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Big Read

Big Read

Big Read

Join Massanutten Regional Library in participating in NEA Big Read, a national community-focused movement striving to broaden understandings of ourselves and our neighbors through a shared reading experience, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. We invite everyone to join us in reading Homegoing—a historical novel that details the paths of two half-sisters from Ghana and their descendants over generations, exploring the lasting effects of colonialism and slavery on both the individuals and the generations that follow—as a community for Big Read 2025.

MRL's Book Read Selection: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (Free copies provided at Kick-Off Event and at all branches during Big Read)

MRL's Children's Book Selections: 

  • Beauty and the Beast by H. Chuku Lee
  • Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe
  • Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad by Monica Edinger
  • Home of the Brave by Katerine Applegate
  • National Geographic: Shackles From the Deep by Michael Cottman

MRL Mural Contest: An artist will be awarded a chance to design a large mural on the Bruce Street wall of Central Library. Artists are free to present their design, which should demonstrate the theme of MRL's vision. Applications closed.

MRL's Community Story Quilt Project: The community is invited to participate in the making of our Community Story Quilt. Completed squares are to be returned to your local branch of the MRL system by April 1, 2025. The MRL Community Story Quilt(s) will be on display at the Central Branch of MRL during the Rocktown Author Festival on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

Big Read Events

Kickoff Event
Friday, February 28, 2025
12:00-2:00pm
Explore More Discovery Museum

All ages are welcome at our Big Read Kickoff Event on the 3rd floor of the Explore More Discovery Museum! Enjoy live music and listen to a summary of our chosen book for Big Read, Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing as well as passage readings by local celebrities like Sofia Samatar and Gbenga Adesina. Participants will also be able to pick up FREE copies* of Homegoing to read alongside other community members. Delicious food and drinks will be provided by FLOCS and Beyond as we celebrate the start of Big Read! *One book per person, must be present

Ghana: A History
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
6:00-7:00pm
Central Library - Meeting Rooms

Dr. David Owusu-Ansah, JMU History Professor, will discuss the history of Ghana. As part of the Big Read series of programming, this lecture will provide important context for the events happening at the start of Homegoing.

Homegoing Discussion @ North River Library
Monday, March 10, 2025
3:00-4:00pm
North River Library

Join us for a drop-in book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi at the North River branch. Spend 30 minutes discussing the book and work on creating a paper quilt square for the remaining 30 minutes. 

Homegoing Discussion @ Elkton Community Library
Friday, March 14, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm
Elkton Community Library

Join us for a book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, for our Big Read! We'll spend 30 minutes talking about the book. For the remaining 30 minutes, we'll create paper squares for our Big Read Community Story Quilt Project!

Quilting for Young Artists
Saturday, March 15, 2025
1:00-2:00pm
Central Library - CYC

Come celebrate National Quilting Day with MRL as we explore the history of American quilting, difference piecing methods, and make a take-home project! Participants will also have the opportunity to work on a quilt square for the MRL Community Story Quilt as part of the Big Read program. All materials provided by MRL. Youth ages 5-10.

The Color Purple Film Showing
Sunday, March 16, 2025
2:00-4:00pm
Court Square Theater

Join us for a free showing of The Color Purple (2023) at Court Square Theater in Downtown Harrisonburg. Concessions available for purchase. No registration required.

Homegoing Discussion @ Feel the Rain Brothers Brew Co.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
7:00-8:00pm
Feel the Rain Brothers Brew Co.

Join us for a book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, at Feel the Rain Brothers Brew Co. for our Big Read! Registration is required; to register, please click the event link above.

Homegoing Discussion @ Village Library
Saturday, March 22, 2025
1:00-2:00pm
Village Library

Join us for a book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, for our Big Read! We'll spend 30 minutes talking about the book. For the remaining 30 minutes, we'll create paper squares for our Big Read Community Story Quilt Project!

Homegoing Discussion @ Page Public Library
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm
Page Public Library

Join us for a drop-in book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi at the Page Public Library. 

Geneology 101
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
6:00-7:00pm
Central Library

Learn the basics of beginning genealogy research with Kristin Noell Evans, MRL's Head of Adult Services, for Big Read! We'll cover resources available at MRL and where you can go when your research has exhausted our expansive collections.

