The NEHS Advisory Council, with the help of Chapter Advisors from around the world, has selected two texts as the 2025-2026 Common Readers: Angie Cruz’s How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water (2022) and Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library (2020).
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz
Cruz’s How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water was chosen as one of the Common Reader texts because of its delivery of “a sense of the enduring worth of relationships, life experiences and determination” (Washington Post). The text, which won the Latino Book Award (2022) is the first NEHS Common Reader authored by a Latina author and provides much overdue recognition of the Latine community.
The novel follows Cara Romero, a Dominican woman in her mid-fifties navigating job loss and personal hardships during the Great Recession of 2007 – 2009. Told through a series of government-mandated job counseling sessions, the novel unfolds as Cara recounts her life story with wit, resilience, and unfiltered honesty. Through Cara’s voice, Cruz explores themes of immigration, displacement, economic struggle, and the pursuit of dignity in an unforgiving system.
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water received rave reviews upon publication. Kirkus said it was “a poignant portrayal of one fallible, wise woman, and a corner of one of New York’s most vibrant immigrant communities.” Often compared to NEHS Honorary Member, Elizabeth Acevedo, because of their shared use of vibrant, voice-driven narratives to explore the complexities of Latine identity and womanhood, in How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water, Cruz makes good use of humor and oral storytelling traditions.
With its unique structure and deeply human storytelling, the NEHS Advisory Council hopes that How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water will offer students a powerful meditation on survival, identity, and the strength found in community.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library is a thought-provoking novel about a woman, caught between life and death, who discovers a magical library that allows her to explore the infinite lives she could have lived, ultimately leading her to a deeper understanding of regret, possibility, and the value of her own existence. Chapter Advisors felt that this text “is a beautiful look at what success means in life—how we all need to appreciate the good and bad” and “is an inspiring and uplifting text that comforts readers: It pushes them toward a bright future regardless of their circumstances.”
The Midnight Library was released in 2020 and immediately became a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller. Indeed, the Sunday Times described it as “a beguiling read, filled with warmth and humor, and a vibrant celebration of the power of books to change lives.” The Guardian suggests that “contrary to the fantastical premise, the novel turns out to be a celebration of the ordinary: ordinary revelations, ordinary people, and the infinity of worlds seeded in ordinary choices.” It is an excellent introduction to the world of speculative fiction.
The Midnight Library‘s accessible yet thought-provoking narrative will encourage critical discussions on choice, resilience, and the philosophical question of what makes a life meaningful, all of which aligns with NEHS’ mission to promote deep literary analysis and personal growth through literature.
Purchasing the Common Reader Texts
NEHS Common Reader texts can be purchased via the official English Honor Society Bookshop.org page, a carefully curated collection of literary works that celebrate the power of language, storytelling, and scholarship. This initiative not only supports independent bookstores but also provides students and educators with an accessible way to engage with significant texts related to NEHS.
A highlight of this new platform is its special collection featuring books shortlisted to be the NEHS 2025-2026 Common Reader. This selection offers an incredible opportunity for readers to familiarize themselves with the works of the shortlisted authors, which may be useful for in-class reading or NEHS book clubs.
Beyond this, the Bookshop.org page serves as an essential resource for anyone passionate about literature. By purchasing books through this platform, supporters are directly contributing to the promotion of literacy and independent bookstores, fostering a culture of reading and discussion within the NEHS community. Whether looking for the NEHS Common Reader or simply seeking to broaden literary horizons, this collection is a valuable tool for both students and Chapter Advisors.
Important Changes to NEHS Scholarship Applications
Applications for NEHS Scholarships to be awarded to seniors graduating in 2026 will begin earlier than normal. Each of the chosen Common Reader texts will have its own dedicated award cycle, allowing student members to write and submit up to two essays (optional) to the competition.
Submissions related to Cruz’s How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water will be available for Seniors during the Fall Awards Cycle, while essays on Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library will be submitted by Seniors during the Winter Awards Cycle. Submissions in both award cycles must be made through the NEHS AwardSpring platform.
This change reflects the NEHS Advisory Council’s wish to ensure that students have more flexibility in choosing the text they want to write about and when they submit their work. Students who choose to submit two essays (one in each of the two award cycles) will contend for an NEHS Scholarship with their highest scoring essay.
Essay questions for How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water will be available in mid-August and questions for The Midnight Library in early November.
If you have any questions about the changes noted above, please email Christopher Lockwood, NEHS Director.
Common Reader Archive
| Year | Author & Title |
| 2025 | Angie Cruz, How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water & Matt Haig, The Midnight Library |
| 2024 | Kazuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun & Jesmyn Ward, Sing, Unburied, Sing |
| 2023 | Kayte Nunn, The Botanist’s Daughter |
| 2022 | Qian Julie Wang, Beautiful Country |
| 2021 | Christy Lefteri, The Beekeeper of Aleppo |
| 2020 | Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys |
| 2019 | Fatima Mirza, A Place for Us |
| 2018 | Celeste Ng, Everything I Never Told You & Gail Tsukiyama, The Samurai’s Garden |
| 2017 | Sebastian Barry, On Canaan’s Side |
| 2016 | Anne Tyler, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant |
| 2015 | Sue Monk Kidd, The Invention of Wings |
| 2014 | Neal Shusterman, Unwind |
| 2013 | Gin Phillips, The Well and Mine |
| 2012 | T. Coraghessan Boyle, Tortilla Curtain |
| 2011 | Tobias Wolfe, Old School |
| 2010 | Sonia Nazario, Enrique’s Journey |
| 2009 | Markus Zuzak, The Book Thief |
