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Gallery of photos and videos promoting Silicon Valley Reads Events 2026 Videos Silicon Valley Reads 2026: Bridges to Belonging Play Video Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Now Playing Conversation on Color & Belonging hosted by International Business & Professional Women 01:13:52 Play Video Now Playing Silicon Valley Reads 2026: Bridges to Belonging 01:21:56 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

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

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 In today’s world, the need for connection is more important and more powerful than ever. Our 2026 theme, Bridges to Belonging , explores how we can build bridges. .. to one another, to our families, and to our communities, to create genuine belonging. Our Featured Books The Power of Bridging by John A. Powell provides a thought-provoking framework for moving beyond “othering” and embracing inclusion, showing how communities flourish when differences are valued. Mainline Mama by Keeonna Harris brings this theme to life through her memoir, sharing her journey of navigating family, class, and identity while finding resilience and love in the face of systemic challenges. Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett uses humor and magic to remind us that belonging can come through the most unexpected connections—between neighbors, generations, and even the living and the dead. Together, these books inspire reflection on the bridges we build and those still needed, sparking meaningful conversations about creating a more connected, compassionate community. Kickoff Recording 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 . Sign up for our mailing list to receive the latest information (no spam). Featured Videos Silicon Valley Reads 2026: Bridges to Belonging Play Video Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Now Playing Conversation on Color & Belonging hosted by International Business & Professional Women 01:13:52 Play Video Now Playing Silicon Valley Reads 2026: Bridges to Belonging 01:21:56 Play Video 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

Calendar of Events We had a wonderful kickoff event with our three featured authors: john a. powell (The Power of Bridging), Keeonna Harris (Mainline Mama) and Annie Hartnett (Unlikely Animals). If you missed it, you can watch it HERE. Please join us for many more events celebrating Bridges to Belonging! See listing below. 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 Thu, Jan 15 Thank You Neighbor: Community Multi-Language Video Project / Online Video Project Details Jan 15, 2026, 7:00 AM – Mar 30, 2026, 5:00 PM Online Video Project Be part of our 2026 theme, Bridges to Belonging! Use this link to record a video of you or your child saying "Hello", "Thank You" or "Thank You, Neighbor" in your language of choice! Thu, Jan 15 Toolkit for Parents/Teachers: Tools to Engage Young Readers! / Online Toolkit Details Jan 15, 2026, 7:00 AM – Mar 31, 2026, 5:00 PM Online Toolkit This toolkit is designed to support you with engaging youth with this year’s children/teen companion books focused on “Bridges to Belonging.” For each book, you will find a brief summary of the text, potential discussion questions, tools to support literacy and interactive reading and much more! Thu, Jan 15 Community Cookbook: Submit Your Recipes! / Santa Clara County Residents Can Submit Details Jan 15, 2026, 10:00 AM – Mar 31, 2026, 5:00 PM Santa Clara County Residents Can Submit Submit Your Recipes to the Santa Clara County Community Cookbook! Thu, Jan 15 Build a Bridge of Belonging Across Silicon Valley: Paper Chain of Kindness / Libraries Across the County Details Jan 15, 2026, 10:00 AM – Mar 31, 2026, 5:00 PM Libraries Across the County, Santa Clara County, CA, USA Come to one of our participating local libraries and add your link to the county-wide Silicon Valley Reads Chain of Kindness! Thu, Jan 15 Euphrat Museum of Art Exhibit: A Sense of Belonging / Cupertino: De Anza College Campus Details Jan 15, 2026, 6:00 PM – Mar 14, 2026, 5:00 PM Cupertino: De Anza College Campus, Euphrat Museum of Art 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA Visit the Euphrat Museum of Art throughout the Silicon Valley Reads season. Come for the Silicon Valley Reads kickoff... join a special closing event with the artists on March 14th 12-2pm! 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! Sun, Feb 01 Random Acts of Kindness Bingo / San Jose: Biblioteca Latinoamericana Details Feb 01, 2026, 10:00 AM – Feb 28, 2026, 5:00 PM San Jose: Biblioteca Latinoamericana, 921 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95110, USA Are you up for a challenge? Pick up a Kindness bingo card at the library and begin practicing random acts of kindness with your friends, family, fellow students, and all people around you! Sun, Feb 01 Random Acts of Kindness Bingo / San Jose: East Carnegie Branch Details Feb 01, 2026, 10:00 AM – Mar 31, 2026, 5:00 PM San Jose: East Carnegie Branch, 1102 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95116, USA Are you up for a challenge? Pick up a Kindness bingo card at the library and begin practicing random acts of kindness with your friends, family, fellow students, and all people around you! Thu, Feb 19 Random Acts of Kindness Bingo / San Jose: Edenvale Branch Details Feb 19, 2026, 10:00 AM – Feb 25, 2026, 7:00 PM San Jose: Edenvale Branch, 101 Branham Ln E, San Jose, CA 95111, USA Are you up for a challenge? Pick up a Kindness bingo card at the library and begin practicing random acts of kindness with your friends, family, fellow students, and all people around you! Mon, Feb 23 Give Me a Sign: Summer Camp Lanyard Making / San Jose: Alum Rock Branch Details Feb 23, 2026, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM San Jose: Alum Rock Branch, 3090 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95127, USA Create a lanyard! Tue, Feb 24 Table Top Game Night / Santa Clara: Central Park Library Details Feb 24, 2026, 5:30 AM – 6:45 PM Santa Clara: Central Park Library, 2635 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051, USA Join us for a bonding evening of casual tabletop gaming in Santa Clara Library's Central Studio! You can play a game from our collection, or you can also bring your own games to share and play with others. Tue, Feb 24 Random Acts of Kindness Bingo / San Jose: Joyce Ellington Branch Details Feb 24, 2026, 10:00 AM – Feb 28, 2026, 6:00 PM San Jose: Joyce Ellington Branch, 491 E Empire St, San Jose, CA 95112, USA Are you up for a challenge? Pick up a Kindness bingo card at the library and begin practicing random acts of kindness with your friends, family, fellow students, and all people around you! Tue, Feb 24 Virtual Author Talk: Tom Crouch / Online Details Feb 24, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Online How did a fledgling institution, born from the legacy of a man who never set foot on American soil, navigate risk and innovation to become a cornerstone of our collective identity? Tue, Feb 24 Friends in Motion: Zumba for Kids / San Jose: Vineland Branch Details Feb 24, 2026, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM San Jose: Vineland Branch, 1450 Blossom Hill Rd, San Jose, CA 95118, USA Please join us for Friends in Motion, a lively kids’ Zumba-inspired class featuring multicultural music, joyful movement, and a special Friendship Circle to celebrate connection and fun. Tue, Feb 24 Korean Mother-of-Pearl Lacquer Chopstick Decorating / Mountain View Public Library Details Feb 24, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA Join the Mountain View Library for a hands-on workshop exploring traditional Korean mother-of-pearl lacquer art. Tue, Feb 24 "Unlikely Animals" Book Discussion at Los Altos Library / Los Altos Library Details Feb 24, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM Los Altos Library, 13 S San Antonio Rd, Los Altos, CA 94022, USA Join Los Altos Library for a monthly book club meeting, as we discuss Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett. Wed, Feb 25 Book Discussion: "Mainline Mama" by Keeonna Harris / Milpitas Library Details Feb 25, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Milpitas Library, 160 N Main St, Milpitas, CA 95035, USA In February, the Milpitas Library Adult Book Group will be reading Mainline Mama by Keeonna Harris. You are invited to join in the lively discussion. Wed, Feb 25 Build a Community out of LEGO / Santa Clara: Central Park Library Details Feb 25, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM Santa Clara: Central Park Library, 2635 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051, USA Building a LEGO community is a way to show what matters to us: spaces where everyone is welcome, places to learn and play, and bridges that connect people rather than divide them. Load More

