Search Results

Calendar of Events Thank you for joining us for over 250 amazing events in January - March celebrating Bridges to Belonging! Please visit us in the fall for a sneak peek of our 2027 season. Events for 2027 will be posted here in January, 2027. If you'd like to watch our 2026 kickoff event with our three featured authors: john a. powell (The Power of Bridging), Keeonna Harris (Mainline Mama) and Annie Hartnett (Unlikely Animals), you can watch it HERE. 2026 Events Mark your calendar! Browse the chronological list of upcoming Silicon Valley Reads events or use the search bar to find specific ones. You can also click a category button to quickly filter events that match your interests. Accessibility Programs Author Visits/Book Talks Music/Movies/Culture Youth/Teen Activities Adult Classes/Talks/Activities Children's Activities Online Events 2026 All Events Tue, Jan 20 Thank You, Neighbor StoryWalk® / Multiple Local Parks Details Jan 20, 2026, 7:00 AM – May 31, 2026, 5:00 PM Multiple Local Parks, 171 W Edmundson Ave, Morgan Hill, CA 95037, USA Enjoy the outdoors with your little ones while reading along to a storybook! StoryWalk® is a great way to exercise the body and the mind. Join us at multiple parks across Santa Clara County! Tue, Apr 07 We Need to Build: In Person with Eboo Patel / Santa Clara University Details Apr 07, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053, USA Eboo Patel, author of the 2025–26 SCU Community Read book We Need to Build: Fieldnotes for Diverse Democracy, will be at Santa Clara University for an in-person talk and fireside chat. Refreshments will be available. Free event!

News Room Read the latest news about Silicon Valley Reads. News Articles Select link below to read the full article. February 5, 2026 Panel explores impact of mass incarceration and reforms on Black Silicon Valley residents Read full article February 3, 2026 This year’s Silicon Valley Reads focuses on political polarization Read full article January 22, 2026 Silicon Valley Reads bridges divided times for night of community Read full article Facebook News Feed News Releases newsrelease101222 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 8, 2026 Silicon Valley Reads Announces 2026 Season: 200+ Free Events That Build “Bridges to Belonging” Across Santa Clara County SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. – Silicon Valley Reads is proud to unveil an expansive calendar for the 2026 season. Centered on the theme “Bridges to Belonging,” this year’s program features more than 200 free events for all ages, designed to spark connection through art, nature, technology, and literature. The season begins on Thursday, January 15, at De Anza College in Cupertino with a free, high-energy kickoff event moderated by The Mercury News columnist Sal Pizarro in conversation with the three featured authors: john a. powell, The Power of Bridging Keeonna Harris, Mainline Mama Annie Hartnett, Unlikely Animals The kickoff will be in-person and livestreamed. Register here. Attendees at the in-person event can purchase these books onsite and have them signed by the authors. They are also invited to enjoy the art exhibit, "A Sense of Belonging," at the Euphrat Museum of Art before and after the program. There will be additional opportunities to hear from featured authors, including youth book authors Anna Sortino ( Give Me a Sign ), Kelly Yang ( Front Desk ), and Roz MacLean ( Together, A Forest ). There will also be a special event at Santa Clara University with Dr. Joshua Miele—researcher and author of the recommended read, Connecting Dots —who was blinded at the age of 4. The Silicon Valley Reads programming team, a collaboration of librarians and school representatives, moved the program “beyond the page” through dynamic community engagement, helping residents find a personal bridge to their community. The community is invited to participate in county-wide cultural projects, including: Paper Chains of Kindness: Drop in at select libraries and add links to a physical chain representing our connected community. The Community Cookbook Project: A celebration of heritage and belonging through shared recipes and culinary stories submitted online . “Thank You, Neighbor” Community Video: Add your gratitude in your native language by submitting your video ! The 2026 lineup features robust programming for children and teens, our next generation of bridge-builders. Highlights include interactive STEAM sessions with LEGO challenges, nature-based workshops, and high-energy dance and movement classes. The season also emphasizes inclusivity through an open house at Animal Assisted Happiness, ASL-integrated literacy programs, and multilingual storytimes. The arts serve as a universal language of belonging. Programs that highlight this include the Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, adult watercolor workshops, and the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s production of Julius Caesar . All Silicon Valley Reads events are free and open to the public. The season officially runs from January through March 2026. For a complete, searchable calendar of events and registration details, please visit: siliconvalleyreads.org/calendar . Media Contact: Reid Myers, Silicon Valley Reads siliconvalleyreads@gmail.com The Silicon Valley Reads community engagement program is presented annually by the Santa Clara County Library District, Santa Clara County Office of Education, and San José Public Library in conjunction with other public libraries, community colleges and universities, and community organizations. Over 150 Events Author talks, book clubs, community events and more! Please join us for many more events celebrating Bridges to Belonging! CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Advisory Board Members of the community that provide guidance to Silicon Valley Reads programs. Jill Bourne Co-chair, Library Director City of San Jose Dr. David Toston, Sr. Co-Chair, Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Santa Clara County Office of Education Jennifer Weeks Co-chair, County Librarian Santa Clara County Library District Nicole Branch Dean, University Library Santa Clara University Clover Codd Superintendent Moreland School District Kelsey Martinez Combellick Chief of Staff, Betty Duong Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Alicia Cortez Trustee, Gavilan Join Community College Dr. Michael Gallagher Executive Director ACSA Region 8, Santa Clara County Dr. Deborah Gorgulho Assistant Superintendent Santa Clara County Office of Education Tracy Gray Library Director City of Mountain View Margaret Hengel Past President Santa Clara County Reading Council Cindy Hill Board President Los Altos Library Endowment Kara Iwahashi Associate Program Director The Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley Gayathri Kanth Director of Library Services City of Palo Alto Katie Khera Culture & Arts Commission Morgan Hill Library Deepka Lalwani Founder Indian Business & Professional Women Shannon Miller, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Humanities and Arts San Jose State University Reid Myers Director Silicon Valley Reads Alyce Parsons Author and Teacher Sal Pizarro Columnist The San Jose Mercury News Diane Roche Director of Communications & Marketing Santa Clara County Library District Tara Sreekrishnan Trustee Santa Clara County Board of Education Elizabeth Smith Associate VP of Comms and External Relations De Anza College Patty Wong City Librarian Santa Clara City Library

Silicon Valley Reads was started as a traditional "one book, one community" program that selected a book and invited all residents to read it. Over the years, Silicon Valley Reads has evolved into a more ambitious endeavor that uses books reflecting a provocative theme relevant to the region to encourage people to read, think, discuss and engage. Silicon Valley Reads Welcome to Silicon Valley Reads Silicon Valley Reads is a community engagement program that brings people together through books and a shared annual theme. Each year, from January through March, we offer more than 150 free public events for all ages including author talks, book clubs, arts and music activities, movies, hands-on workshops, and creative experiences inspired by our theme. Our 2026 Theme: Bridges to Belonging Our 2026 season ended at the end of March. We hosted over 250 programs through our libraries, schools, and partner organizations. We involved over 12,000 participants and the feedback from the season was overwhelmingly positive. Together, we focused on our shared values and built bridges across our community from building a "chain of kindness" with links in libraries from Palo Alto to San Jose, to reading with animals at Animal Assisted Happiness and Magical Bridge Playground. We had author visits both online and in-person as we explored what community means in Silicon Valley. We are currently working on our programming for our 2027 season and will announce on this site in the fall. Sign up for our mailing list to receive the latest information (no spam). Kickoff Recording Each year we celebrate our theme with a kickoff event at De Anza College. Our 2026 season kicked off on January 15th with all of our selected authors in conversation with Sal Pizarro from the San Jose Mercury News . If you missed this conversation, you can watch the recording HERE . Featured Videos Silicon Valley Reads 2026: Bridges to Belonging Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied 2026 Books We have carefully selected three diverse books that encapsulate the spirit of belonging and encourage meaningful community conversations. Featured Books for Adults The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong In The Power of Bridging, john a. powell offers an essential roadmap for building bridges across our divisions and creating a society where everyone feels they belong. He explains how “othering” and “breaking” keep us apart—casting people as outsiders or excluding them altogether—while “bridging” invites connection, solidarity, and shared humanity. With a mix of personal insight and practical tools, Powell shows how each of us can become a “bridger” in our families, workplaces, and communities. This book is both a call to action and a guide, reminding us that bridging is not just a response to division, but a path toward co-creating a future grounded in belonging. Read More Mainline Mama In this moving memoir, Keeonna Harris shares her journey of building bridges to belonging while navigating the isolating realities of the U.S. carceral system. Becoming a “mainline mama” at just fourteen, she raises her son while her partner is incarcerated, confronting stigma, shame, and systemic barriers along the way. Yet Harris’s story is also one of resilience, love, and community—finding strength in family bonds and solidarity with other women facing similar struggles. From everyday acts of care to moments of radical resistance, Mainline Mama shows how creating connection and community in the face of division becomes a powerful pathway to belonging. Read More Unlikely Animals In this tender and humorous novel, Annie Hartnett explores how belonging can grow in unexpected places. When Emma Starling returns to her New Hampshire hometown to care for her dying father, she is drawn into a community grappling with crisis, loss, and disconnection. Through her search for a missing friend and reconnection with family, Emma discovers that even fractured places can be mended through compassion, community, and the bridges we build with one another. Read More 2026 Books Featured Companion Books for Teens/Children 2026 Companion Books Thank You, Neighbor Join a young narrator and her dog on their daily walk through a bustling, colorful urban neighborhood. They greet essential community helpers—the bus driver, the sanitation workers, the mail carrier—and chat with all the neighbors they know. In the flurry of a busy day, it’s easy to hurry past the people who keep our world running, but this charming book reminds us that patience and kindness can make your neighborhood truly feel like family. Read More Together, A Forest In this visually stunning picture book, Joy and her diverse class explore a forest where every student, including those who are neurodivergent or use mobility aids, discovers their unique connection to nature. Joy is initially anxious about finding her "one thing" for a project, but she soon sees how her classmates' different ways of experiencing the world reflect the complex beauty of the ecosystem. The book compares the essential diversity of trees, fungi, and rushing water to the diversity of the class. It reminds readers of all ages that there is no "one right way" for a mind, body, or person to be, and that our unique differences are what create a truly vibrant, flourishing community. Read More Front Desk Based on the author's real-life experience, Kelly Yang's award-winning novel follows 10-year-old Mia Tang, a recent Chinese immigrant whose family manages a rundown motel in California. While facing poverty, racism, and the unfairness of the American Dream, Mia bravely takes on the role of front desk manager—but her real job is building a community. Front Desk illustrates "Bridges to Belonging" as Mia, her parents, and the long-term tenants ("weeklies") transform the Calivista Motel into a sanctuary for close friends. Through compassion and courage, they stand up for one another against injustice, proving that a sense of belonging is a powerful force created not by wealth or status, but by kindness, solidarity, and finding your voice to fight for those who need a place to call home. Read More Give Me a Sign For years, Lilah has felt suspended in a silent, lonely space -"stuck in the middle" between the vibrant hearing world and the rich, expressive Deaf one. Hard-of-hearing and tired of constantly navigating a world that wasn't built for her, she yearns for a place where she doesn't have to choose or apologize for who she is. That search for solid ground leads her to a life-changing summer where she worked as a counselor at a camp for Deaf and blind teens. It's here, within this community, that Lilah finds peace and a solid sense of belonging. Read More More about 2026 Companion Books Recommended Reading Silicon Valley Reads is pleased to provide a curated list of recommended reading for our Bridges to Belonging theme. Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley is a heartwarming story that proves the most rigid social contract—never talk to strangers—is meant to be broken. Iona Iverson, an eccentric advice columnist, lives by an ironclad rule: ignore everyone on her daily train ride, whom she knows only by self-assigned nicknames like "Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader." But when a fellow commuter suddenly chokes, a single, life-saving act of intervention shatters Iona's carefully constructed isolation. Watch as this unlikely cast of characters—each dealing with their own private struggles with loneliness, aging, and career anxiety—evolves from anonymous passengers into a found family. This story explores how breaking down barriers of judgment and embracing vulnerability can lead to unexpected, life-altering connections, transforming a train car of strangers into a true community. Connecting Dots The memoir of MacArthur "Genius" award winner Dr. Joshua A. Miele is a powerful testament to finding connection and building a life of purpose in a world not built for you. Badly burned and blinded at age four, Miele refused to be a victim. Instead, his natural curiosity and problem-solving skills led him to the heart of the tech industry—from working at NASA to pioneering revolutionary accessibility technologies like screen readers and tactile maps. Connecting Dots is an unforgettable, funny, and deeply honest journey of a blind scientist who channels his experiences into creations that connect the disabled community to the world. Miele’s life demonstrates that the ingenuity spurred by necessity creates the strongest bridges to belonging, allowing millions to fully participate in a society designed for the sighted. What it Takes to Save a Life: A Veterinarian's Quest of Healing and Hope Dr. Kwane Stewart, founder of Project Street Vet and CNN's 2023 Hero of the Year, was a struggling veterinarian on the brink of burnout when a single, spontaneous act of kindness changed everything: offering free treatment to a homeless man's dog. This powerful, honest memoir takes you onto the streets of California and beyond, revealing the extraordinary bonds of unconditional love between unhoused individuals and their animal companions. For people facing extreme loneliness and invisibility, a pet is their only family, their lifeline, and their bridge to stability. In What It Takes to Save a Life, Kwane Stewart shows how healing these animals is a crucial step in recognizing the humanity of their owners. His journey is a profound reminder that we are all part of a wider community, and by extending compassion to our most vulnerable neighbors—and their beloved pets—we can save not just an animal, but a human soul. View All Adult Recommended Reading Youth Recommended Reading Silicon Valley Reads has selected a recommended read for our youth audience this year. The author of Becoming Boba will be doing some programming with us- please see our events listing in January for more information! Becoming Boba Milk Tea Town was steeped in tradition, and Mindy didn't fit the mold. While the classic brown flavors sipped from sensible straws, Mindy sparkled in green, white, and red. Worried she wasn't "milk tea enough," she dives into their history, seeking a way to belong. What Mindy and her friends discover on this journey isn't a lesson in conformity, but a surprising truth about milk tea's past—a secret that could redefine the entire town and prove that belonging isn't about being the same, but about claiming your own flavor. A delightful, heartwarming tale about self-love and the universal question: What does it mean to be enough? Youth Recommended Reading Thanks to our Donors! Silicon Valley Reads relies on the generous donations of our community partners and donors to run over 150 free events each year. For more information on donating, please visit the Donor Information page . Thank you for financially supporting Silicon Valley Reads programs! Friends of the Cupertino Library Christy's International Real Estate The Michael and Alyce Parsons Education Fund Silicon Valley Library System Cupertino Library Foundation Friends of San Jose West Valley Library Friends of the Saratoga Libraries Santa Clara County Library District Foundation First 5 Magical Bridge Foundation

Gallery of photos and videos promoting Silicon Valley Reads Events 2026 Videos Silicon Valley Reads Play Video Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Now Playing Kickoff Video 2026: Bridges to Belonging 01:21:56 Play Video Now Playing Author Conversation on Color & Belonging 01:13:51 Play Video Now Playing AI & Ethics in Commerce, Medicine and Journalism 01:25:48 Play Video Photos & Videos 2026: Bridges to Belonging 2026 Event Photos 2026 Videos 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World 2025 Event Photos 2025 Videos 2024 A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today 2024 Event Photos 2024 Videos 2023 Journey to New Beginnings View event photos 2023 videos 2022 The Power of Kindness, Resilience & Hope View event photos 2022 videos 2021 Connecting View event photos 2021 videos 2020 Women Making it Happen View event photos Play video on YouTube 2019 Finding Identity in Family History View event photos Play video on YouTube 2018 No Matter What: Caring, Coping, Compassion View event photos Play video on YouTube 2017 "...and justice for all" View event photos Play video on YouTube 2016 Chance of Rain? View event photos Play video on YouTube 2015 Homeland & Home: The Immigrant Experience View event photos Play video on YouTube 2014 Books & Technology: Friends or Foes? View event photos Play video on YouTube 2013 Invisible Wounds of War View event photos Play video on YouTube

