Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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A look at how intimate stories about friendship, growing older, and personal tragedy can help us tackle universal themes. This Book Club Picks panel was part of Penguin Random House, Library Journal, and School Library Journal's Winter 2025 Virtual Book & Author Festival that debuted on December 4, 2025 and features the following authors:
(click on the links to learn more about each book)

Allegra Goodman, THIS IS NOT ABOUT US (The Dial Press)
penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/book/?isbn=9780593447840

April Reynolds, THE SHAPE OF DREAMS (Knopf)
penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/book/?isbn=9780593316863

Maria Semple, GO GENTLE (Putnam)
penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/book/?isbn=9798217176632

Emma Straub, AMERICAN FANTASY (Riverhead)
penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/book/?isbn=9798217046850

Kelly Yang, THE TAKE (Berkley)
penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/book/?isbn=9780593953372

Moderator: Dontaná McPherson-Joseph, Collection Management Librarian, Oak Park Public Library (IL)