The Banner Book Club

Join the Banner Book Club!

The Banner Book Club celebrates local Maryland writers and their books. Moderated by a Banner journalist, we host a monthly live book club gathering at our offices with the author in-person. It’s a great opportunity to dive into the book with the author and fellow book club members, where you can share in the thoughtful conversation and questions on the books.

By registering with your name and email, you’ll receive advance notice of our book review date, ensuring you don’t miss this engaging discussion. The Banner Book Club is your chance to connect with fellow readers, explore Baltimore’s literary heritage, and engage with the trusted journalism that drives positive change in Maryland.

Register today to be a part of the Banner Book Club!

Up Next: Miracle Children by Katie Benner & Erica L. Green

Miracle Children:  A riveting investigation into a school, a scam, and a notorious college admissions scandal that exposes the inequalities and racial segregation of American education.

T.M. Landry College Prep, a small private school in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, boasted a 100 percent college acceptance rate, placing students at nearly every Ivy League university in the country. The spectacle of Landry students opening their acceptance letters to Harvard and Yale was broadcast on television and even celebrated by Michelle Obama. It became a national ritual to watch the miraculous success of these youngsters--miraculous because Breaux Bridge is one of the poorest counties in the country, ranked close to the bottom for test scores and high school graduation rates. T.M. Landry was said to be "minting prodigies," and the prodigies were often black.

How did the school do it? It didn't: It was a scam, pulled off with fake transcripts and personal essays telling fake stories of triumph over adversity. Worse, Landry's success concealed a nightmare of alleged abuse and coercion. In a yearslong investigation, Katie Benner and Erica L. Green explored the lives of the students, the school, the town, and Ivy League admissions to understand why black teens were pressured to trade in racial stereotypes of hardship for opportunity.

"A clear and nuanced account . . . [Benner and Green] describe the tension between the ideal of personal responsibility and the structural inequities in American society. . . . Alarming" – Kirkus

Join fellow book club members as they discuss the book with the authors Katie Banner and Erica L. Green in-person,

Event Date: November 18, 2026, 6-7PM

Registration: If you're not already registered for The Banner Book Club, please be sure to register for the book club, as well as the specific event on November 18th if you plan on joining us for the discussion in person.

Location: Spark Flex Lounge, 4th Floor, 621 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21202

Parking: Our building is located adjacent to the Baltimore Aquarium. The best place to park is Pier 5 Parking. Spark Flex will provide free parking validation for Pier 5 Parking only.