2020 Books Play video on YouTube View event photos Play video on YouTube View event photos Alpha Girls Julian Guthrie Audience: Adult Alpha Girls is the untold story of pioneering women in Silicon Valley. Described as "Hidden Figures" meets "The Social Network," Alpha Girls is the story of the real unicorns of Silicon Valley -- the women who bucked the system and found ways to survive and thrive in this high-stakes, male-dominated world. The book explores the rise of such companies as Facebook, Tesla, Oracle, Trulia, Imperva, F5 Networks, Acme Packet, ForeScout, Salesforce and more – all through the eyes of trailblazing "alpha girls" of Silicon Valley. The book is being adapted for a television series by Academy Award-winning producer Cathy Schulman and TriStar. Read More The Tenth Muse Catherine Chung Audience: Adult The Tenth Muse is an exhilarating, moving novel about a trailblazing mathematician whose research unearths her own extraordinary family story and its roots in World War II From the days of her childhood in the 1950s Midwest, Katherine knows she is different, and that her parents are not who they seem. As she matures from a girl of rare intelligence into an exceptional mathematician, traveling to Europe to further her studies, she must face the most human of problems—who is she? What is the cost of love, and what is the cost of ambition? These questions grow ever more entangled as Katherine strives to take her place in the world of higher mathematics and becomes involved with a brilliant and charismatic professor. When she embarks on a quest to conquer the Riemann hypothesis, the greatest unsolved mathematical problem of her time, she turns to a theorem with a mysterious history that may hold both the lock and the key to her identity, and to secrets long buried during World War II. Forced to confront some of the most consequential events of the 20th century and rethink everything she knows of herself, she finds kinship in the stories of the women who came before her, and discovers how seemingly distant stories, lives, and ideas are inextricably linked to her own. Read More The Most Magnificent Thing Ashley Spires Audience: Picture Book This charming picture book is about an unnamed girl and her very best friend, who happens to be a dog. The girl has a wonderful idea. "She is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. All she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!" But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her to take a walk, she comes back to her project with renewed enthusiasm and manages to get it just right. The book has been made into a short animated film featuring the narration of Whoopi Goldberg. Read More Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream Tanya Lee Stone Audience: Young Adult What does it take to be an astronaut? Excellence at flying, courage, intelligence, resistance to stress, top physical shape — any checklist would include these. But when America created NASA in 1958, there was another unspoken rule: you had to be a man. Here is the tale of 13 women who proved that they were not only as tough as the toughest man but also brave enough to challenge the government. They were blocked by prejudice, jealousy, and the scrawled note of one of the most powerful men in Washington. But even though the Mercury 13 women did not make it into space, they did not lose, for their example empowered young women to take their place in the sky, piloting jets and commanding space capsules. Read More Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers? Tanya Lee Stone Audience: Young Adult In the early 19th century lived Ada Byron, a young girl with a wild and wonderful imagination. The daughter of internationally acclaimed poet Lord Byron, Ada was tutored in science and mathematics from a very early age. But Ada’s imagination was never meant to be tamed and, armed with the fundamentals of math and engineering, she came into her own as a woman of ideas―equal parts mathematician and philosopher. From her whimsical beginnings as a gifted child to her most sophisticated notes on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, this book celebrates the woman recognized today as the first computer programmer. Read More

2015Her name is Yoon and she came from Korea, a country far away. Yoon's name means Shining Wisdom, and when she writes it in Korean, it looks happy -- like dancing figures. But her father tells her that she must learn to write it in English. In English all the lines and circles stand alone, which is just how Yoon feels in the United States. Yoon isn’t sure she wants to be Y-O-O-N. At her new school, she tries out different names – maybe CAT or BIRD. Maybe CUPCAKE! My Name Is Yoon is a spare and inspiring story about a little girl finding her place in a new country. < All Book Selections 2015 Homeland & Home: The Immigrant Experience My Name Is Yoon Helen Recorvits Audience: Ages 4 - 8 Her name is Yoon and she came from Korea, a country far away. Yoon's name means Shining Wisdom, and when she writes it in Korean, it looks happy -- like dancing figures. But her father tells her that she must learn to write it in English. In English all the lines and circles stand alone, which is just how Yoon feels in the United States. Yoon isn’t sure she wants to be Y-O-O-N. At her new school, she tries out different names – maybe CAT or BIRD. Maybe CUPCAKE! My Name Is Yoon is a spare and inspiring story about a little girl finding her place in a new country. About the Author Helen Recorvits was born in Rhode Island and graduated from Rhode Island College with a degree in education and psychology. She went on to earn a master's degree and also a certification in gifted and talented education. A former educator, Helen now devotes her time to writing and to speaking at conferences and literary events. Her other books Yoon and the Christmas Mitten, Yoon and the Jade Bracelet, Goodbye Walter Malinski, and Where Heroes Hide received many fine reviews and awards. Her books have been translated into Danish, French, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. Helen says, "I remember my mother reading to me when I was two years old. My favorite books were Cinderella and The Pokey Little Puppy. I began writing my own stories and sharing them with my cousins when I was a child. When I was a teenager, I wrote a weekly column for a local newspaper.” Today Helen lives in the peaceful, woodsy town of Glocester, Rhode Island. Helen says, "I love reading and writing stories about interesting characters -- people trying to find their place in life, people with hope in their hearts." Helen Recorvits Author's website

2014How do you get out of the library when you’ve been locked in? Our hero Kyle loves winning. He plays with his brothers all of the time. Kyle wants to meet a world famous game maker and he has his chance when Mr. Lemoncello comes to town to open the new library that he designed – with technology like no one has ever seen! Kyle has to use all his smarts to make his way and this game is the most important one of his life. A book with a good puzzle, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is a laugh out loud fun time. < All Book Selections 2014 Books & Technology: Friends or Foes? Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Chris Grabenstein Audience: Ages 8+, Grades 3 - 7 How do you get out of the library when you’ve been locked in? Our hero Kyle loves winning. He plays with his brothers all of the time. Kyle wants to meet a world famous game maker and he has his chance when Mr. Lemoncello comes to town to open the new library that he designed – with technology like no one has ever seen! Kyle has to use all his smarts to make his way and this game is the most important one of his life. A book with a good puzzle, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is a laugh out loud fun time. About the Author Chris Grabenstein is the co-author (with James Patterson) of the #1 New York Times Bestseller I Funny as well as the New York Times Bestseller Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library . He is an award-winning author of more than 20 other books for children and adults, a playwright, screenwriter, and former advertising executive and improvisational comedian. Winner of two Anthony and three Agatha Awards, Chris wrote for Jim Henson's Muppets and co-wrote the CBS-TV movie The Christmas Gift starring John Denver. Chris lives in New York City with his wife, three cats, and a rescue dog named Fred who starred on Broadway in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang . Chris Grabenstein Author's website A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR “I am thrilled and honored to be asked to participate in this year's Silicon Valley Reads. The theme "Books and Technology: Friend or Foe" is one I had fun exploring in my book for young readers ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY, in which I created a technological marvel of a library -- all in the service of books and the sharing of knowledge. As Mr. Lemoncello says, "Knowledge not shared remains unknown." Technology and books both help us share what we know with those who'd like to know it, too. Put me in the friend column!” - Chris Grabenstein BOOKLIST REVIEW “Here’s an instantly engaging and wildly creative mystery that is sure to have readers looking at their humble local library in a new light. Mr. Lemoncello is an eccentric game designer who has just funded a very special new library in his hometown. In honor of the grand opening, Lemoncello has selected a dozen 12-year-olds to participate in an overnight lock-in event at the library. But when the kids wake up, they discover a new and unexpected game is afoot: whoever can find a way out of Mr. Lemoncello’s library will win the grand prize. Avid readers will get a kick out of the references to classic and current children’s literature as the kids solve clues to escape and win the game. Main character Kyle Keeley works hard to beat his nemesis, the conniving bully Charles Chilington, who constantly reminds everyone that he is always successful. As Lemoncello says, knowledge not shared remains unknown, and the group learns that working together just might be the key to solving the mystery. An ode to libraries and literature that is a worthy successor to the original madman riddle master himself, Willy Wonka.”

2025Claudia Lin, a sharp-witted amateur sleuth, investigates a missing client while working for a unique online-dating detective agency. As she delves deeper, she uncovers a web of deceit and explores the complexities of love and technology in the digital age. This debut novel offers a clever and incisive examination of modern relationships and the impact of technology on our lives. < All Book Selections 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World The Verifiers (Fiction) Jane Pek Audience: Adult Claudia Lin, a sharp-witted amateur sleuth, investigates a missing client while working for a unique online-dating detective agency. As she delves deeper, she uncovers a web of deceit and explores the complexities of love and technology in the digital age. This debut novel offers a clever and incisive examination of modern relationships and the impact of technology on our lives. About the Author Jane Pek Author's website

2012 Books Muslim and American: Two Perspectives Play video on YouTube The Butterfly Mosque G. Willow Wilson Adult In this satisfying, lyrical memoir of a potentially disastrous clash between East and West, a Boulder native and Boston University graduate found an unlikely fit living in Cairo, Egypt, and converting to Islam. Wilson embarked on a yearlong stint working at an English-language high school in Cairo right after her college graduation in 2003. She had already decided that of the three Abrahamic religions, Islam fulfilled her need for a monotheistic truth, even though her school did not include instruction in the Qur'an because it angered students and put everybody at risk. Once in Cairo, despite being exposed to the smoldering hostility Arab men held for Americans, especially for women, she found she was moved deeply by the daily plight of the people to scratch out a living in this dusty police state tottering on the edge of moral and financial collapse; she and her roommate, barely eating because they did not know how to buy food, were saved by Omar, an educated, English-speaking physics teacher at the school. Through her deepening relationship with Omar, she also learned Arabic and embraced the ways Islam was woven into the daily fabric of existence, such as the rituals of Ramadan and Friday prayers at the mosque. Arguably, Wilson's decision to take up the headscarf and champion the segregated, protected status of Arab women can be viewed as odd; however, her work proves a tremendously heartfelt, healing cross-cultural fusion. Read More The Muslim Next Door Sumbul Ali-Karamali Adult Since 9/11, stories about Muslims and the Islamic world have flooded headlines, politics, and water-cooler conversations all across the country. And, although Americans hear about Islam on a daily basis, there remains no clear explanation of Islam or its people. The Muslim Next Door offers easy-to-understand yet academically sound answers to these questions while also dispelling commonly held misconceptions. Written from the point of view of an American Muslim, the book addresses what readers in the Western world are most curious about, beginning with the basics of Islam and how Muslims practice their religion before easing into more complicated issues like jihad, Islamic fundamentalism, and the status of women in Islam. Author Sumbul Ali-Karamali's vivid anecdotes about growing up Muslim and female in the West, along with her sensitive, scholarly overview of Islam, combine for a uniquely insightful look at the world's fastest growing religion. Read More It's OK To Be Different Todd Parr Pre-K From Publishers Weekly: It's OK To Be Different combines rainbow colors, simple drawings and reassuring statements in this optimistic book. His repetitive captions offer variations on the title and appear in a typeface that looks handcrafted and personalized. A fuschia elephant stands against a zingy blue background ("It's okay to have a different nose") and a lone green turtle crosses a finish line ("It's okay to come in last"). A girl blushes at the toilet paper stuck to her shoe ("It's okay to be embarrassed") and a lion says "Grr," "ROAR" and "purrr" ("It's okay to talk about your feelings"). Parr cautiously calls attention to superficial distinctions. By picturing a smiling girl with a guide dog ("It's okay to need some help"), he comments on disability and he accounts for race by posing a multicolored zebra with a black-and-white one. An illustration of two women ("It's okay to have different Moms") and two men ("It's okay to have different Dads") handles diverse families sensitively this could cover either same-sex families or stepfamilies and also on the opposite page, a kangaroo with a dog in its pouch ("It's okay to be adopted"). He wisely doesn't zero in on specifics, which would force him to establish what's "normal." Instead, he focuses on acceptance and individuality and encourages readers to do the same. Read More One Green Apple Eve Bunting Grades K - 2 From School Library Journal: As a Muslim girl rides in a hay wagon heading to an apple orchard on a class trip, the dupatta on her head setting her apart, she observes that while some of the children seem friendly, others are not. Her father has explained, ...we are not always liked here. Our home country (never named in the story) and our new one have had difficulties. Later, when she puts a green apple into the cider press instead of a ripe red one as her classmates have done, they protest. But the cider from all their apples mixed together is delicious - a metaphor for the benefits of intermingling people who are different. Lewin's watercolors radiate sunlight and capture the gamut of emotions that Farah experiences on this challenging second day in her new school in the U.S. They show her downcast silence and sense of isolation because she can't speak the language, her shy smile when a classmate befriends her, and, finally, her triumphant smile as she speaks one of her first English words, App-ell. Read More My Name is Bilal Asma Mobin-Uddin Grades 2 - 6 From Booklist: Bilal and his sister, Ayesha, who are Muslim, start school in a new city. At first Bilal tries to blend into the largely non-Muslim environment, calling himself Bill and ducking out of sight when two boys try to pull off Ayesha's head scarf. Encouraged by a sympathetic teacher and his own faith, Bilal finds the courage to stand up with his sister the next time the boys tease her. Bilal and Ayesha point out to their adversaries that they too were born in America and that being American means that they can wear what they want. By standing up for his sister, Bilal earns the boys' respect and takes the first step toward a possible friendship. The story is told in picture-book format, though the text is longer than that of most picture books. In the illustrations, the students appear to be in middle school, but the book is accessible to younger children as well. Appearing on nearly every double-page spread, large-scale watercolor paintings clearly portray the actions and attitudes of the characters. A good starting place for discussions of cultural differences, prejudice, and respect for the beliefs of others. Read More Skunk Girl Sheba Karim Grades 7+ From a Kirkus Review -- "There are only two types of people who spend their Friday nights in high school at home - Pakistani Muslim girls and future serial killers." Although Nina Khan was born and raised in small-town Deer Hook, N.Y., and has never visited her parents' homeland, she must adhere to their rigid cultural and religious beliefs, including no sleepovers, alcohol or dating. With dark skin, a wide bottom and an overabundance of body hair that makes her a "skunk girl," what are her chances of dating in the predominantly fair-skinned, closed-minded town anyway? But when Italian Asher transfers to her high school, she dreams of romance for the first time. In this debut, episodic novel, rife with smart, self-deprecating humor and set in the 1990s just as a phenomenon known as e-mail is gaining interest, Nina searches for identity and emerging independence while accepting the reality of her home life. Read More

Program Donors Silicon Valley Reads relies on the generous donations of our community partners and donors to run over 150 free events each year. For more information on donating, please visit the Donor Information page . Thank you for financially supporting Silicon Valley Reads programs! Below are the generous donors for our 2026 season. If you would like to donate to help make Silicon Valley Reads successful, please consider a donation ! Contact siliconvalleyreads@gmail.com with questions. Friends of the Cupertino Library Christy's International Real Estate The Michael and Alyce Parsons Education Fund Silicon Valley Library System Cupertino Library Foundation Friends of San Jose West Valley Library Friends of the Saratoga Libraries Santa Clara County Library District Foundation First 5 Magical Bridge Foundation Thank you for your support! Charmon Ashby David Sacarelos Friends of the Almaden Library Friends of the Bascom Library Friends of the Gilroy Library Friends of Los Gatos Library Friends of the Morgan Hill Library Friends of the Mountain View Library Friends of the Palo Alto Library Friends of the Vineland Library Geri Weimers Leigh’s Favorite Books Santa Clara City Library Foundation & Friends

2020Alpha Girls is the untold story of pioneering women in Silicon Valley. Described as "Hidden Figures" meets "The Social Network," Alpha Girls is the story of the real unicorns of Silicon Valley -- the women who bucked the system and found ways to survive and thrive in this high-stakes, male-dominated world. The book explores the rise of such companies as Facebook, Tesla, Oracle, Trulia, Imperva, F5 Networks, Acme Packet, ForeScout, Salesforce and more – all through the eyes of trailblazing "alpha girls" of Silicon Valley. The book is being adapted for a television series by Academy Award-winning producer Cathy Schulman and TriStar. < All Book Selections 2020 Women Making It Happen Alpha Girls Julian Guthrie Audience: Adult Alpha Girls is the untold story of pioneering women in Silicon Valley. Described as "Hidden Figures" meets "The Social Network," Alpha Girls is the story of the real unicorns of Silicon Valley -- the women who bucked the system and found ways to survive and thrive in this high-stakes, male-dominated world. The book explores the rise of such companies as Facebook, Tesla, Oracle, Trulia, Imperva, F5 Networks, Acme Packet, ForeScout, Salesforce and more – all through the eyes of trailblazing "alpha girls" of Silicon Valley. The book is being adapted for a television series by Academy Award-winning producer Cathy Schulman and TriStar. About the Author Julian Guthrie is the author of four books, including two national bestsellers. As a journalist for 20 years at the San Francisco Chronicle, Ms. Guthrie won numerous awards, including the Best of the West Award and the Society of Professional Journalists' Public Service Award. Her feature writing and enterprise reporting were nominated multiple times for the Pulitzer Prize. Ms. Guthrie's New York Times bestseller How to Make a Spaceship: A Band of Renegades, an Epic Race, and the Birth of Private Spaceflight released in 2017, tells the story of an unforgettable cast of characters who dreamed of getting to space without the government's help. Virgin Group founder Richard Branson wrote the foreword, and the late Prof. Stephen Hawking wrote the afterword. This cast includes aviators, test pilots, engineering school dropouts, plucky entrepreneurs, NASA retirees, billionaires, and a particularly determined space geek named Peter Diamandis who refused to give up on his outsized dream. Ms. Guthrie's second book, The Billionaire and the Mechanic: How Larry Ellison and a Car Mechanic Teamed Up to Win Sailing's Greatest Race, The America's Cup, was published in 2013 and was a national bestseller. It was one of Forbes Magazine's top 10 nonfiction books of 2013. Ms. Guthrie spent over a year interviewing Larry Ellison. JulianGuthrieSF.com Julian Guthrie Author's website "I'm honored that Alpha Girls was chosen for the 2020 Silicon Valley Reads program. I can't wait to share the inspiring, untold stories of incredible women who helped build some of the foremost companies of our day. I'm eager to talk in actionable terms about how women can succeed in male-dominated industries; how men can be great allies; and what this means for boys and girls who want to be next generation leaders and innovators. My belief is that the story of Alpha Girls will make you look at the world differently." - Julian Guthrie

