Pennsylvania Center for the Book

Collage of ALA Youth Media Award honorees. ALA Youth Media Awards: The top books and digital media for children and young adults. The 2026 ALA Youth Media Award honorees—featuring the Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Printz, and more—have been announced Check out the books young readers will be talking about all year

Dear young readers,

Sorry not sorry for all the extra reading, but you aren't going to want to miss any of these winning YMA titles. Check out the full list and max out your library holds.

Sincerely, ALA

ilovelibraries.org/article/2026...

#ALAyma
📚💙

Blue graphic with the Centre County Reads logo and the text: "2026 Selection: Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin. Don't miss a virtual visit with the author Wednesday, April 1, 2026, 7-8pm." A headshot of Eileen Garvin and the cover of Crow Talk are also included.

🐦‍⬛ Looking for a book to start off the new year?

We recommend the 2026 Centre County Reads selection, Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin! It is an achingly beautiful story of love, grief, and friendship.

Eileen Garvin will also be participating in a virtual author visit on Wednesday, April 1st!

Apply | Library of Congress Literacy Awards | Programs | Library of Congress The 2026 application forms are available to download below. The deadline to apply is February 17, 2026, at 11:59pm ET. To nominate an organization for the 2026 Literacy Awards, please submit the…

⭐ Applications for the 2026 Library of Congress Literacy Awards are now open!

The program recognizes U.S. and international organizations with innovative strategies to promote literacy. Applications close Tuesday, February 17 at 11:59pm EST.

For more information:

Nominate the educators who make a difference in your life for America's Favorite Teacher! The winner will receive $25,000, a trip to Hawaii, an appearance in Reader's Digest, and a school assembly with Bill Nye.
americasfavteacher.org
#AmericasFavoriteTeacher #billnyethescienceguy #ColossalImpact

Graphic with a light blue background and the text "New from Pennsylvania Authors” at the top. The cover of Better the Devil by Erik J. Brown is included with the book's publication information (book title, author, and publisher). The black Pennsylvania Center for the Book logo is included in the bottom right-hand corner.

🎉 Happy book birthday to Better the Devil by @erikjbrown.bsky.social from @epicreads.bsky.social!

This young adult psychological thriller follows a runaway teen who assumes the identity of a boy who went missing ten years ago, but soon learns his new home is anything but a safe haven.

Headshot of a smiling woman in a blazer with the text "Abby Rockovich, Intern." The book covers of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden, Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand, and Ward D by Freida McFadden are included.

📚 We asked our staff for their favorite books of 2025!

Our intern Abby's picks were:

📕 The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
📕 The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden
📕 Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand
📕 Ward D by Freida McFadden

What were your favorite books of 2025?

Graphic of a family in a cozy home. Text reads - Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program - Help Keeping Your Home Warm and Safe

It can get very cold, very fast in PA. If you or someone you know needs help keeping your home warm and safe this winter, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help. 🏠

Learn more: dhs.pa.gov/LIHEAP
Apply: dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS

Orange graphic with white flowers and the text "New to You Pennsylvania Authors." The black version of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book's logo is included in the bottom right-hand corner.

Orange graphic with white flowers and two book covers, Lilac and the Switchback by Cordelia Jensen and Mendel the Mess-Up by Terry LaBan. The name of each author is listed under their book cover.

Orange graphic with white flowers and two book covers, Street Cats & Where to Find Them by Jeff Bogle and The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod. The name of each author is listed under their book cover.

🎉 Celebrate the start of 2026 with a book from one of these (potentially) new to you Pennsylvania authors:

📙 Cordelia Allen Jensen ( @cordeliajensen.bsky.social )
📙 Terry LaBan
📙 Jeff Bogle
📙 Xio Axelrod ( @xioaxelrod.bsky.social )

A noir-style illustrated poster titled “The Case of the Disappearing Copyright.” The Lockette—a cartoon character whose body is an open yellow padlock—cautiously steps out of an open vault marked with a copyright symbol. A strong beam of light shines from outside the frame, casting a large copyright symbol onto the floor. Floating eyes and a magnifying glass with a question mark evoke a detective mystery. Red footprints lead toward the open vault door. Text reads: “Public Domain Day 2026” and “Jan 21st @10am PT: Virtual.” Illustrated by Freya Morgan.

🎊 Celebrate Public Domain Day with us online January 21! Our virtual event brings together artists, librarians, scholars, & creators to explore what happens when culture becomes free again.

Revisit iconic characters & stories from 1930 now in the #publicdomain.

🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/1977502652...

Graphic with a light blue background and the text "New from Pennsylvania Authors” at the top. The cover of Hattie Mae Begins Again by Sharon G. Flake is included with the book's publication information (book title, author, and publisher). The black Pennsylvania Center for the Book logo is included in the bottom right-hand corner.

🎉 Happy book birthday to Hattie Mae Begins Again by Sharon G. Flake!

Hattie Mae sticks out like a sore thumb at her elite girls boarding school in Philadelphia, but she knows that she belongs.

