Books announced for 2022 Big Read Lakeshore, featuring Greek mythology, hero’s journey

HOLLAND — Big Read Lakeshore will explore themes of Greek mythology and what it means to be a hero when it returns this fall.

The annual event presented by Hope College is officially returning for a ninth year this fall. A $19,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts supporting the Big Read Lakeshore was announced Wednesday, June 15. Little Read Lakeshore also returns, supported by a $15,000 grant from Michigan Humanities.

Programming this fall will explore “Greek mythology, the hero’s journey and untold hero stories” through characters ranging from “an ancient mythological enchantress-goddess to a modern-day child and well-known teen superheroes.”

This year’s Big Read Lakeshore book is “Circe” by Madeline Miller. The Little Read will focus on the picture book “Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson.

For middle readers, the program will feature Homer’s “The Odyssey” along with young-adult novels “Miles Morales: Spider-Man” by Jason Reynolds, “Superman: Dawnbreaker” by Matt de la Peña and “Zita the Spacegirl” by Ben Hatke.

“There’s already a lot of excitement around our book choices this year and our decision to explore Greek mythology and what it means to be a hero in different cultures and time periods,” stated Deb Van Duinen, founding director of Hope College’s Big Read and associate professor of English education at Hope. “I can’t wait for readers of all ages to dig into these topics and themes.”

“Circe” is a new perspective on the titular Greek goddess, telling her story in her voice. In classic texts, such as “The Odyssey,” Circe is a foil or obstacle for male protagonists and portrayed as weak and lacking nuance.

Miller reimagines the character as “complex, empathetic and determined to evolve and find her own path.” The book reached No. 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list.

More: 2021 Big Read Lakeshore events feature several authors, Native American culture

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“Last Stop on Market Street” will encourage young readers to explore what it looks like for readers to be heroes in their own communities. The story follows a child and his grandmother as they take the bus across town from church to a soup kitchen where they volunteer.

Released in 2015, the book won the 2016 Newbery Medal and was adapted as a musical in 2018.

Homer’s “The Odyssey” follows the journey home by Odysseus following the Trojan War and features, arguably, the most well-known depiction of Circe. “Miles Morales: Spider-Man,” “Superman: Dawnbreaker” and “Zita the Spacegirl” each feature a teenage hero wrestling with various issues, from real-world problems to intergalactic adventures.

Hope College’s NEA Big Read Lakeshore and Little Read Lakeshore provide community programming around a common book each fall. The shared experience is used to discuss and explore themes of the book and listen to and learn from each other.

Big Read Lakeshore was established by Van Duinen in 2014. Little Read Lakeshore was added in 2017. An estimated 12,000 people engage with the programs annually, the organization said.

Fall programming details, including events with the featured authors, will be announced in August. More details about the NEA Big Read Lakeshore can be found at bigreadlakeshore.com.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch. 

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hope College’s Big Read Lakeshore announces 2022 books