2024Damnation Spring beautifully captures a sense of time and place in 1970s Arcata, California. What sets it apart is its unique take on the traditional conservation narrative. For generations, the community has lived and breathed timber; now that way of life is threatened. Amidst the backdrop of environmental concerns, Damnation Spring introduces an intriguing juxtaposition. The loggers share an intimate bond with the forest that outsiders, advocating for its preservation through protected parklands, can never fully comprehend. This novel opens a new perspective on environmentalism, exploring the intricate relationship between humanity and nature. < All Book Selections 2024 A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today Damnation Spring (Fiction) Ash Davidson Audience: Adult Damnation Spring beautifully captures a sense of time and place in 1970s Arcata, California. What sets it apart is its unique take on the traditional conservation narrative. For generations, the community has lived and breathed timber; now that way of life is threatened. Amidst the backdrop of environmental concerns, Damnation Spring introduces an intriguing juxtaposition. The loggers share an intimate bond with the forest that outsiders, advocating for its preservation through protected parklands, can never fully comprehend. This novel opens a new perspective on environmentalism, exploring the intricate relationship between humanity and nature. About the Author Ash Davidson Author's website

2012From School Library Journal: As a Muslim girl rides in a hay wagon heading to an apple orchard on a class trip, the dupatta on her head setting her apart, she observes that while some of the children seem friendly, others are not. Her father has explained, ...we are not always liked here. Our home country (never named in the story) and our new one have had difficulties. Later, when she puts a green apple into the cider press instead of a ripe red one as her classmates have done, they protest. But the cider from all their apples mixed together is delicious - a metaphor for the benefits of intermingling people who are different. Lewin's watercolors radiate sunlight and capture the gamut of emotions that Farah experiences on this challenging second day in her new school in the U.S. They show her downcast silence and sense of isolation because she can't speak the language, her shy smile when a classmate befriends her, and, finally, her triumphant smile as she speaks one of her first English words, App-ell. < All Book Selections 2012 Muslim and American: Two Perspectives One Green Apple Eve Bunting Audience: Grades K - 2 From School Library Journal: As a Muslim girl rides in a hay wagon heading to an apple orchard on a class trip, the dupatta on her head setting her apart, she observes that while some of the children seem friendly, others are not. Her father has explained, ...we are not always liked here. Our home country (never named in the story) and our new one have had difficulties. Later, when she puts a green apple into the cider press instead of a ripe red one as her classmates have done, they protest. But the cider from all their apples mixed together is delicious - a metaphor for the benefits of intermingling people who are different. Lewin's watercolors radiate sunlight and capture the gamut of emotions that Farah experiences on this challenging second day in her new school in the U.S. They show her downcast silence and sense of isolation because she can't speak the language, her shy smile when a classmate befriends her, and, finally, her triumphant smile as she speaks one of her first English words, App-ell. About the Author Bunting is the author of more than 200 children's books, including picture books, middle-school readers and young-adult novels. Genres range from mystery to science fiction to contemporary problem stories. She was born in Northern Ireland and moved to the U.S. in 1959 with her husband and three children. She took a writing class at a local community college and published her first book for children in 1972. She has won numerous awards for her work and is listed as one of the Educational Paperback Association's top 100 authors. Eve Bunting Author's website

2019If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes, too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all — and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. < All Book Selections 2019 Finding Identity in Family History Alma and How She Got Her Name Juana Martinez-Neal Audience: Pre-K to 3 If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes, too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all — and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. About the Author Juana Martinez-Neal is the recipient of the 2018 Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration for "La Princesa and the Pea" (written by Susan M. Elya). Alma and How She Got Her Name is her first picture book as author-illustrator. Martinez-Neal says that the essence of Alma, which has autobiographical elements, is "you are everyone that came before you, and you are uniquely yourself." Juana is the illustrator of "Babymoon" (written by Hayley Barrett), "Fry Bread" (written by Kevin Mailliard), and "Swashby and the Sea" (written by Beth Ferry). She is also the illustrator of "La Madre Goose" (written by Susan M. Elya). Juana was named to the International Board on Books for Young People Honor list in 2014, and was awarded the SCBWI Portfolio Showcase Grand Prize in 2012. She was born in Lima, the capital of Peru, and now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband and three children. Juanamartinezneal.com Juana Martinez-Neal Author's website

2016This poetic story follows two siblings—and all the water around them—through a year’s worth of movements and changes. Includes back matter facts about the science behind the story, with additional info. Awards/Honors/Reviews: Junior Library Guild selection, Starred Review in School Library Journal Huffington Post Book Blog Review. Kirkus Reviews < All Book Selections 2016 Chance of Rain? Water is Water Miranda Paul Audience: Ages 3 - 9 This poetic story follows two siblings—and all the water around them—through a year’s worth of movements and changes. Includes back matter facts about the science behind the story, with additional info. Awards/Honors/Reviews: Junior Library Guild selection, Starred Review in School Library Journal Huffington Post Book Blog Review. Kirkus Reviews About the Author Miranda Paul is a children’s writer who is passionate about creating stories for young readers that inspire, entertain, and broaden horizons. In addition to more than 50 short stories for magazines and digital markets, Miranda is the author of several forthcoming picture books from imprints of Lerner, Macmillan, and Random House. Her debut, One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia, and her second book, Water is Water were both named Junior Library Guild selections. She is the Executive VP of Outreach for We Need Diverse Books™ (www.diversebooks.org) and the administrator of RateYourStory.org, a site for aspiring writers. Miranda Paul Author's website

2018A heart-wrenching, yet hopeful, memoir of a young marriage that is redefined by mental illness and affirms the power of love. Mark and Giulia’s life together began as a storybook romance. They fell in love at 18, married at 24, and were living their dream life in San Francisco. When Giulia was 27, she suffered a terrifying and unexpected psychotic break that landed her in the psych ward for nearly a month. One day she was vibrant and well-adjusted -- the next she was delusional and suicidal, convinced that her loved ones were not safe. Eventually, Giulia fully recovered, and the couple had a son. But, soon after Jonas was born, Giulia had another breakdown, and then a third a few years after that. Pushed to the edge of the abyss, everything the couple had once taken for granted was upended. A story of the fragility of the mind, and the tenacity of the human spirit, My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward is, above all, a love story that raises profound questions: How do we care for the people we love? What and who do we live for? Breathtaking in its candor, radiant with compassion, and written with dazzling lyricism, Lukach’s book is an intensely personal odyssey through the harrowing years of his wife’s mental illness, anchored by an abiding devotion to family that will affirm readers’ faith in the power of love. < All Book Selections 2018 No Matter What: Caring, Coping, Compassion My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward Mark Lukach Audience: Adult A heart-wrenching, yet hopeful, memoir of a young marriage that is redefined by mental illness and affirms the power of love. Mark and Giulia’s life together began as a storybook romance. They fell in love at 18, married at 24, and were living their dream life in San Francisco. When Giulia was 27, she suffered a terrifying and unexpected psychotic break that landed her in the psych ward for nearly a month. One day she was vibrant and well-adjusted -- the next she was delusional and suicidal, convinced that her loved ones were not safe. Eventually, Giulia fully recovered, and the couple had a son. But, soon after Jonas was born, Giulia had another breakdown, and then a third a few years after that. Pushed to the edge of the abyss, everything the couple had once taken for granted was upended. A story of the fragility of the mind, and the tenacity of the human spirit, My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward is, above all, a love story that raises profound questions: How do we care for the people we love? What and who do we live for? Breathtaking in its candor, radiant with compassion, and written with dazzling lyricism, Lukach’s book is an intensely personal odyssey through the harrowing years of his wife’s mental illness, anchored by an abiding devotion to family that will affirm readers’ faith in the power of love. About the Author Mark Lukach is a teacher and freelance writer. His work has been published in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Pacific Standard, Wired, and other publications. He is currently the ninth grade dean at The Athenian School, where he also teaches history. He lives with his wife, Giulia, and their son in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mark first wrote about Giulia in a New York Times “Modern Love” column and again in a piece for Pacific Standard Magazine, which was the magazine’s most-read article in 2015. Mark Lukach Author's website

2024Burnt is Clare Frank’s inspiring, richly detailed, and open-hearted account of an extraordinary life in fire. It chronicles the transformation of a young adult determined to prove her mettle into a scarred and sensitive veteran, grappling with the weight of her duties as chief of fire protection—one of the highest-ranking women in Cal Fire history—while record-setting fires engulf her home state. < All Book Selections 2024 A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire Clare Frank Audience: Adult Burnt is Clare Frank’s inspiring, richly detailed, and open-hearted account of an extraordinary life in fire. It chronicles the transformation of a young adult determined to prove her mettle into a scarred and sensitive veteran, grappling with the weight of her duties as chief of fire protection—one of the highest-ranking women in Cal Fire history—while record-setting fires engulf her home state. About the Author Clare Frank served as the State of California’s first and only female Chief of Fire Protection. She began firefighting at age 17 and worked her way through the ranks, handling fire and rescue emergencies and major disasters in both urban and rural settings. Along the way, she earned a spot on an elite state command team, a bachelor’s in fire administration, a law degree, a master’s in creative writing, and several leadership awards. Now, she brings humor and candor to her stories about first responders, lawyers, and life. Her work has been featured in the New York Times , New York Post , San Francisco Chronicle , CNN Opinion , Shondaland , FireRescue1 , and others. Her first book, Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire is now available at a bookstore near you. She lives near Lake Tahoe with her husband and always a dog or two. Clare Frank Author's website

2024 Books Videos & Photos 2024 Videos 2024 Event Photos Featured Books for Adults All We Can Save Provocative and illuminating essays from women at the forefront of the climate movement who are harnessing truth, courage, and solutions to lead humanity forward. All We Can Save shows the expertise and insights of dozens of diverse women leading on climate in the United States--scientists, journalists, farmers, lawyers, teachers, activists, innovators, wonks, and designers, across generations, geographies, and race--and aims to advance a more representative, nuanced, and solution-oriented public conversation on the climate crisis. Read More One Green Thing Climate issues and the resulting eco-anxiety is the biggest challenge of our time. The anxiety that comes with worrying about how environmental harm will impact our—and our children’s—lives can be overwhelming. Learn how to balance practicing daily sustainability actions while caring for your own eco-anxiety in this revolutionary book from noted environmentalist Heather White. In One Green Thing , White shows you how to contribute to the climate movement through self-discovery and self-care. Read More The Light Pirate Set in a world where Florida faces the relentless onslaught of extreme weather and rising sea levels, "The Light Pirate" is the story of a small coastal town preparing for a powerful hurricane. Divided into four parts—power, water, light, and time—this GMA Book Club pick novel mirrors the rhythms of the elements and the gradual transformation of the world as we know it. It serves as a contemplation of changes that challenge our comfort zones and a reminder of the untamed beauty and strength of nature. Read More View All Book Selections Featured Companion Books for Teens/Children To Change a Planet (Pre-K - 1st) To Change a Planet demonstrates the importance of caring for our planet. Eye popping explosions of color on every page create a stunning visual narrative. Readers follow the same characters through their daily lives- ultimately coming to a climate change march on Washington where the characters come together. Read More The Forest Man (2nd - 4th) After years of harsh monsoon seasons, a forest on the river island of Majuli is in danger of being slowly washed away. Jadav, a boy living on the island, is determined to save the forest he loves. This is the true story of how one young boy dedicated his life to creating and cultivating an expansive forest that continues to grow to this day. In a world impacted by climate change, Jadav Payeng’s inspirational story shows how one person’s contributions can make a difference in helping to save our environment. Read More Two Degrees (5th - 8th) Fire. Ice. Flood. Three climate disasters. Four kids fighting for their lives. Alan Gratz shines a light on our increasingly urgent climate crisis while spinning an action-packed story that will keep readers hooked--and inspire them to take action. In the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, Akira and her horse struggle to escape a massive wildfire. In Churchill, Manitoba, Owen and George flee starving polar bears that have been stranded on land by melting sea ice. In Miami, Florida, Natalie fights to keep her head above water–and save her neighbor’s dog–as her city drowns in a hurricane. Though they live thousands of miles from each other and face disparate challenges, Akira, Owen, George, and Natalie will come to understand they are more deeply connected than they ever could have imagined–and in ways that will change them and, possibly, the world. Read More Don't Call Me a Hurricane (High School/Young Adult) It's been five years since a hurricane ravaged Eliza Marino's life and home in her quiet town on the Jersey shore. Now a senior in high school, Eliza is passionate about fighting climate change-starting with saving Clam Cove Reserve, an area of marshland that is scheduled to be turned into buildable lots. Protecting the island helps Eliza deal with her lingering trauma from the storm, but she still can't shake the fear that something will come along and wash out her life once again. When Eliza meets Milo Harris at a party, she tries to hate him. Milo is one of the rich tourists who flock to the island every summer. But after Eliza reluctantly agrees to give Milo surfing lessons, she can't help falling for him. Still, Eliza's not sure if she's ready to risk letting an outsider into the life she's rebuilt. Especially once she discovers that Milo is keeping a devastating secret. Read More View All Companion Books Recommended Reading Silicon Valley Reads is pleased to provide a curated list of recommended reading that explore various facets of the complex topic of sustainability and climate change. Under a White Sky: The Nature of The Future Under a White Sky by Elizabeth Kolbert (Pulitzer Prize winning journalist) takes the reader through various fields of study, speaking to experts on ways they are assisting environments, flora, and fauna that are affected by climate change. The intimate nature of the prose makes the reader feel like they're tagging along with a friend. Exploration is conducted on: the impacts of the Asian carp in the rivers of Chicago, the receding coastline of Louisiana, a pond in the middle of Death Valley with a unique species of fish, to name a few. Kolbert is frank about the reality of the situation, but because of her curious and questioning tone, the subject matter doesn't feel overwhelming. Working to Restore: Harnessing the Power of Regenerative Business to Heal the World Working to Restore examines revolutionary approaches in agriculture, waste, supply chain, inclusivity for the collective good, women in the workforce, travel, health, energy, and finance. The companies profiled are solving global issues, promoting responsible production and consumption, creating equitable opportunities for all, encouraging climate action, and more. Chhabra highlights how their work moves beyond the greenwashed idea of “sustainability” into a new era of regeneration and restoration across industries and geographies—to paint a broader picture of a global movement through a journalistic lens. Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire Burnt is Clare Frank’s inspiring, richly detailed, and open-hearted account of an extraordinary life in fire. It chronicles the transformation of a young adult determined to prove her mettle into a scarred and sensitive veteran, grappling with the weight of her duties as chief of fire protection—one of the highest-ranking women in Cal Fire history—while record-setting fires engulf her home state. Damnation Spring (Fiction) Damnation Spring beautifully captures a sense of time and place in 1970s Arcata, California. What sets it apart is its unique take on the traditional conservation narrative. For generations, the community has lived and breathed timber; now that way of life is threatened. Amidst the backdrop of environmental concerns, Damnation Spring introduces an intriguing juxtaposition. The loggers share an intimate bond with the forest that outsiders, advocating for its preservation through protected parklands, can never fully comprehend. This novel opens a new perspective on environmentalism, exploring the intricate relationship between humanity and nature. More about recommended reading selections

