The ELA Honor Society is proud to announce that the 2026–2027 Big Read selection is the Lambda Literary Award-winning novel Nikhil Out Loud by Maulik Pancholy.
In Nikhil Out Loud, readers meet thirteen-year-old Nikhil Shah, the voice behind a popular animated character, Raj Reddy. When his mother moves them to a small town in Ohio to care for his ailing grandfather, Nikhil suddenly feels out of place. Though his fame earns him the lead role in the school musical, he struggles with stage fright. As tensions rise in the community over his casting as an openly gay actor, Nikhil begins to wish life were as simple as the scripted world he knows so well. But when his voice begins to change, threatening his acting career, he’s forced to confront challenges that don’t come with easy resolutions.
Written for middle school readers, Nikhil Out Loud explores themes of identity, self-expression, courage, and belonging. Through Nikhil’s journey as a young voice actor navigating family expectations, friendship, and his own truth, the novel highlights the power of speaking up, embracing who you are, and finding confidence in your voice. It encourages readers to reflect on authenticity, empathy, and the importance of using one’s voice in a world that doesn’t always make space for it.
Chapter Advisors who voted for the selection noted that “this novel tells an important story, representing the experiences of Asian Americans, which are often underrepresented in literature for students,” and that Nikhil Out Loud “challenges students to keep an open mind while pushing conversations about racism forward.”
Pancholy explains that the novel was inspired by a powerful question: “Where’s their voice?” He describes Nikhil as a young person who may already have a platform, but must still learn how to use his voice to stand up for what is right. Like many adolescents, Nikhil faces fear, uncertainty, and external pressures, yet his journey reflects the importance of self-expression, courage, and community. Through his story, Pancholy emphasizes that young people deserve to be heard, and that finding and using one’s voice can be a powerful act of growth and advocacy.
Find out more about Nikhil Out Loud and Maulik Pancholy.
The ELA Honor Society selects a new Big Read each year.
Purchase the Big Read text on Bookshop.org.
Previous Big Reads
2025-2026: Internment by Samira Ahmed.
2024-2025: The Balloon Thief by Aneesa Marufu.
2023-2024: Dear Martin by Nic Stone.
