05/23/2026
The Empire State Center for the Book is pleased to announce the two books that will represent New York State’s rich, literary heritage at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. Both titles are in keeping with this year’s America 250 celebration.
The Center for the Book (www.read.gov/cfb) in the Library of Congress in Washington works with its 56 Affiliate Centers for the Book (the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and Northern Marianas) to fulfill each Center’s mission of promoting literacy and the literary arts, supporting libraries and lifelong learning, and celebrating our nation’s diverse literary heritage, at home and nationwide.
Since 2002, the Affiliate Centers for the Book have chosen a book for Young Readers that in some way represents the state’s or territory’s literary heritage. Beginning in 2022, the Affiliate Center for the Book were asked to also choose a book for Adult Readers.
The 2026 Young Readers’ Selection is Laurie Halse Anderson’s box set entitled The Rebellious, it is five stories of independence during the American Revolution, Chains; Forge; Ashes; Rebellion 1776; Fever 1793. Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist. She has received numerous awards and honors, including Margaret A. Edwards, Astrid Lindgren and the Scott O’Dell Awards. She was longtime resident of New York State before moving to Pennsylvania.
The 2026 New York State’s Adult Readers’ Selection is Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton. The Pulitzer Prize-winning biography chronicles the life of the American Founding Father , from his origins as a Caribbean orphan to his role as the first Secretary of the Treasury, detailing his political achievements, personal life and famous duel with Aaron Burr.
In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, Chernow who was born in Brooklyn has received National Book Award, George Washington Book Award and the American History Book Prize. He has also been in inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame.
Annually the affiliate centers come to Washington for the National Book Festival and participate in the Roadmap to Reading at the Washington Convention Center where each center’s booth features these “Great Reads” selections. Last year, thousands of book lovers visited the Affiliates and learned about the “Great Reads from Great Places” list (www.read.gov/greatreads/).
This year’s National Book Festival is Saturday, August 22, 2026. https://www.loc.gov/bookfest/.
