Library of Congress

National Book Festival

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Craig Hatkoff holding Winter's tailfins

52 Great Reads

Every year, a list of books representing the literary heritage of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands is distributed by the Library of Congress's Center for the Book during the National Book Festival. Why not read the book suggested for your state or district and then learn, through these books, about the other places that interest you?

Click on a state to view suggested titles. The 2012 selections will be added soon.

Map of the US California

Alabama

To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird,
Harper Lee

The Well and the Mine

The Well and the Mine,
Gin Phillips

Alaska

A Native Lad: Benny Benson Tells Alaska's Story

A Native Lad: Benny Benson
Tells Alaska's Story
,
Sarah Hurst

Seldovia Sam and the Very Large Clam

Seldovia Sam and the Very Large Clam,
Susan Woodward Springer

Sharkabet: A Sea of Sharks from A to Z

Sharkabet:
A Sea of Sharks from A to Z
,
Ray Troll

Arizona

Code Talker:  A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two

Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two ,
Joseph Bruchac

Hip, Hip, Hooray, It's Monsoon Day/¡Ajúa, ya llegó el chubasco!

Hip, Hip, Hooray, It's Monsoon Day/
¡Ajúa, ya llegó el chubasco!
,
Susan Woodward Springer

The Three Little Javelinas /Los Tres Pequeños Jabalíes

The Three Little Javelinas /
Los Tres Pequeños Jabalíes
,
Susan Lowell

Arkansas

Icon

Icon,
Carla Killough McClafferty

Water Steps

Water Steps,
A. LaFaye

So Over My Head

So Over My Head,
Jenny B. Jones

California

Calico Dorsey

Calico Dorsey,
Susan Lendroth

Steinbeck's Ghost

Steinbeck's Ghost,
Lewis Buzbee

Operation Redwood

Operation Redwood,
S. Terrell French

Colorado

Tallgrass

Tallgrass,
Sandra Dallas

Down, Down, Down

Down, Down, Down,
Steve Jenkins

M Is for Mischief: An A to Z of Naughty Children

M Is for Mischief:
An A to Z of Naughty Children
,
Linda Ashman

Connecticut

The Taxing Case of the Cows: A True Story About Suffrage

The Taxing Case of the Cows:
A True Story About Suffrage
,
Iris Van Rynback & Pegi Deitz Shea

For the Duration

For the Duration,
Tomie dePaola

Chalk

Chalk,
Bill Thomson

Delaware

Agent Q, or The Smell of Danger!

Agent Q, or The Smell of Danger!
M.T. Anderson

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison,
Lara M. Zeises

Jasper Dash and the Flame Pits of Delaware.

Jasper Dash and the
Flame Pits of Delaware
,
M.T. Anderson

Florida

Hoot

Hoot,
Carl Hiaasen

Tangerine

Tangerine,
Edward Bloor

I Love You, Stinky Face

I Love You, Stinky Face,
Lisa McCourt

Georgia

The Cheshire Cheese Cat

The Cheshire Cheese Cat,
Carmen A. Deedy & Randall Wright

14 Cows for America

14 Cows for America,
Carmen Agra Deedy

A Tree for Emmy

A Tree for Emmy,
Mary Ann Rodman

Hawaii

Kohala Kuamo`o: Nae`ole's Race to Save a King

Kohala Kuamo`o: Nae`ole's
Race to Save a King
,
Kekauleleanae'ole Kawai'ae'a

A President from Hawaii

A President from Hawaii,
Dr. Carolan

Too Many Mangos

Too Many Mangos,
Tammy Paikai

Idaho

100 Cupboards

100 Cupboards,
N. D. Wilson

Mudgy and Milly

Mudgy and Milly,
Susan Nipp

My Darlin’ Clementine

My Darlin’ Clementine,
Kristiana Gregory

Illinois

Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic

Night Flight: Amelia Earhart
Crosses the Atlantic
,
Robert Burleigh

Our Abe Lincoln

Our Abe Lincoln,
Jim Aylesworth

Muddy as a Duck Puddle and Other American Similes

Muddy as a Duck Puddle
and Other American Similes
,
Laurie Lawlor

Indiana

Crossing Stones

Crossing Stones,
Helen Frost

Diamond Willow

Diamond Willow,
Helen Frost

Paper Towns

Paper Towns,
John Green

Iowa

The Buddy Files: The Case of the Lost Boy

The Buddy Files:
The Case of the Lost Boy
,
Dori Hillestad Butler

The Rope Walk

The Rope Walk,
Carrie Brown

The Flamingo Rising

The Flamingo Rising,
Larry Baker

Kansas

Moon Over Manifest

Moon Over Manifest,
Clare Vanderpool

Amelia Earhart, The Legend of the Lost Aviator

Amelia Earhart,
The Legend of the Lost Aviator
,
Shelley Tanaka

Up, Down and Around

Up, Down and Around,,
Katherine Ayres

Kentucky

Which Side Are You On?: The Story of a Song

Which Side Are You On?:
The Story of a Song
,
George Ella Lyon

A Family for Old Mill Farm

A Family for Old Mill Farm,
Shutta Crum

Trouble in Troublesome Creek

Trouble in Troublesome Creek,
Nancy Kelly Allen

Louisiana

Molly the Pony: A True Story

Molly the Pony: A True Story,
Pam Kaster

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival

Two Bobbies: A True Story
of Hurricane Katrina,
Friendship, and Survival
,
Kirby Larson & Mary Nethery

Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud

Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud,
Johnette Downing

Maine

The Circus Ship

The Circus Ship,
Chris VanDusen

The Dump Man's Treasures

The Dump Man's Treasures,
Lynn Plourdey

Hardscrabble Harvest

Hardscrabble Harvest,
Dahlov Ipcar

Maryland

Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters

Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters,
Natalie Standiford

Granddaddy's Street Songs

Granddaddy's Street Songs,
Monalisa DeGross

Jacob Have I Loved

Jacob Have I Loved,
Katherine Paterson

Massachusetts

The Serpent Came to Gloucester

The Serpent Came to Gloucester,
M. T. Anderson

One Hen

One Hen,
Katie Smith Milway

My Uncle Emily

My Uncle Emily,
Jane Yolen

Michigan

For the Love of the Tigers: An A-to-Z Primer for Tigers Fans of All Ages

For the Love of the Tigers:
An A-to-Z Primer for Tigers Fans
of All Ages
,
Frederick C. Klein

Pocketful of Passage

Pocketful of Passage,
Loraine Campbell

January's Sparrow

January's Sparrow,
Patricia Polacco

Minnesota

Awesiinyensag

Awesiinyensag,
Anton Treuer

Night Driving

Night Driving,
John Coy

Ojibwe in Minnesota

Ojibwe in Minnesota,
Anton Treuer

Mississippi

When I Crossed No-Bob

When I Crossed No-Bob,
Margaret McMullan

The Secret Life of Walter Anderson

The Secret Life of Walter Anderson,
Hester Bass

Flying Lessons

Flying Lessons,
Gilbert Ford

Missouri

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
Mark Twain

The Feedsack Dress

The Feedsack Dress,
Carolyn Mulford

They're Off!: The Story of the Pony Express

They're Off!:
The Story of the Pony Express
,
Cheryl Harness

Montana

The Governor's Dog is Missing

The Governor's Dog is Missing,
Sneed B. Collard, III

Bug Feats of Montana

Bug Feats of Montana,
Deborah Richie Oberbillig

Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman

Montana Place Names
from Alzada to Zortman
,
Montana Historical Society

Nebraska

Holding Up the Earth

Holding Up the Earth,
Dianne Gray

Room One: A Mystery or Two

Room One: A Mystery or Two,
Andrew Clements

Luck: The Story of a Sandhill Crane

Luck: The Story of a Sandhill Crane,
Jean Craighead George

Nevada

Freeze Frame

Freeze Frame,
Heidi Ayarbe

The Orange Slipknot

The Orange Slipknot,
Jan Young

Under Open Skies

Under Open Skies,
Keeli McClintick

New Hampshire

The Messiest Desk

The Messiest Desk,
Marty Kelley

To My Countrywomen: The Life of Sarah Josepha Hale

To My Countrywomen:
The Life of Sarah Josepha Hale
,
Muriel L. Dubois

Born to Be Giants: How Baby Dinosaurs Grew to Rule the World

Born to Be Giants:
How Baby Dinosaurs Grew to
Rule the World
,
Lita Judge

New Jersey

Jazz

Jazz,
Walter Dean Myers

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden,
Edith Pattou

The New Way Things Work

The New Way Things Work,
David Macaulay

New Mexico

The Day it Snowed Tortillas: Tales from Spanish New Mexico

The Day it Snowed Tortillas:
Tales from Spanish New Mexico
,
Joe Hayes

Juan the Bear and the Water of Life

Juan the Bear and the Water of Life,
Enrique Lamadrid &
Juan Estevan Arellano

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves

Bad News for Outlaws:
The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves
,
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

New York

Journey into Mohawk Country

Journey into Mohawk Country,
George O'Connor

River of Dreams: The Story of the Hudson River

River of Dreams:
The Story of the Hudson River
,
Enrique Lamadrid & Hudson Talbott

