Fresh Coast Bookshelf

The Fresh Coast Bookshelf program is a curated selection of 12 books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes.

Fresh Coast Bookshelf

The Fresh Coast Bookshelf program is a curated selection of 12 books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes.

Check out this year’s Fresh Coast titles!

Click any cover to view it in our Digital Bookshelf.

Children’s Books

Cover of the book Skating Wild on an Inland Sea. The cover features an illustration of a frozen lake with a small figure skater. The skate marks in the ice form the script of the title.
Skating Wild on and Inland Sea by Jean E. Pendziwol
A book cover with cartoon graphics of a young woman standing on the decl of a lighthouse with a young man a few feet behind her.
The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson
Cover of Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer featuring a cartoon drawing of a young girl with a dog in a meadow with flowers.
Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Family Nonfiction

The cover of The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater treasure by Barb Rosenstock featuring a pastel painting of two people and a dog in a canoe at sunrise near a sandy shore.
The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock
The cover of Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joly. The cover includes pictures of children interacting with nature.
A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joly
The cover to Dave Dempsey's book "The Great lakes: Fact or Fake?" with a silhouette of the Great Lakes and red questions marks in the background.
The Great Lakes: Fact or Fake by Dave Dempsey

YA & Adult Fiction

The cover of Sisters In The Wind by Angeline Boulley. The cover features a red background with artwork of a woman whose face is obscured by a bird.
Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
Cover for the book "The Best Part of Us" by Sally Cole-Misch. The cover features a photograph of water with distant, forested land.
The Best Part of Us by Sally Cole-Misch

Nonfiction

A book cover featuring whimsical art of a large fish jumping out of water.
The Accidental Reef by Lynne Heasley
Great Lakes Champions: Grassroots Efforts to Clean Up Polluted Watersheds by John Hartig

Poetry & Essays

The cover of Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes featuring a photograph of rolling storm clouds over water.
Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes, edited by Alison Swan
What Can the Matter By? by Keith Taylor

Awards Announced!

From January 28th to February 18th, 2026, libraries across the Great Lakes region had the opportunity to apply for our first-ever Fresh Coast Bookshelf program.

We received over 100 applications, from towns of 300 residents to cities of 1.5 million! We were heartened to read how the Great Lakes play a role in so many diverse communities, and how literature can connect us all to the land we share.

This May, we announced which 10 libraries have been chosen to receive:

  • 12 curated books across age-range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes
  • A full-color display kit for promoting your new books

This year’s awardees are:

  • Bridgman Public Library
  • Cleveland Public Library
  • Frankenmuth Wickson District Library
  • Grand Ledge Area District Library
  • Huntington Woods Public Library
  • Lincoln Township Public Library
  • Ojibwa Community Library
  • Oswego Public Library
  • Presque Isle District Library
  • Salem-South Lyon District Library

2026 Image Gallery

Know a library?

Let them know about our program, and follow our social media to learn about the next opportunity to bring a Fresh Coast Bookshelf to your town!

Downloadable Materials

Download and print our Fresh Coast materials to use at your library! For higher resolution files, email us at the address below.

Poster
Activity Sheet

Help Us Expand

We wish we could send books to every library, and we hope that to reach even more communities each year! To help us grow and benefit more communities, donate to the library! To earmark your contribution for the Fresh Coast program, contact us via email.

Donate

Fresh Coast Blog

  • Catching up with Fresh Coast Bookshelf!

    Our Fresh Coast Bookshelf program is in full swing! Libraries around the Great Lakes have received their books, and here are some of their photos and updates!

    Have you read any of our Fresh Coast picks? Even if you don’t live near one of these libraries, check out some of these books! let us know what you think and keep up with our Fresh Coast libraries on social media!

    https://youtu.be/UTTYlS4fOyQ

  • Awards Announced: Fresh Coast Bookshelf 2026

    brought to you by Library of the Great Lakes

    This winter, libraries across the Great Lakes applied for our first-ever Fresh Coast Bookshelf program. This May, we announced which 10 libraries will receive:

    • 12 curated books across age-range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes
    • A full-color promotional kit

    And the awardees are:

    • Bridgman Public Library
    • Cleveland Public Library
    • Frankenmuth Wickson District Library
    • Grand Ledge Area District Library
    • Huntington Woods Public Library
    • Lincoln Township Public Library
    • Ojibwa Community Library
    • Oswego Public Library
    • Presque Isle District Library
    • Salem-South Lyon District Library

    THANK YOU to everyone who applied.

    We received over 100 applications, from towns of 300 residents to cities of 1.5 million! We were heartened to read how the Great Lakes play a role in so many diverse communities, and how literature can connect us all to the land we share. We wish we could send books to every library, and we hope that to reach even more communities each year!

    To learn more about the program, download free materials, or help us expand in future years, visit our Fresh Coast webpage!

