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2026 Summer Community Read
Announcing our Summer 2026 book - In the Beautiful Country, by Jane Kuo!
Anna can’t wait to move to the Beautiful Country—the Chinese name for America. Although she’s only ever known life in Taiwan, she can’t help but brag about the move to her family and friends.
But the Beautiful Country isn’t anything like Anna pictured. Her family can only afford a cramped apartment, she’s bullied at school, and she struggles to understand a new language. On top of that, the restaurant that her parents poured their savings into is barely staying afloat. The version of America that Anna is experiencing is nothing like she imagined. How will she be able to make the beautiful country her home?
This lyrical and heartfelt story, inspired by the author’s own experiences, is about resilience, courage, and the struggle to make a place for yourself in the world.
Books available at:
Capital Area District Libraries, Delta Township Library, East Lansing Public Library, Everybody
Reads, Hooked Books, Schuler Books, and your favorite neighborhood bookstore.
Prefer to shop online while supporting independent bookstores? Visit Bookshop.org, a great
way to help local stores thrive.
Look-back to 2025 Summer Community Read
Our 2025 Community Read brought neighbors together across Greater Lansing to explore The Immigrant Advantage by Claudia Kolker and In Our Garden by Pat Zietlow Miller—books celebrating connection, belonging, and shared traditions.
Through book circles, story sessions, and community events leading up to Kolker’s author visit, participants discovered that reading—like community—grows stronger when shared.
Check out this quick recap video from the 2025 Community Read!
Author's Book Launch to Lansing Readers!
These powerful books—one narrative nonfiction for teens and adults, the other a beautifully illustrated children’s book—celebrate the strengths and wisdom that communities bring with them and nurture. They highlight how traditions enrich lives, strengthen neighborhoods, and create new possibilities.
Please remember if you’d like materials, discussion guides, or other resources related to any of our featured books, we’d love to share them with you. We hope these stories continue to be read, discussed, and enjoyed long after their spotlight in the Community Read.
Reading Throughout the year: Global Voices Book Circle
The IRRC Book Circle meets throughout the year to explore stories of refugees and immigrants. Through shared reading and discussion, we highlight the small and significant acts of welcome that transform lives, deepen empathy, and inspire action in both arriving and receiving communities.
