Page 10 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Wednesday, November 26, 2025 DRIVE | FROM PAGE 1 ous Malden and area residents and businesses. You can also donate directly through the Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon. com/hz/wishlist/ls/30T1FUQY7A3WF?ref_=wl_share For more information, contact: Malden Police Det. Renee Kelley with email: rkelley@maldenpd.com/ — tel. 781-397-7171 ext. 1203. Malden Reads Announces 2026 Citywide Book Selection: Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng M alden Reads, the community reading program that invites the entire city to read and discuss a common book, is proud to announce its 2026 selection: Our Missing Hearts by bestselling author Celeste Ng. Themes from Our Missing Hearts Set in a near-future America marked by fear, censorship, and division, Our Missing Hearts explores what happens when a society built on democratic ideals begins to fracture. The novel follows a young boy searching for his missing mother—a poet whose words have been deemed dangerous by the government—and examines how art, storytelling, and human connection can resist oppression and ignite hope. This year’s Malden Reads program will use Our Missing Hearts as a lens to explore themes that resonate deeply with our current times: ● Civic ideals and the foundations of democracy—and how they are tested when fear and control take hold. ● Children’s experiences during times of social and political upheaval—their resilience, loss, and capacity for empathy. ● Revolution, resistance, and courage—and the role of ordinary people in standing up to injustice. Programming throughout the season will draw meaningful parallels between Ng’s fictional world and real-world issues, including the treatment of immigrant families and the human stories behind recent federal detentions. Discussions, exhibits, and community conversations will also highlight how libraries—both in the novel and in our own communities— serve as sanctuaries for truth, connection, and promoting civic engagement. In Our Missing SELECTION | SEE PAGE 16
11 Publizr Home