Pennsylvania Center
for the Book

The Pennsylvania Center for the Book is currently accepting nominations for the 2027 Pennsylvania Great Reads from Great Places program!

All 56 Centers for the Book, which represent all 50 states and six U.S. territories, select an annual Great Read for Young Readers (<18) and a Great Read for Adult Readers (18+) to represent their respective state or territory at the National Book Festival.

We are seeking nominations from Pennsylvania librarians, authors, educators, and the general public. To be considered for the 2027 PA Great Reads, nominated titles must have some connection to Pennsylvania, such as the book is written or illustrated by a PA author and/or based in PA, and must have been originally published in either 2025 or 2026. Additional selection criteria can be found here.

Nominations for both young readers and adult titles must be sent to pacftb@psu.edu by Thursday, December 31st.

Every October, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a of division of the American Library Association, celebrates TeenTober, a nationwide initiative to promote year-round teen services both within and outside of libraries.

To celebrate TeenTober, we are highlighting a few young adult books from Pennsylvania authors:

• Salt the Water by Candice Iloh
• The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum
• Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod and illustrated by Jess Taylor
• I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi
• BLAM! Black Lives Always Mattered!: Hidden African American Philadelphia of the Twentieth Century by the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection and illustrated by Eric Battle

To celebrate Latine Heritage Month (September 15th-October 15th), we are highlighting a few Latine authors from Pennsylvania:

• Alyssa Reynoso-Morris (Children's Book Author), author of Bold, Brilliant, and Latine
• Gabriela Gonzales (Young Adult Author), author of How to Love You When You're Gone
• Caroline Frank (Romance Author), author of Tastes Like Summer
• Sergio Gomez (Horror Author), author of Board of Doom
• Odette Casamayor-Cisneros (Nonfiction Author), author of In Black Ink

We are excited to announce our 2026 awardees!

• Baker's Dozen: 13 Best Books for Family Literacy
  • Click here to view the 2026 booklist
• Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
  • 2026 Winner: The Poet and the Bees by Amy Novesky
  • 2026 Honor Book: All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson
• Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize
  • 2026 Winner: The Weight by Melissa Mendes
  • 2026 Honor Books: Black Cohosh by Eagle Valiant Brosi and Endsickness by Sofia Alarcon
• Pennsylvania Great Reads from Great Places
  • 2026 PA Great Read for Young Readers: Lilac and the Switchback by Cordelia Jensen
  • 2026 PA Great Read for Adult Readers: Evensong by Stewart O'Nan