The Seattle Public Library chose Sara Nović’s True Biz as its 2026 Seattle Reads selection, and this week, locals have several chances to meet the author and dig deeper into the novel.
A New York Times bestseller, True Biz follows students and the headmistress of River Valley School for the Deaf. The novel explores friendship, identity, family and the experiences of Deaf students and their community.
The library is making copies of the book available at its locations and around the community for individuals and informal book groups. Readers can also access unlimited e-book copies of True Biz through October 1.
Nović will appear at four free events on Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26. Each event will include ASL interpretation and CART live captioning.
- Friday, Sept. 25, 11 a.m. — Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W.
- Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. with Ross Showalter, a Deaf moderator — Hugo House, Lapis Theater, 1634 11th Ave.
- Saturday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m. — SouthEast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S. Holly St.
- Saturday, Sept. 26, 3 p.m. with Aimee Chou — Central Library, 1000 4th Ave.
Registration is required to attend these free events; you can get more details on the library’s Seattle Reads page.
Sara Nović will also be speaking about her new book Mother Tongue at the Central Library on Sunday, September 27 from 11 am to 2 pm. All are welcome but keep in mind that this event is designed primarily for Deaf community members and will be presented in ASL with English voice overs. Advance registration is also required for this free event.
Sara Nović is also the author of Girl at War, which, like True Biz, received an American Library Association Alex Award. Her latest book is Mother Tongue: A Memoir. She is an activist and teaches Deaf studies and creative writing.
Seattle Reads has been bringing the city together around a single book since 1998, inspired by the concept of “what if all of Seattle read the same book.” The donor-supported program now connects more than 9,000 people each year through reading, community discussions and author events. The “one city, one book” idea has also inspired similar programs at more than 400 libraries worldwide.