Homegoing Discussion @ Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project
Thursday, March 27, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm
Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project

Join us for a drop-in book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi at Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project. Spend 30 minutes discussing the book. Registration required.

Homegoing Discussion @ Shenandoah Community Library
Thursday, March 27, 2025
2:00-3:00pm
Shenandoah Community Library

Join us for a drop-in book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi at the Shenandoah Community Library.

Homegoing Discussion @ Restless Moons
Monday, March 31, 2025
7:00-8:00pm
Restless Moons Brewing

Join us for a drop-in book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi at Restless Moons Brewing. 

The Color Purple Film Showing
Saturday, April 5, 2025
2:00-4:30pm
Daughter of the Stars Theater

Join us for a free showing of The Color Purple (2023) at Daughter of the Stars Theater in Stanley, Virginia. 

Homegoing Discussion @ North River Library
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
4:00-5:00pm
North River Library

Join us for a drop-in book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi at the North River branch. 

Homegoing Discussion @ Page Public Library
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
6:30-7:30pm
Page Public Library

Join us for a drop-in book discussion on Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi at the Page Public Library. 

Rocktown Author Festival
Saturday, April 12, 2025
10:00am-3:00pm
Central Library

MRL's Rocktown Author Festival is an annual event that celebrates local, published authors and offers support to attendees who wish to become published authors. The Festival includes an open forum for the public to meet and greet local authors, purchase their works, and have books signed by the authors. The event also includes two panel sessions, led by local experts, designed to inform attendees about topics pertinent to the writing and publishing industry. The 2025 Rocktown Author Festival will be closing out our Big Read celebration, featuring the unveiling of our mural.

Book Club Discussions

  • Mostly Books (Grottoes Branch Library)
    Monday, March 3, 2025
    10:00-11:00am
    Grottoes Municipal Building Community Room

    Come share what you're reading and discover new reading material, too! A list of titles, authors, and short critiques of what was discussed will be distributed after each meeting. Mostly Books meets monthly in the Grottoes Municipal Building Community Room, located just across from the library. During this meeting, Branch Manager Peggy Counts will discuss Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing as her book of choice.

  • Page by Page Book Club (Shenandoah Community Library)
    Tuesday, March 11, 2025
    6:00-7:00pm
    Shenandoah Community Library

    Join us the second Tuesday of every month for our adult book club. Bring along a recent read to share with others! As part of Big Read, Branch Manager Bethany Reedy will be discussing Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing.

  • Broadway Bookends (Village Library)
    Wednesday, March 19, 2025
    4:30-5:30pm
    Village Library

    Come discuss our most recent book club choice! March book selection: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 

  • Cat Chats Book Club (Central Library)
    Friday, March 21, 2025
    10:00-11:00am
    Aristocat Café

    Love cats and books? We have the book club for you! Adults can join us at the Aristocat Café on the third Friday of each month from 10:00-11:00am. This month's book is Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Enjoy some tea, discuss the book, and play with some cats. Discussion will take place in the cat room so cats will be nearby. Tea provided by the library. Limited number of spots available so is registration required. Registration cap of 10.  

  • Novel-Tea Book Club (Elkton Community Library)
    Tuesday, March 25, 2025
    6:30-7:30pm
    Elkton Community Library

    Come discuss our most recent book club choice! Hot water and an assortment of teas will be provided. Bring your favorite mug and let’s talk books! Join Branch Manager Beth Hildebrand for a discussion of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.

  • Sage & Page Book Club (Central Library)
    Wednesday, April 2, 2025
    8:00-9:00pm
    Sage Bird Ciderworks

    Members can discuss books they read in March. Books for the April-June cycle will include Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; Real Americans by Rachel Khong; And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini; and Banyan Moon by Thao Thai. Discussion will last for 30 minutes and the rest of the program will be a social gathering. No registration required.

The 2025 Big Read celebration, programming, and mural competition are supported by Arts Council of the Valley, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Massanutten Regional Library, JMU Libraries, Larson Wealth Management, and other sponsors. 

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© 2025 Massanutten Regional Library
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