Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Center for the Book at the State Library of Louisiana have announced Louisiana’s two “Great Reads from Great Places” selections for the 2026 National Book Festival, which will be held Saturday, August 22, in Washington, D.C.
The National Book Festival is organized by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Each year, Affiliate Centers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories are invited to select two titles that reflect their literary heritage: one for young readers and one for adult readers. Selected books may be written by authors who live in or were born in the state or may focus on the state’s people, culture, or history.
Louisiana’s 2026 selection for young readers is Soggy Like Cush Cush by Karly Pierre, illustrated by Kristen Uroda. A celebration of Creole culture, family, and community, the story follows Petite Marie and her Gran-moman as a rainy day turns into a heartwarming adventure filled with friendship, tradition, and delicious Creole cooking. Uroda’s vibrant illustrations bring Louisiana’s unique cultural landscape to life for young readers.
Louisiana’s 2026 adult readers’ selection is You Are My Sunshine: Jimmy Davis & the Biography of a Song by Robert Mann. The book explores the remarkable story behind one of America’s most beloved songs, weaving together the rise of country music, Louisiana politics, World War II, and the civil rights movement into a compelling narrative of culture and history.
"As America commemorates its 250th anniversary, these books remind us that Louisiana has played an important role in shaping the nation’s cultural and historical landscape. They reflect the creativity, diversity, and spirit that continue to define our state,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “Louisiana’s stories have always captured the imagination of readers because they are rooted in culture, resilience, family, and community. From a treasured song known across the nation to the traditions of a Louisiana Creole family, these selections highlight the many ways our stories connect people. We are proud to share these exceptional books with readers from across the country at the National Book Festival.”
Pierre grew up in the heart of Louisiana’s Creole and Cajun countryside, surrounded by sugarcane fields and a family of farmers and educators who fostered her love of nature, culture, and storytelling. With a background in journalism, she has also worked as an educator in South Korea.
Mann is the author of ten books on U.S. and Louisiana political history. He served as a senior aide to U.S. Senators Russell Long and John Breaux and to Governor Kathleen Blanco. Mann spent eighteen years on the faculty of LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication before retiring in 2024. He lives in Baton Rouge.
The 2026 National Book Festival will take place Saturday, August 22, in Washington, D.C. During the event, the Louisiana Center for the Book will participate in the popular Roadmap to Reading exhibition, where each state and territory showcases its “Great Reads” selections and introduces thousands of visitors to its literary culture.
The Louisiana Center for the Book was established in the State Library of Louisiana in 1994. Its mission is to stimulate public interest in reading, books, literacy, and libraries and to celebrate Louisiana’s rich literary heritage. It is the official state affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book.
The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in Washington works with its 56 Affiliate Centers for the Book (the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and Northern Marianas) to fulfill each Center’s mission of promoting literacy and the literary arts, supporting libraries and lifelong learning, and celebrating our nation’s diverse literary heritage at home and nationwide.
