The King County Library System will be one of 208 communities nationwide participating in The Big Read, starting this month and continuing through June 30.

The initiative, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, is designed to bring people from different generations and backgrounds together to read and discuss literature.

The featured book is “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London. The children’s companion book for ages 10 and older is “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen.