The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana has selected the youth book "Nowhere Better Than Here," by West Baton Rouge teacher Sarah Guillory, as one of two books to be part of the National Book Festival.
Guillory is in her 23rd year of teaching English at Brusly High School. This is her second book and it was written for middle grade readers. "Nowhere Better Than Here" was named a Kirkus’ Reviews Best Book of the Year, a Children’s Book Council Best Book of the Year, and was the International Literary Association’s Intermediate Fiction Winner. It also earned starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist.
The other book chosen from Louisiana was the adult book "The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You," by Maurice Carlos Ruffin. Both books will be part of the Library of Congress Center for the Book’s Roadmap to Reading at the National Book Festival. The books chosen must be written by authors from the state or territory, take place there or celebrate its culture and heritage. The Louisiana selections this year meet all three criteria.
"There couldn’t be two better ambassadors for Louisiana and its literature,” said Interim State Librarian Meg Placke. “Sarah Guillory and Maurice Carlos Ruffin have a deep love of our state. Their work leaves no question about that. We’re thrilled to share their talents with the rest of the country.”
Guillory said, “This book is a love letter to Louisiana, to its culture and community, so it meant a lot to be recognized. I'd always wanted to write a coastal erosion book, mainly because so many people outside the state have no idea what is going on down here. And then the 2016 flood happened, and I so wanted to show that as well, particularly how our communities come together to help each other in times of need. Jillian is fierce and fighting for what means the most to her, which is the kind of story that always resonates with me.”
“We are thrilled to have such a wonderful teacher and author educating our students in West Baton Rouge,” said West Baton Rouge Schools Superintendent Chandler Smith. “The acclaim that this book has received is tremendous, and the fact that it is about our beloved state makes it very special.”
This year’s National Book Festival is Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The festival also includes livestreamed and recorded programs. Guillory and Ruffin will participate virtually with other authors representing their states. The discussions will be posted on the Library of Congress Great Reads from Great Places website and the Library of Congress YouTube channel. Their complete interviews with Jim Davis, executive director of the Louisiana Center for the Book, will be posted on the Louisiana Book Festival YouTube channel after the National Book Festival concludes.
