Celebrating the selection of Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng for the 2026 One Book, One Philadelphia program. WHEREAS, Since its foundation in 1891, the Free Library of Philadelphia has worked to build an enlightened community devoted to lifelong learning; and WHEREAS, Now, on its 24 th annual season, the Free Library of Philadelphia’s One Book, One Philadelphia is a signature project of the Free Library of Philadelphia. It promotes literacy, library usage, and civic dialogue by encouraging the entire greater Philadelphia area to come together through the sharing of ideas and the joy of reading; and WHEREAS, The 2026 selection for the One Book, One Philadelphia program, Our Missing Hearts , is a powerful novel that takes a deep dive into the values of family, resistance, and the impact government policy has on individuals as well as communities. The book tells the story of Bird Gardner and the search for his mother in a dystopian version of America. Following Bird on his quest, the book explores folktales, censorship, and the suppression of art; and WHEREAS, Celeste Ng is an accomplished American writer and novelist. A Pennsylvania native, Ng has authored several best-selling novels, including Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You . Born to immigrant parents, Ng prides herself on writing authentic stories that reflect her life as well as the stories of many Asian American immigrants. In addition to her novels, Ng has authored several short stories that have…
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