New Year, New Chapters: Announcing the 2026 Freedom to Read 'Em Book Club Lineup

In 2026, the Germantown Community Coalition’s members-only Freedom to Read 'Em Book Club is expanding its scope, and we’re inviting you to join us.

This year’s selections challenge us to dive deeper into complex topics, explore urgent social justice issues, and reflect on the systems that shape our lives. From housing discrimination and food safety to grief, mental health, and climate displacement, each book offers a fresh lens and a powerful story. And as always, we’ll approach these conversations with our core values front and center: kindness, inclusion, equity, and respect.

Whether you’re a longtime member or a book club newbie, there’s a seat at the table for you. Join us! Here's what we'll be reading and discussing.

• January: Evicted by Matthew Desmond

  Nonfiction | Housing Discrimination, Poverty, Exploitation & Profit

• February: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

  Fiction | Black & Jewish Communities, Race, Xenophobia

• March: Looking for Alaska by John Green

  Young Adult Fiction | Coming of Age, Grief, Frequently Banned Book

• April: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

  Nonfiction | Memoir, Grief, Family, Cultural Identity

• May: While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger

  Nonfiction | Mental Health, Local Author

• September: The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum

  Nonfiction | Food Safety, FDA Origins, Corporate Greed

• October: We Will Not Be Silent by Russell Freedman

  Children’s Literature | Resistance, Nazis, WWII

• January 2027: The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger

  Fiction | Climate Change, Race, Class, Natural Disasters

Books can be mirrors, windows, and doors, helping us see ourselves, understand others, and imagine new possibilities. This year’s lineup is designed to stretch us and spark new dialogue about complex topics.

Our Freedom to Read 'Em book club is a members-only perk when you join GCC. Not a member yet? Now is a great time to join!

JOIN NOW