Chapter 250: Reading America’s Stories Together (Youth)

The Putnam County Public Library District will host the inaugural youth meeting of Chapter 250: Reading America’s Story Together, a community book club exploring the American Revolution through shared reading, discussion, and film. The event will take place on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at the Condit Branch, with a virtual option available via Zoom. Youth ages 8–14 are invited to discuss Revolutionary Mary by Karen Blumenthal and Her Name Was Mary Katharine by Ella Schwartz. Both books tell the inspiring true story of Mary Katharine Goddard, a courageous colonial printer who risked her safety to publish the Declaration of Independence—boldly including her own name and becoming the only woman whose name appears on it. Before the discussion, participants will view a 26-minute screening reel from the upcoming 2025 PBS documentary American Revolution by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, featuring an introduction by Ken Burns. The program will also include a 7-minute reel from the Library of Congress’s Rare Books and Special Collections highlighting the Goddard Declaration of Independence. Copies of both books will be available at the Granville and Condit Branches. For more information, please contact the Library at 815-339-2038. The Zoom link will be posted on the Library’s website and social media pages.