Community Partners Thank you to the following organizations who partnered with Silicon Valley Reads 2026 to provide programs and expand our reach in the community. If you are interested in partnering with us, please contact Reid Myers at Siliconvalleyreads@gmail.com . Alviso Branch Library Animal Assisted Happiness Author Anna Sortino Author Annie Hartnett Author Clare Pooley Author Joanna Ho Author Joshua Miele Author Keeonna Harris Author Kelly Yang Author Roz MacLean Author/Professor john a. powell Bascom Branch Library Beetlelady Berryessa Branch Library Biblioteca Latiinoamericana Branch Library Calabazas Branch Library Cambrian Branch Library Campbell Library City of Sunnyvale Coach Laura Banks Commonwealth Club of Silicon Valley Cupertino Library De Anza College Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Branch Library East San José Carnegie Branch Library Edenvale Branch Library Educational Park Branch Library Euphrat Museum of Art Evergreen Branch Library Gilroy Library Hillview Branch Library Joyce Ellington Branch Library Leigh’s Books/Leigh Odum Los Altos Library Los Gatos Public Library Magical Bridge Milpitas Public Library Morgan Hill Library Mountain View Public Library Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library Music Mends Minds Neighborhood Naturalists Nisa Leone, Jazzercise Palo Alto City Library Pearl Avenue Branch Library RAFT Rose Garden Branch Library Santa Clara City Library Santa Clara University Santa Teresa Branch Library Saratoga Library Seven Trees Branch Library Sunnyvale Public Library Tully Community Branch Library Veggielution Village Square Branch Library Vineland Branch Library Walden West We and Our Neighbors/San Jose Clubhouse West Valley Branch Library Willow Glen Branch Library Woodland Branch Library

Donor Information Silicon Valley Reads relies on the generous donations of our community partners and donors to run over 150 free events each year. For over 20 years we have served Santa Clara County, reaching more than 10,000 participants each season with programs that improve literacy and engage the community. For more information on donating, contact the SV Reads Director at Siliconvalleyreads@gmail.com . Thank you for supporting Silicon Valley Reads! We accept donations online or by mail. Paypal or Credit Card Please select the Donate button to submit payments with either PayPal or credit card. Thank you! Check To pay by check, make checks payable to: Silicon Valley Reads c/o Santa Clara County Library District 1370 Dell Avenue Campbell, CA 95008 Donor Form Download PDF contribution form to mail donations. Thank you! Donation form .pdf Download PDF • 66KB Silicon Valley Reads Donation Levels $10,000 donation: Visionary Named as a major sponsor Logo on poster, vertical banner, print advertisements, front page of website, donor page of the website Link to your organization from the Silicon Valley Reads website Mention at any large virtual or in person events Special reserved seating at kickoff (4) Work with SV Reads director on a program for your group if desired Signed copy of your Silicon Valley Reads book of choice $7,000 donation: Benefactor Logo on poster, vertical banner, print advertisements, front page of website, donor page of the website Link to your organization from the Silicon Valley Reads website Mention at any large virtual or in person events Special reserved seating at kickoff (4) Work with SV Reads director on a program for your group if desired Signed copy of your Silicon Valley Reads book of choice $5,000 donation: Sponsor Logo on poster, vertical banner, print advertisements, front page of website, donor page of the website Link to your organization from the Silicon Valley Reads website Mention at any large virtual or in person events Special reserved seating at kickoff (4) $2,500 donation: Supporter Logo on poster, vertical banner, print advertisements, front page of website, donor page of the website Link to your organization from the Silicon Valley Reads website Mention at any large virtual or in person events Special reserved seating at kickoff (2) $1,000 donation: Friend Listed and acknowledged on the Silicon Valley Reads donor page $500 donation: Contributor Listed and acknowledged on the Silicon Valley Reads donor page $250 donation: Neighbor Listed and acknowledged on the Silicon Valley Reads donor page $100 donation: Ally Listed and acknowledged on the Silicon Valley Reads donor page

Discover engaging author visits and book talks that inspire readers of all ages. Explore upcoming events, connect with authors, and bring literature to life through interactive discussions and Q&A sessions. Author Visits/Book Talks Toolkit for Parents/Teachers: Tools to Engage Young Readers! Thu, Jan 15 Online Toolkit More info Details Virtual Author Talk: Tom Crouch Tue, Feb 24 Online More info Details "Unlikely Animals" Book Discussion at Los Altos Library Tue, Feb 24 Los Altos Library More info Details Book Discussion: "Mainline Mama" by Keeonna Harris Wed, Feb 25 Milpitas Library More info Details Connecting Dots – A conversation with blind author, designer, and disability scholar, Dr. Joshua Miele Wed, Feb 25 Santa Clara University Library More info Details Bookclub: Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting Wed, Feb 25 Online Event More info Details Book Discussion: "Mainline Mama" by Keeonna Harris Thu, Feb 26 Milpitas Library More info Details Read Across America Week: Meet Author Roz MacLean: Together A Forest Mon, Mar 02 Virtual Event More info Details Virtual Author Talk: Michael Perry Wed, Mar 04 Online Event More info Details Read Across America Week: Meet Author Roz MacLean: Together A Forest Wed, Mar 04 Virtual Event More info Details Beyond the Divide: A Conversation on Belonging with john a. powell & Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt Thu, Mar 05 David & Joan Traitel Bldg, Hoover Inst. More info Details Virtual Author Talk: Michelle Carr Wed, Mar 11 Virtual Event More info Details Being Human in a Tech-Filled World- Building Connections (Writing Workshop) Wed, Mar 11 San Jose: Joyce Ellington Branch Library More info Details Virtual Author Talk, Kate Quinn Thu, Mar 12 Virtual Event More info Details "Give Me a Sign", Book Discussion Fri, Mar 13 San Jose: Rose Garden Branch More info Details A Virtual Conversation with Clare Pooley, "Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting" Sat, Mar 14 Virtual Event More info Details Story Time with Author Joanna Ho: Becoming Boba Wed, Mar 18 San Jose: Joyce Ellington Branch Library More info Details Give Me a Sign Book Discussion & Author Visit Fri, Mar 20 Online More info Details Load More

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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. About Silicon Valley Reads In 2003, 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. Now, events are offered throughout Santa Clara County for all age groups and thousands each year participate in formal events and/or read the book on their own, with their family or with book clubs. Mission To encourage individuals of all ages to read and discuss selected books as a way to engage the community and promote open dialogue about ideas and interests that are relevant to Silicon Valley. Vision The diverse Silicon Valley community will develop new perspectives and greater respect for one another through a deeper understanding of important issues and identified shared values. Goals To build community by engaging in open, informative and thoughtful dialogue around the ideas and themes of selected books. To promote reading and literacy among all members of the community. To support education and lifelong learning, critical for Silicon Valley to maintain its leadership in creativity and innovation. To provide a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment in which our community can learn together.