2026 Books Videos & Photos 2026 Videos 2026 Event Photos Featured Books for Adults The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong In The Power of Bridging, john a. powell offers an essential roadmap for building bridges across our divisions and creating a society where everyone feels they belong. He explains how “othering” and “breaking” keep us apart—casting people as outsiders or excluding them altogether—while “bridging” invites connection, solidarity, and shared humanity. With a mix of personal insight and practical tools, Powell shows how each of us can become a “bridger” in our families, workplaces, and communities. This book is both a call to action and a guide, reminding us that bridging is not just a response to division, but a path toward co-creating a future grounded in belonging. Read More Mainline Mama In this moving memoir, Keeonna Harris shares her journey of building bridges to belonging while navigating the isolating realities of the U.S. carceral system. Becoming a “mainline mama” at just fourteen, she raises her son while her partner is incarcerated, confronting stigma, shame, and systemic barriers along the way. Yet Harris’s story is also one of resilience, love, and community—finding strength in family bonds and solidarity with other women facing similar struggles. From everyday acts of care to moments of radical resistance, Mainline Mama shows how creating connection and community in the face of division becomes a powerful pathway to belonging. Read More Unlikely Animals In this tender and humorous novel, Annie Hartnett explores how belonging can grow in unexpected places. When Emma Starling returns to her New Hampshire hometown to care for her dying father, she is drawn into a community grappling with crisis, loss, and disconnection. Through her search for a missing friend and reconnection with family, Emma discovers that even fractured places can be mended through compassion, community, and the bridges we build with one another. Read More View All Book Selections Featured Companion Books for Teens/Children 2026 Companion Books Thank You, Neighbor Join a young narrator and her dog on their daily walk through a bustling, colorful urban neighborhood. They greet essential community helpers—the bus driver, the sanitation workers, the mail carrier—and chat with all the neighbors they know. In the flurry of a busy day, it’s easy to hurry past the people who keep our world running, but this charming book reminds us that patience and kindness can make your neighborhood truly feel like family. Read More Together, A Forest In this visually stunning picture book, Joy and her diverse class explore a forest where every student, including those who are neurodivergent or use mobility aids, discovers their unique connection to nature. Joy is initially anxious about finding her "one thing" for a project, but she soon sees how her classmates' different ways of experiencing the world reflect the complex beauty of the ecosystem. The book compares the essential diversity of trees, fungi, and rushing water to the diversity of the class. It reminds readers of all ages that there is no "one right way" for a mind, body, or person to be, and that our unique differences are what create a truly vibrant, flourishing community. Read More Front Desk Based on the author's real-life experience, Kelly Yang's award-winning novel follows 10-year-old Mia Tang, a recent Chinese immigrant whose family manages a rundown motel in California. While facing poverty, racism, and the unfairness of the American Dream, Mia bravely takes on the role of front desk manager—but her real job is building a community. Front Desk illustrates "Bridges to Belonging" as Mia, her parents, and the long-term tenants ("weeklies") transform the Calivista Motel into a sanctuary for close friends. Through compassion and courage, they stand up for one another against injustice, proving that a sense of belonging is a powerful force created not by wealth or status, but by kindness, solidarity, and finding your voice to fight for those who need a place to call home. Read More Give Me a Sign For years, Lilah has felt suspended in a silent, lonely space -"stuck in the middle" between the vibrant hearing world and the rich, expressive Deaf one. Hard-of-hearing and tired of constantly navigating a world that wasn't built for her, she yearns for a place where she doesn't have to choose or apologize for who she is. That search for solid ground leads her to a life-changing summer where she worked as a counselor at a camp for Deaf and blind teens. It's here, within this community, that Lilah finds peace and a solid sense of belonging. Read More More about 2026 Companion Books Recommended Reading Silicon Valley Reads is pleased to provide a curated list of recommended reading for our Bridges to Belonging theme. Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley is a heartwarming story that proves the most rigid social contract—never talk to strangers—is meant to be broken. Iona Iverson, an eccentric advice columnist, lives by an ironclad rule: ignore everyone on her daily train ride, whom she knows only by self-assigned nicknames like "Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader." But when a fellow commuter suddenly chokes, a single, life-saving act of intervention shatters Iona's carefully constructed isolation. Watch as this unlikely cast of characters—each dealing with their own private struggles with loneliness, aging, and career anxiety—evolves from anonymous passengers into a found family. This story explores how breaking down barriers of judgment and embracing vulnerability can lead to unexpected, life-altering connections, transforming a train car of strangers into a true community. Connecting Dots The memoir of MacArthur "Genius" award winner Dr. Joshua A. Miele is a powerful testament to finding connection and building a life of purpose in a world not built for you. Badly burned and blinded at age four, Miele refused to be a victim. Instead, his natural curiosity and problem-solving skills led him to the heart of the tech industry—from working at NASA to pioneering revolutionary accessibility technologies like screen readers and tactile maps. Connecting Dots is an unforgettable, funny, and deeply honest journey of a blind scientist who channels his experiences into creations that connect the disabled community to the world. Miele’s life demonstrates that the ingenuity spurred by necessity creates the strongest bridges to belonging, allowing millions to fully participate in a society designed for the sighted. What it Takes to Save a Life: A Veterinarian's Quest of Healing and Hope Dr. Kwane Stewart, founder of Project Street Vet and CNN's 2023 Hero of the Year, was a struggling veterinarian on the brink of burnout when a single, spontaneous act of kindness changed everything: offering free treatment to a homeless man's dog. This powerful, honest memoir takes you onto the streets of California and beyond, revealing the extraordinary bonds of unconditional love between unhoused individuals and their animal companions. For people facing extreme loneliness and invisibility, a pet is their only family, their lifeline, and their bridge to stability. In What It Takes to Save a Life, Kwane Stewart shows how healing these animals is a crucial step in recognizing the humanity of their owners. His journey is a profound reminder that we are all part of a wider community, and by extending compassion to our most vulnerable neighbors—and their beloved pets—we can save not just an animal, but a human soul. View All Adult Recommended Reading Youth Recommended Reading Silicon Valley Reads has selected a recommended read for our youth audience this year. The author of Becoming Boba will be doing some programming with us- please see our events listing in January for more information! Becoming Boba Milk Tea Town was steeped in tradition, and Mindy didn't fit the mold. While the classic brown flavors sipped from sensible straws, Mindy sparkled in green, white, and red. Worried she wasn't "milk tea enough," she dives into their history, seeking a way to belong. What Mindy and her friends discover on this journey isn't a lesson in conformity, but a surprising truth about milk tea's past—a secret that could redefine the entire town and prove that belonging isn't about being the same, but about claiming your own flavor. A delightful, heartwarming tale about self-love and the universal question: What does it mean to be enough? Youth Recommended Reading

2017Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison is the true story of a man who went from being a convicted murderer, serving 19 years in prison, to becoming a leading voice for criminal justice reform and an inspiration to thousands. Shaka Senghor was raised in a middle-class neighborhood on Detroit’s east side during the peak of the 1980s crack epidemic. Under difficult circumstances at home, Shaka ran away at age 14, turned to drug dealing, and ended up in prison for murder at age 19. Writing My Wrongs (is his story of what came next. After pleading guilty to second-degree murder, Shaka was sentenced to 40 years in prison, entering the system at age 19, bitter, angry, and hurt. He blamed everybody, from his parents to the system, and he channeled that anger into violence. He ran a black market store, he loan sharked, and, halfway through his sentence, he was sent to solitary confinement for 4½ years for assaulting an officer to the point of near-death. A turning point in prison for Shaka occurred when his 10-year-old son wrote a letter to him recognizing the crucial reality for what he was in prison for—murder. With the cold hard truth hitting Shaka for the first time, his toughness and prison shrewdness wore off, as right there in that moment he realized he failed his son and the other black males in his neighborhood. Clinging on to hope from the letter his son wrote to him years earlier, Shaka continued to pour his time into literature, reading about Malcolm X and Nat Turner, Socrates and Donald Goines novels. He also discovered religion, meditation, and self-examination tools that he used to help him begin atoning for the wrongs he had committed. Shaka was more determined than ever to get a parole hearing. In 2008, he was granted a hearing but quickly denied, and then again in 2009, before he was able to enroll into the Assaultive Offender Program (AOP), a ten-month-long group therapy class required by all inmates with an assaultive case. Shaka eventually completed the AOP class and was up for parole yet a third time. “If I am released from prison, I plan to work and volunteer at local high schools and community centers,” he announced to a parole board member. He continued, “My ultimate goal is to pursue a career in writing.” On June 22, 2010, one day after his 38th birthday, Shaka was released from prison and was finally a free man. He stood by his words he shared with the parole board member, his family, and friends and became an activist and mentor to young men and women facing circumstances like his. His work in the community and the courage to share his story led him to fellowships at the MIT Media Lab and the Kellogg Foundation and invitations to speak at events like TED and the Aspen Ideas Festival. < All Book Selections 2017 ...and justice for all Writing My Wrongs Shaka Senghor Audience: Adult Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison is the true story of a man who went from being a convicted murderer, serving 19 years in prison, to becoming a leading voice for criminal justice reform and an inspiration to thousands. Shaka Senghor was raised in a middle-class neighborhood on Detroit’s east side during the peak of the 1980s crack epidemic. Under difficult circumstances at home, Shaka ran away at age 14, turned to drug dealing, and ended up in prison for murder at age 19. Writing My Wrongs (is his story of what came next. After pleading guilty to second-degree murder, Shaka was sentenced to 40 years in prison, entering the system at age 19, bitter, angry, and hurt. He blamed everybody, from his parents to the system, and he channeled that anger into violence. He ran a black market store, he loan sharked, and, halfway through his sentence, he was sent to solitary confinement for 4½ years for assaulting an officer to the point of near-death. A turning point in prison for Shaka occurred when his 10-year-old son wrote a letter to him recognizing the crucial reality for what he was in prison for—murder. With the cold hard truth hitting Shaka for the first time, his toughness and prison shrewdness wore off, as right there in that moment he realized he failed his son and the other black males in his neighborhood. Clinging on to hope from the letter his son wrote to him years earlier, Shaka continued to pour his time into literature, reading about Malcolm X and Nat Turner, Socrates and Donald Goines novels. He also discovered religion, meditation, and self-examination tools that he used to help him begin atoning for the wrongs he had committed. Shaka was more determined than ever to get a parole hearing. In 2008, he was granted a hearing but quickly denied, and then again in 2009, before he was able to enroll into the Assaultive Offender Program (AOP), a ten-month-long group therapy class required by all inmates with an assaultive case. Shaka eventually completed the AOP class and was up for parole yet a third time. “If I am released from prison, I plan to work and volunteer at local high schools and community centers,” he announced to a parole board member. He continued, “My ultimate goal is to pursue a career in writing.” On June 22, 2010, one day after his 38th birthday, Shaka was released from prison and was finally a free man. He stood by his words he shared with the parole board member, his family, and friends and became an activist and mentor to young men and women facing circumstances like his. His work in the community and the courage to share his story led him to fellowships at the MIT Media Lab and the Kellogg Foundation and invitations to speak at events like TED and the Aspen Ideas Festival. About the Author Shaka Senghor is a writer, mentor, and motivational speaker whose story of redemption has inspired thousands. He is the author of six books, a former Director's Fellow at the MIT Media Lab, a Community Leadership Fellow with the Kellogg Foundation, and the founder of The Atonement Project, which helps victims and violent offenders heal through the power of the arts. He currently serves as the co-founder of #BeyondPrisons , a #cut50 initiative to share the devastating and far-reaching human impacts of the incarceration industry. In addition to serving as a lecturer at the University of Michigan, Shaka speaks regularly at conferences, high schools, prisons, churches, and universities around the country. Shaka Senghor Author's website

2026The memoir of MacArthur "Genius" award winner Dr. Joshua A. Miele is a powerful testament to finding connection and building a life of purpose in a world not built for you. Badly burned and blinded at age four, Miele refused to be a victim. Instead, his natural curiosity and problem-solving skills led him to the heart of the tech industry—from working at NASA to pioneering revolutionary accessibility technologies like screen readers and tactile maps. Connecting Dots is an unforgettable, funny, and deeply honest journey of a blind scientist who channels his experiences into creations that connect the disabled community to the world. Miele’s life demonstrates that the ingenuity spurred by necessity creates the strongest bridges to belonging, allowing millions to fully participate in a society designed for the sighted. < All Book Selections 2026 Bridges to Belonging Connecting Dots Joshua A. Miele Audience: Adult The memoir of MacArthur "Genius" award winner Dr. Joshua A. Miele is a powerful testament to finding connection and building a life of purpose in a world not built for you. Badly burned and blinded at age four, Miele refused to be a victim. Instead, his natural curiosity and problem-solving skills led him to the heart of the tech industry—from working at NASA to pioneering revolutionary accessibility technologies like screen readers and tactile maps. Connecting Dots is an unforgettable, funny, and deeply honest journey of a blind scientist who channels his experiences into creations that connect the disabled community to the world. Miele’s life demonstrates that the ingenuity spurred by necessity creates the strongest bridges to belonging, allowing millions to fully participate in a society designed for the sighted. About the Author Joshua A. Miele Author's website

2015The Peace Book delivers positive and hopeful messages of peace in an accessible, child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr's trademark bold, bright colors and silly scenes. Perfect for the youngest readers, this book delivers a timely and timeless message about the importance of friendship, caring, and acceptance. < All Book Selections 2015 Homeland & Home: The Immigrant Experience The Peace Book Todd Parr Audience: Ages 2 - 5 The Peace Book delivers positive and hopeful messages of peace in an accessible, child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr's trademark bold, bright colors and silly scenes. Perfect for the youngest readers, this book delivers a timely and timeless message about the importance of friendship, caring, and acceptance. About the Author Todd Parr is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of more than three dozen children’s books in which he focuses on the themes of love, kindness and feeling good. He also creates short films for Sesame Street. He lives in the Bay Area with his dogs, Pete and TaterTot. Todd Parr Author's website

2022A #1 Los Angeles Times bestseller. Author Valarie Kaur takes readers through her own riveting journey—as a brown girl growing up in California farmland finding her place in the world; as a young adult galvanized by the murders of Sikhs after 9/11; as a law student fighting injustices in American prisons and on Guantánamo Bay; as an activist working with communities recovering from xenophobic attacks; and as a woman trying to heal from her own experiences with police violence and sexual assault. < All Book Selections 2022 Power of Kindness, Resilience & Hope See No Stranger Valarie Kaur Audience: Adult A #1 Los Angeles Times bestseller. Author Valarie Kaur takes readers through her own riveting journey—as a brown girl growing up in California farmland finding her place in the world; as a young adult galvanized by the murders of Sikhs after 9/11; as a law student fighting injustices in American prisons and on Guantánamo Bay; as an activist working with communities recovering from xenophobic attacks; and as a woman trying to heal from her own experiences with police violence and sexual assault. About the Author Valarie Kaur is a civil rights activist, lawyer, filmmaker, innovator, and founder of the Revolutionary Love Project. She has won national acclaim for her story-based advocacy, helping to win policy change on issues ranging from hate crimes to digital freedom. Her speeches have reached millions worldwide and inspired a movement to reclaim love as a force for justice. A daughter of Sikh farmers in California, she earned degrees from Stanford University, Harvard Divinity School, and Yale Law School and holds an honorary doctorate. She lives in a multigenerational home in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and daughter. Valarie Kaur Author's website

2026Milk Tea Town was steeped in tradition, and Mindy didn't fit the mold. While the classic brown flavors sipped from sensible straws, Mindy sparkled in green, white, and red. Worried she wasn't "milk tea enough," she dives into their history, seeking a way to belong. What Mindy and her friends discover on this journey isn't a lesson in conformity, but a surprising truth about milk tea's past—a secret that could redefine the entire town and prove that belonging isn't about being the same, but about claiming your own flavor. A delightful, heartwarming tale about self-love and the universal question: What does it mean to be enough? < All Book Selections 2026 Bridges to Belonging Becoming Boba Joanna Ho Illustrated by Amber Ren Audience: Youth Milk Tea Town was steeped in tradition, and Mindy didn't fit the mold. While the classic brown flavors sipped from sensible straws, Mindy sparkled in green, white, and red. Worried she wasn't "milk tea enough," she dives into their history, seeking a way to belong. What Mindy and her friends discover on this journey isn't a lesson in conformity, but a surprising truth about milk tea's past—a secret that could redefine the entire town and prove that belonging isn't about being the same, but about claiming your own flavor. A delightful, heartwarming tale about self-love and the universal question: What does it mean to be enough? About the Author Joanna Ho Illustrated by Amber Ren Author's website

2021Named one of the best books of the year by The Times (UK) and The Washington Post. It is 1988. On a dead-end street in a run-down suburb there is a music shop that stands small and brightly lit, jam-packed with records of every kind. Like a beacon, the shop attracts the lonely, the sleepless, and the adrift; Frank, the shop’s owner, has a way of connecting his customers with just the piece of music they need. Then, one day, into his shop comes a beautiful young woman, Ilse Brauchmann, who asks Frank to teach her about music. Terrified of real closeness, Frank feels compelled to turn and run, yet he is drawn to this strangely still, mysterious woman with eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems, and Frank has old wounds that threaten to reopen, as well as a past it seems he will never leave behind. Can a man who is so in tune with other people’s needs be so incapable of connecting with the one person who might save him? The journey that these two quirky, wonderful characters make in order to overcome their emotional baggage speaks to the healing power of music—and love—in this poignant, ultimately joyful work of fiction. < All Book Selections 2021 Connecting The Music Shop Rachel Joyce Audience: Adult Named one of the best books of the year by The Times (UK) and The Washington Post. It is 1988. On a dead-end street in a run-down suburb there is a music shop that stands small and brightly lit, jam-packed with records of every kind. Like a beacon, the shop attracts the lonely, the sleepless, and the adrift; Frank, the shop’s owner, has a way of connecting his customers with just the piece of music they need. Then, one day, into his shop comes a beautiful young woman, Ilse Brauchmann, who asks Frank to teach her about music. Terrified of real closeness, Frank feels compelled to turn and run, yet he is drawn to this strangely still, mysterious woman with eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems, and Frank has old wounds that threaten to reopen, as well as a past it seems he will never leave behind. Can a man who is so in tune with other people’s needs be so incapable of connecting with the one person who might save him? The journey that these two quirky, wonderful characters make in order to overcome their emotional baggage speaks to the healing power of music—and love—in this poignant, ultimately joyful work of fiction. About the Author Rachel Joyce is the author of the Sunday Times and international bestsellers The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Perfect, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, The Music Shop and a collection of interlinked short stories, A Snow Garden & Other Stories. Her new novel, Miss Benson's Beetle, is out now. Rachel's books have been translated into 36 languages and two are in development for film. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book prize and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Rachel was awarded the Specsavers National Book Awards 'New Writer of the Year' in December 2012 and shortlisted for the 'UK Author of the Year' 2014. Rachel has also written over 20 original afternoon plays and adaptations of the classics for BBC Radio 4, including all the Bronte novels. She moved to writing after a long career as an actor, performing leading roles for the RSC, the National Theatre and Cheek by Jowl. She lives with her family in Gloucestershire. Rachel Joyce Author's website

