The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) is seeking public input to help select the USVI Center for the Book’s 2024 Great Read submissions to represent the territory at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Aug. 24. The selection process will end on Jan. 31.
“We welcome nominations from the community for a Virgin Islands children’s book and an adult book whose body of work demonstrates excellence, engenders a love of literature and promotes lifelong literacy,” said Dee Baecher-Brown, CFVI president.
The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands was honored by the Library of Congress in 2022 with an invitation to serve as the Center for the Book for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Congress created the Library’s Center for the Book in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books and reading.
As the USVI affiliate, the foundation is responsible for collaborating with the Library on literacy programming, services and collections, developing independent local programs and literary heritage projects, including developing initiatives and public programs to promote literacy, reading, book arts, poetry and USVI literary heritage.
As part of the National Book Festival, each state and territory affiliate is invited to name a children’s and adult book as its designated Great Reads for the year, and a list of the books is distributed during the festival. the deadline for selections from the USVI is Jan. 31.
“For USVI submissions, books must be written by authors from the territory, take place in the Virgin Islands, or celebrate the USVI’s culture and heritage,” said Baecher-Brown.
Prior Great Reads selections from the USVI include “James and the Fireburn,” “Fireburn the Screenplay,” “Monster in the Middle” and “King and the Dragonflies.”
