Great American Read: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The United States is turning 250 years old in July, and we are celebrating with a special book club highlighting American classics, new and old, in literature. March's pick: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a semi-autobiographical novel by Betty Smith that follows the life of Francie Nolan, a young girl growing up in a poor family in early 20th-century Brooklyn, highlighting themes of resilience, education, and the struggle for a better life.

First published in 1943, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century.

January: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

February: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

March: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

April: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

May: There There by Tommy Orange

June: Laughing Boy by Oliver La Farge 

July: Charlotte's Web by E.B. White