2010 Books Play video on YouTube In Defense of Food Michael Pollan Audience: Adult Real food -- the kind of food your great-grandmother would recognize as food - is being undermined by science on one side and the food industry on the other, both of whom want us focus on nutrients, good and bad, rather than actual plants, animals and fungi. According to author Michael Pollan, the rise of "nutritionism" has vastly complicated the lives of American eaters without doing anything for our health, except possibly to make it worse. Nutritionism arose to deal with a genuine problem -- the fact that the modern American diet is responsible for an epidemic of chronic diseases, from obesity and type II diabetes to heart disease and many cancers -- but it has obscured the real roots of that problem and stood in the way of a solution. In 200 pages, Pollan outlines the challenge and offers a straightforward manifesto -- "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." -- as well as practical advice on how to accomplish these deceptively simple goals. Read More SeedFolks Paul Fleischman Audience: Young Adult Nine-year-old Kim plants lima beans in an empty, trash-filled lot as a memorial to her Vietnamese father. Her planting is discovered by Anna, a Rumanian immigrant who has lived on Gibbs Street in Cleveland for 70 years. This discovery leads to the clearing of the lot and the beginning of a community garden, which grows both plants and relationships. The immigrant families of Gibbs Street are living in the isolation caused by poverty and escalated by cultural and language differences. Through the voices and dialects of 13 of the gardeners, we learn about the day-to-day life of the inner-city poor. The walls of isolation break down among the community members as they discuss gardening, assist each other in transporting water, and watch over each others' precious crops. Fleischman has carefully woven the lives of the characters with the common thread of the garden. His succinct use of language creates physical and personality images of each character. Children and adults will enjoy his short book. Teachers will delight in the first-person narratives as a beginning point for writing assignments. The book could be read aloud to classes as a starting point for research on the problems in big cities or on the building of communities. It will be used by social studies teachers, writing teachers, and teachers of literature. Read More Tops & Bottoms Adapted and illustrated by Janet Stevens Audience: Ages 4 - 7 Large, dynamic double-page-spread paintings are only part of the charm of this very funny picture book. Easily recognizable as a trickster tale (Stevens' source note roots the story in European folktales and slave stories of the American South), this features appealing, contemporary cousins of Brer Rabbit and Brer Bear. Here, Bear and Hare are involved in a gardening partnership, with industrious, clever Hare reaping all the vegetable profits. As usual, Stevens' animal characters, bold and colorful, are delightful. Hare, decked out in a lively gardening shirt and surrounded by mischievous offspring, is the image of determination. It's Bear, however, who wins the personality prize: he snoozes away each planting season squashed in his favorite chair, changing positions with each flip of the page. It's all wonderful fun, and the book opens, fittingly, from top to bottom instead of from side to side, making it perfect for story-time sharing. Read More Carrot Soup John Segal Audience: Pre-K Rabbit, a very organized animal, loves carrot soup. He spends the long winter paging through carrot catalogs (a full-page spread shows the different colors, shapes, and sizes of eight kinds of carrots). Then he plows and plants, waters and weeds, and waits. Finally it's time to harvest, but when he goes to pick the carrots, they are all gone. He frantically questions all the animals he knows, but not one admits to liking carrots. "Discouraged and disappointed, Rabbit went home," where he discovered a wonderful surprise. Read More

2009 Books Not a Genuine Black Man Brian Copeland Audience: Adult In the summer of 1972, when Brian Copeland was eight, his family moved from Oakland to San Leandro, hoping for a better life. At the time, San Leandro was 99.99% white and the suburban community was not welcoming to African Americans. This reputation was confirmed almost immediately: Brian got his first look at the inside of a cop car, forced into the backseat after walking to the park with a baseball bat in hand. Days later, Brian was turned away by several barbers who said "we don't cut that kind of hair." And that Christmas, while shopping at a local department store, Brian was accused of stealing and forced to empty his pockets in front of store security. It was a time that Brian spent his adult years trying to forget, until one day an anonymous letter arrived that forced him to reevaluate his childhood: "As an African American, I am disgusted every time I hear your voice because YOU are not a genuine black man!" A poignant, hilarious, and disarming memoir about growing up black in an all-white suburb, Not a Genuine Black Man is also a powerful contemplation on the meaning of race, and a thoughtful examination of how our surroundings make us who we are. Read More The Liberation of Gabriel King K.L. Going Audience: Grades 4 - 7 For grades 4-7, this is the story of two friends who overcome their fears - one of going to fifth grade and one of racial prejudice. "Full of humanity and humor, this well-paced novel offers a dollop of history with its setting in rural Georgia at the moment local boy Jimmy Carter's presidential bid is gaining momentum. The villains' credibility makes them scary, and both Gabe and Frita's refreshingly functional families are exquisitely drawn..." - Publisher's Weekly Gabriel King believes he was born chicken. He's afraid of spiders, corpses, loose cows, and just about everything related to the fifth grade. If it's a choice between graduating or staying in the fourth grade forever, he's going to stay put - only his best friend Frita Wilson won't hear of it. "Gabe," says Frita, "we gotta do something about you." When Frita makes up her mind she's like a locomotive - there's no stopping her. "First you're going to make a list. Write down everything you're afraid of." Gabe's list is a lot longer than he'd like Frita to know. Plus, he can't quite figure out how tackling his fears will make him brave. Surely jumping off the rope swing over the catfish pond can only lead to certain death...But maybe Frita knows what she's doing. It turns out she's got her own list, and while she's watching Gabe tackle each of his fears, she's avoiding the fear that scares her the most. With wisdom and clarity, K. L. Going explores the nature of fear in what should be an idyllic summer for two friends from different backgrounds. For them, living in a small town in Georgia with an active Ku Klux Klan, the summer of 1976 is a momentous one. Read More 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. Read More

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Join engaging adult classes, talks, and activities that inspire learning and connection. Explore workshops, lectures, and creative programs designed for personal growth and community involvement. Adult Classes/Talks/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 Community Cookbook: Submit Your Recipes! Thu, Jan 15 Santa Clara County Residents Can Submit 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 Euphrat Museum of Art Exhibit: A Sense of Belonging Thu, Jan 15 Cupertino: De Anza College Campus More info Details Table Top Game Night Tue, Feb 24 Santa Clara: Central Park Library More info Details Korean Mother-of-Pearl Lacquer Chopstick Decorating Tue, Feb 24 Mountain View Public Library More info Details "Unlikely Animals" Book Discussion at Los Altos Library Tue, Feb 24 Los Altos Library More info Details Book Discussion: "Mainline Mama" by Keeonna Harris Wed, Feb 25 Milpitas Library More info Details Neighborhood Networking: Meet Your Neighbors! Wed, Feb 25 San Jose: West Valley More info Details Connecting Dots – A conversation with blind author, designer, and disability scholar, Dr. Joshua Miele Wed, Feb 25 Santa Clara University Library More info Details Crafts With Leila (Adult/Teen) Thu, Feb 26 Los Altos Library More info Details Book Discussion: "Mainline Mama" by Keeonna Harris Thu, Feb 26 Milpitas Library More info Details DIY Scented Sachets Sat, Feb 28 Santa Clara: Mission Branch More info Details My Father Xu Beihong—Music Inspired by His Art Sun, Mar 01 Saratoga Library More info Details Celebrate Persian New Year: Presentation & Dance Performance Sun, Mar 01 Gilroy Library More info Details Sing-A-Long Session with a Music Therapist from Music Mends Minds Mon, Mar 02 Virtual Event More info Details Silicon Valley Reads: Art With Drawn2Art (Adults/Teens) Tue, Mar 03 Los Altos Library More info Details Load More

