This February marks the fourth year of our One Book, One Burg: Louisburg Reads program! We strive to select books that will engage a diverse range of readers, encouraging unique perspectives and discussions. To achieve this, we've explored a variety of genres, including non-fiction and fiction, as well as adult and young adult titles, and even some classics.

For 2026, the book selection committee has chosen Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. This powerful story weaves together several important themes: finding your voice, the lasting effects of child sexual abuse, the difficult process of healing and learning to trust again, the importance of sisterhood and finding strength in each other, the foster care system, and the power of community and support.

The novel centers on ten-year-old Della, whose older sister, Suki, has always been her protector. From their mother's imprisonment to an abusive living situation, Suki has been Della's constant. But when Suki attempts suicide, Della's world is upended, forcing her to question whether her silence has been misplaced. Perhaps it's time for her to speak out.

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley masterfully tackles the stigma surrounding child sexual abuse, balancing an intense narrative with compassion and humor. This is a story about two sisters, bound by love and trauma, who must discover their individual voices before they can truly reconnect. As the New York Times Book Review states, "Della's matter-of-fact narration manages to be as funny and charming as it is devastatingly sad. . . . This is a novel about trauma [but] more than that, it's a book about resilience, strength and healing. For every young reader who decides to wait . . . there will be others for whom this is the exact book they need right now."