Navajo Authors, Illustrators to be Showcased in Tribal Community Library to serve 128,000 Navajo members
November 1, 2025 — Blandon, Pa. Judith’s Reading Room announced that its 116th Judith’s Reading Room library will be formally opened on April 9, 2026 in Chinle, Arizona, a community within the Navajo Nation, the largest reservation in America. The announcement is made today to recognize National Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month which is celebrated each November.
Judith’s Reading Room selected Chinle Planting Hope to be among 15 global organizations to receive a curated collection of books in celebration of the organization’s 15th anniversary. The bold initiative, “15 Libraries to Celebrate Its 15th Anniversary in 2025” will include organizations stretching across 4 oceans and 4 continents.
“Judith’s Reading Room is proud to collaborate with Chinle Planting Hope, a grassroots nonprofit started in Chinle that serves their Diné community. Together they will establish a Tribal Community Library in Chinle, home to 128,000 Navajo people,” said Cathy Leiber, President, Judith’s Reading Room. Geographically, Judith’s Reading Room has established libraries in 12 states — from California to New York — and in 27 countries around the world.
The library in Chinle is named the organization’s #116th Judith’s Reading Room Library. The goal for the Tribal Community Library is to have a comprehensive selection of children’s books by Native authors and illustrators of different tribes and Native affiliations.
The Chinle community is situated in the heart of the Navajo Nation. The Navajo people have a long and proud history of living in this area despite the challenges of the Long Walk when thousands of Diné were forced from their homes to march over 300 miles to Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. The Navajo people are strong, resilient and are committed to preserving and teaching their Diné cultural traditions and language.
“Chinle Planting Hope is honored to be a part of promoting literacy and a love of reading in the Diné community and the Navajo Nation. The R.E.A.D. in Beauty Bookmobile (Reading Empowers Adventures and Dreams) has distributed more than 40,000 books, holds quarterly literacy and STEM events, and hosts an annual Summer Reading Challenge,” said Amber Drinen, volunteer Program Coordinator, Chinle Planting Hope. She added, “We hope to continue to grow and offer more learning opportunities to children and families in the community in the years to come. This is just the beginning and we’re so thankful to be a part of it.”
The first installment of 76 books with a cover price of $1,318 includes 37 titles by Navajo authors, illustrators or are about the Navajo Nation. The other titles were written, illustrated or are about other first nations. Featured Navajo authors include Laurel Goodluck, Lorinda Martinez, and Brian Young. Navajo illustrators include Jonathan Nelson, and cover jacket illustrators Brittany Gene and Shonto Begay. The Judith’s Reading Room library includes books written by Tommy Orange, recently named a 2025 MacArthur Genius Grant winner as well as Christine Day, Alexis Bunten, Louise Erdrich, Traci Sorell, Robin Wall Kimmerer and Stephen Graham Jones.
The collection was curated by Ana Luhrs, Lafayette College’s Librarian of Special Collections based in Easton, Pennsylvania who serves on the Judith’s Reading Room board of directors. This initial donation of 76 exceptional books written or illustrated by Indigenous authors will comprise the backbone of the collection which is expected to grow over the coming years as more Indigenous writers and illustrators are published. Attention was paid to including stories written about Native cultures directly by Native authors.
“It is so important for people and communities to see themselves in the books they read. This is why we focused on buying works from indigenous authors and illustrators for the Chinle Planting Hope collection. It is my hope that the Chinle community can connect with the new collection and with each other through reading,” noted Ana Luhrs.
Judith’s Reading Room
Judith’s Reading Room, a 501 (c) 3 global literacy organization was founded in 2010 in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a distinguished librarian and cousin to the founders. Its mission is: “To enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy.” The organization has fulfilled that mission by establishing, to date, 116 eponymous libraries (and counting!) in 27 countries (and counting!) and 12 US states with over 135,000 books donated at a cover price of $1.45 million.
Judith’s Reading Room has supported literacy programs in cooperation with Chinle Planting Hope since 2020 when the organization made a donation of 500 children’s books worth nearly $5,000 to support their “R.E.A.D. in Beauty” book mobile.
“The 15 Libraries to Celebrate Our 15th Anniversary in 2025”
- Bright School/TEACH Rwanda, Muhanga, Rwanda — January 7
- Escuela ‘Agustin Flores Contreras,’ Puerto Vallarta, Mexico — January 15
- Read for Literacy, “Real Men READ-y”, Toledo, Ohio — February 1
- Avery Chapel AME Church, Southaven, Mississippi — February 15
- Watch Me Grow Learning Academy, Grenada, Mississippi — February 15
- Mosaic Preparatory Academy, East Harlem, New York — March 14
- Louisiana Methodist Family & Children’s Services, Ruston, Louisiana — April 1
- Washington County Juvenile’s ‘Harkins House,’ Portland, Oregon — April 4
- Heavy Sound, Edinburgh, Scotland — June 3
- Janata Adharbhut Vidhyalaya School, Kathmandu, Nepal — June 19
- Vhulakanjhani Primary School, Limpopo Province, South Africa — June 25
- James Prendergast Free Library, Jamestown, New York — July 31
- Abundant Life Academy, Nutley, New Jersey — September 12
- Chinle Planting Hope, Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona — November 1
- Kirioruwa School, Marabedda, Bandarawela, Sri Lanka — To Be Announced
To learn more about Judith’s Reading Room, please visit www.judithsreadingroom.org.
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