May Reading Around the World Challenge: Countries That Start with G & H
The Reading Around the World Challenge from the North Little Rock Public Library System is your passport to a year of global stories. Each month, we highlight countries based on a letter or group of letters, and your challenge is simple: read a book or watch a movie set in, about, or by an author from one of that month’s featured countries.
Each month you participate, you can submit an entry form to be entered into a prize drawing for a gift card to a local restaurant. At the end of the year, all monthly entries go into a grand prize drawing for a Kindle Paperwhite e-reader.
Submit your entry in person at either Laman or Argenta Library, or online here:
https://nlrlibrary.org/communityresources/readingchallenge
May’s Theme: Countries That Start with G & H
From Ghana to Haiti, May’s challenge invites you to explore stories connected to countries that begin with the letters G and H. Not sure where to start? Here are five standout titles to explore this month:
Moonbath by Yanick Lahens
Author from Haiti · Available on hoopla
Set in a small Haitian village, this novel follows generations of women as they navigate personal and political upheaval. Lahens weaves a lyrical and emotionally powerful portrait of Haiti and its people.
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Set in Haiti
When outspoken high school senior Alaine is sent to Haiti after a school scandal, she uncovers long-buried family secrets. Told through letters, emails, and diary entries, this debut is vibrant, witty, and emotionally rich.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Author from Ghana · Partially set in Ghana
Spanning 300 years, this novel follows the descendants of two half-sisters—one sold into slavery, the other married to a British colonizer. It’s a sweeping, powerful look at history, inheritance, and the long shadow of colonization.
The Door-To-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn
Author from Germany · Available on Libby
A quiet story about an elderly bookseller and the curious young girl who joins him on his delivery route. Set in a small German town, this novel celebrates the quiet magic of books and intergenerational friendship.
Libertad by Bessie Flores Zaldívar
Set in Honduras · Author from Honduras
Told in lyrical prose and poetry, this novel follows Libertad as she fights to hold her family together amidst grief and injustice. It’s a moving, voice-driven YA story rooted in Honduran culture and identity.
Ready to travel through books? Grab your library card, choose a title, and join us on the journey.