She just has to prove it to the rest of the girls—and maybe even to herself.

You’re welcome! ☺️

Yay! They are great reads!

Headshot of a smiling woman in front of flowers with the text "Casey Sennett, Outreach and Social Media Coordinator." The book covers of Kissing Girls on Shabbat by Sara Glass. Weirdo by Tony Weaver, Jr. and illustrated by Cin Wibowo and Jes Wibowo, You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian, and The Prospects by K.T. Hoffman are included.

📚 We asked our staff for their favorite books of 2025!

Casey's picks were:

📕 Kissing Girls on Shabbat by Sara Glass
📕 Weirdo by Tony Weaver, Jr. and illustrated by Cin Wibowo and Jes Wibowo
📕 You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian
📕 The Prospects by K.T. Hoffman

What were your favorite books?

LAMP Sponsors Braille Literacy Month Contest in January – LAMP LAMP Sponsors Braille Literacy Month Contest in January

📣 Help spread awareness of the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP) this month!

LAMP is challenging community and school libraries in Pennsylvania to create a display promoting LAMP services for Braille Literacy Month in January!

For more information:

Graphic with a light blue background and the text "New from Pennsylvania Authors” at the top. The cover of Late Invocation for Magic by Jim Daniels is included with the book's publication information (book title, author, and publisher). The black Pennsylvania Center for the Book logo is included in the bottom right-hand corner.

📣 New from Pennsylvania author Jim Daniels!

📖 Late Invocation for Magic

In his new poetry collection, Daniels focuses on issues of class, race, and justice in Rust Belt cities. He examines cultural and economic divides, often focusing on those who can’t afford or have access to “magic.”

Close-up photo of children's book spines with the "Baker's Dozen: 13 Best Family Literacy Books" seal superimposed over the image with the year 2026.

Blurry photo looking over the shoulder of a woman with braids holding a picture book.

Photo of two older women sitting down and reading picture books.

Blurry photo looking over the shoulder of a person in a pink sweater. The person is holding a picture book open to a page with a butterfly illustration.

📚 Last month, we hosted our first jury meeting for the 2026 Baker’s Dozen: 13 Best Books for Family Literacy booklist! Jurors reviewed an initial 250 children's books published in 2025.

The 2026 booklist will be available this spring!

Dark blue graphic with light blue lines and the text "Science Fiction Books from Pennsylvania Authors." The white version of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book's logo is included in the bottom right corner.

Dark blue graphic with light blue lines and the text "Middle Grade." Two book covers, The Star of Moon Village by Jennifer Ann Richter and The Mighty Odds by Amy Ignatow, are featured.

Dark blue graphic with light blue lines and the text "Young Adult." Two book covers, Proxy by Alex London and Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore, are featured.

👽 Celebrate National Science Fiction Day with one of these sci-fi books from Pennsylvania authors:

📘 The Star of Moon Village by @jenniferannrichter.bsky.social

📘 The Mighty Odds by Amy Ignatow

📘 Proxy by @alexlondon.bsky.social

📘 Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore

Graphic with a light blue background and the text "New from Pennsylvania Authors” at the top. The cover of The White Hot by Quiara Alegría Hudes is included with the book's publication information (book title, author, and publisher). The black Pennsylvania Center for the Book logo is included in the bottom right-hand corner.

📣 New from Pennsylvania author Quiara Alegría Hudes!

📖 The White Hot

April finds herself spiraling one day and decides to walk away from her family. In The White Hot, a letter from April to her daughter, she explains why she left, but does not apologize.

Graphic with a light blue background with the text "Nominate a book for the Pennsylvania Great Reads 2026." Part of a single bookshelf is visible on the right-hand side with books spine of different colors. The logos of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for the Humanities, Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, and Pennsylvania Center for the Book are at the bottom.

📖 We are currently searching for books to represent Pennsylvania in the Library of Congress' 2026 Great Reads from Great Places program!

The books must have some relevancy to Pennsylvania and be published in either 2024 or 2025.

Submit your nomination to pacftb@psu.edu by Wednesday!

Photograph of a hand holding the cookbook A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook in front of blurry bookshelves.

🎉 We are celebrating Kwanzaa with A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook by Jessica B. Harris from @scribnerbooks.bsky.social!

A Kwanzaa Keepsake provides a themed feast for all seven days of Kwanzaa that reflects the principle of each day.

Happy Kwanzaa!

Photograph of a hand holding the picture book An Anishinaabe Christmas in front of blurry bookshelves.

🎄 We are celebrating Christmas with An Anishinaabe Christmas by Wab Kinew and illustrated by Erin Hill!

This festive picture book explores both Christmas traditions and Anishinaabe culture.

Merry Christmas!

Graphic with a light blue background and the text "New from Pennsylvania Authors” at the top. The cover of Evensong by Stewart O'Nan is included with the book's publication information (book title, author, and publisher). The black Pennsylvania Center for the Book logo is included in the bottom right-hand corner.

