{"id":60425,"date":"2026-02-02T06:00:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T12:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.davenportlibrary.com\/reference\/?p=60425"},"modified":"2026-01-07T16:57:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T22:57:44","slug":"online-reading-challenge-february-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.davenportlibrary.com\/reference\/online-reading-challenge-february-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Reading Challenge – February"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Welcome Readers!<\/p>\n

Our 2026 Online Reading Challenge is \u2026 KNOW YOUR HISTORY! Each month we will be reading about a different observance month and highlighting a main title about that month.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>For February, we will be reading books that reflect on the legacy and contributions of African Americans. Our main title for February is Freshwater <\/em><\/strong><\/a>by Akwaeke Emezi.\u00a0Here\u2019s a quick summary from the publisher:<\/p>\n

The astonishing debut novel from the acclaimed bestselling author of The Death of Vivek Oji, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, and Pet, Freshwater tells the story of Ada, an unusual child who is a source of deep concern to her southern Nigerian family. Young Ada is troubled, prone to violent fits. Born \u201cwith one foot on the other side,\u201d she begins to develop separate selves within her as she grows into adulthood. And when she travels to America for college, a traumatic event on campus crystallizes the selves into something powerful and potentially dangerous, making Ada fade into the background of her own mind as these alters\u2014now protective, now hedonistic\u2014move into control. Written with stylistic brilliance and based in the author\u2019s realities, Freshwater dazzles with ferocious energy and serpentine grace.<\/em> – Grove Atlantic<\/p>\n

Looking for some other books that reflect on the legacy and contributions of African Americans or that are written by Black authors? Try any of the following.<\/p>\n