Join our online events from anywhere! Explore virtual classes, author talks, and interactive programs that bring learning and entertainment to your home. Online Events Virtual Author Talk: Tom Crouch Tue, Feb 24 Online More info Details Connecting Dots – A conversation with blind author, designer, and disability scholar, Dr. Joshua Miele Wed, Feb 25 Santa Clara University Library More info Details Bookclub: Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting Wed, Feb 25 Online Event More info Details Read Across America Week: Meet Author Roz MacLean: Together A Forest Mon, Mar 02 Virtual Event More info Details Sing-A-Long Session with a Music Therapist from Music Mends Minds Mon, Mar 02 Virtual Event More info Details Virtual Author Talk: Michael Perry Wed, Mar 04 Online Event More info Details Read Across America Week: Meet Author Roz MacLean: Together A Forest Wed, Mar 04 Virtual Event More info Details Beats & Belonging: Jazzercise to Build Community Sat, Mar 07 Los Altos & Online More info Details Virtual Author Talk: Michelle Carr Wed, Mar 11 Virtual Event More info Details Virtual Author Talk, Kate Quinn Thu, Mar 12 Virtual Event More info Details A Virtual Conversation with Clare Pooley, "Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting" Sat, Mar 14 Virtual Event More info Details Finding Belonging in Our Common Humanity Sat, Mar 21 Virtual Event More info Details Finding Belonging in Our Common Humanity Tue, Mar 24 Online More info Details Virtual Author Visit: Kate Messner, the Over and Under Series Thu, Mar 26 Virtual Event More info Details

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: Biblioteca Latinoamericana More info Details Random Acts of Kindness Bingo Sun, Feb 01 San Jose: East Carnegie Branch More info Details Random Acts of Kindness Bingo Thu, Feb 19 San Jose: Edenvale Branch More info Details Give Me a Sign: Summer Camp Lanyard Making Mon, Feb 23 San Jose: Alum Rock Branch More info Details Random Acts of Kindness Bingo Tue, Feb 24 San Jose: Joyce Ellington Branch More info Details Build a Community out of LEGO Wed, Feb 25 Santa Clara: Central Park Library More info Details Neighborhood Networking: Meet Your Neighbors! Wed, Feb 25 San Jose: West Valley More info Details Build a Community out of LEGO: Mission Branch Santa Clara Thu, Feb 26 Santa Clara: Mission Branch More info Details Crafts With Leila (Adult/Teen) Thu, Feb 26 Los Altos Library More info Details Random Acts of Kindness Bingo Sat, Feb 28 San Jose: Rose Garden Branch More info Details DIY Scented Sachets Sat, Feb 28 Santa Clara: Mission Branch More info Details Teen Watercolor: Spring Animals Sat, Feb 28 Morgan Hill Library More info Details Friendship Flag Garland Sun, Mar 01 San Jose: Alviso Branch More info Details Celebrate Persian New Year: Presentation & Dance Performance Sun, Mar 01 Gilroy Library More info Details Family Community Gardening Sun, Mar 01 Sunnyvale: Charles Street Garden More info Details Load More

2022Shine on! might be the catchphrase of twelve-year-old Piper's hero--astronaut, astronomer, and television host Nellie Dumont Frisse--but Piper knows the truth: some people are born to shine, and she's just not one of them. That fact has never been clearer than now, since her dad's new job has landed them both at Chumley Prep, a posh private school where everyone seems to be the best at something and where Piper definitely doesn't fit in. Bursting with humor, heart, science, possibilities, and big questions, Shine! is a story about finding your place in the universe--a story about figuring out who you are and who you want to be. < All Book Selections 2022 Power of Kindness, Resilience & Hope SHINE! Chris and J.J. Grabenstein Audience: Grades 4 - 8 Shine on! might be the catchphrase of twelve-year-old Piper's hero--astronaut, astronomer, and television host Nellie Dumont Frisse--but Piper knows the truth: some people are born to shine, and she's just not one of them. That fact has never been clearer than now, since her dad's new job has landed them both at Chumley Prep, a posh private school where everyone seems to be the best at something and where Piper definitely doesn't fit in. Bursting with humor, heart, science, possibilities, and big questions, Shine! is a story about finding your place in the universe--a story about figuring out who you are and who you want to be. About the Author J.J. & CHRIS GRABENSTEIN are a husband-wife writing team J.J. is an award-winning voice-over and stage performer as well as her husband's long-time secret weapon, reading and editing each one of his 75 published books before anyone else saw them. This is her debut as a co-author. Chris is the #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Mr. Lemoncello, Welcome to Wonderland, Dog Squad, Smartest Kid In The Universe, and Haunted Mystery series, as well as the coauthor of numerous fun and funny page-turners with James Patterson, including the Max Einstein, Jacky Ha Ha, I Funny, House of Robots, and Treasure Hunters series. J.J. and Chris live in New York City, with Phoebe Squeak and Luigi, two cats adopted from their local rescue group where J.J. is a volunteer. Visit ChrisGrabenstein.com for trailers, bonus quizzes, and more. Chris and J.J. Grabenstein Author's website

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

Silicon Valley Reads 2016 Reading List Other books that may be of interest related to the theme Chance of Rain: The impact of climate change on our lives. Nonfiction The Big Thirst - The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishman Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving From Scarcity to Sustainability by Brian Richter Climate Changed by Philippe Squarzoni Climate Coverup by James Hogan The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M Conway Field Notes from a Catastrophe by Elizabeth Kolbert Rain - A Natural and Cultural History by Cynthia Barnett Running out of Water by Susan Leal , Peter Rogers Atsatt Shopping for Water - How the Market Can Mitigate Water Shortages in the American West by Peter Culp and Robert J Glennon This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein Water 4.0: The Past Present and Future of the World's Most Vital Resource by David Sedlak Water - The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power and Civilization by Steven Solomon Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution and Profit by Vandana Shiva The West Without Water by Frances Malamud-Roam and B. Lynn Ingram Why Are We Waiting by Nicholas Sterna Fiction 600ppm:A Novel of Climate Change by Clarke W Owens Drought: A California Environmental Disaster Thriller by Graham Masterton Forty Signs of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson The Last Hours of Climate Change by Thom Hartmann Love in the Time of Climate Change by Brian Adams Sarah's Quilt by Nancy Turner Water by Ethan Holmes Water by Jeff Rosenplot Water-a B side Story by Dan O'Brien The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi The Well by Catherine Chanter Book s for children and teens A Drop of Rain by Wong Herbert Lee All The Water In The World by George Ella Lyon Angels in the Dust by Margot Theis Raven Below by Meg McKinley Big Rain Coming Katrina Germein Blame it on El Nino by Susan Dudley Gold Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema Can It Rain Cats and Dogs by Melvin and Gilda Berger Climate Change by Shelley Tanaka Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld Come a Tide by George Ella Lyon Costi and the Raindrop Adventure by Johnny Khamis Did A Dinosaur Drink This Water by Robert Wells Discovering El Nino by Patricia Seibert Dust by Arthur Slade El Nino by Caroline Arnold El Nino by Carmen Bredeson Float by Daniel Miyares Global Warming by Angela Royston In the Rain with Baby Duck by Amy Hest La Nina by Carmen Bredeson Lila and the Secret of Rain by David Conway Little Cloud by Eric Carle Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanna Cole Meet Me at the Moon by Gianna Marino Mushroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg One Well by Rochelle Strauss and Rosemary Woods Pool by Ji Hyeon Lee Rain! Linda Ashman Rain by Gail Saunders Smith Rain by Manya Stojic Rain Brings Frogs by Maryann Cocca-Leffler The Rain Came Down by David Shannon Rain Play Cynthia Cotton Rain, Rain Go Away! By Caroline Jayne Church Raindrop, Plop! Wendy Lewison Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre The Secret of Rain by David Conway The Secret Pool by Kimberly Ridley The Snowflake by Neil Waldman Splish splash by Josepha Sherman Tap Tap Boom Boom by Elizabeth Bluemle Uncle Rain Cloud by Tony Johnston Water Dance by Thomas Locker