📣 New from Pennsylvania author Stewart O’Nan!

📖 Evensong from @groveatlantic.bsky.social

The novel follows members of the Humpty Dumpty Club, a group of older women living in Pittsburgh, as they support one another through life's challenges.

Blue and white polka dot graphic with the text "Winter Reads from Pennsylvania Authors" along with the black version of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book's logo.

Blue and white polka dot graphic with the text "Middle Grade." Two book covers, A Snow Day for Plum! by Matt Phelan and The Haunting of Bellington Cottage by Laura Parnum, are featured.

Blue and white polka dot graphic with the text "Young Adult." Two book covers, The Judgment of Yoyo Gold by Isaac Blum and It's a Love/Skate Relationship by Carli J. Corson, are featured.

❄️ Celebrate the start of winter with one of these winter inspired books from Pennsylvania authors:

📘 A Snow Day for Plum! by Matt Phelan
📘 The Haunting of Bellington Cottage by @lauraparnum.bsky.social
📘 The Judgment of Yoyo Gold by Isaac Blum
📘 It's a Love/Skate Relationship by @icarli.bsky.social

Photo of a smiling woman outside with the text "Ellysa Cahoy, Director." The book covers of Sandwich by Catherine Newman, The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan, Tender by Beth Hetland, and Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner are included.

📚 We asked our staff for their favorite books of 2025!

Our director Ellysa's picks were:

📗 Sandwich by Catherine Newman
📗 The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
📗 Tender by Beth Hetland
📗 Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

What were your favorite books of 2025?

Tan graphic with drawn lion heads and green leaves in the background. The text "New York Public Library's Best Books of 2025 from Pennsylvania Authors: Young Adult Selections" is included along with the white version of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book's logo.

Tan graphic with drawn lion heads and green leaves in the background. Two book covers, They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran and Ban This! by Christina Ellis, Renee Ellis, Edha Gupta, Ben Hodge, Patricia Jackson, and Olivia Pituch from, are featured.

Tan graphic with drawn lion heads and green leaves in the background. Two book covers, Fight AIDS! by Michael G. Long and Loudmouth by Deborah Heiligman, are featured.

🦁 The New York Public Library announced their best books of 2025! Their teen list includes the following books from Pennsylvania authors:

📙 They Bloom at Night by @nvtran.bsky.social

📙 Ban This! by Christina Ellis et al.

📙 Fight AIDS! by Michael G. Long

📙 Loudmouth by @dheiligman.bsky.social

See more ways libraries made our lives better in 2025 🩵 https://bit.ly/4sjygrE

#Bookish #LibraryLove #LibraryLife #CheckOutYourLibrary #LibbyApp #Booksky

Graphic with a light blue background and the text "New from Pennsylvania Authors” at the top. The cover of Down Came the Spiders by Ally Russell is included with the book's publication information (book title, author, and publisher). The black Pennsylvania Center for the Book logo is included in the bottom right-hand corner.

📣 New from Pennsylvania author Ally Russell!

📖 Down Came the Spiders

🕷️ Twelve-year-old Andi loves everything about spiders! She is super excited to find a new spider species until they begin acting strange. It is up to Andi and her friends to take on the spiders before it's too late!

Photograph of a hand holding the board book You’re My Little Latke in front of blurry bookshelves.

🕎 We are celebrating Hanukkah with You're My Little Latke by Nicola Edwards and illustrated by Natalie Marshall!

Part of the You’re My Little series, this festive board book allows children to interact with the story and join the Hanukkah celebration.

Happy Hanukkah!

Photo of a laughing woman outside in the snow with the text "Erin O'Connell, Intern." The book covers of The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, and The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman are included.

📚 We asked our staff for their favorite books of 2025!

Our intern Erin's picks were:

📕 The Spellshop by @sarahbethdurst.bsky.social
📕 A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
📕 The Thursday Murder Club by @richardosman1.bsky.social

What were your favorite books of 2025?

Red graphic with a white rectangle in the middle with the text "TIME 100 Must-Read Books of 2025 from Pennsylvania Authors." The white version of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book's logo is in the lower right-hand corner.

Red graphic with a white rectangle at the top with the text "Imani Perry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania." It also includes the cover of Imani Perry's book Black in Blues and a quote from Erin McMullen for TIME about the book.

Red graphic with a white rectangle at the top with the text "Michael Luo, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." It also includes the cover of Michael Luo's book Strangers in the Land and a quote from Hamilton Cain for TIME about the book.

Red graphic with a white rectangle at the top with the text "Natalie Shapero, Chester, Pennsylvania." It also includes the cover of Natalie Shapero's book Stay Dead and a quote from Rebecca Schneid for TIME about the book.

📚 TIME recently announced their 100 Must-Read Books of 2025! The list includes the following books from Pennsylvania authors:

📕 Black in Blues by @imaniperry.bsky.social

📕 Strangers in the Land by @michaelluo.bsky.social

📕 Stay Dead by Natalie Shapero