October 14, 2019 (Decatur) — The Georgia Center for the Book (GCB) selected the works of prize-winning authors and illustrators with Georgia connections for the 2019 “Books All Georgians Should Read” and “Books All Young Georgians Should Read” lists. 2019 marks the seventh annual release for both reading lists.
The authors and illustrators will be honored on Thursday, November 14, 2019, at a free, public event at 7:30 p.m. in the Decatur Library Auditorium, 215 Sycamore St., in downtown Decatur.
“The Georgia Center for the Book believes that the ‘Books All Georgians Should Read’ and the ‘Books All Young Georgians Should Read’ lists are a wonderful way to honor the extraordinary talent of these authors and illustrators and give us the opportunity to inform readers across our state of the contributions being made to Georgia’s literary heritage,” said Joe Davich, Executive Director of the GCB.
“The lists are valuable tools for parents, teachers, librarians, and readers of all ages across our state. We believe these lists can help guide readers to some of the finest writing that can be found in Georgia’s libraries and bookstores.”
“Georgia is more diverse than ever before, and that diversity is reflected in our literary landscape, which these lists celebrate. As readers, we all share a common experience and become more connected as a literary family by sharing these stories.
The 2019 “Books All Georgians Should Read” includes four works of fiction, four of non-fiction, and two collections of poetry.
The 2019 “Books All Young Georgians Should Read” includes six picture books, three books for middle-grade readers, and one book for young adults. Both lists are the result of months of discussions by the GCB Advisory Council, which considered over 70 books either by Georgians, or about Georgia. The list of “Books All Georgians Should Read” was first compiled in 2002. A list solely for Children’s Literature was added in 2010.

2019 Books All Georgians Should Read
Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States – Samantha Allen

Antisemitism: Here and Now – Deborah E. Lipstadt

St. EOM In the Land of Pasaquan: The Life and Times and Art of Eddie Owens Martin – Tom Patterson (Photography by Jonathan Williams, Roger Manley, Guy Mendes)

Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others – Barbara Brown Taylor

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls: A Novel – Anissa Gray

The Magnetic Girl: A Novel – Jessica Handler

Unmarriageable: A Novel – Soniah Kamal

The Atlas of Reds and Blues: A Novel – Devi S. Laskar

The Tradition – Jericho Brown

Still Life with Mother and Knife: Poems – Chelsea Rathburn

Books All Young Georgians Should Read
Cece Loves Science – Shelli R. Johannes (Co-author)

Meet Miss Fancy – Irene Latham

Hands Up! – Breanna J. McDaniel

The Roots of Rap – Frank Morrison (Illustrator)

Thread of Love – Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal

Little Taco Truck – Tanya Valentine

Aru Shah and the Song of Death: A Pandava Novel Book 2 (Pandava Series) – Roshani Chokshi

Ellie Engineer, the Next Level – Jackson Pearce

Amal Unbound – Aisha Saeed

You Asked for Perfect – Laura Silverman