2021Winner of the 2017 Southern Book Prize Winner of the Reed Award from the Southern Environmental Law Center Finalist for the John Burroughs Medal Named a “Best Scholarly Book of the Decade” by The Chronicle of Higher Education “In me, there is the red of miry clay, the brown of spring floods, the gold of ripening tobacco. I am, in the deepest sense, colored.” From these fertile soils—of love, land, identity, family, and race—emerges The Home Place, a big-hearted, unforgettable memoir by ornithologist J. Drew Lanham. Dating back to slavery, Edgefield County, South Carolina—a place “easy to pass by on the way to somewhere else”—has been home to generations of Lanhams. In The Home Place, readers meet these extraordinary people, including Drew himself, who over the course of the 1970s falls in love with the natural world around him. As his passion takes flight, however, he begins to ask what it means to be “the rare bird, the oddity”—to find joy and freedom in the same land his ancestors were tied to by forced labor, and then to be a black man in a profoundly white field. By turns angry, funny, elegiac, and heartbreaking, The Home Place is a remarkable meditation on nature and belonging, at once a deeply moving memoir and riveting exploration of the contradictions of black identity in the rural South—and in America today. < All Book Selections 2021 Connecting The Home Place J. Drew Lanham Audience: Adult Winner of the 2017 Southern Book Prize Winner of the Reed Award from the Southern Environmental Law Center Finalist for the John Burroughs Medal Named a “Best Scholarly Book of the Decade” by The Chronicle of Higher Education “In me, there is the red of miry clay, the brown of spring floods, the gold of ripening tobacco. I am, in the deepest sense, colored.” From these fertile soils—of love, land, identity, family, and race—emerges The Home Place, a big-hearted, unforgettable memoir by ornithologist J. Drew Lanham. Dating back to slavery, Edgefield County, South Carolina—a place “easy to pass by on the way to somewhere else”—has been home to generations of Lanhams. In The Home Place, readers meet these extraordinary people, including Drew himself, who over the course of the 1970s falls in love with the natural world around him. As his passion takes flight, however, he begins to ask what it means to be “the rare bird, the oddity”—to find joy and freedom in the same land his ancestors were tied to by forced labor, and then to be a black man in a profoundly white field. By turns angry, funny, elegiac, and heartbreaking, The Home Place is a remarkable meditation on nature and belonging, at once a deeply moving memoir and riveting exploration of the contradictions of black identity in the rural South—and in America today. About the Author A native of Edgefield, South Carolina, J. Drew Lanham is the author of The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature, which received the Reed Award from the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Southern Book Prize, and was a finalist for the John Burroughs Medal. He is a birder, naturalist, and hunter-conservationist who has published essays and poetry in publications including Orion, Audubon, Flycatcher, and Wilderness, and in several anthologies, including The Colors of Nature, State of the Heart, Bartram’s Living Legacy, and Carolina Writers at Home. An Alumni Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Master Teacher at Clemson University, he and his family live in the Upstate of South Carolina, a soaring hawk’s downhill glide from the southern Appalachian escarpment that the Cherokee once called the Blue Wall. https://milkweed.org/author/j-drew-lanham J. Drew Lanham Author's website

2011After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life. < All Book Selections 2011 Alabama Moon Watt Key Audience: Grades 4 - 8 After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life. About the Author Watt Key is an award-winning southern fiction author. His debut novel, Alabama Moon, was released to national acclaim in 2006, won the prestigious E.B. White Read-Aloud Award, sold over 100,000 copies domestically, and has been published in eight languages. In addition to his novels and screenplays, Watt writes fiction and nonfiction articles for both local and nationally distributed publications. Watt Key Author's website

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

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.

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

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

2026In 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. < All Book Selections 2026 Bridges to Belonging Unlikely Animals Annie Hartnett Audience: Adult 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. About the Author Annie Hartnett is a bestselling award-winning author of three novels: RABBIT CAKE, UNLIKELY ANIMALS, and most recently, THE ROAD TO TENDER HEARTS. She has received fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. Along with the writer Tessa Fontaine, she co-runs Accountability Workshops for writers, helping writers commit to routines and embrace the long, slow, joyful, terrible process of doing the work. She lives in Massachusetts with her very good husband, perfect daughter, and darling border collie. Annie Hartnett Author's website Photo by: Traer Scott

2025The Wild Robot, a heartwarming and action-packed novel, now a DreamWorks movie, tells the story of Roz, a robot stranded on a remote island. As she battles the elements and learns to adapt to her wild surroundings, Roz forms unlikely friendships with the island’s animal inhabitants. But her mysterious past threatens to disrupt her newfound peace. From bestselling author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a captivating tale exploring the collision of nature and technology. < All Book Selections 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World The Wild Robot Peter Brown Audience: Upper Elementary The Wild Robot, a heartwarming and action-packed novel, now a DreamWorks movie, tells the story of Roz, a robot stranded on a remote island. As she battles the elements and learns to adapt to her wild surroundings, Roz forms unlikely friendships with the island’s animal inhabitants. But her mysterious past threatens to disrupt her newfound peace. From bestselling author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a captivating tale exploring the collision of nature and technology. About the Author Peter Brown writes and illustrates books for children. His picture books include The Curious Garden, Children Make Terrible Pets, and Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. His work has earned numerous honors, including a Horn Book Award, a Children’s Choice Illustrator of the Year Award, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award, and a Caldecott Honor. Peter’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel for children, The Wild Robot, was the inspiration for The Wild Robot animated film from DreamWorks. He lives in Maine with his wife, X. Fang, who is also an author and illustrator. Peter Brown Author's website

