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The 2026 All Iowa Reads selection for teens is Strong Like You by T.L. Simpson.
Back to topAbout the Book
Walker Lauderdale hasn’t cried once since his daddy went missing. And even though everyone says he’s dead, Walker won’t give up hope. He knows his father is out there, somewhere, cutting a wild trail through the Ozarks like always. But when a relative threatens to kick Walker and his momma out of the family home, Walker realizes he has no choice but to look for his daddy—a search that leads him straight to a drug-addled and dangerous man named Lukas Fisher.
While attempting to balance life as a normal fifteen-year-old boy and star player on the football team, Walker begins a desperate search across the hills of the Ozarks for the man who, for better or worse, taught him everything he knows about strength.
Back to topBook Discussion Questions
While Walker and Sawyer are cousins, football players, and best friends - they have one thing in common: both of their dads are missing. How does this shared problem both connect them? How does it push them apart?
Walker looks up to his dad, even though his dad had a lot of problems. Why do you think it's so hard for Walker to accept that his hero might also be a seriously flawed person?
The novel's title, Strong Like You, refers to Walker's desire to be strong like his father. How does Walker's understanding of "strength" and "manhood" evolve throughout the story?
How is strength explored in the secondary characters? How is Mr. Raines strong? How is Coach Widner strong? How is Walker’s mother strong? How is Chloe strong?
How does Coach Widner use his coaching philosophy to challenge the toxic ideas about masculinity and "toughness" that Walker learned from his father?
Coach Widner quickly takes on a role that is much more personal. How does his professional duties (improving the team) and his personal interest in Walker and his mother intersect?
Why is Walker immediately drawn to Chloe? Why does Walker ultimately reject Makenzie?
Why does Chloe decide she cannot be with Walker?
What do you imagine happens to Walker and the other characters after the book ends?
If you could create a playlist for this book, what songs would you include?
All Iowa Reads Promotional Items
Libraries and book discussion groups can use the promotional items created by the State Library to promote the All Iowa Reads program and discussion events. Access a Google Drive folder with 2026 promotional items, including images, press release template, printable poster, and social media graphics:
Canva Poster Templates: Customizable poster templates have also been created for library use. 2026 Canva Templates
About Author T.L. Simpson
T.L. Simpson is an award-winning novelist and journalist whose Young Adult fiction has received national and regional acclaim. His debut novel, Strong Like You, was named to YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults List in 2025. Strong Like You was also listed on the Children’s Book Council’s Young Adult Favorites List, Arkansas Gem, and was an Indiana Read Aloud Book selection. Simpson’s follow-up, Cope Field (released in April 2025) earned a starred review from Kirkus Reviews for its sharp writing and emotional depth. A longtime newspaper editor in Arkansas, Simpson draws on his experience covering sports and community life to create emotionally grounded stories about identity, family, and resilience.
Back to topOther Readalikes For Further Reading
When We Ride by Rex Ogle
Wrong Side of the Court by H.N. Khan
Gym Candy by Carl Deuker
Rhino’s Run by Robert Lipstye
Manning Up by Bee Walsh
Find Copies of Strong Like You to Borrow
Find out which Iowa libraries have copies of the book to borrow, or find out how to request sets for discussion groups.
Find in Iowa Public Libraries:
- Contact your local public library or search their online catalog for copies to borrow.
Find on Bridges: Iowa's eLibrary:
Multiple Copies for Discussion Groups:​​​​​​
- For libraries: Each of the six District Offices for the State Library offers a book discussion set for libraries to borrow. Contact your local district office to request a set.