Big Stories, Little Book Lovers
Once Upon A Book Club is a story time dream come true for little book lovers and the grown-ups who cheer them on. Each month, one specially chosen kids book – handpicked by the Madison Reading Project – takes center stage, turning reading into a fun, shared adventure. With a mission to spark a love of books early on, Madison Reading Project helps make reading feel exciting, cozy, and full of possibility, one story at a time. It’s not just a book club – it’s the beginning of a lifelong love of reading. It’s part of our focus on family at Magic 98.
APRIL 2026 FEATURED BOOK
Author/Illustrator: Michaela Goade | Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries. Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry. Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry. Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all.
Purchase this book for MRP or yourself
MARCH 2026 FEATURED BOOK
Authors: Lea Lyon and Alexandria LeFaye | Illustrator: Jessica Gibson | Publisher: HarperCollins
As a young girl, Sylvia wanted nothing more than to take ballet lessons. When that wasn’t possible, she used her community’s bookmobile to find books to teach herself how to dance. She even started teaching her friends! Eventually, she opened her own studio and credited her professional successes to the bookmobile.
Purchase this book for MRP or yourself
FEBRUARY 2026 FEATURED BOOK
This is a sweet representation of the magic of Grandmas. In this story, Grandma Mimi’s special purse is full of all the best things and makes everything more fun – you never know what you will find inside! The vibrant and fun illustrations and joyful story make this a special one to share with someone you love. Don’t miss some of our other favorites by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, including Becoming Vanessa and Just Like Me.
Purchase this book for MRP or yourself
JANUARY 2026 FEATURED BOOK
Author: Angela H. Dale | Illustrator: Lala Watkins | Publisher: Cameron Kids
“In the spirit of The Snowy Day, a group of kids from A to Z arrive at the bus stop only to discover that the bus is a no-show … snow day!
It’s time for school, and all the neighborhood kids, from Antoine to Mahmoud to Zoey, gather one by one in the frosty dawn to wait for the school bus. But something more thrilling arrives first. Snowflakes fall, transforming the bus stop into a winter wonderland – and an official snow day. No school!”