SAIPAN — A Chamorro children’s story about a mother’s love and a wartime memoir by one of Saipan’s most beloved storytellers are the Northern Mariana Islands’ 2026 Books of the Year, and both are headed to the Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. this month.
The Northern Mariana Islands Center for the Book, a state affiliate of the Library of Congress’ Center for the Book administered by the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library-NMI State Library, announced the selections this week.
“Guinaiyan Nåna: Mother’s Love,” written by Carmen S. Taimañao and illustrated by Rodante Guarda, is the 2026 Young Reader’s Official Selection. Written in Chamorro with English translation, the book was published by the Children of Our Homeland A.N.A. Project through the Library Friends of the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library.
“Without a Penny in My Pocket: My Bittersweet Memories Before and After World War II,” written by the late Marie S. C. Castro and published by the Northern Marianas Humanities Council, is the 2026 Adult Reader’s Official Selection.
“Books are more than pages and words,” said Library Director Erlinda C. Naputi. She said books are vessels that carry the memories, language, history and voices of the people from one generation to the next, and that the 2026 selections remind readers the stories of the Northern Mariana Islands are an important part of the larger American story.
The library will host Booth 320 in the Roadmap to Reading space at the National Book Festival on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., showcasing the 2026 selections and the Marianas’ literary heritage, Indigenous voices and cultural traditions. This year’s festival, themed “It’s Your Story,” is part of the Library of Congress’ America 250 celebration and runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The festival is free, though free tickets will be required for entry for the first time this year, available at loc.gov/bookfest, where Main Stage events will also be livestreamed.
Both Books of the Year are available for checkout through the Pacific Collection at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library. The community is also invited to join the library’s Great Reads digital reading challenge by reading all 11 NMI Books of the Year and logging them through READsquared, accessible under the Online Resources tab at cnmilib.org.
