Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Depending on your role and institution, the answer to this question may vary.

• If you are a professor or work at a university or college you will want to consult the College & University Reads Resources page, which you can access here.
• If you are a community librarian, community leader, and/or work at your public library, you will want to consult the Community Reads Resources page, which you can access here.
• If you work in a K–12 school as either a teacher, librarian, or administrator, you can consult the All-School Reads Resource page, which you can access here.

This site features a number of titles organized around themes that we have found to be successful for each market—just follow the respective link for your audience as indicated below.

• College & University Reads is tailored toward common reading at the university/college first-year level. To view the themes and titles associated with first-year and campus-wide reading, please click here.
• Community Reads engage an entire community in a common reading experience. To visit the themes and titles appropriate for One Book, One Community reads, click here.
• All-School Reads promote literacy and foster a sense of community as a grade or school city read the same book and participate in discussions and related activities during the school year or for summer reading. The programs require books with big ideas that will engage readers of all levels. For a list of titles and associated themes, click here.

You can view catalogs curated specifically for common reading programs below.

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE BOOKS FOR FIRST-YEAR AND COMMON READING 2023

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE BOOKS FOR COMMUNITY & SCHOOL READS 2019

Discussion Guides

We develop and make available discussion guides, which may be used as tools by your discussion leaders. All available guides may be easily downloaded from our website by visiting the corresponding title’s page. 

Promotional Materials

Images of book jackets for promotional purposes can be downloaded from this site— just visit the corresponding title’s page and click on the “Download High-Resolution Cover” button. (Please note that cover images must be used in their entirety and cannot be edited or cropped in any way.)

Should you need author photos or additional content and materials, we will research the available options and assist you as best as we can. Just send your request to: commonreads@penguinrandomhouse.com

Experience shows that a common reading program can be significantly enhanced when the author makes a personal appearance.

Often authors are available for an in-person or virtual visit, and we would be happy to assist you with booking inquires for any author that we publish. Please feel free to email us: commonreads@penguinrandomhouse.com

Additionally, you can consult the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau website to see which authors we directly represent for events.

For programming ideas and tips for hosting authors please refer to the appropriate resources page:

• If you are a professor or work at a university or college you will want to consult the College & University Reads Resources page, which you can access here.
• If you are a community librarian, community leader, and/or work at a public library, you will want to consult the Community Reading Resources page, which you can access here.
• If you work in a K–12 school as either a teacher, librarian, or administrator, you can consult the All-School Reads Resources page, which you can access here.

To request review copies:

• For College & University Reads, reach out to us at: commonreads@penguinrandomhouse.com
• For All-School Reads, reach out to us at: K12Education@penguinrandomhouse.com
• For Community Reads, reach out to us at: library@penguinrandomhouse.com 

For all common reading programs, Penguin Random House will be able to assist you in placing your order, whether through your preferred wholesaler, bookstore, online retailer, or directly from us through our customer service department.

For more information, reach out to us at: commonreads@penguinrandomhouse.com

Want to include a letter from a community leader, a principal, a dean or college president? Imprint the cover with your own seal or program name? We will connect you to our Premium Sales Department to process your request. (Please note these orders are not for resale.) Just email us at: commonreads@penguinrandomhouse.com

Penguin Random House is partnered with Bookshare, a non-profit organization that makes our books accessible to persons with qualifying print disabilities.

Bookshare has over 100,000 members, 100,000 books in their library and more than 130 partnerships with publishers. If Bookshare does not currently have files for the book in question, please contact Bookshare directly and they will work to get these files uploaded for you. Bookshare is responsible for providing alternative formats for all our texts, and these files are not available through Penguin Random House directly.

For more information on Bookshare or to sign up for membership, please visit http://www.bookshare.org.