An Extra-Special Program from Adib Khorram
This school year, One Word, Six Letters by award-winning author Adib Khorram is the Young Adult Choice for the 2026 Global Read Aloud!
What is the Global Read Aloud?
The Global Read Aloud (GRA) is a free annual literacy program that brings students and educators around the world together through the shared experience of reading the same book at the same time. Created in 2010 by educator Pernille Ripp with the simple goal of “One book to connect the world,” the Global Read Aloud has grown into a global community centered around books, conversation, and connection.
This fall, students around the world will read One Word, Six Letters together, creating opportunities for young people to explore the book’s questions, connect with one another, and consider how the choices we make can ripple outward into our communities.
About One Word, Six Letters
Freshmen Dayton and Farshid couldn’t be more different—or so it seems.
When Dayton takes a dare and shouts a slur during a school assembly, the consequences reach far beyond the moment itself. As Dayton begins to confront the harm he has caused, Farshid is left questioning what the incident means for him and wrestling with his own identity.
Told through the perspectives of both boys, One Word, Six Letters is a timely and deeply human story about accountability, identity, friendship, and the possibility of making amends. The novel invites readers to think about the impact of our words, how communities respond when harm occurs, and what it means to take responsibility and move toward healing.
Bring Adib Khorram to Your Global Read Aloud
After your students have read One Word, Six Letters, take the conversation a step further with a visit from Adib Khorram.
A queer Iranian-American author of books for readers of all ages, Adib is the award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Darius the Great Deserves Better, Kiss & Tell, The Breakup Lists, One Word, Six Letters, and Kiss the Boy: A Graphic Novel, as well as several picture books and USA Today bestselling adult romances.
One Word, Six Letters Program
One Word, Six Letters was inspired by a real event when a student shouted a slur during a school presentation. In this program, Adib talks about the aftermath of that event, his journey to writing One Word, Six Letters, and how accountability, justice, and community healing are possible for all of us.
It’s an opportunity for students to hear directly from the author about the real-life experience that inspired the novel, and to continue the conversations sparked by the Global Read Aloud.
Whether you’re hosting a single class, an entire grade, or your whole school community, Adib’s visit can give students the chance to engage with the book on a deeper level and explore the questions it raises about identity, responsibility, language, and belonging.
So, this fall, join classrooms around the world in reading One Word, Six Letters, and then bring Adib Khorram into the conversation.
Interested in hosting Adib for your Global Read Aloud? Reach out to learn more about his programming, rates, and availability.