When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me,
Rebecca Stead

North Carolina

Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile

Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile,
Gloria Houston

Blackbeard: The Pirate King

Blackbeard: The Pirate King,
Enrique Lamadrid & J. Patrick Lewis

North Carolina Curiosities

North Carolina Curiosities,
Jerry Bledsoe

North Dakota

Sakagawea

Sakagawea,
Sakagawea Lise Erdrich

Gift Horse

Gift Horse,
S. D. Nelson

Sacagawea

Sacagawea,
Lise Erdrich

Ohio

B is for Buckeye: An Ohio Alphabet

B is for Buckeye: An Ohio Alphabet,
Marcia Schonberg

The Goosebump Series

The Goosebump Series,
R. L. Stine

Zombies! Evacuate the School

Zombies! Evacuate the School,
Sara Holbrook

Oklahoma

Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows,
Wilson Rawls

S Is for Sooner

S Is for Sooner,
Kandy Radzinski

Chicken Dance

Chicken Dance,
Tammi Sauer

Oregon

Don't Be Silly, Mrs. Millie

Don't Be Silly, Mrs. Millie,
Judy Cox

Apples to Oregon

Apples to Oregon,
Deborah Hopkinson

The Captain’s Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe

The Captain’s Dog:
My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe
,
Roland Smith

Pennsylvania

The Breaker Boys

The Breaker Boys,
Pat Hughes

Jim Thorpe: Original All-American

Jim Thorpe: Original All-American,
Joseph Bruchac

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie,
Jordan Sonnenblick

Rhode Island

Bella and Stella Come Home

Bella and Stella Come Home,
Anika Denise

Lemonade Mouth

Lemonade Mouth,
Mark Peter Hughes

The Wonder of Charlie Anne

The Wonder of Charlie Anne,
Kimberly Newton Fusco

South Carolina

Mercy Creek

Mercy Creek,
Matt Matthews

Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter Dave

Carolina Clay: The Life and
Legend of the Slave Potter Dave
,
Leonard Todd

Mercy Creek

Mercy Creek,
William P. Matthews

South Dakota

The Enchanted Buffalo

The Enchanted Buffalo,
L. Frank Baum

The Jumping Off Place

The Jumping Off Place,
Marian Hurd McNeely

The Raccoon and the Bee Tree

The Raccoon and the Bee Tree,
Charles A. Eastman &
Elaine Goodale Eastman

Tennessee

Penny Dreadful

Penny Dreadful,
Laurel Snyder

Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different

Autumn Winifred Oliver
Does Things Different
,
Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

On Viney's Mountain

On Viney's Mountain,
Joan Donaldson

Texas

Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas

Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore
from the Americas
,
Jeanette Larson and Adrienne Yorinks

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate,
Jacqueline Kelly

Librarian On The Roof! A True Story

Librarian On The Roof!
A True Story
,
M.G. King

US Territories

Shake It, Morena!: And Other Folklore from Puerto Rico

Shake It, Morena!:
And Other Folklore from Puerto Rico
,
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

Juan Bobo: Four Folktales from Puerto Rico

Juan Bobo: Four Folktales
from Puerto Rico
,
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

Hanging with Uncle Billy

Hanging with Uncle Billy,
Mervelle A. Sage

Utah

Pingo

Pingo,
Brandon Mull

Book of a Thousand Days

Book of a Thousand Days,
Shannon Hale

Rapunzel's Revenge

Rapunzel's Revenge,
Shannon Hale & Dean Hale

Vermont

Return to Sender

Return to Sender,
Julia Alvarez

Electra to the Rescue: Saving a Steamboat and the Story of Shelburne Museum

Electra to the Rescue:
Saving a Steamboat and the
Story of Shelburne Museum
,
Valerie Biebuyck

Nora’s Ark

Nora’s Ark,
Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

Virginia

Fires of Jubilee

Fires of Jubilee,
Alison Hart

Students on Strike

Students on Strike,
John A. Stokes

When the Whistle Blows

When the Whistle Blows,
Fran Cannon Slayton

Washington

Larry Gets Lost in Seattle

Larry Gets Lost in Seattle,
John Skewes

Jacob Lawrence: American Scenes, American Struggles

Jacob Lawrence:
American Scenes, American Struggles
,
Nancy Shroyer Howard

Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens

Volcano: The Eruption and
Healing of Mount St. Helens
,
Patricia Lauber

Washington, D.C.

This is Washington, D.C.

This is Washington, D.C.,
M. Sasek

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out

Our White House:
Looking In, Looking Out
,
Various Authors/National Children's
Book & Literacy Alliance

First Pooch: The Obamas Pick a Pet

First Pooch: The Obamas Pick a Pet
Carole Boston Weatherford

West Virginia

Passing the Music Down

Passing the Music Down,
Sarah Sullivan

Golden Delicious: A Cinderella Apple Story

Golden Delicious:
A Cinderella Apple Story
,
Various Authors/National Children's
Book & Anna Eagan Smucker

When the Whistle Blows

When the Whistle Blows,
Fran Cannon Slayton

Wisconsin

B is for Badger: A Wisconsin Alphabet

B is for Badger: A Wisconsin Alphabet,
Kathy-jo Wargin

Old Bear

Old Bear,
Kevin Henkes

Yes Day!

Yes Day!,
Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Wyoming

Dee and the Mammoth

Dee and the Mammoth,
Eugene Gagliano

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew,
Zachary Pullen

Little Wyoming

Little Wyoming,
Eugene Gagliano