<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Source Sans 3";
panose-1:2 11 3 3 3 4 3 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#467886;
text-decoration:underline;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1028" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">The State Library of Ohio and the Ohioana Library Association, with the Ohio Center for the Book and the Choose to Read Ohio Advisory
</span><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter" />
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0" />
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" />
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" />
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" href="https://library.ohio.gov/libraries/library-programs-and-development/ctro" style='position:absolute;margin-left:-542.4pt;margin-top:-35.35pt;width:164.25pt;height:78.9pt;z-index:251660288;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin' o:button="t">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t" />
<v:imagedata src="cid:image004.jpg@01DC62C4.5DB690B0" o:title="" />
<w:wrap type="square" side="left"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><a href="https://library.ohio.gov/libraries/library-programs-and-development/ctro"><img border="0" width="219" height="105" style="width:2.2812in;height:1.0937in" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DC62CA.6B501B00" align="right" hspace="12" title="" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_4"></a><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Council,
are pleased to announce the <b>2026 Choose to Read Ohio (CTRO) booklist</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif;color:black">CTRO</span><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">spotlights books by exciting, talented creators who write across genres, explore a wide array of topics, and appeal to all age groups. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Each CTRO booklist features 20 representative titles for all ages by creators born in, residing in, or associated with Ohio. Previous CTRO booklists have spotlighted titles by Ohio authors
and illustrators including Toni Morrison, Susan Orlean, Wil Haygood, Hanif Abdurraqib, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Jasmine Warga, Drew Daywalt, Louise Borden, Denise Fleming, Angela Johnson, Paula McLain, J. Patrick Lewis, Oge Mora, Daniel Kirk, Dav Pilkey,
Katrina Kittle, and many others. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">The 2026 CTRO booklist was developed by an
<span style="color:#0070C0"><a href="https://library.ohio.gov/about/committees-and-councils/committees-councils" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0">advisory council</span></a></span> representing schools, libraries, and literary organizations, with
input from 55 Ohio teachers, librarians, and other advocates for readers and reading who served as CTRO electors. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">2026 Choose to Read Ohio Booklist</span></b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Books for Adults</span></b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" href="https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/v1738163436/library.ohio.gov/logos-graphics/CTRO-2025-Poster-11x14.jpg" style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0;width:288.25pt;height:384.5pt;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:margin' o:button="t">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t" />
<v:imagedata src="cid:image008.png@01DC62C4.5DB690B0" o:title="" />
<w:wrap type="square" side="left"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><a href="https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/v1738163436/library.ohio.gov/logos-graphics/CTRO-2025-Poster-11x14.jpg"><img border="0" width="385" height="513" style="width:4.0052in;height:5.3385in" src="cid:image002.jpg@01DC62CA.6B501B00" align="right" hspace="12" title="" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3"></a><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Ian
Adams* and Randall Lee Scheiber*, <b><i>This Place of Silence: Ohio's Cemeteries and Burial Grounds</i></b>, Text by Robin L. Smith* <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Taylor Byas,
<b><i>I Done Clicked My Heels Three Times: Poems</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Keith O’Brien,
<b><i>Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Nnedi Okorafor,
<b><i>She Who Knows</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Ghassan Zeineddine,
<b><i>Dearborn: Stories</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Books for Teens</span></b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Kara H.L. Chen,
<b><i>Asking for a Friend</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Mindy McGinnis,
<b><i>Under This Red Rock</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">G. Neri,
<b><i>Safe Passage</i></b>, illustrated by David Brame* <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Adam Rex,
<b><i>A Little Like Waking</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Alison Stine,
<b><i>Dust</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Books for Middle Grades/Tweens</span></b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Jenn Bishop,
<b><i>Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Kate Messner,
<b><i>The Next Scientist: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of the World’s Great Scientists</i></b>, illustrated by Julia Kuo* <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Tricia Springstubb,
<b><i>How to Tell a True Story</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Phil Stamper,
<b><i>Eli Over Easy</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Andrea Wang,
<b><i>Summer at Squee</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Books for Young Children</span></b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Jashar Awan,
<b><i>Every Monday Mabel</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Kellie DuBay Gillis*,
<b><i>If You Find a Fawn: A What-to-Do for Wild Wanderers</i></b>, illustrated by Wazza Pink <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Jacob Grant,
<b><i>Umami</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Quartez Harris*,
<b><i>Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer</i></b>, illustrated by Gordon C. James <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Barb Rosenstock,
<b><i>The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure</i></b>,<i> </i>illustrated by Jamey Christoph* <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">*Asterisk denotes Ohio creator of co-created book. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><a href="https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/library.ohio.gov/ctro-files/2026/CTRO_2026_Booklist_Flyer.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0">Download the
new 2026 CTRO booklist</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> formatted for printing and sharing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">Teachers, librarians, and other experts graciously offered their time, support, and expertise as 2026 CTRO booklist electors. CTRO electors evaluate the nominated books for one or more
age groups and vote for those they consider best suited to CTRO. The CTRO Advisory Council and the CTRO partner organizations are indebted to these individuals for their generous participation.
<span style="color:#0070C0"><a href="https://library.ohio.gov/about/committees-and-councils/committees-councils"><span style="color:#0070C0">See the State Library website for a complete list of 2026 electors</span></a></span>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">CTRO is a project of the State Library of Ohio and the Ohioana Library Association, in collaboration with the Ohio Center for the Book and Ohio’s libraries. Learn more:
<span style="color:#0070C0"><a href="https://library.ohio.gov/ctro" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0">https://library.ohio.gov/ctro</span></a></span>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><a href="https://library.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/20-books-selected-2026-ctro"><span style="color:#0070C0">Read and share this announcement on the State Library
of Ohio website</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif">###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Source Sans 3",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="268" height="80" style="width:2.7916in;height:.8333in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.png@01DC62B8.3BC8EB80" alt="A picture containing text
Description automatically generated"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0E3F75">Marsha McDevitt-Stredney<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#5A5A5A">Director, Marketing & Communications<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#5A5A5A">State Library of Ohio<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#5A5A5A">274 E. 1<sup>st</sup> Avenue<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#5A5A5A">Columbus, OH 43201<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#5A5A5A">Tel: 614.644.6875<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><a href="mailto:marshams@library.ohio.gov">marshams@library.ohio.gov</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><a href="https://library.ohio.gov/"><span style="color:#0070C0">library.ohio.gov</span></a><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>