Learn about our accessibility programs that ensure inclusive experiences for all visitors. Discover services, resources, and accommodations designed to make events and activities accessible to everyone. Accessibility Programs Thank You, Neighbor StoryWalk® Tue, Jan 20 Multiple Local Parks More info Details Connecting Dots – A conversation with blind author, designer, and disability scholar, Dr. Joshua Miele Wed, Feb 25 Santa Clara University Library More info Details Sing-A-Long Session with a Music Therapist from Music Mends Minds Mon, Mar 02 Virtual Event More info Details Adaptive Hour at the Library Wed, Mar 04 Morgan Hill Library More info Details Multiple Dates Watercolor Painting for Individuals with Disabilities Thu, Mar 05 Sunnyvale Community Center More info Details Magical Bridge Story Time Fri, Mar 06 Sunnyvale: Fair Oaks Park More info Details Magical Bridge Community Partner Day: Palo Alto Sun, Mar 08 Magical Bridge Playground More info Details Therapy Pets for Adults Tue, Mar 10 Santa Clara: Central Park Library More info Details Adult Enrichment Storytime Mon, Mar 16 Santa Clara: Central Park Library More info Details Give Me a Sign Book Discussion & Author Visit Fri, Mar 20 Online More info Details Thank You, Neighbor- Storytime ASL Mon, Mar 23 Sunnyvale Library More info Details

2017A child is gunned down by a police officer; an investigator ignores critical clues in a case; an innocent man confesses to a crime he did not commit; a jury acquits a killer. The evidence is all around us: Our system of justice is fundamentally broken. But it’s not for the reasons we tend to think, as law professor Adam Benforado argues in this eye-opening, galvanizing book. Even if the system operated exactly as it was designed to, we would still end up with wrongful convictions, trampled rights, and unequal treatment. This is because the roots of injustice lie not inside the dark hearts of racist police officers or dishonest prosecutors, but within the minds of each and every one of us. This is difficult to accept. Our nation is founded on the idea that the law is impartial, that legal cases are won or lost on the basis of evidence, careful reasoning and nuanced argument. But they may, in fact, turn on the camera angle of a defendant’s taped confession, the number of photos in a mug shot book, or a simple word choice during a cross-examination. In Unfair, Benforado shines a light on this troubling new field of research, showing, for example, that people with certain facial features receive longer sentences and that judges are far more likely to grant parole first thing in the morning. Over the last two decades, psychologists and neuroscientists have uncovered many cognitive forces that operate beyond our conscious awareness. Until we address these hidden biases head-on, Benforado argues, the social inequality we see now will only widen, as powerful players and institutions find ways to exploit the weaknesses of our legal system. Weaving together historical examples, scientific studies, and compelling court cases—from the border collie put on trial in Kentucky to the five teenagers who falsely confessed in the Central Park Jogger case—Benforado shows how our judicial processes fail to uphold our values and protect society’s weakest members. With clarity and passion, he lays out the scope of the legal system’s dysfunction and proposes a wealth of practical reforms that could prevent injustice and help us achieve true fairness and equality before the law. < All Book Selections 2017 ...and justice for all Unfair Adam Benforado Audience: Adult A child is gunned down by a police officer; an investigator ignores critical clues in a case; an innocent man confesses to a crime he did not commit; a jury acquits a killer. The evidence is all around us: Our system of justice is fundamentally broken. But it’s not for the reasons we tend to think, as law professor Adam Benforado argues in this eye-opening, galvanizing book. Even if the system operated exactly as it was designed to, we would still end up with wrongful convictions, trampled rights, and unequal treatment. This is because the roots of injustice lie not inside the dark hearts of racist police officers or dishonest prosecutors, but within the minds of each and every one of us. This is difficult to accept. Our nation is founded on the idea that the law is impartial, that legal cases are won or lost on the basis of evidence, careful reasoning and nuanced argument. But they may, in fact, turn on the camera angle of a defendant’s taped confession, the number of photos in a mug shot book, or a simple word choice during a cross-examination. In Unfair, Benforado shines a light on this troubling new field of research, showing, for example, that people with certain facial features receive longer sentences and that judges are far more likely to grant parole first thing in the morning. Over the last two decades, psychologists and neuroscientists have uncovered many cognitive forces that operate beyond our conscious awareness. Until we address these hidden biases head-on, Benforado argues, the social inequality we see now will only widen, as powerful players and institutions find ways to exploit the weaknesses of our legal system. Weaving together historical examples, scientific studies, and compelling court cases—from the border collie put on trial in Kentucky to the five teenagers who falsely confessed in the Central Park Jogger case—Benforado shows how our judicial processes fail to uphold our values and protect society’s weakest members. With clarity and passion, he lays out the scope of the legal system’s dysfunction and proposes a wealth of practical reforms that could prevent injustice and help us achieve true fairness and equality before the law. About the Author Adam Benforado is a Professor of Law in the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Drexel University in Philadelphia. His undergraduate degree in History is from Yale University and he graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2005. He has taught at Drexel University since 2008. In addition to Unfair, he is the author of numerous articles in legal and cognitive science publications as well as major newspapers and magazines including the New York Times, Washington Post and Atlantic. He has been interviewed on CNN, PBS, and other radio and TV shows across the country. Adam Benforado Author's website AWARDS AND REVIEWS A New York Times Best Seller A #1 Audible.com Best Seller An Amazon Best Nonfiction Book of the Month A Goodreads Best Book of the Month 2016 Media for a Just Society Awards Finalist A 20th Annual Books for a Better Life Awards Finalist A Greater Good Favorite Book of 2015 A 2015 Green Bag Exemplary Legal Writing Honoree A 2016 Science in Society Journalism Awards Honorable Mention “In this important, deeply researched debut, [Benforado] draws on findings from psychology and neuroscience to show that police, jurors, and judges are generally guided by intuitive feelings rather than hard facts in making assessments...The new research challenges basic assumptions about most key aspects of the legal system, including eyewitness memory, jury deliberations, police procedures, and punishment...An original and provocative argument that upends our most cherished beliefs about providing equal justice under the law.