The Indiana books representing the state at a national festival

Zoom in: Each year, the Indiana Center for the Book has selected a title to represent the state at the festival and on the Library of Congress' Great Reads from Great Places list.

• Last year, the center chose two books — a children's title and an adult selection, Suzanne Walker, the center's director, told Axios.
• The selected books must have an author who has a connection to the state, a plot set here or some other Hoosier tie.
• Other recent selections include "Zorrie" by Laird Hunt, "You Should See Me in a Crown" by Leah Johnson and "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon.

Catch up quick: "The Rabbit Hutch," inspired by Gunty's childhood in South Bend, won the National Book award for fiction last year.

• Bloomington-based Howard won last year's Indiana Author's Award in the children’s category for "Grace and Box," the story of a young girl who befriends the box that delivers her family's new refrigerator.

• "It's a beautiful story about imagination," Walker said.

What's next: The 2023 National Book Festival is Aug. 12 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

• 🏁 Each state has a booth at the festival and attendees get a map where they can collect stickers and stamps from each state — Indiana's is a checkered flag, naturally.