2025The Mountain in the Sea is a captivating novel set in a near-future world where the discovery of intelligent octopuses on a remote archipelago sparks a global race for technological dominance. A powerful tech corporation, DIANIMA, secures exclusive access to the islands, aiming to harness the octopuses' extraordinary intelligence for AI development. Dr. Ha Nguyen, a renowned marine biologist, joins DIANIMA's team to study these remarkable creatures and their unique language and culture. As research progresses, tensions escalate, and forces from around the world converge, each vying to control this extraordinary discovery. The novel delves into themes of consciousness, communication, and the ethical implications of human interaction with advanced alien intelligence. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of unchecked technological advancement and human exploitation of the natural world. < All Book Selections 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World The Mountain in the Sea Ray Nayler Audience: Adult The Mountain in the Sea is a captivating novel set in a near-future world where the discovery of intelligent octopuses on a remote archipelago sparks a global race for technological dominance. A powerful tech corporation, DIANIMA, secures exclusive access to the islands, aiming to harness the octopuses' extraordinary intelligence for AI development. Dr. Ha Nguyen, a renowned marine biologist, joins DIANIMA's team to study these remarkable creatures and their unique language and culture. As research progresses, tensions escalate, and forces from around the world converge, each vying to control this extraordinary discovery. The novel delves into themes of consciousness, communication, and the ethical implications of human interaction with advanced alien intelligence. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of unchecked technological advancement and human exploitation of the natural world. About the Author Ray Nayler is the author of the Locus Award winning novel The Mountain in the Sea . The Washington Post called Mountain "(a) poignant, mind-expanding debut" and Slate called it "(a) wondrous novel." The book was also a finalist for the Arthur C Clarke and Ray Bradbury Awards. Born in Quebec and raised in California, Ray lived and worked abroad for two decades in Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, and Kosovo. A Russian speaker, he has also learned Turkmen, Albanian, Azerbaijani, and Vietnamese. Ray is a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. He served as the international advisor to the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and was Diplomatic Fellow and Visiting Scholar at the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy at The George Washington University. Ray Nayler Author's website

2009This beautifully illustrated picture book for grades K-3 tells a story of a friendship across race. "I wanted to write about how powerful kids can be. Clover and Annie fight against segregation by becoming friends. They don't believe in the ideas adults have about things so they do what they can to change the world. We all have this power." - Jacqueline Woodson From School Library Journal: Clover, the young African-American narrator, lives beside a fence that segregates her town. Her mother instructs her never to climb over to the other side because it isn't safe. But one summer morning, Clover notices a girl on the other side. Both children are curious about one another, and as the summer stretches on, Clover and Annie work up the nerve to introduce themselves. They dodge the injunction against crossing the fence by sitting on top of it together, and Clover pretends not to care when her friends react strangely at the sight of her sitting side by side with a white girl. Eventually, it's the fence that's out of place, not the friendship. Woodson's spare text is easy and unencumbered. < All Book Selections 2009 The Other Side Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis Audience: Grades K - 3 This beautifully illustrated picture book for grades K-3 tells a story of a friendship across race. "I wanted to write about how powerful kids can be. Clover and Annie fight against segregation by becoming friends. They don't believe in the ideas adults have about things so they do what they can to change the world. We all have this power." - Jacqueline Woodson From School Library Journal: Clover, the young African-American narrator, lives beside a fence that segregates her town. Her mother instructs her never to climb over to the other side because it isn't safe. But one summer morning, Clover notices a girl on the other side. Both children are curious about one another, and as the summer stretches on, Clover and Annie work up the nerve to introduce themselves. They dodge the injunction against crossing the fence by sitting on top of it together, and Clover pretends not to care when her friends react strangely at the sight of her sitting side by side with a white girl. Eventually, it's the fence that's out of place, not the friendship. Woodson's spare text is easy and unencumbered. About the Author Jacqueline Woodson is an American writer of books for adults, children, and adolescents. She is best known for her National Book Award-Winning memoir Brown Girl Dreaming, and her Newbery Honor-winning titles After Tupac and D Foster, Feathers, and Show Way. Her picture books The Day You Begin and The Year We Learned to Fly were NY Times Bestsellers. After serving as the Young People’s Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2017, she was named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress for 2018–19. She was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 2020. Later that same year, she was named a MacArthur Fellow. Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis Author's website Other books your children may enjoy Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney Grades K-3 A picture book that introduces Harriet Tubman and the injustice of slavery to young audiences. Freedom Rides: Campaign for Equality by Dale Anderson Ages 9-12 Chronicles the 1961 freedom rides on buses from the south to Washington D.C. to test the U.S. Supreme Court decision against segregation in bus stations. Adaline Falling Star by Mary Pope Osborne Ages 9-12 A novel about an 11-year-old biracial daughter of an Arapaho Indian woman and a white man in the days of the old west. The River Between Us by Richard Peck Ages 9-12 At the start of the Civil War two mysterious young women get off a boat in a small town in southern Illinois. Is the darker-complexioned woman the other woman's slave? Jazmin's Notebook by Nikki Grimes Grades 6-Young Adult A novel about a 14-year-old girl living in Brooklyn who wants to be a writer. Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes Grades 6-Young Adult What happens when a high school teacher hosts open-mike poetry in his classroom on Fridays. Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo Beals Grades 7 and up The personal story of the author, one of nine black students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.

2014 Books Kick-off Video Play video on YouTube Photo Album View event photos Podcast SV Reads 2014: Unintended Consequences: Is Too Much Information, Too Fast, Too Much of a Good Thing? with Nicholas Carr, Zach Lynch, Marilyn Walker and Barbara Marshman, held on March 27, 2014 Listen to podcast What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains: The Shallows Nicholas Carr Audience: Adult Is Google making us stupid? When Nicholas Carr posed that question in a celebrated Atlantic essay, he tapped into a well of anxiety about how the Internet is changing us. He also crystallized one of the most important debates of our time: As we enjoy the Net’s bounties, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deeply? Now Carr expands his argument into the most compelling exploration of the Internet’s intellectual and cultural consequences yet published. As he describes how human thought has been shaped through the centuries by “tools of the mind” — from the alphabet, to maps, to the printing press, the clock, and the computer — Carr interweaves a fascinating account of recent discoveries in neuroscience by such pioneers as Michael Merzenich and Eric Kandel. Our brains, the historical and scientific evidence reveals, change in response to our experiences. The technologies we use to find, store, and share information can literally reroute our neural pathways. Building on the insights of thinkers from Plato to McLuhan, Carr makes a convincing case that every information technology carries an intellectual ethic — a set of assumptions about the nature of knowledge and intelligence. He explains how the printed book served to focus our attention, promoting deep and creative thought. In stark contrast, the Internet encourages the rapid, distracted sampling of small bits of information from many sources. Its ethic is the ethic of the industrialist, an ethic of speed and efficiency, of optimized production and consumption — and now the Net is remaking us in its own image. We are becoming ever more adept at scanning and skimming, but what we are losing is our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection. Part intellectual history, part popular science, and part cultural criticism, The Shallows sparkles with memorable vignettes — Friedrich Nietzsche wrestling with a typewriter, Sigmund Freud dissecting the brains of sea creatures, Nathaniel Hawthorne contemplating the thunderous approach of a steam locomotive — even as it plumbs profound questions about the state of our modern psyche. This is a book that will forever alter the way we think about media and our minds. Read More Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore Robin Sloan Audience: Adult “I wrote this book because it’s the one I wanted to read, and I tried to pack it full of the things I love: books and bookstores; design and typography; Silicon Valley and San Francisco; fantasy and science fiction; quests and projects. If you love those things too, I hope and believe you will enjoy a visit to the tall skinny bookstore next to the strip club.” Robin Sloan Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore has been described as a gleeful and exhilarating tale of global conspiracy, complex code-breaking, high-tech data visualization, young love, rollicking adventure, and the secret to eternal life—mostly set in a hole-in-the-wall San Francisco bookstore The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore. With irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Robin Sloan has crafted a literary adventure story for the twenty-first century, evoking both the fairy-tale charm of Haruki Murakami and the enthusiastic novel-of-ideas wizardry of Neal Stephenson or a young Umberto Eco, but with a unique and feisty sensibility that’s rare to the world of literary fiction. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave, a modern-day cabinet of wonders ready to give a jolt of energy to every curious reader, no matter the time of day. Read More The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore William Joyce Audience: Ages 4 - 8 This book started as an Academy Award winning animated short film directed by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, and produced by Moonbot Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana. What happens when a huge wind comes up and all your books -- not to mention buildings! – are lost? Mr. Morris Lessmore finds out when he goes to work in a library after he loses all of his books. He discovers that sharing books is the most rewarding, proving that “less” is “more.” Read More Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Chris Grabenstein Audience: Ages 8+, Grades 3 - 7 How do you get out of the library when you’ve been locked in? Our hero Kyle loves winning. He plays with his brothers all of the time. Kyle wants to meet a world famous game maker and he has his chance when Mr. Lemoncello comes to town to open the new library that he designed – with technology like no one has ever seen! Kyle has to use all his smarts to make his way and this game is the most important one of his life. A book with a good puzzle, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is a laugh out loud fun time. Read More Reading Makes You Feel Good Todd Parr Audience: Pre-K Reading makes you feel good because... You can imagine you are a scary dinosaur, You can make someone feel better when they are sick, And you can do it anywhere! Reading Makes You Feel Good inspires and encourages young children to delight in the experience of reading. With bright, bold pictures and silly scenes, the book explains that reading isn't something that just happens at school or at home-it can happen anywhere! Targeted to those first beginning to read, this book invites children to read the main text as well as all the funny signs, labels, and messages hidden in the pictures. Read More

Explore youth and teen activities inspired by Silicon Valley Reads' featured books! Join virtual author visits, creative workshops, poetry sessions, and more programs that bring literature to life for young readers and teens. Youth/Teen Activities Thank You Neighbor: Community Multi-Language Video Project Thu, Jan 15 Online Video Project More info Details Toolkit for Parents/Teachers: Tools to Engage Young Readers! Thu, Jan 15 Online Toolkit More info Details Build a Bridge of Belonging Across Silicon Valley: Paper Chain of Kindness Thu, Jan 15 Libraries Across the County More info Details Random Acts of Kindness Bingo Sun, Feb 01 San Jose: East Carnegie Branch More info Details Random Acts of Kindness Bingo Sat, Feb 28 San Jose: Rose Garden Branch More info Details Multiple Dates Watercolor Painting for Individuals with Disabilities Thu, Mar 12 Sunnyvale Community Center More info Details "Give Me a Sign", Book Discussion Fri, Mar 13 San Jose: Rose Garden Branch More info Details San Francisco Shakespeare Festival Presents: Julius Caesar Sat, Mar 14 Morgan Hill Library More info Details Celebrate Persian New Year: Read A-Louds, Presentation & Dance Performance Sun, Mar 15 Saratoga Library More info Details Mental Health Teen Program: NAMI Ending the Silence Mon, Mar 16 Sunnyvale Library More info Details Celebrate Persian New Year Mon, Mar 16 Cupertino Library More info Details Give Me a Sign: Summer Camp Lanyard Making Wed, Mar 18 San Jose: Educational Park Branch More info Details Teen Watercolor: Spring Animals Wed, Mar 18 Cupertino Library More info Details Build a Suspension Bridge! Wed, Mar 18 Sunnyvale Library More info Details Give Me a Sign Book Discussion & Author Visit Fri, Mar 20 Online More info Details Visit Walden West: Camp Songs & Forest Walk Sat, Mar 21 Saratoga: Walden West More info Details Building Bridges Mon, Mar 23 San Jose: Edenvale Branch More info Details Random Acts of Kindness Bingo Tue, Mar 24 San Jose: Cambrian Branch More info Details Load More

2012From a Kirkus Review -- "There are only two types of people who spend their Friday nights in high school at home - Pakistani Muslim girls and future serial killers." Although Nina Khan was born and raised in small-town Deer Hook, N.Y., and has never visited her parents' homeland, she must adhere to their rigid cultural and religious beliefs, including no sleepovers, alcohol or dating. With dark skin, a wide bottom and an overabundance of body hair that makes her a "skunk girl," what are her chances of dating in the predominantly fair-skinned, closed-minded town anyway? But when Italian Asher transfers to her high school, she dreams of romance for the first time. In this debut, episodic novel, rife with smart, self-deprecating humor and set in the 1990s just as a phenomenon known as e-mail is gaining interest, Nina searches for identity and emerging independence while accepting the reality of her home life. < All Book Selections 2012 Muslim and American: Two Perspectives Skunk Girl Sheba Karim Audience: Grades 7+ From a Kirkus Review -- "There are only two types of people who spend their Friday nights in high school at home - Pakistani Muslim girls and future serial killers." Although Nina Khan was born and raised in small-town Deer Hook, N.Y., and has never visited her parents' homeland, she must adhere to their rigid cultural and religious beliefs, including no sleepovers, alcohol or dating. With dark skin, a wide bottom and an overabundance of body hair that makes her a "skunk girl," what are her chances of dating in the predominantly fair-skinned, closed-minded town anyway? But when Italian Asher transfers to her high school, she dreams of romance for the first time. In this debut, episodic novel, rife with smart, self-deprecating humor and set in the 1990s just as a phenomenon known as e-mail is gaining interest, Nina searches for identity and emerging independence while accepting the reality of her home life. About the Author Sheba Karim writes literary and young adult fiction. She was born and raised in Catskill, NY, and is a graduate of New York University School of Law and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her young adult novel, Skunk Girl, was published in the United States, Denmark, India, Italy and Sweden. Her fiction has appeared in 580 Split, Asia Literary Review, Barn Owl Review, EGO, Kartika Review, Shenandoah, South Asian Review, Time Out Delhi and in several published and forthcoming anthologies in the United States and India, including Cornered, Electric Feather, and Venus Fly Trap. Two of her short stories have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She was a 2009-2010 Fulbright-Nehru Scholar and is currently working on a historical fiction novel set in 13th century India. Sheba Karim Author's website

2026Join a young narrator and her dog on their daily walk through a bustling, colorful urban neighborhood. They greet essential community helpers—the bus driver, the sanitation workers, the mail carrier—and chat with all the neighbors they know. In the flurry of a busy day, it’s easy to hurry past the people who keep our world running, but this charming book reminds us that patience and kindness can make your neighborhood truly feel like family. < All Book Selections 2026 Bridges to Belonging Thank You, Neighbor Ruth Chan Audience: Pre-K - New Readers Join a young narrator and her dog on their daily walk through a bustling, colorful urban neighborhood. They greet essential community helpers—the bus driver, the sanitation workers, the mail carrier—and chat with all the neighbors they know. In the flurry of a busy day, it’s easy to hurry past the people who keep our world running, but this charming book reminds us that patience and kindness can make your neighborhood truly feel like family. About the Author Ruth Chan is an illustrator and author who spent her childhood tobogganing in Canada, her teens in China, a number of years studying art and education, and a decade working with youth and families in underserved communities. She now writes and illustrates full time in Brooklyn, New York. Visit OhtRuth.com for more info. Ruth Chan Author's website