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred “This book suggests that criminal justice in the United States is not a system at all but a set of dysfunctional units that deliver biased decisions that make society less safe. Benforado deftly analyzes actual cases and recent studies in psychology and neuroscience to argue for broad-based reforms...A stimulating critique of today’s criminal justice system with applications to recent cases in Ferguson, MO, and elsewhere...Authoritative and accessible.” —Library Journal, starred “...a well-documented eye-opener.” —San Francisco Book Review (5/5 stars) “As gripping as a Grisham novel, only it isn’t fiction. With captivating cases and razor-sharp science, Adam Benforado puts the justice system on trial and makes a bulletproof argument that it’s fundamentally broken. This extraordinary book is a must-read for every judge, lawyer, detective, and concerned citizen in America.” —Adam Grant, Wharton School of Business, and author of Give and Take “In Unfair, Adam Benforado makes us aware of all our many imperfections when it comes to the judgment of others in our midst. He does so gently and with astonishing knowledge. Learning so much about our subconscious biases and the judicial system that exploits them is fascinating—and deeply troubling. But he goes further: he offers obtainable solutions, ones that we should race to effect, both within our own minds and in the human fates on which we bring our minds to bear.” —Jeff Hobbs, author of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace “Adam Benforado has written a book that will make you rethink everything you believe about crime and punishment. He gracefully blends science and storytelling to make a powerful case that our failure to bring the realities of human psychology into the courtroom has led to profound injustice. Enthralling and unsettling in equal measure, Unfair might be the most important book you read this year.” —Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive “This thoughtful and penetrating study raises many deeply troubling questions, and even more important, offers humane and very reasonable approaches to cure some of the ills of a system of ‘criminal injustice’ that should not be tolerated.” —Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus, MIT “Unfair succinctly and persuasively recounts cutting-edge research testifying to the faulty and inaccurate procedures that underpin virtually all aspects of our criminal justice system, illustrating many with case studies.” —The Boston Globe “In Unfair, [Benforado] argues that most errors in criminal justice stem from the failure to take into account the frailties of human cognition, memory and decision-making…this is a book everyone in the legal profession should read, and the rest of us too, for it is as much about the confounding idiosyncrasies of everyday behaviour as inequity in law.” —New Scientist “Benforado makes a compelling case, backed with reference to extensive scientific research, for [his] point of view in Unfair… Over and over again, Benforado demonstrates that basic assumptions underlying the criminal justice system are not supported by scientific evidence… [He] also reminds us of how far the practice of criminal justice has drifted from its ostensible goals… He is hopeful, however, that the system can be reformed, and the information in this book is offered in part toward that end. Unfair offers an excellent overview of an important body of information.” —PopMatters “Benforado is part of a rising chorus of academics, politicians, and those of us who work in the criminal justice system who are appalled by the fact that this country spends $60 billion a year on prisons and boasts the dubious honor of incarcerating more persons per capita than any other nation. In Unfair, Benforado does a wonderful job of describing the scope of the problem and of thinking creatively about how we can improve our criminal justice system.” —The Federal Lawyer “Insightful… one of the most important books written in a very long time.” —Douglas Blackmon, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Slavery by Another Name; American Forum “Benforado’s book is simply chock-full of eye-opening research and practical suggestions for improvement... Hopefully, [Unfair] will push us to take a step in [the right] direction.” —Greater Good “No one denies that the criminal justice system should be based on reason and respect for our fellow humans, but Unfair compellingly insists that to do that will require accepting some uncomfortable truths. Every lawyer and judge working in the criminal justice system should read this book. Those who take it seriously will sleep uneasily for quite some time.” —JOTWELL “Systems of justice are built by human brains. As such, they’re subject to all the foibles of human psychology, from biased decision-making to xenophobia to false memories. With the eye of a scholar and the ear of a storyteller, Benforado marshals the burgeoning research to illuminate the nexus between law and the mind sciences.” —David Eagleman, Director of the Initiative on Neuroscience and Law, and author of Incognito “Unfair is beautifully written, painstakingly researched, profoundly illuminating, and deeply disturbing. As evidence mounts that our criminal ‘justice’ system abounds with injustices, Benforado lays bare the systemic and psychological sources of its failures, weaving together compelling narrative and recent insights from the mind sciences. Unfair is must reading for anyone who cares about justice and, more important, for anyone who does not.” —Jon Hanson, Alfred Smart Professor of Law, Harvard Law School, and Faculty Director of the Project on Law and Mind Sciences and the Systemic Justice Project “Unfair is an engaging, eye-opening read. By weaving together the latest findings in psychology and neuroscience with real-world stories of justice gone wrong, Unfair sheds new light on how easy it is for unconscious biases to wreak havoc on the criminal justice system and the steps that can be taken to make the system fairer.” —Sian Beilock, University of Chicago Professor of Psychology, and author of Choke and How the Body Knows Its Mind “Unfair is an incisive look at the problems that arise in the legal system because of the way people think as well as the prospects for meaningful reform. Adam Benforado has written an engaging and masterful book on one of the most important issues society has to face.” —Art Markman, Professor of Psychology, University of Texas, author of Smart Thinking and Smart Change “In this provocative critique of the American criminal justice system, Adam Benforado demonstrates beyond a reasonable doubt that unfair outcomes aren’t tragic exceptions--they’re the rule, and human psychology is to blame. Bringing together cutting-edge research with insights from real life cases, Benforado shows us how our hidden biases undermine our guarantee of fairness and equality under the law, and offers much-needed solutions.” —Philip Zimbardo, author of The Lucifer Effect “It’s surprisingly easy to look back at high-profile criminal proceedings and see the flaws, while taking the overall system for granted. Adam Benforado looks across the whole canvas, elucidating through empirical data and scientific research how our own legal structures measure up—or, more accurately, don’t—to our values of justice and fairness. Criminal law in the United States is far from perfect, and Benforado’s thorough, thought-provoking examination is a welcome step in identifying and preventing institutionalized injustice.” —Jonathan Zittrain, George Bemis Professor in Law, Harvard Law School “In this fascinating book, Adam Benforado sheds new light from just about every angle on our criminal justice system. Practitioners, policy makers and everyday citizens will learn much about a subject that demands greater public debate.” —Tom Perriello, former Representative, United States Congress. “Unfair is a beautifully written book that manages to be both engrossing and important—a fascinating blend of psychological insight, legal know-how, and compelling storytelling. If you’ve ever wondered why the legal system doesn’t work as well as it should, Benforado’s intelligent take on the relationship between human psychology and the law will enlighten you—and leave you hopeful that we’re capable of doing better.” —Adam Alter, NYU Stern School of Business, and author of Drunk Tank Pink “An admirable collection of compelling stories about what is wrong with the criminal justice system.” —Christian Century “Unlike fields such as economics or philosophy, judicial theory and practice has largely ignored relevant findings about the human mind coming out of behavioral neuroscience and social psychology. This timely and important book can help us bring our criminal justice system into the 21st Century.” —Edward Slingerland, Co-director of the Centre for the Study of Human Evolution, Cognition and Culture and author of Trying Not to Try READING GUIDE for Unfair Reading Guide – downloadable pdf

