Explore the stories, voices, and landscapes of the Great Lakes—one book at a time.

Join our Read the Great Lakes reading challenge and chart your literary course by reading books set on, near, or about each of the five Great Lakes. As you read, you’ll uncover the beauty and complexity of the region we call home.

How to Participate:

• Grab a free brochure at the circulation desk (or download a printable copy below).
• Read one book set on, near, or about each of the five Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior. Earn one drawing entry for each lake book read (one for each lake = 5 entries max).
• Log the books you read on Beanstack at wlclib.beanstack.org or in your brochure between October 1st and November 30th to be eligible for the prize drawing. Return forms to the library by Tuesday, Dec. 2nd. 

This fall, our reading challenge takes on special meaning as we celebrate the Big Read Lakeshore’s selection of the novel I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger—a lyrical post-collapse odyssey set on the shores of a transformed Lake Superior. As part of the challenge, readers are encouraged to include this novel in their exploration (although not required). Enger’s work reflects the same themes our lakes hold: resilience, memory, solitude, and hope.

Pick up the program brochure at the library and start exploring! Read a book set on, near, or about each of the five Great Lakes for a chance to win a Great Lakes-themed prize pack made possible through the Friends of the White Lake Community Library—and to deepen your understanding of our shared Great Lakes heritage. Need book ideas? The brochure has you covered!

🗓️ Don't miss: Hear Leif Enger in person at MCC's Overbrook Theater
📍 November 13, 6 PM
Hear the author of Peace Like a River and I Cheerfully Refuse discuss his novels and his lifelong connection to the Great Lakes.