2018 Books Kick-off Video Play video on YouTube Photo Album View event photos Podcast SV Reads 2018: No Matter What: Caring Coping, Compassion, with Rachel Khong and Mark Lukach held on February 1, 2018. Listen to podcast My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward Mark Lukach Audience: Adult A heart-wrenching, yet hopeful, memoir of a young marriage that is redefined by mental illness and affirms the power of love. Mark and Giulia’s life together began as a storybook romance. They fell in love at 18, married at 24, and were living their dream life in San Francisco. When Giulia was 27, she suffered a terrifying and unexpected psychotic break that landed her in the psych ward for nearly a month. One day she was vibrant and well-adjusted -- the next she was delusional and suicidal, convinced that her loved ones were not safe. Eventually, Giulia fully recovered, and the couple had a son. But, soon after Jonas was born, Giulia had another breakdown, and then a third a few years after that. Pushed to the edge of the abyss, everything the couple had once taken for granted was upended. A story of the fragility of the mind, and the tenacity of the human spirit, My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward is, above all, a love story that raises profound questions: How do we care for the people we love? What and who do we live for? Breathtaking in its candor, radiant with compassion, and written with dazzling lyricism, Lukach’s book is an intensely personal odyssey through the harrowing years of his wife’s mental illness, anchored by an abiding devotion to family that will affirm readers’ faith in the power of love. Read More Goodbye, Vitamin Rachel Khong Audience: Adult Freshly disengaged from her fiancé and feeling that life has not turned out quite the way she planned, 30-year-old Ruth quits her job, leaves town and arrives at her parents’ home to find that situation more complicated than she'd realized. Her father, a prominent history professor, is losing his memory and is only erratically lucid. Ruth’s mother, meanwhile, is lucidly erratic. But as Ruth's father’s condition intensifies, the comedy in her situation takes hold, gently transforming her and her grief. Told in captivating glimpses and drawn from a deep well of insight, humor and unexpected tenderness, Goodbye, Vitamin pilots through the loss, love, and absurdity of finding one’s footing in this life. Read More Mango, Abuela, and Me Meg Medina Audience: Grades Pre-K to 3 Mia's abuela has left her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and her parents in the city. The night she arrives, Mia tries to share her favorite book with Abuela before they go to sleep and discovers that Abuela can't read the words inside. So while they cook, Mia helps Abuela learn English ("Dough. Masa"), and Mia learns some Spanish too, but it's still hard for Abuela to learn the words she needs to tell Mia all her stories. Then Mia sees a parrot in the pet-shop window and has the perfecto idea for how to help them all communicate a little better. A 2016 Pura Belpré Author Award Honor Book. A 2016 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor Book. Read More The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones Wendelin Van Draanen Audience: Grades 4 - 7 Lincoln Jones has a life so secret, only his mother knows where he's from, why they left, or the place he's living now. More importantly, none of the kids in his new 6th grade class know where he goes after school. After all, if they think his "Southern drawl" is funny, imagine what they'd do knowing he hangs out at a dementia-care facility where his mother works as a caregiver. To escape the real world, Lincoln writes stories in a notebook. Stories about young heroes with courage and power. Underdogs who somehow come out on top. This is a story of a boy who's closed the world out for so long, he's not sure how to let anyone in. Winner of the Bank Street College of Education's 2017 Josette Frank Award. Read More Not If I See You First Eric Lindstrom Audience: Teens Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart. When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there's only one way to react--shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened--both with Scott, and her dad--the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken. Read More

2019Violet is biracial, but she lives with her white mother and sister, attends a mostly white school in a white town, and sometimes feels like a brown leaf on a pile of snow. Now that she's eleven, she feels it's time to learn about her African American heritage, so she seeks out her paternal grandmother. When Violet is invited to spend two weeks with her new Bibi (Swahili for "grandmother") and learns about her lost heritage, her confidence in herself grows and she discovers she's not a shrinking Violet after all. < All Book Selections 2019 Finding Identity in Family History The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond Brenda Woods Audience: Grades 4 - 7 Violet is biracial, but she lives with her white mother and sister, attends a mostly white school in a white town, and sometimes feels like a brown leaf on a pile of snow. Now that she's eleven, she feels it's time to learn about her African American heritage, so she seeks out her paternal grandmother. When Violet is invited to spend two weeks with her new Bibi (Swahili for "grandmother") and learns about her lost heritage, her confidence in herself grows and she discovers she's not a shrinking Violet after all. About the Author Brenda Woods, an artist and self-proclaimed bookworm, is the author of numerous award winning books for young people. Her debut novel, The Red Rose Box received a Coretta Scott King Honor award and was a Pen Center USA finalist. Her follow-up, Emako Blue, was an ALA Quick Pick selection for reluctant readers and won the International Reading Association Children's Choice Young Adult Fiction award. Her latest work, The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA, will be released in January 2019. Brenda Woods Author's website

2025In Wendy Xu’s visually captivating graphic novel, a young inventor named Clementine Chang moves to Mars and falls for Kye, a lifelike AI assistant created by her mentor, Dr. Marcella Lin. As their relationship grows, Clem becomes increasingly aware of Kye’s intelligence and sentience, questioning the boundaries between AI and humanity. When Dr. Lin restricts Kye’s independence, Clem becomes determined to help him break free, even if it means risking her own future. The novel explores the ethical implications of creating sentient beings and the importance of recognizing their autonomy. With stunning visuals and thought-provoking themes, The Infinity Particle is a captivating exploration of the future of AI and the complexities of human connection. < All Book Selections 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World The Infinity Particle Wendy Xu Audience: High School/Young Adult In Wendy Xu’s visually captivating graphic novel, a young inventor named Clementine Chang moves to Mars and falls for Kye, a lifelike AI assistant created by her mentor, Dr. Marcella Lin. As their relationship grows, Clem becomes increasingly aware of Kye’s intelligence and sentience, questioning the boundaries between AI and humanity. When Dr. Lin restricts Kye’s independence, Clem becomes determined to help him break free, even if it means risking her own future. The novel explores the ethical implications of creating sentient beings and the importance of recognizing their autonomy. With stunning visuals and thought-provoking themes, The Infinity Particle is a captivating exploration of the future of AI and the complexities of human connection. About the Author Wendy Xu is a bestselling, award-nominated Brooklyn-based illustrator and comics artist. She is the creator of INFINITY PARTICLE (2023, HarperCollins/Quilltree), TIDESONG (2021 HarperCollins/Quilltree) and co-creator of MOONCAKES, a young adult fantasy graphic novel published in 2019. Her work has been featured in various places on the internet including Catapult, Barnes & Noble Sci-fi/Fantasy, and Tor.com . She loves obsessing over the perfect line, making matcha lattes, and art history. You can find more art on her instagram: @artofwendyxu; on twitter: @angrygirLcomics; or bluesky: @wendyxu Wendy Xu Author's website

2012In this satisfying, lyrical memoir of a potentially disastrous clash between East and West, a Boulder native and Boston University graduate found an unlikely fit living in Cairo, Egypt, and converting to Islam. Wilson embarked on a yearlong stint working at an English-language high school in Cairo right after her college graduation in 2003. She had already decided that of the three Abrahamic religions, Islam fulfilled her need for a monotheistic truth, even though her school did not include instruction in the Qur'an because it angered students and put everybody at risk. Once in Cairo, despite being exposed to the smoldering hostility Arab men held for Americans, especially for women, she found she was moved deeply by the daily plight of the people to scratch out a living in this dusty police state tottering on the edge of moral and financial collapse; she and her roommate, barely eating because they did not know how to buy food, were saved by Omar, an educated, English-speaking physics teacher at the school. Through her deepening relationship with Omar, she also learned Arabic and embraced the ways Islam was woven into the daily fabric of existence, such as the rituals of Ramadan and Friday prayers at the mosque. Arguably, Wilson's decision to take up the headscarf and champion the segregated, protected status of Arab women can be viewed as odd; however, her work proves a tremendously heartfelt, healing cross-cultural fusion. < All Book Selections 2012 Muslim and American: Two Perspectives The Butterfly Mosque G. Willow Wilson Audience: Adult In this satisfying, lyrical memoir of a potentially disastrous clash between East and West, a Boulder native and Boston University graduate found an unlikely fit living in Cairo, Egypt, and converting to Islam. Wilson embarked on a yearlong stint working at an English-language high school in Cairo right after her college graduation in 2003. She had already decided that of the three Abrahamic religions, Islam fulfilled her need for a monotheistic truth, even though her school did not include instruction in the Qur'an because it angered students and put everybody at risk. Once in Cairo, despite being exposed to the smoldering hostility Arab men held for Americans, especially for women, she found she was moved deeply by the daily plight of the people to scratch out a living in this dusty police state tottering on the edge of moral and financial collapse; she and her roommate, barely eating because they did not know how to buy food, were saved by Omar, an educated, English-speaking physics teacher at the school. Through her deepening relationship with Omar, she also learned Arabic and embraced the ways Islam was woven into the daily fabric of existence, such as the rituals of Ramadan and Friday prayers at the mosque. Arguably, Wilson's decision to take up the headscarf and champion the segregated, protected status of Arab women can be viewed as odd; however, her work proves a tremendously heartfelt, healing cross-cultural fusion. About the Author G. Willow Wilson is an American author and essayist who divides her time between Egypt and the US. Her articles about modern religion and the Middle East have appeared in publications including Washington Post, the Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Magazine and the Canada National Post. Her memoir, The Butterfly Mosque, was named 'Best Book of the Year 2010' by Seattle Times, and her DC/Vertigo comic book series, Air, was nominated for an Eisner Award. She has also written Cairo, an original graphic novel by Vertigo, as well as Vixen: Return of the Lion, a DC miniseries. To learn more about Willow, visit her website gwillowwilson.com G. Willow Wilson Author's website

2019A.J. Jacobs has received some strange emails over the years, but this note was perhaps the strangest: "You don't know me, but I'm your eighth cousin. And we have over 80,000 relatives of yours in our database." That's enough family members to fill Madison Square Garden four times over. Who are these people, A.J. wondered, and how do I find them? So began Jacobs's three-year adventure to help build the biggest family tree in history. Jacobs's journey would take him to all seven continents. He drank beer with a U.S. president, found himself singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and unearthed genetic links to Hollywood actresses and real-life scoundrels. After all, we can choose our friends, but not our family. "Whether he's posing as a celebrity, outsourcing his chores, or adhering strictly to the Bible, we love reading about the wacky lifestyle experiments of author A.J. Jacobs" (Entertainment Weekly). Now Jacobs upends, in ways both meaningful and hilarious, our understanding of genetics and genealogy, tradition and tribalism, identity and connection. It's All Relative is a fascinating look at the bonds that connect us all. < All Book Selections 2019 Finding Identity in Family History It's All Relative A.J. Jacobs Audience: Adult A.J. Jacobs has received some strange emails over the years, but this note was perhaps the strangest: "You don't know me, but I'm your eighth cousin. And we have over 80,000 relatives of yours in our database." That's enough family members to fill Madison Square Garden four times over. Who are these people, A.J. wondered, and how do I find them? So began Jacobs's three-year adventure to help build the biggest family tree in history. Jacobs's journey would take him to all seven continents. He drank beer with a U.S. president, found himself singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and unearthed genetic links to Hollywood actresses and real-life scoundrels. After all, we can choose our friends, but not our family. "Whether he's posing as a celebrity, outsourcing his chores, or adhering strictly to the Bible, we love reading about the wacky lifestyle experiments of author A.J. Jacobs" (Entertainment Weekly). Now Jacobs upends, in ways both meaningful and hilarious, our understanding of genetics and genealogy, tradition and tribalism, identity and connection. It's All Relative is a fascinating look at the bonds that connect us all. About the Author A.J. Jacobs is an author, journalist, lecturer and human guinea pig. He has written four New York Times bestsellers that combine memoir, science, humor and a dash of self-help. He is also editor at large at Esquire magazine, a commentator on NPR, and a columnist for Mental Floss magazine. His first book is called The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World (Simon & Schuster, 2004). The memoir — which spent two months on the New York Times bestseller list — chronicles the 18 months Jacobs spent reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica in a quest to learn everything in the world. After trying to improve his mind, he turned to his spirit. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible (2007) tells of his attempt to follow the hundreds of rules in the Good Book. It spent three months on the NYT bestseller list, and was praised by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, The New York Times Book Review, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and others. In 2012, Jacobs completed his mind-spirit-body self-improvement trinity with Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection. It is the tale of his quest to be as healthy as humanly possible for which he revamped his diet, exercise regimen, sleep schedule, sex life, posture and more. He wrote the book on a treadmill desk (It took him about 1,200 miles). He has appeared on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, The Dr. Oz Show, Conan and The Colbert Report. He has given several TED talks and he is a periodic commentator on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday. Jacobs grew up in New York City and lives there still with his family. A.J. Jacobs Author's website

Celebrate music, movies, and culture with exciting events, screenings, and performances. Discover programs that bring art and entertainment to life for all ages and interests. Music/Movies/Culture Thank You Neighbor: Community Multi-Language Video Project Thu, Jan 15 Online Video Project More info Details Euphrat Museum of Art Exhibit: A Sense of Belonging Thu, Jan 15 Cupertino: De Anza College Campus More info Details San Francisco Shakespeare Festival Presents: Julius Caesar Sat, Mar 14 Morgan Hill Library More info Details Celebrate Persian New Year: Read A-Louds, Presentation & Dance Performance Sun, Mar 15 Saratoga Library More info Details Celebrate Persian New Year Mon, Mar 16 Cupertino Library More info Details Midday Movie: The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014) Thu, Mar 19 Sunnyvale Library More info Details Visit Walden West: Camp Songs & Forest Walk Sat, Mar 21 Saratoga: Walden West More info Details Celebrate Persian New Year Mon, Mar 23 Los Altos Library More info Details SHADOW LINES: Pull back the curtain and see what lies beneath the surface. Thu, Mar 26 San José State University More info Details San Francisco Shakespeare Festival Presents: Julius Caesar Sat, Mar 28 Milpitas Library More info Details

2016 Books Kick-off Video Watch on YouTube Photo Album View event photos Podcast "Could It Happen Here? Dr. Brian Green, Assistant Director of Campus Ethics, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics; Assistant Director of Engineering, Santa Clara University; Jim Fiedler, Chief Operating Officer of Water Utility, Santa Clara Valley Water District; Barbara Marshman, Editorial Page Editor, San Jose Mercury News—Moderator Listen to podcast Memory of Water Emmi Itäranta Audience: Adult “I haven’t dared to go to the spring in seven weeks. Yesterday I turned on the tap in the house and held the mouth of the waterskin to its metal. I spoke to it in pretty words and ugly words, and I may have even screamed and wept, but water doesn’t care for human sorrows. It flows without slowing or quickening its pace in the darkness of the earth, where only stones will hear.” Global warming has changed the world’s geography and its politics. Wars are waged over water, and China rules Europe, including the Scandinavian Union, which is occupied by the power state of New Qian. In this far north place, 17-year-old Noria Kaitio is learning to become a tea master like her father, a position that holds great responsibility and great secrets. Tea masters alone know the location of hidden water sources, including the natural spring that Noria’s father tends, which once provided water for her whole village. But secrets do not stay hidden forever, and after her father’s death the army starts watching their town—and Noria. And as water becomes even scarcer, Noria must choose between safety and striking out, between knowledge and kinship. Imaginative and engaging, lyrical and poignant, Memory of Water is an indelible novel that portrays a future that is all too possible. EDITORIAL REVIEWS “An emotionally nuanced study in morality, which draws its suspense from love, choices, and the mark that everyone leaves on the world.” Helsingin Sanomat - Finland newspaper “Where Itäranta shines is in her rejection of conventional plots and in her understated but compelling characters. The work is a deceptively tranquil examination of a world of dust and ashes where the tenacious weed of hope still survives.” Publishers Weekly “The writing is gorgeous and delicate in this dystopian award-winning debut, which is unique in both its setting and the small scale that Finnish author Itäranta employs.” Library Journal “Itäranta’s lyrical style makes this dystopian tale a beautiful exploration of environmental ethics and the power of ritual.” Washington Post Book World “Simultaneously a coming-of-age story, a fantastic adventure, and a bold warning about a future that is all too real.” Portland Book Review Read More Sherwood Nation Benjamin Parzybok Audience: Adult “We ask that you stay calm,” the mayor said. “We’re Portlanders, right? We have thrived in prosperity, and we can endure hardship. To those who may feel the need to secure quantities of water, by whatever means, I ask you to have trust. Trust in your government, trust in me. We will provide. We will help each other get through. No one will go thirsty.” In drought-stricken Portland, Oregon, a Robin Hood-esque water thief is caught on camera redistributing an illegal truckload of water to those in need. Nicknamed Maid Marian—real name: Renee, a 20-something barista and eternal part-time college student—she is an instant folk hero. Renee rides her swelling popularity and the public's disgust at how the city has abandoned its people, raises an army . . . and secedes a quarter of the city. Even as Maid Marian and her compatriots build their community one neighbor at a time, they are making powerful enemies amongst the city government and the National Guard. Sherwood is an idealistic dream too soon caught in a brutal fight for survival. Sherwood Nation is the story of the rise and fall of a micro-nation within a city. It is a love story, a war story, a grand social experiment, a treatise on hacking and remaking government, on freedom and necessity, on individualism and community. EDITORIAL REVIEWS "With climate change and ever-increasing consumption, running out of water is a danger we don’t readily acknowledge, yet Benjamin Parzybok’s Sherwood Nation makes that danger vividly real. . . . Here we see how people behave in crisis—some better and some worse—and how idealism, self-concerned realism, and the personal hang in a balance; friends, alliances, and enemies are made.” Library Journal “What makes Sherwood Nation so compelling and, frankly, often terrifying, is how close to home it lives. This Portland is totally familiar, invoking the attitudes and spirit of today’s residents and details from the recent political landscape. It feels like the place we know — until a nightly power blackout or parade of National Guard water distribution tankers jars us with a reminder that this is, thankfully, a work of very good fiction." Register Guard "Benjamin Parzybok has reached into the post-collapse era for a story vital to our here and now. Sherwood Nation is part political thriller, part social fable, and part manifesto, its every page brimming with gonzo exuberance." Jedediah Berry Read More The Storm in the Barn Matt Phelan Audience: Ages 10+ The Dust Bowl is sweeping through 1937 Kansas, but 11-year-old Jack Clark still faces life's ordinary challenges: town bullies, a sister with an eye for trouble, and his father's failed expectations. With tensions flaring in the rising heat, Jack catches a glimpse of a sinister figure with a face like rain in a neighbor's abandoned barn. When it never rains, it's hard to trust what you see with your own eyes – and harder still to take heart and be a hero when the time comes. The Storm in the Barn is a graphic novel that has received numerous honors including the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction and Kirk Reviews Best Children’s Book of the Year. Read More Water is Water Miranda Paul Audience: Ages 3 - 9 This poetic story follows two siblings—and all the water around them—through a year’s worth of movements and changes. Includes back matter facts about the science behind the story, with additional info. Awards/Honors/Reviews: Junior Library Guild selection, Starred Review in School Library Journal Huffington Post Book Blog Review. Kirkus Reviews Read More

