LIFETIME LEARNING BRENHAM ANNOUNCES 2026 WASHINGTON CO. READ BOOK
Lifetime Learning Brenham has revealed its selection for the 2026 Washington County READ: “The Turtle House” by Amanda Churchill.
representatives from the Washington County
Chamber of Commerce and other officials and
community members gathered on Thursday for a
ribbon cutting to announce the book choice for the
2026 Washington County READ: "The Turtle House"
by Amanda Churchill.
In “The Turtle House”, Churchill’s debut novel, grandmother Mineko tells stories to her granddaughter Lia, and readers are transported between war-torn Japan and a small town in Texas, where Mineko was taken as a war bride. Homesick and heartsick, Mineko yearns for the turtle house of her youth, where she discovered turtles swimming in the lagoon of an abandoned house and met her first love, Akio.
Mary Anne Pena, chair for this year’s Washington County READ, says the novel is inspired by Churchill’s own grandmother’s experiences as a Japanese war bride.
Churchill lives in Texas and has a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of North Texas. She was a Writers’ League of Texas fellow in 2021.
Lifetime Learning invites the community to a free reception on October 6th at Unity Theatre. Doors open at 5 p.m. for food and fellowship, and the program begins at 6 p.m. with a presentation by Churchill, autographs and a dramatic reading of the book.
In addition to the Washington County READ, Lifetime Learning hosts other programs throughout the year, including luncheons, seminars and workshops.
To learn more, visit www.lifetimelearningbrenham.org.