Resources
All information about the 2025-2026 Go Big Read, James, can be found on the 2025-2026 Go Big Read archive page. Please visit this page to learn about the book, events, book discussion guide, and other resources.
Read more about the 2026-2027 Go Big Read selection, Custodians of Wonder, below.
We will share the 2026-2027 Go Big Read discussion guide and other resources for teaching and engaging with Custodians of Wonder in summer 2026.
About the Book
Media and Press Releases
Read Chancellor Mnookin’s press release about the book: ‘Custodians of Wonder’ is 2026-27 Go Big Read choice – UW–Madison News
Custodians of Wonder by Eliot Stein (San Francisco Chronicle)
‘Custodians of Wonder’ Review: The Great Chain of Humanity (Wall Street Journal)
Media and Articles Related to Specific Chapters
'Custodians of Wonder' Excerpt: Finding the Sosso-Balla in West Africa (Rolling Stone)
The last Inca bridge master (BBC)
Is Japan losing its umami? (BBC)
A 750 year-old Japanese secret (BBC)
The secret behind Italy’s rarest pasta (BBC)
The perfect pasta dish Sardinians refuse to share (BBC)
Facilitating Book Discussions
2026-2027 Go Big Read Book Discussion Guide — Accessible PDF file for viewing and downloading. If you run into any concerns with the accessibility of this file, please email the Go Big Read Program Coordinator (Bethany Willig, bwillig@wisc.edu) with your concerns.
Curriculum Support Materials
Center for Campus History — Traditions at UW: A Supplemental Teaching Guide to Custodians of Wonder
Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures — Coming soon.
Chazen Museum of Art — Coming soon.
Cooperative Children's Book Center
Go Big Read Student Assistant – Custodians of Wonder Teaching Assistant Discussion Section Activity Guide
Writing Across the Curriculum — Custodians of Wonder Sample Writing Assignments
Related Tools and Projects
Place-based oral, written, and visual history tools. Learn about Madison’s history by exploring the following projects:
Marketing Toolkit
Go Big Read Marketing Toolkit - Reusable images for the program
Still have a question or need additional materials or resources? Feel free to reach out to the Go Big Read program at gobigread@library.wisc.edu.