2016“I haven’t dared to go to the spring in seven weeks. Yesterday I turned on the tap in the house and held the mouth of the waterskin to its metal. I spoke to it in pretty words and ugly words, and I may have even screamed and wept, but water doesn’t care for human sorrows. It flows without slowing or quickening its pace in the darkness of the earth, where only stones will hear.” Global warming has changed the world’s geography and its politics. Wars are waged over water, and China rules Europe, including the Scandinavian Union, which is occupied by the power state of New Qian. In this far north place, 17-year-old Noria Kaitio is learning to become a tea master like her father, a position that holds great responsibility and great secrets. Tea masters alone know the location of hidden water sources, including the natural spring that Noria’s father tends, which once provided water for her whole village. But secrets do not stay hidden forever, and after her father’s death the army starts watching their town—and Noria. And as water becomes even scarcer, Noria must choose between safety and striking out, between knowledge and kinship. Imaginative and engaging, lyrical and poignant, Memory of Water is an indelible novel that portrays a future that is all too possible. EDITORIAL REVIEWS “An emotionally nuanced study in morality, which draws its suspense from love, choices, and the mark that everyone leaves on the world.” Helsingin Sanomat - Finland newspaper “Where Itäranta shines is in her rejection of conventional plots and in her understated but compelling characters. The work is a deceptively tranquil examination of a world of dust and ashes where the tenacious weed of hope still survives.” Publishers Weekly “The writing is gorgeous and delicate in this dystopian award-winning debut, which is unique in both its setting and the small scale that Finnish author Itäranta employs.” Library Journal “Itäranta’s lyrical style makes this dystopian tale a beautiful exploration of environmental ethics and the power of ritual.” Washington Post Book World “Simultaneously a coming-of-age story, a fantastic adventure, and a bold warning about a future that is all too real.” Portland Book Review < All Book Selections 2016 Chance of Rain? Memory of Water Emmi Itäranta Audience: Adult “I haven’t dared to go to the spring in seven weeks. Yesterday I turned on the tap in the house and held the mouth of the waterskin to its metal. I spoke to it in pretty words and ugly words, and I may have even screamed and wept, but water doesn’t care for human sorrows. It flows without slowing or quickening its pace in the darkness of the earth, where only stones will hear.” Global warming has changed the world’s geography and its politics. Wars are waged over water, and China rules Europe, including the Scandinavian Union, which is occupied by the power state of New Qian. In this far north place, 17-year-old Noria Kaitio is learning to become a tea master like her father, a position that holds great responsibility and great secrets. Tea masters alone know the location of hidden water sources, including the natural spring that Noria’s father tends, which once provided water for her whole village. But secrets do not stay hidden forever, and after her father’s death the army starts watching their town—and Noria. And as water becomes even scarcer, Noria must choose between safety and striking out, between knowledge and kinship. Imaginative and engaging, lyrical and poignant, Memory of Water is an indelible novel that portrays a future that is all too possible. EDITORIAL REVIEWS “An emotionally nuanced study in morality, which draws its suspense from love, choices, and the mark that everyone leaves on the world.” Helsingin Sanomat - Finland newspaper “Where Itäranta shines is in her rejection of conventional plots and in her understated but compelling characters. The work is a deceptively tranquil examination of a world of dust and ashes where the tenacious weed of hope still survives.” Publishers Weekly “The writing is gorgeous and delicate in this dystopian award-winning debut, which is unique in both its setting and the small scale that Finnish author Itäranta employs.” Library Journal “Itäranta’s lyrical style makes this dystopian tale a beautiful exploration of environmental ethics and the power of ritual.” Washington Post Book World “Simultaneously a coming-of-age story, a fantastic adventure, and a bold warning about a future that is all too real.” Portland Book Review About the Author Emmi Itäranta's debut novel Memory of Water (originally published in Finnish as Teemestarin kirja) has won several awards: the Fantasy and Sci-fi Literary Contest organized by the Finnish publishing house Teos in 2010, the Kalevi Jäntti Prize for young authors in 2012 and the Young Aleksis Kivi Prize in 2012. It received an honorable mention from the 2014 James Tiptree Jr. Award jury and was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Golden Tentacle Award in 2015. Translation rights to the novel have been sold in 17 territories to date. In 2014, Itäranta's work was featured in Granta Finland 3:Best of Young Finnish Novelists. Emmi grew up in Tampere, Finland. She holds an MA in Drama from the University of Tampere and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Kent, UK. Her professional background includes stints as a columnist, theatre critic, dramaturge, scriptwriter and press officer. She lives in Canterbury, UK. Her second novel, The City of Woven Streets, will be published in the UK and US in 2016. Emmi Itäranta Author's website

2019The Stranger in My Genes: A Memoir by Bill Griffeth In 2012, longtime genealogy buff Bill Griffeth took a DNA test, just for fun, and got the shock of his life. The results suggested that his beloved father was not his father. “If the test was correct, it meant that the family tree I had spent years documenting was not, in fact, my own.” The Stranger in My Genesrecounts Bill’s two-year quest to learn the truth about his paternity, including a memorable encounter with his 95-year-old mother. In the end, the veteran CNBC-TV anchor is left to discover his real father and a new definition of “family.” < All Book Selections 2019 Finding Identity in Family History The Stranger In My Genes Bill Griffeth Audience: Adult The Stranger in My Genes: A Memoir by Bill Griffeth In 2012, longtime genealogy buff Bill Griffeth took a DNA test, just for fun, and got the shock of his life. The results suggested that his beloved father was not his father. “If the test was correct, it meant that the family tree I had spent years documenting was not, in fact, my own.” The Stranger in My Genesrecounts Bill’s two-year quest to learn the truth about his paternity, including a memorable encounter with his 95-year-old mother. In the end, the veteran CNBC-TV anchor is left to discover his real father and a new definition of “family.” About the Author Bill Griffeth is a veteran financial journalist who has covered Wall Street on television since 1981, most of that time as an anchor on CNBC. In 2018, he began a new assignment as co-anchor on the very popular Nightly Business Report on PBS, the longest-running business news show on television, produced by CNBC. Bill has been nominated for six Cable ACE awards, including Best News Anchor, and one Emmy for the CNBC documentary Game On! In 2001, he was the recipient of the National Association of Investors' Distinguished Service Award in Investor Education, and in 2017, his alma mater, California State University, Northridge, bestowed on him an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Bill is the author of By Faith Alone: One Family's Epic Journey Through 400 Years of American Protestantism; Ten Steps to Financial Prosperity; The Mutual Fund Masters; and The Stranger in My Genes: A Memoir. Upcoming in 2019 will be the newly-revised By Faith Alone: My Family's Epic History. Since 2003, his hobby has been genealogy, and he has traveled tens of thousands of miles in the U.S. and Europe researching his and his wife's family histories. He currently serves as a Trustee of the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, Massachusetts. Bill and his wife, Cindy, have two grown children. American Ancestors by New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) Bill Griffeth Author's website

2013How do combat veterans and their loved ones bridge the divide that war, by its very nature, creates between them? How does someone who has fought in a war come home, especially after a tour of duty marked by near-daily mortar attacks, enemy fire, and roadside bombs? With a journalist's eye and a mother's warmth, Sue Diaz asks these questions as she chronicles the two deployments to Iraq of her son, Sgt. Roman Diaz, from the perspective of the home front. Diaz recounts the emotional rollercoaster her family and other soldiers' families experience during and after deployment. She explores this terrain not only through stories of her son's and family's experiences connected to the Iraq War, but also by insights she's gained from other veterans' accounts--from what she calls "the box" that soldiers returning from any war carry within. This added layer gives her narrative broader meaning, bringing home the impact of war in general on those who fight and on those who love them. < All Book Selections 2013 Invisible Wounds of War Minefields of the Heart Sue Diaz Audience: Adult How do combat veterans and their loved ones bridge the divide that war, by its very nature, creates between them? How does someone who has fought in a war come home, especially after a tour of duty marked by near-daily mortar attacks, enemy fire, and roadside bombs? With a journalist's eye and a mother's warmth, Sue Diaz asks these questions as she chronicles the two deployments to Iraq of her son, Sgt. Roman Diaz, from the perspective of the home front. Diaz recounts the emotional rollercoaster her family and other soldiers' families experience during and after deployment. She explores this terrain not only through stories of her son's and family's experiences connected to the Iraq War, but also by insights she's gained from other veterans' accounts--from what she calls "the box" that soldiers returning from any war carry within. This added layer gives her narrative broader meaning, bringing home the impact of war in general on those who fight and on those who love them. About the Author Sue Diaz is an award-winning journalist and author whose work has appeared in a variety of regional and national publications, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, Family Circle, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, and the Christian Science Monitor. Her essays have also aired frequently on National Public Radio. Her son, a Purple Heart veteran, served two tours of duty in Iraq's Triangle of Death during the height of the insurgency. While he was there Sue wrote about the war from the perspective of the home front in a series syndicated nationally and internationally by the Monitor. Those stories were the starting point for her book, Minefields of the Heart: A Mother's Stories of a Son at War (Potomac Books, 2010). An advocate of writing as a path to healing, Sue has led writing workshops for war veterans at the San Diego Vet Center, the Naval Medical Center, and Veterans Village of San Diego since 2007. To learn more, visit the website minefieldsoftheheart.com Sue Diaz Author's website A message from Sue: "I am honored that my book Minefields of the Heart: A Mother's Stories of a Son at War has been selected for Silicon Valley Reads 2013. "On the surface, Minefields of the Heart is about my son's two tours of duty in Iraq as an infantryman during the height of the insurgency. Like combat veterans of every war, Roman lived through events that would bring out both the best and the worst that human beings are capable of. "In my capacity as a journalist during that time, I wrote to reach readers and invite them into the uncertain world of families with loved ones in a war zone. I wanted them to pull up a chair at our kitchen tables, to watch the evening news with us in our family rooms, to feel the fears we lived with, the hope we clung to, and the joy we knew when our sons and daughters returned. "I wanted readers to realize, too, that for many combat veterans, 'coming home' is a journey - a journey that can last a lifetime. "With today's all-volunteer military, it is, I think, too easy for most Americans to feel disconnected from the conflicts our country is engaged in, to feel that war is someone else's job, someone else's responsibility. So I also wrote in hopes of bringing home the fact that when our country is at war - whether we agree or not with the politics that took us there - we, as a society, are in it together. The moral responsibility belongs to us all. "While I continued to write about the war in the series for the Christian Science Monitor that became the starting point for the book, I began to lead writing workshops for war veterans. And I became more and more aware of the fact that war is an experience that transforms those in it, as well as those who wait for them at home. What started out as one journalist's chronicle of her family's wartime experiences turned into a book that explores the impact of war on the human soul. "As the mother of a Purple Heart veteran, I deeply appreciate your organization's role in leading the community to think and talk about the 'invisible wounds of war.' Mother Teresa once said, 'If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.' It is my hope that the Silicon Valley Reads discussions next year will remind readers that we do." -- Sue Diaz REVIEW COMMENTS "Minefields of the Heart is very finely written. Because a mother's love is so overpowering, so singular in its focus, I had half-feared that this book would be a morass of melodrama. But Sue Diaz is a disciplined and careful writer and this, ultimately, is where the power of her book comes from. She is spare where most writers would be mawkish, she is understated where most writers would be sentimental, and she understands that life, death, war, grief, gratitude and the loss of innocence--hers, and her son's--need no baroque writerly adornments. The truly great and terrible stuff of life is most dramatic when told as simply and plainly as possible. Over the course of her book, the reader comes to know not just Roman, but the whole Diaz family and how they all aged and matured both during and after Roman's two harrowing deployments." --From the Foreword by Jim Frederick, author of Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death "Minefields of the Heart is an accessible and well told reflection on the impact of war on the families of our troops today. It is an intimate look through a mother's eyes, giving us a heartfelt appreciation of the military family experience." --Edward Tick (author of War and the Soul) and Kate Dahlstedt, co-directors of Soldier's Heart "Harrowing, hopeful, and beautifully written. Ernie Pyle meets Anne Lamott." --Sharon Bray, author of When Words Heal: Writing Through Cancer "Minefields of the Heart is a brilliant, beautiful, and compelling book. Sue Diaz writes as the mother of one soldier and the daughter of another. She traces her son's transition from a boy to a combat-wounded veteran of two tours in Iraq. She lets him speak for himself through emails, letters and conversation, all the while growing in her understanding of him and of war. She weaves together her family's history with the larger events through which they have passed. Though intended specifically `for all who have served and those who love them,' the book should be read by any American who wants to understand what war really does to those who endure and to their families. As a bonus, the book is a real page-turner. You can't put it down until you finish it." --William P. Mahedy, author of Out of the Night: The Spiritual Journey of Vietnam Vets "This is a book to break your heart, and to heal it. Diaz writes to and for her son, to and for the veterans she leads in writing workshops. The larger gift of this book is its generosity, allowing the reader to take the journey of a mother whose son carries the wounds of two deployments to Iraq. Minefields of the Heart teaches us what we might rather not know, but knowing, we are deeper and better human beings." --Pat Schneider, founder, Amherst Writers & Artists, and author of Writing Alone and with Others DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (MINEFIELDS OF THE HEART) In the Introduction, Diaz writes, "I know it's not uncommon for vets to want to keep a lid on their memories. Opening up can take some time. Years for some. Decades for others. Many never do. But it's important to try." What do you think are some of the factors that make "opening up" difficult? What are some of the ways it might be made easier? Roman's decision to join the infantry surprises his mother, who had expected that the next chapter in her son's life would have been college. How would you respond to a son's or daughter's decision to join the armed forces in a time of war? Did you enlist and how did you tell your family? On the eve of the start of military action in Iraq, Diaz attends a gathering to protest the war. "I felt grateful for the right to assemble and protest my government's policies. And I was well aware that I owed that right to the brave deeds of those who had served in our armed forces in the past," she says. What is your view of a soldier's family member participating in an anti-war rally? What impact has today's electronic communication - e-mail, Instant Messaging - had on the relationship between soldiers in combat and their loved ones at home? In your opinion, what are pluses and the drawbacks of real-time communication during a war? Though the topic of Minefields of the Heart is a serious one, the book is not without humor. What in the book that made you smile? During the most difficult stretch in his second deployment, Roman communicates very little with his family. In one Instant Message, Roman quickly answers "No," to his all of his father's offers to send things he might need. Diaz concludes, "the gist of it all seemed to me to be, 'Mom, Dad. For your sake and mine right now, don't love me so much." Do you think her interpretation is accurate? What are some circumstances that might prompt a message like that from a soldier?How do the two main characters - Diaz and her son, Roman - change over the course of the book? In what ways do they remain unchanged?Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why? Did any sections of this book lead to a new understanding or awareness of war and its aftermath?According to the author, what are some things that can help a returning veteran "win the war within"? From your own experience with or as a veteran, what would you add? In one of the book's final chapters, the author quotes from a poem by Archibald MacLeish in which fallen soldiers say to the living: "Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say; it is you who must say this. We leave you our deaths. Give them their meaning." What are some specific ways that we as individuals and as a society can give meaning to the sacrifices of those who have fought - and died -- for our country.To hear an excerpt from Sue Diaz's book "Minefields of the Heart," play the following video on YouTube [ youtube.com/watch?v=dj4cxp_iumI ].

