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The Spirit of Texas (SPOT) Reading Program hopes to encourage a greater understanding of what it means to be a Texan and to develop an appreciation for the literary works of and about Texas and Texans. SPOT is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table (YART). The purpose of the list is to encourage youths in grades 6-12 to explore a variety of current, quality books from Texas authors and illustrators, develop critical reading skills, and to encourage greater interaction between Texas authors and illustrators, Texas librarians, and Texas youth.
Beginning with the 2020 list, SPOT- Middle and SPOT- High School will be combined into one list.
Collection Development Statement
The Spirit of Texas (SPOT) Reading List is not designed to support any particular curriculum. Librarians are not required or expected to purchase every book on the list. Due to the diversity in age range and topics, librarians should follow their local collection development policies and guidelines when considering which titles to purchase for their library.
2026 SPOT Reading List
SPOT Resources
To learn more about the nomination criteria, please click here.
Thank you to all who volunteered! Please visit the Young Adult Round Table webpage and community on Engage to learn about new sub-committee members and officers.
Ready to take your love of reading young adult books to the next level? Volunteering for one of YART’s reading committee lists allows you to help curate a diverse list of books that meet the needs of all young adults in Texas. You can also volunteer for one of YART’s executive board positions to help advocate for YA reading, publicize reading lists, work with publishers, and plan conferences.
TLA is pleased to announce the 2026 class of the TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute.
On a recent episode of Libraries Transform Texas, host Michelia Mason, head librarian at Southwest Research Institute, spoke with Kristi Park, executive director of the Texas Digital Library, about TDL’s 20-year journey.
