In partnership with library associations, education groups, Sea Grant programs and universities throughout the eight Great Lakes states and two Canadian provinces, we are excited to announce the books selected for the 2026 basin-wide community read.
Picture book
- Sport – Ship Dog of the Great Lakes by Pamela Cameron.
Sport tells the true story of a puppy rescued during a storm by a sailor working on a Great Lakes tender (a boat that brings supplies to the various lighthouse keepers in the lakes). A delightful tale with wonderful illustrations, Cameron introduces us to Sport and his human companions as they deliver essentials to keep the lights on and ships safe in Lake Michigan.
Middle Grade
- Saving Our Sturgeon: Protecting Wisconsin’s Ancient Fish by Rebecca Hogue Wojahn.
Saving our Sturgeon introduces middle-grade readers to a very peculiar fish that looks like a dinosaur and the successful efforts that led to their continuing survival. The concerted work by children, indigenous communities, citizen scientists and government organizations contributed to the return of the threatened species. With terrific illustrations and maps, we can all learn from this book.
Adult
- The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon.
Gales of November is the definitive account of America’s most haunting maritime disaster and a fascinating look at the history of Great lakes shipping, the sailors and their families who dedicated their lives to the lakes, based on more than 100 interviews with the families, friends, and former crew mates of those lost.
