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The Notable Nonfiction pick for August 2026 is INSTANT NOODLES AND BEYOND by Robin Ha! @librarylovefest.bsky.social

Book cover image and annotation for Notable Nonfiction pick

The LibraryReads Bonus Pick for August is PORTRAIT OF A WITCH UNDONE by K.S. Shay. @erewhonbooks.bsky.social

Book cover image and annotation for Bonus Pick

You'll never run out of reading material if you browse our LibraryReads Hall of Fame! This hall is lined with authors whose books get voted for time and time again. Here are the August 2026 Hall of Famers' titles, also available as a handy printable flyer for your patrons.

Cover images for the August 2026 Hall of Fame authors' titles

On a summer reading streak? Keep your momentum going with some of the August 2026 LibraryReads picks! These hot new books coming out next month are reader-tested, librarian approved. Top Pick is MAJESTIC HILLS by Dawn Turner! @simonandschuster.bsky.social Printable list at libraryreads.org.

Cover images for the August 2026 LibraryReads Top 10

Thanks all for too many great suggestions. I'm so glad I made it today! #ewgc

The title for this one got my attention. MR. MENDLEBEE'S PANDIMENSIONAL LITERARY REPOSITORY (AND YARN) by Rebecca McKee. Also, on my TBR. #ewgc

Book Cover for "Mr. Mendlebee's Pandimensional Literary Repository (and Yarn)" by Rebecca Key. Picture is crowded shelves covered in books and dangling yarn. The title and author are centered in a gold plate, like a sign. There is also a black cat in the corner.

I'm hoping to take time for the new Becky Chambers book AS YOU WAKE, BREAK THE SHELL (Book 1 in a duology) #ewgc

Cover of "As You Wake, Break the Shell" by Becky Chambers with a star-filled blue background and two planets one pink on the top and and one green on the bottom. There is a couple holing hands one hanging from the top planet the other standing on the bottom planet.

I am also looking forward to reading THE PERILOUS FIGHT by Colin Kaepernick. #ewgc

Cover image of the book "THE PERILOUS FIGHT" Close-up portrait of Karpernick with an afro and trimmed beard centered on, bold red uppercase name across the top and pale uppercase title to the right.

I would like to read the novella FIND ME WHERE IT ENDS by Cassandra Khaw which looks haunting but is being described as ultimately hopeful. #ewgc

Book cover for Cassandra Khaw's Find Me Where It Ends: a snarling black wolf with glowing orange eyes on a smoky gray background, the title in large orange script and the author's name beneath.

I am intrigued by A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SPIRITS by Jori Lewis. It's described as for fans of Kimmerer and Lopez. #ewgc

Book cover for A Natural History of the Spirits by Jori Lewis, purple background with detailed botanical illustration of green leaves, a hanging seed pod and white flowers; subtitle reads "On Ecology, Belonging, and the Sublime."

On my TBR (ideally this week) is TAKE MY WORD FOR IT by LeVar Burton. Because... LeVar Burton!!!! Missing his appearance was my biggest regret from not making ALA this year. #ewgc

Book cover for the memoir "Take My Word for It" by LeVar Burton featuring a warm-lit close-up portrait of the author—an older man with salt-and-pepper hair and beard, hand to his chin in a thoughtful pose.

I also have to admit to having no cool in haunting Netgalley/Edelweis after Nalini Singh announced the featured couple in her next Psy/Changling book COLD REDEMPTION due out in December. No cover yet, but the ARCS's up, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. #ewgc

I actually made it back in time!!! Hope everyone is doing well! #ewgc

I just know that THE BIRTHING TREE by Amanda Peters is going to break my heart a few times over. I'm taking the ARC slow. #ewgc

Book cover for the novel "The Birthing Tree" by Amanda Peters, title and author over a close-up of twisted, weathered tree roots and trunk with green leaves at the base.

Jessica T.@jesstlibrarian.bsky.social · 2mo ago

So... life is conspiring to make it really hard to make #ewgc, however I'm programming a run of posts and hoping I can jump in for at least some of this afternoon's fun. That said....

If you're headed to #ALAAC26 Don't miss this. The Read 'N' Rave is always fun and informative!

