UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Center for the Book, located within the Penn State University Libraries, has selected Cordelia Jensen’s Lehigh Valley based middle grade novel in verse, “Lilac and the Switchback,” published by Holiday House (Walker Books Group), and Stewart O’Nan’s adult fiction novel based in Pittsburgh, “Evensong,” published by Atlantic Monthly Press (Grove Atlantic), to represent Pennsylvania in the Library of Congress Center for the Book’s 2026 Great Reads program.
The national Great Reads from Great Places program highlights the literary heritage of all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and Northern Marianas by publicizing a list of titles written by authors from, taking place in or celebrating the culture and heritage of each location. Each state and territorial Center for the Book typically selects one youth and one adult title, which are promoted at the Library of Congress’s annual National Book Festival. This national initiative is made possible by the support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Humanities with added support from Chief Officers of State Library Agencies.
After surveying titles published over the previous two years and soliciting recommendations from Pennsylvania librarians and the public, the Center chose Jensen and O’Nan’s works for inclusion in the national program based on their relevance to Pennsylvania; excellence in writing and other features; reflection of the diversity of Pennsylvania residents; appropriateness for statewide promotion; and alignment with the center’s and the Great Reads mission.
“Lilac and the Switchback” by Cordelia Jensen is a poignant middle grade novel about identity, belonging and family. After losing her mother, Lilac moves in with relatives, but when she learns her aunt is pregnant, she fears there may no longer be room for her. While feeling lonely and slowly drifting apart from her best friend, Lilac discovers a mysterious check from her estranged father. Lilac views a relationship with her biological father as a possible path to finding the family she longs for, ultimately risking everything to discover who she is and where she truly fits in. Based outside Philadelphia in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, this moving novel in verse will resonate deeply with pre-teen readers and anyone questioning where they belong.
“Evensong” by Stewart O’Nan is a moving and deeply observant novel set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that captures the quiet complexities of marriage, memory, faith and aging. Pittsburgh’s Humpty Dumpty Club, an organization of elderly women who support one another and their spouses through their golden years, finds itself in shambles after their leader, Joan, injures herself and can no longer manage the group. Determined to keep the organization running, Joan appoints Kitzi as the group’s new leader. Kitzi, along with her friends Emily, Arlene and Susie, must fill the void Joan’s absence leaves while navigating their own relationships and challenges with aging. “Evensong” is the third novel in the Emily Maxwell series, but each book in the series can be read as a standalone. Tender, intimate and beautifully rendered, Evensong offers a poignant meditation on ordinary lives lived with grace and perseverance.
To encourage Pennsylvania libraries and community organizations to host book discussions for the 2026 Pennsylvania Great Reads selections, the Pennsylvania Center for the Book has created a free discussion guide for both books. The guide to “Lilac and the Switchback” can be accessed here, and the guide to “Evensong” can be accessed here.
Founded in 2000, the Pennsylvania Center for the Book is a state affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book and sponsored by Penn State University Libraries. Its mission is to study, honor, celebrate and promote books, reading, libraries and literacy to the citizens and residents of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.