season of Light and Darkness by Jillian Cantor (August 4th)
• The Unknown by Riley Sager (August 4th)
• Take It Apart by Katey Howes and illustrated by Elizabet Vuković (August 4th)
• The Artist and His Museum by Diane Webber (August 6th)
• Hell Hath No Fury by Annette Dashofy (August 6th)
• She Haunts Me Still by De Elizabeth (August 11th)
• Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me by Isabel Crowley (August 11th)
• The Shape of Wings by Ona Gritz (August 17th)
• Barbie: Dreamscape by Alex Aster (August 18th)
• Siren Says by Jennifer Herrera (August 18th)
• The Calamities by Chuck Wendig (August 18th)
• Protein-Packed Vegetarian by Grace Elkus (August 25th)