    Visit our Fresh Coast Webpage!

  • Applications Open for Fresh Coast Bookshelf 2026

    brought to you by Library of the Great Lakes

    Applications are now open for the Fresh Coast Bookshelf, a curated collection of 12 fantastic books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes, plus a full-color display kit! All local Great Lakes region public libraries are invited to apply. Up to ten libraries will be awarded the collection in this inaugural year of the Fresh Coast Bookshelf.

    Apply Now

    Applications are due by Midnight Eastern Time February 18, 2026. Please share this wonderful opportunity with your local library.

    Check out this year’s titles:

    Children’s Books
    Cover of Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer featuring a cartoon drawing of a young girl with a dog in a meadow with flowers.
    Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer
    A book cover with cartoon graphics of a young woman standing on the decl of a lighthouse with a young man a few feet behind her.
    The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson
    Cover of the book Skating Wild on an Inland Sea. The cover features an illustration of a frozen lake with a small figure skater. The skate marks in the ice form the script of the title.
    Skating Wild on and Inland Sea by Jean E. Pendziwol

    Family Nonfiction
    The cover of The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater treasure by Barb Rosenstock featuring a pastel painting of two people and a dog in a canoe at sunrise near a sandy shore.
    The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock
    The cover of Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joly. The cover includes pictures of children interacting with nature.
    A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joy
    The cover to Dave Dempsey's book
    The Great Lakes: Fact or Fake by Dave Dempsey
    YA and Adult Fiction
    The cover of Sisters In The Wind by Angeline Boulley. The cover features a red background with artwork of a woman whose face is obscured by a bird.
    Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
    Cover for the book
    The Best Part of Us by Sally Cole-Misch
    Nonfiction
    Great Lakes Champions: Grassroots Efforts to Clean Up Polluted Watersheds by John Hartig
    A book cover featuring whimsical art of a large fish jumping out of water.
    The Accidental Reef by Lynne Heasley
    Poetry and Essays
    The cover of Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes featuring a photograph of rolling storm clouds over water.
    Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes, edited by Alison Swan
    What Can the Matter By? by Keith Taylor

    Visit our Fresh Coast Webpage!

  • Fresh Coast Bookshelf: Title Reveal #3!

    The Fresh Coast
    Bookshelf 2026

    coming soon from the Library of the Great Lakes

    Coming soon: The opportunity to apply for the Fresh Coast Bookshelf, a curated selection of 12 fantastic books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes, plus a full-color display kit! All local Great Lakes region public libraries will be eligible to apply.

    As we count down to the Application Open date (Jan. 28th), let’s reveal the final four titles:

    The next four titles to be revealed are:

    The cover of The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater treasure by Barb Rosenstock featuring a pastel painting of two people and a dog in a canoe at sunrise near a sandy shore.
    Cover of Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer featuring a cartoon drawing of a young girl with a dog in a meadow with flowers.
    Find these titles in our Digital Bookshelf

    What Can the Matter Be?
    by Keith Taylor

    The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure
    by Barb Rosenstock

    Great Lakes Champions: Grassroots Efforts to Clean Up Polluted Watersheds
    by John Hartig

    Bud Finds Her Gift
    by Robin Wall Kimmerer

    Set a Calendar Reminder: Applications open January 28th!

    Program open to all public libraries within the 8 U.S. States and 2 Canadian Provinces in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec).

    Check out our previously announced titles here.

    Post Image: October Saugatuck by John Shultz

  • Fresh Coast Bookshelf: Title Reveal #2!

    The Fresh Coast
    Bookshelf 2026

    coming soon from the Library of the Great Lakes

    Coming your way, look for the opportunity to apply for the Fresh Coast Bookshelf, a curated selection of 12 fantastic books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes, plus a full-color display kit to help promote it – all local Great Lakes region public libraries will be eligible to apply.

    As we count down to the Application Open date (Jan. 28th), let’s reveal the next four titles:

    The next four titles to be revealed are:

    A book cover with cartoon graphics of a young woman standing on the decl of a lighthouse with a young man a few feet behind her.
    Cover for the book
    The cover to Dave Dempsey's book
    A book cover featuring whimsical art of a large fish jumping out of water.
    Find these titles in our Digital Bookshelf

    The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
    by Anna Rose Johnson

    The Great Lakes: Fact or Fake?
    by Dave Dempsey

    The Best Part of Us
    by Sally Cole-Misch

    The Accidental Reef and Other Ecological Odysseys in the Great Lakes
    by Lynne Heasley

    Save the Date: Application period opens January 28th!

    Program open to all public libraries within the 8 U.S. States and 2 Canadian Provinces in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec).

    Check out our previously announced titles here.

    Come back on January 15th when we’ll reveal the next four titles!

    Post Image: October Saugatuck by John Shultz