Read Contra Costa
Read Contra Costa is an annual event that encourages all county residents and library users to share in the experience of reading and discussing the same book. The program runs from Thursday, October 1 through Saturday, November 14, 2026.
This year, we chose The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley. Mottley offers an atmospheric tale of outcast teenage mothers in the Florida panhandle. Most of the Girls, as they call themselves, are Black and estranged from their families, teenagers who "found each other" from out of their "singular aloneness", building a makeshift support system to help raise their children together.
Join us by reading The Girls Who Grew Big and sharing your thoughts. The book is available in hardback, eBook and eAudiobook formats.
This year, the Contra Costa County Library is proud to partner with Los Medanos College, Contra Costa College, and the Richmond Public Library to bring this program to the community.
Author Talk with Leila Mottley
Join us for a live conversation with Leila Mottley as she discusses the "Girls Who Grew Big."
The discussion will be followed by a book signing. Books will be available for purchase the day of the event.
This event will take place at the Contra Costa College Knox Performance Hall, 2600 Mission Bell Drive, San Pablo, CA 94806.
Register to attend the virtual event. The live event will not have registration.
Funding for this event was provided by the Contra Costa County Library, the Library Foundation of Contra Costa, and the Richmond Public Library Foundation.
In partnership with
Many thanks to our Read Contra Costa Library Partners:
The Richmond Public Library Foundation, Richmond Public Library, Los Medanos College, Contra Costa College and Library Foundation of Contra Costa.