Booklist Publications@ala-booklist.bsky.social · 2mo ago

We are weeks away (😱) from #ALAAC26! Booklist has tons of events and programs happening including our favorite #ReadNRave! Join us, @libraryreads.bsky.social, and some amazing panelists so we can all gush about books on 6/28 at 1 p.m. CT in Room W195 at McCormick Place! Info here: cdmcd.co/6vqyDj

Promotional graphic for upcoming Booklist and LibraryReads event READ 'N' RAVE happening Sunday, June 28 at 1 p.m. CT in W195 McCormick Place.

Try that again... #ewgc

Thanks all for a great chat. You've added so much to my TBR!!

Thanks all for a great chat. You've added so much to my TBR!!

I was also thrilled to have my friends grab me an ARC for WISDOM CORNER by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (7/7) and want to work that into the TBR too. #ewgc #booksky #librarians #pla2026

Book cover for "Wisdom Corner" the central image is a multicolored indigenous diamond pattern with some of the colors dripping down the cover, with the title in a bold font broken up above and below the pattern.

Melissa Albert's THE CHILDREN (6/2) is another high on my TBR ARC from #pla2026. Her first novel for adults follows the estranged adult children of a legendary fantasy author who used them in her magical series. #ewgc #booksky #librarians

Book cover for "The Children" by Melissa Albert from William Morrow: Red cover with crescent moon containing a cityscape in the shape and cupping a multi-story farmhouse with the figures of two people standing in front.

A WALL IS ALSO A ROAD by Annalee Newitz (10/16) just popped up on NetGalley and totally grabbed my attention from cover to description... plus I just generally love their work. Thank you, Joe, for pointing it out!!!

Book cover for "A Wall is Also a Road": Background in deep reds and purple images are celestial with a planet with rings and what looks like a galaxy, but also includes tentacles curling out from behind an ancient Greek style mosaic of a woman's face looking up.

One of my top ARCs from #pla2026 and top of my TBR is WHITE RABBIT by Abigail Rose-Marie (7/14). A young neurodivergent girl on a mission accompanied by the ghost of Sylvia Plath? Yes, please. #ewgc #booksky #librarians @libraryreads.bsky.social

Book cover for White Rabbit by Abigail Rose-Marie from Union Square: picture of a light-yellow house on a cliff over water, but the sky looks like it's ripped paper or a damaged painting.

I want to revisit DEARLY DEPARTED by Chip Pons (6/26) because I was approved and loved it! This is an interesting take on grumpy/sunshine, has a deeply moving look at grief, and gives all new meaning to the concept of a "Shadow Daddy". #ewgc #booksky #librarians

Cover is in dark blues and greens with a floral motif centering a male couple embracing--one in a suit jacket and open button-down shirt and the other shown from the back in a flannel shirt.

Jill Minor @jillsreads.com · 4mo ago

I'm here and lurking while I work out what I want to post. I hope everyone is doing well! After this I'm going to wander outside in the sun. #ewgc

EarlyWord GalleyChat is today at 4 p.m. EST! Join librarians for all the straight dope on upcoming book releases. #ewgc

Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 4mo ago

HR 7661, the Federal book banning bill, is unfortunately still alive. Please call your reps and say NO ON HR 7661! You can read the bill's full text here and see if your Congressperson is one of the 19 co-sponsors: www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...

A digital drawing of author Maia Kobabe, a white nonbinary person with short brown hair wearing a patterned blue shirt, who scowls while holding up a copy of eir book GENDER QUEER: A MEMOIR. Maia is saying: H.R. 7661 is a national book banning bill which seeks to remove any book that "involves gender dysphoria or transgenderism" from all public schools in the US. This would ban my books, and any other book with trans themes, from public schools. PLEASE call your House Reps and say: NO ON H.R. 7661!

Authors Against Book Bans@authorsabb.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Phone calls to reps are still the best way for citizens to influence legislation. If you've avoided the phone thus far, use this tool from @everylibrary.bsky.social to help oppose H.R. 7661. If you do that today, you can take the rest of the weekend off! :)

Joshua Reed Eakle 🗽@joshuaeakle.com · 4mo ago

I'm not sure about you, but I think the collapse of US hegemony, a global price spike and recession, and a new ground war in the Middle East are far worse than drag queens reading books at the library.