2022When his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Richard Lui did something tough. The award-winning news anchor decided to set aside his growing career to care for family. Selflessness, however, did not come easily. So, Richard set out to explore why he struggled. In every decision, big and small, Lui discovered hidden opportunities to put others ahead of himself. Similar to training physical muscles, we must train our decision-making muscles to choose others over ourselves in order to have unexpected smiles and renewed balance in our lives. From a journalist's point of view, he digs into and shares stories from his seven-year "selfless" exploration. < All Book Selections 2022 Power of Kindness, Resilience & Hope Enough About Me Richard Lui Audience: Adult When his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Richard Lui did something tough. The award-winning news anchor decided to set aside his growing career to care for family. Selflessness, however, did not come easily. So, Richard set out to explore why he struggled. In every decision, big and small, Lui discovered hidden opportunities to put others ahead of himself. Similar to training physical muscles, we must train our decision-making muscles to choose others over ourselves in order to have unexpected smiles and renewed balance in our lives. From a journalist's point of view, he digs into and shares stories from his seven-year "selfless" exploration. About the Author Veteran and award-winning journalist Richard Lui has more than 30 years in television, film, technology, and business. Currently at MSNBC and previously with CNN Worldwide, he is the first Asian American man to anchor a daily national cable news program, and a team Emmy and Peabody winner. Richard recently directed the feature documentary “Sky Blossom”, an uplifting film on student caregivers in military families now available on DVD and Digital from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, and streaming on Peacock. Richard’s 15-year business career involves a fintech patent and launching six tech brands over three business cycles. Richard has lived, worked, and volunteered on every continent. Richard Lui Author's website

2019 Books Play video on YouTube View event photos Podcast SV Reads 2019: Finding Identity in Family History, interview with Bill Griffeth and Paula Williams Madison held on February 27, 2019. Listen to podcast Finding Samuel Lowe Paula Williams Madison Audience: Adult Finding Samuel Lowe by Paula Williams Madison Spanning four generations and moving between New York, Jamaica, and China, this powerful memoir that is a universal story of one woman's search for her maternal grandfather and the key to her self-identity. Thanks to her spiteful, jealous Jamaican mother, Nell Vera Lowe was cut off from her Chinese father, Samuel, when she was just a baby, after he announced he was taking a Chinese bride. By the time Nell was old enough to travel to her father's shop in St. Ann's Bay, he'd taken his family back to China, never learning what became of his eldest daughter. Bereft, Nell left Jamaica for New York to start a new life. But her Asian features set her apart from her Harlem neighbors and even her own children—a difference that contributed to her feeling of loneliness and loss which she instilled in her only daughter, Paula. Years later, with a successful corporate career behind her and the arrival of her only grandchild raising questions about family and legacy, Paula decided to search for Samuel Lowe's descendants in China. With the support of her brothers and the help of encouraging strangers, Paula eventually pieced together the full story of her grandfather's life, following his story from China to Jamaica and back, and connecting with 300 surprised relatives who were overjoyed to meet her. Finding Samuel Lowe is a remarkable journey about one woman's path to self-discovery. It is a story about love and devotion that transcends time and race, and a beautiful reflection of the power of family and the interconnectedness of our world. Read More It's All Relative A.J. Jacobs Audience: Adult A.J. Jacobs has received some strange emails over the years, but this note was perhaps the strangest: "You don't know me, but I'm your eighth cousin. And we have over 80,000 relatives of yours in our database." That's enough family members to fill Madison Square Garden four times over. Who are these people, A.J. wondered, and how do I find them? So began Jacobs's three-year adventure to help build the biggest family tree in history. Jacobs's journey would take him to all seven continents. He drank beer with a U.S. president, found himself singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and unearthed genetic links to Hollywood actresses and real-life scoundrels. After all, we can choose our friends, but not our family. "Whether he's posing as a celebrity, outsourcing his chores, or adhering strictly to the Bible, we love reading about the wacky lifestyle experiments of author A.J. Jacobs" (Entertainment Weekly). Now Jacobs upends, in ways both meaningful and hilarious, our understanding of genetics and genealogy, tradition and tribalism, identity and connection. It's All Relative is a fascinating look at the bonds that connect us all. Read More The Stranger In My Genes Bill Griffeth Audience: Adult The Stranger in My Genes: A Memoir by Bill Griffeth In 2012, longtime genealogy buff Bill Griffeth took a DNA test, just for fun, and got the shock of his life. The results suggested that his beloved father was not his father. “If the test was correct, it meant that the family tree I had spent years documenting was not, in fact, my own.” The Stranger in My Genesrecounts Bill’s two-year quest to learn the truth about his paternity, including a memorable encounter with his 95-year-old mother. In the end, the veteran CNBC-TV anchor is left to discover his real father and a new definition of “family.” Read More Alma and How She Got Her Name Juana Martinez-Neal Audience: Pre-K to 3 If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes, too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all — and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. Read More The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond Brenda Woods Audience: Grades 4 - 7 Violet is biracial, but she lives with her white mother and sister, attends a mostly white school in a white town, and sometimes feels like a brown leaf on a pile of snow. Now that she's eleven, she feels it's time to learn about her African American heritage, so she seeks out her paternal grandmother. When Violet is invited to spend two weeks with her new Bibi (Swahili for "grandmother") and learns about her lost heritage, her confidence in herself grows and she discovers she's not a shrinking Violet after all. Read More Picture Us In The Light Kelly Loy Gilbert Audience: Grades 8+ Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father's closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Silicon Valley family, he realizes there's much more to his family's past than he ever imagined. Danny has been an artist for as long as he can remember and it seems his path is set, with a scholarship to RISD and his family's blessing to pursue the career he's always dreamed of. Still, contemplating a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, by his side makes Danny feel a panic he can barely put into words. Harry and Danny's lives are deeply intertwined and as they approach the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook their friend group to its core, Danny can't stop asking himself if Harry is truly in love with his girlfriend, Regina Chan. When Danny digs deeper into his parents' past, he uncovers a secret that disturbs the foundations of his family history and the carefully constructed façade his parents have maintained begins to crumble. With everything he loves in danger of being stripped away, Danny must face the ghosts of the past in order to build a future that belongs to him. Read More

2021Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve, hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. What happens to them--and to the men they love--becomes an unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity, and passion. These heroic women refuse to be cowed by men or by convention. And though they face all kinds of dangers in a landscape that is at times breathtakingly beautiful, at others brutal, they’re committed to their job: bringing books to people who have never had any, arming them with facts that will change their lives. Based on a true story rooted in America’s past, The Giver of Stars is unparalleled in its scope and epic in its storytelling. Funny, heartbreaking, enthralling, it is destined to become a modern classic--a richly rewarding novel of women’s friendship, of true love, and of what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond. < All Book Selections 2021 Connecting The Giver of Stars Jojo Moyes Audience: Adult Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve, hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. What happens to them--and to the men they love--becomes an unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity, and passion. These heroic women refuse to be cowed by men or by convention. And though they face all kinds of dangers in a landscape that is at times breathtakingly beautiful, at others brutal, they’re committed to their job: bringing books to people who have never had any, arming them with facts that will change their lives. Based on a true story rooted in America’s past, The Giver of Stars is unparalleled in its scope and epic in its storytelling. Funny, heartbreaking, enthralling, it is destined to become a modern classic--a richly rewarding novel of women’s friendship, of true love, and of what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond. About the Author Jojo Moyes is a British novelist who studied at Royal Holloway, University of London. She won a bursary financed by The Independent newspaper to study journalism at City University and subsequently worked for The Independent for 10 years. In 2001 she became a full time novelist. She is one of only a few authors to have twice won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association and has been translated into twenty-eight languages. She is married to journalist Charles Arthur and has three children. View a reading group guide and a link to a Q&A with Jojo Moyes. Jojo Moyes Author's website

2017Marcus and Eddie are best friends who found the strength to break through the racial barrier. Marcus is black; Eddie is white. Stars of their school basketball team, they are true leaders who look past the stereotypes and come out on top. They are inseparable, watching each other’s backs, both on and off the basketball court. But one decision – one mistake – will change their friendship, and their lives, forever. Can Marcus and Eddie rise above their differences and save their friendship? < All Book Selections 2017 ...and justice for all Black and White Paul Volponi Audience: Young Adult Marcus and Eddie are best friends who found the strength to break through the racial barrier. Marcus is black; Eddie is white. Stars of their school basketball team, they are true leaders who look past the stereotypes and come out on top. They are inseparable, watching each other’s backs, both on and off the basketball court. But one decision – one mistake – will change their friendship, and their lives, forever. Can Marcus and Eddie rise above their differences and save their friendship? About the Author Paul Volponi is the award-winning author of 12 novels for young adults. He spent six years on New York City’s infamous Rikers island, the world's largest jail, teaching teens awaiting trial there to read and write. His novel Black and White, winner of the International Reading Association's Children's Book Award, explores the unbalanced scales of the criminal justice system. His novel, Rikers High, an American Library Association Quick Pick Top 10, takes the reader through the hallways and classrooms of the jail with very little fiction involved. Paul, who is the recipient of 11 ALA awards, believes the job of the author is to hold an accurate mirror up to the society and let the readers make their own judgments on what they see. Paul Volponi Author's website

2026In this visually stunning picture book, Joy and her diverse class explore a forest where every student, including those who are neurodivergent or use mobility aids, discovers their unique connection to nature. Joy is initially anxious about finding her "one thing" for a project, but she soon sees how her classmates' different ways of experiencing the world reflect the complex beauty of the ecosystem. The book compares the essential diversity of trees, fungi, and rushing water to the diversity of the class. It reminds readers of all ages that there is no "one right way" for a mind, body, or person to be, and that our unique differences are what create a truly vibrant, flourishing community. < All Book Selections 2026 Bridges to Belonging Together, A Forest Roz MacLean Audience: Elementary In this visually stunning picture book, Joy and her diverse class explore a forest where every student, including those who are neurodivergent or use mobility aids, discovers their unique connection to nature. Joy is initially anxious about finding her "one thing" for a project, but she soon sees how her classmates' different ways of experiencing the world reflect the complex beauty of the ecosystem. The book compares the essential diversity of trees, fungi, and rushing water to the diversity of the class. It reminds readers of all ages that there is no "one right way" for a mind, body, or person to be, and that our unique differences are what create a truly vibrant, flourishing community. About the Author Roz MacLean is a Canadian children's book author and illustrator who lives on Vancouver Island. She is interested in reflecting the rich and diverse world we live in and using imagination to wonder, explore and create. Her stories often reflect on themes of neurodiversity and disability, the natural world, community and relationships. Her books include More Than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean and Together, a Forest , with the upcoming title Do You Know The Dark? set for release in May 2026. Roz MacLean Author's website

2021A moving and scientific look at the curative powers--both physical and mental--of rescuing a shelter animal, by the president of Humane Society Silicon Valley. Mutual Rescue profiles the transformational impact that shelter pets have on humans, exploring the emotional, physical, and spiritual gifts that rescued animals provide. It explores through anecdote, observation, and scientific research, the complexity and depth of the role that pets play in our lives. Every story in the book brings an unrecognized benefit of adopting homeless animals to the forefront of the rescue conversation. In a nation plagued by illnesses--16 million adults suffer from depression, 29 million have diabetes, 8 million in any given year have PTSD, and nearly 40% are obese--rescue pets can help: 60% of doctors said they prescribe pet adoption and a staggering 97% believe that pet ownership provides health benefits. For people in chronic emotional, physical, or spiritual pain, adopting an animal can transform, and even save, their lives. Each story in the book takes a deep dive into one potent aspect of animal adoption, told through the lens of people's personal experiences with their rescued pets and the science that backs up the results. This book will resonate with readers hungering for stories of healing and redemption. < All Book Selections 2021 Connecting Mutual Rescue Carol Novello Audience: Adult A moving and scientific look at the curative powers--both physical and mental--of rescuing a shelter animal, by the president of Humane Society Silicon Valley. Mutual Rescue profiles the transformational impact that shelter pets have on humans, exploring the emotional, physical, and spiritual gifts that rescued animals provide. It explores through anecdote, observation, and scientific research, the complexity and depth of the role that pets play in our lives. Every story in the book brings an unrecognized benefit of adopting homeless animals to the forefront of the rescue conversation. In a nation plagued by illnesses--16 million adults suffer from depression, 29 million have diabetes, 8 million in any given year have PTSD, and nearly 40% are obese--rescue pets can help: 60% of doctors said they prescribe pet adoption and a staggering 97% believe that pet ownership provides health benefits. For people in chronic emotional, physical, or spiritual pain, adopting an animal can transform, and even save, their lives. Each story in the book takes a deep dive into one potent aspect of animal adoption, told through the lens of people's personal experiences with their rescued pets and the science that backs up the results. This book will resonate with readers hungering for stories of healing and redemption. About the Author Carol Novello is the founder of Mutual RescueTM, a national initiative that highlights the life-changing power of human-animal relationships. The initiative's first short film, "Eric & Peety," went viral around the world with over 100 million views and was named the number #1 video news story in CA by the NY Times in 2016. She is currently expanding the initiative into a new, national non-profit brand to collaborate with local animal shelters and rescue groups and their communities across the country and bring new funding into the sector through corporate sponsorships. Her first book Mutual Rescue: How Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too was published in April 2019, with international versions of the book released in Germany and Italy in 2020. Mutual Rescue was created during the nearly decade long tenure that Carol served as President of Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) from 2010 to 2020. She also served one year on their Board of Directors prior to that role. Through her leadership, HSSV became the first "model shelter" – the first organization in the nation to meet all guidelines set forth by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. Her work at HSSV also resulted in significant increases in the rescue organization's adoption numbers, save rates and the number of animals receiving extended care. In 2016, she was one of nine animal welfare leaders across the country to receive the first Maddie Hero Award created by Maddie's Fund for recognizing innovation and leadership in the sector. She is also currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors at CUDDLY, Inc, a for-profit company that has created a fundraising and wishlist platform focused on the animal welfare sector. Prior to entering the field of animal rescue, Carol was a senior executive at Intuit where she held numerous positions including President of MasterBuilder Software, Vice President/General Manager of QuickBooks Online and Vice President of Marketing for QuickBooks and Small Business Services. Carol earned her MBA from Harvard Business School and her BA in English and Economics from Dickinson College. She currently resides in Serenbe, a community outside of Atlanta, GA and shares her home with two rescue cats, Bode and Herbie. Carol Novello Author's website

2012From Booklist: Bilal and his sister, Ayesha, who are Muslim, start school in a new city. At first Bilal tries to blend into the largely non-Muslim environment, calling himself Bill and ducking out of sight when two boys try to pull off Ayesha's head scarf. Encouraged by a sympathetic teacher and his own faith, Bilal finds the courage to stand up with his sister the next time the boys tease her. Bilal and Ayesha point out to their adversaries that they too were born in America and that being American means that they can wear what they want. By standing up for his sister, Bilal earns the boys' respect and takes the first step toward a possible friendship. The story is told in picture-book format, though the text is longer than that of most picture books. In the illustrations, the students appear to be in middle school, but the book is accessible to younger children as well. Appearing on nearly every double-page spread, large-scale watercolor paintings clearly portray the actions and attitudes of the characters. A good starting place for discussions of cultural differences, prejudice, and respect for the beliefs of others. < All Book Selections 2012 Muslim and American: Two Perspectives My Name is Bilal Asma Mobin-Uddin Audience: Grades 2 - 6 From Booklist: Bilal and his sister, Ayesha, who are Muslim, start school in a new city. At first Bilal tries to blend into the largely non-Muslim environment, calling himself Bill and ducking out of sight when two boys try to pull off Ayesha's head scarf. Encouraged by a sympathetic teacher and his own faith, Bilal finds the courage to stand up with his sister the next time the boys tease her. Bilal and Ayesha point out to their adversaries that they too were born in America and that being American means that they can wear what they want. By standing up for his sister, Bilal earns the boys' respect and takes the first step toward a possible friendship. The story is told in picture-book format, though the text is longer than that of most picture books. In the illustrations, the students appear to be in middle school, but the book is accessible to younger children as well. Appearing on nearly every double-page spread, large-scale watercolor paintings clearly portray the actions and attitudes of the characters. A good starting place for discussions of cultural differences, prejudice, and respect for the beliefs of others. About the Author Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin was born and raised in the U.S. and attended public grade school and a Catholic high school in a small Ohio town where there were few other Muslim families. She received her undergraduate and medical school degrees from The Ohio State University and did her internship and residency training in Pediatrics at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. She was a private practice pediatrician for several years before taking time off to stay home with her children when they were young. She began to write about the Muslim-American experience because she had difficulty in finding good books in this area to read to her children. In addition to My Name is Bilal, she is the author of The Best Eid Holiday Book. Asma Mobin-Uddin Author's website

2024Working to Restore examines revolutionary approaches in agriculture, waste, supply chain, inclusivity for the collective good, women in the workforce, travel, health, energy, and finance. The companies profiled are solving global issues, promoting responsible production and consumption, creating equitable opportunities for all, encouraging climate action, and more. Chhabra highlights how their work moves beyond the greenwashed idea of “sustainability” into a new era of regeneration and restoration across industries and geographies—to paint a broader picture of a global movement through a journalistic lens. < All Book Selections 2024 A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today Working to Restore: Harnessing the Power of Regenerative Business to Heal the World Esha Chhabra Audience: Adult Working to Restore examines revolutionary approaches in agriculture, waste, supply chain, inclusivity for the collective good, women in the workforce, travel, health, energy, and finance. The companies profiled are solving global issues, promoting responsible production and consumption, creating equitable opportunities for all, encouraging climate action, and more. Chhabra highlights how their work moves beyond the greenwashed idea of “sustainability” into a new era of regeneration and restoration across industries and geographies—to paint a broader picture of a global movement through a journalistic lens. About the Author Esha Chhabra Author's website