The Novel Idea 2026 Community Book Club Pick is Revealed
Posted By: Liz Goodrich
Date Posted: 12/6/2025
Author Thomas Kohnstamm Surprises Readers to Announce His Novel, Supersonic, as the Next Community-Wide Read
Deschutes Public Library is pleased to announce Thomas Kohnstamm’s novel Supersonic as the 2026 A Novel Idea selection during a public unveiling event. The book reveal reached new heights as Seattle-native Kohnstamm, who had been quietly hidden among the guests, surprised attendees by taking the podium to speak about his book’s selection. Complementing Supersonic, a youth edition pick was also announced, Mitali Perkins’s Hope in the Valley, promising an engaging journey for young readers.
“The anticipation of the evening was palpable, but Kohnstamm really elevated the reveal by popping up from the crowd the moment the book was announced,” said Liz Goodrich, Programs Supervisor at Deschutes Public Library. “That’s a testament to the uniqueness of A Novel Idea. Even after 23 years, we are finding new ways to bring excitement to beloved community event—on and off the page.”
Supersonic explores the layered history of a Seattle neighborhood through the lives of the people who built, reshaped and fought for it across centuries. When PTA president Sami Hasegawa-Stalworth petitions to rename a Seattle elementary school after her late grandmother, she ignites a battle over the school’s future and the history of its surrounding neighborhood. Supersonic is a kaleidoscopic tale of the generations of interrelated families who breathed life into that small, hilltop community.
“From the Yukon Gold Rush to the rise and fall of Boeing’s supersonic jet, this novel covers a sweeping timeline that’s tied to the Pacific Northwest,” said Goodrich. “An overarching theme is the importance of protecting the places you love. Both novels—Supersonic and Hope in the Valley—have at the center the idea that place matters, and the struggle to preserve them is worth it.”
A Novel Idea continues to bring fresh, compelling narratives to Central Oregon readers. The concept behind A Novel Idea is simple: pick a great book, engage with community through thought-provoking and relevant programming and wrap up the project with free and accessible author visits.
Mark your calendars for April 2026 when programming for A Novel Idea kicks off. Throughout the month, readers can explore ideas found in Supersonic and Hope in the Valley. A Novel Idea programming culminates with the final author event on Saturday, May 2, at Summit High School, and a visit from the youth edition author, Mitali Perkins, on Saturday, April 18. All programs, including the authors’ presentations, are free of charge.
“Participation can take many forms: whether you start by reading the book, connect with others through a book club discussion, or gain deeper insight at the author events,” says Goodrich. “We’re giving readers something to buzz about, and Central Oregon’s largest community read program wouldn’t be possible without Deschutes County readers.”
Copies of Supersonic (Counterpoint Press) and Hope in the Valley (MacMillan Publishers) can be checked out from the library or purchased from local bookstores.
About the Book: Supersonic
Supersonic charts the rise of a boomtown city in the American West where ambition outpaces memory. In the present day, PTA president Sami Hasegawa-Stalworth is determined to rename her daughter’s elementary school after her late grandmother—a beloved music teacher and Japanese internment survivor. What begins as a symbolic family gesture spirals into a kaleidoscopic, multi-generational story of struggle—for and against change, and over who gets to define the future.
Through interwoven lives—an opioid-addicted 19th-century conman, a disgraced Navy seaman building a jet that will fly faster than sound, a stay-at-home dad turned weed entrepreneur and a family haunted by the ghosts of progress—Supersonic reveals how each era tries to remake the same ground beneath its feet. At once intimate and panoramic, the story channels the restless energy that propels the West.
About the Author: Thomas Kohnstamm
Thomas Kohnstamm was born and raised in Seattle. He still lives in the same house he grew up in—now with his wife and two children. Supersonic is his third book.
About the Book: Hope in the Valley
Hope in the Valley is a middle-grade novel exploring grief, friendship, family, and growing up in a community facing a housing crisis.
Twelve-year-old Indian-American Pandita Paul doesn't like change. She's not ready to start middle school and leave the comforts of childhood behind. Most of all, Pandita doesn't want to feel like she's leaving her mother, who died a few years ago, behind. After a falling out with her best friend, Pandita is planning to spend most of her summer break reading and writing in her favorite secret space: the abandoned but majestic mansion across the street. But then the unthinkable happens. The town announces that the old home will be bulldozed in favor of new—maybe affordable—housing. With her family on opposing sides of the issue, Pandita must find her voice—and the strength to move on—in order to give her community hope.
About the Author: Mitali Perkins
Mitali Perkins has written many books for young readers, all of which explore crossing different kinds of borders. Her goal is to make readers laugh or cry, preferably both, as long as their hearts are widening. She lives and writes in the East Bay of California.
For more information about A Novel Idea, please contact Liz Goodrich at (541) 312-1032 or lizg@deschuteslibrary.org. Check out the “A Novel Idea” website at www.deschuteslibrary.org/novelidea for event listings as they are scheduled and for author information.
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