This column, featuring Omaha Reads Book 'Solito', appeared in the July 6, 2025, edition of the Omaha World-Herald (NE). It is also available at Omaha.com (opens in a new tab).
Omaha Reads initiative brings community together with 'Solito'
Each year, Omaha comes together around a shared story. Through the Omaha Reads initiative, the community is invited to read and reflect on a single book — one title chosen by the public to spark conversation, build empathy, and deepen connections across communities and experiences. For 2025, that book is “Solito,” a poignant memoir by poet and author Javier Zamora, opens a new window.
In this book, Zamora recounts the 3,000-mile journey he undertook at age 9, traveling alone from El Salvador to the U.S. border to reunite with his parents. What he expected to be a two-week trip turned into a two-month odyssey fraught with danger, uncertainty, and unexpected acts of kindness from strangers who, for a time, became his makeshift family.
Community reads initiatives like Omaha Reads are about more than flipping pages; they’re about starting conversations. They encourage us to slow down, to listen, and to better understand the lives of others, especially those whose stories may be different from our own. “Solito” connects individual readers to the shared hopes, fears, and resilience of those seeking a better life.
Throughout the summer and fall, readers can take part in a range of events inspired by “Solito”: poetry writing workshops, community conversations, book club discussions, and panels focused on immigration and the immigrant experience in Nebraska. It’s a chance for residents of all backgrounds to come together, learn from one another, and engage in meaningful dialogue.
The season of programming will culminate in a visit from Javier Zamora himself on Nov. 4, 2025, a great chance to hear directly from the author on the themes of the book and the writing process.
At its core, Omaha Reads is an invitation. It’s an invitation to read, to think, to talk with each other. Whether you join a library event, discuss the book at your kitchen table, or simply carry its message with you, you’re participating in a citywide story with room for every voice.
For updates and a full list of related events, visit omahalibrary.org/omaha-reads, opens a new window.
About Omaha Public Library
Omaha Public Library (OPL) strengthens our communities by connecting people with ideas, information, and innovative services, acting as an essential catalyst, collaborator, and connector. Learn about OPL's collections, facilities, services, programs and more at omahalibrary.org.
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