2007In this timely novel, T. Coraghessan Boyle explores an issue that is at the forefront of the political arena, the controversy over illegal immigration. Tortilla Curtain is the compelling story of people on both sides of the issue, the haves and the have-nots. In Southern California's Topanga Canyon, two couples live in close proximity but are worlds apart. Nature writer Delaney Mossbacher and his wife, real estate agent Kyra Menaker-Mossbacher, reside in an exclusive, secluded housing development with their son, Jordan. The Mossbachers are agnostic liberals with a passion for recycling and fitness. Camped out in a ravine at the bottom of the canyon are Cándido and América Rincón, a Mexican couple who have crossed the border illegally. They are on the edge of starvation and search desperately for work in the hope of moving into an apartment before their baby is born. The Rincóns cling to their vision of the American dream, which eludes their grasp at every turn. A chance, violent encounter brings together Delaney and Cándido. The novel shifts back and forth between the two couples. The Rincóns' search for the American dream, and the Mossbachers' attempts to protect it, comprise the heart of the story. In scenes that are alternately comic, frightening, and satirical, but always all "too real," Boyle confronts not only immigration but social consciousness, environmental awareness, crime, and unemployment in a tale that raises the curtain on the dark side of the American dream. < All Book Selections 2007 The Tortilla Curtain T.C. Boyle Audience: Adult In this timely novel, T. Coraghessan Boyle explores an issue that is at the forefront of the political arena, the controversy over illegal immigration. Tortilla Curtain is the compelling story of people on both sides of the issue, the haves and the have-nots. In Southern California's Topanga Canyon, two couples live in close proximity but are worlds apart. Nature writer Delaney Mossbacher and his wife, real estate agent Kyra Menaker-Mossbacher, reside in an exclusive, secluded housing development with their son, Jordan. The Mossbachers are agnostic liberals with a passion for recycling and fitness. Camped out in a ravine at the bottom of the canyon are Cándido and América Rincón, a Mexican couple who have crossed the border illegally. They are on the edge of starvation and search desperately for work in the hope of moving into an apartment before their baby is born. The Rincóns cling to their vision of the American dream, which eludes their grasp at every turn. A chance, violent encounter brings together Delaney and Cándido. The novel shifts back and forth between the two couples. The Rincóns' search for the American dream, and the Mossbachers' attempts to protect it, comprise the heart of the story. In scenes that are alternately comic, frightening, and satirical, but always all "too real," Boyle confronts not only immigration but social consciousness, environmental awareness, crime, and unemployment in a tale that raises the curtain on the dark side of the American dream. About the Author T. Coraghessan Boyle was born in 1948 and grew up in Peekskill, New York. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Potsdam, and received his doctorate in nineteenth-century English literature from the University of Iowa in 1977. Since 1977, Boyle has taught creative writing at the University of Southern California. While in college, Boyle exchanged his middle name, John, for the unusual Coraghessan, the name of one of his Irish ancestors. Boyle is the author of 17 books including, Descent of Man (1979), Water Music (1982), Budding Prospects (1984), Greasy Lake (1985), World's End (1987, winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction), If the River Was Whiskey (1989), East Is East (1990), The Road to Wellville (1993), which was made into a movie starring Anthony Hopkins, Without a Hero (1994), After the Plague (2001), Drop City (2003), The Inner Circle (2004), and Tooth and Claw (2005). His work has appeared in major American magazines, including The New Yorker, Esquire, Harper's, The Paris Review, and The Atlantic Monthly. Boyle lives with his wife, Karen, and their three children near Santa Barbara, Californi T.C. Boyle Author's website SELECTED REVIEWS: "PEN/Faulkner award winner and author of various novels, including The Road to Wellville (1993), Boyle avoids any potential pitfall of his prior achievement by veering in another direction and seriously examining social and political issues in this timely novel. He establishes an obvious dichotomy by interweaving the scrapping, makeshift, in-the-present lives of illegal aliens Cándido and América Rincóns with the politically correct, suburban, plan-for-the-future existence of wealthy Americans, Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher. The Rincóns’ lives, though full of fear and hardship, contain far more passion and endurance than the Mossbachers' mundane and materialistic lifestyles. An initial, pivotal car accident briefly unites, and ultimately separates, Delaney and Cándido, provoking question after question concerning immigration, unemployment, discrimination, and social responsibility. Surprisingly, Boyle manages to address these issues in a nonjudgmental fashion, depicting the vast inequity in these parallel existences. This highly engaging story subtly plays on our consciences, forcing us to form, confirm, or dispute social, political, and moral viewpoints. This is a profound and tragic tale, one that exposes not only a failed American Dream, but a failing America." -- Booklist "Succeeds in stealing the front page news and bringing it home to the great American tradition of the social novel." -- The Boston Globe "Lays on the line our national cult of hypocrisy. Comically and painfully he details the smug wastefulness of the haves and the vile misery of the have-nots." -- Barbara Kingsolver, The Nation "A compelling story of myopic misunderstanding and mutual tragedy." -- Chicago Tribune "Boyle is still America's most imaginative contemporary novelist." -- Newsweek "The Tortilla Curtain qualifies as that rarest of artistic achievements--a truly necessary book." -- The San Diego Union-Tribune "Weaving social commentary into moving entertaining fiction is a job few writers can handle. Boyle does so here, admirably. Readers should not miss this latest work from an impressive talent.... Many generations of great satirists come to mind when reading it--from Swift to Twain to Waugh to Woody Allen." -- The Baltimore Sun "A Grapes of Wrath for the 1990s." -- The Philadelphia Inquirer Q&A WITH THE AUTHOR Q: What is the significance of the title of the book? A: The title comes from a common phrase for the Mexican border, the tortilla curtain, and I envision it in this way. We have the Iron Curtain, which as an image is impenetrable. You picture this wall across Eastern Europe. Then we have the Bamboo Curtain with regard to China. As I see it, that isn't quite as impenetrable as an iron curtain. It shatters easily and has gaps in it. It's not uniform. And now we have the Tortilla Curtain, which is the opposite of impregnable. It's three strips of barbed wire with some limp tortillas hanging on it. The central question of this, and of the images of walls that appear throughout the book--the walls, the gates, walling people out, what do you wall in, all of that--has to do with us as a species and who owns what. Do you really own your own property? Do you have a right to fence people out? Do we have an obligation to assist people who come over that border, that wall, that gate? How is it that Americans are allowed to have this incredible standard of living while others do not? All of these questions, I think, are wrapped up in my view of our debate over immigration. Q: What is your view on immigration? A: I feel that, on the one hand, we do have a right to be a sovereign nation and to protect our borders. Illegal immigration makes a mockery of legal immigration, and no other country in the world allows this sort of thing to happen. On the other hand, what I object to even more than that is this kind of demonizing of a whole race and class of people, as in considering all Mexicans, all Guatemalans, all Salvadorans to be bad because they're invading our country as impoverished and ignorant individuals. The final gesture of the book, I think, shows you that we are one species and we do have to understand and appreciate that fact despite ethnic and national differences. But it's a small gesture because I think that it's a very, very complex issue that people have to work towards answering. Q: As an epigraph to the book you use a quotation from The Grapes of Wrath. Did you have John Steinbeck's novel in mind when you wrote The Tortilla Curtain? A: I'm not trying to re-write Steinbeck in any way. I chose the epigraph from him because I wanted to see how the ethos of the 1930s, and the traditional liberal ethos of providing for everybody, is applied to today.Q: The book is essentially set in your own backyard. Did this prompt you to write it? Did the proposal and passing of Proposition 187 (a bill passed in California that denies certain social benefits to illegal immigrants) factor in?A: The book was somewhat misunderstood because it came out after the 187 vote, and people attacked the book or enjoyed it based on their own perspective. The book was actually conceived and written prior to Proposition 187's even being drafted, and I think it came from the fact that I lived in Los Angeles for sixteen years. Reading about immigration in the newspaper every day and talking to people at parties like the ones that Delaney and Kyra give, I began to get a sense of something brewing that was akin to what happened here in Steinbeck's day, but had the added element that the Okies of today are not American citizens and they're of a different race.Q: Do you see The Tortilla Curtain as a political novel?A: I think obviously people will want to talk about 187, and the campaign to draft a national bill like 187, but this book isn't a political novel in the sense that it takes a position and is meant to have people agree or disagree with that position. It's political in a different sense. I don't think political novels work because they have "an ax to grind." If you have "an ax to grind," then you have to sacrifice aesthetics and the discovery of the book in order to make your point or to make people join your party or to see your point of view. I write a book like The Tortilla Curtain from having lived here and picked up on everything going on that finally resulted in 187, and from trying to sort out my own feelings. I don't have a position when I begin a book, any book. I write in order to put some hypothetical elements together and see what will happen. I don't know what's going to happen even chapter by chapter, and I don't know what's going to happen at the end of the book. That's a process of discovery, which is why I write novels rather than, let's say, a polemic, to discover how I feel about the issues, but particularly about this issue.Q: Critics and readers on both sides of the immigration issue had mixed reactions to The Tortilla Curtain. Why do you think the book generated so much controversy?A: I'm not presenting any answers, and I think that's why the book was very controversial. People want a polemic. They want to raise their fist in the air and say, "Yes, you're on our side." Well, I'm not on your side. I am presenting a fable, a fiction, so that you can judge for yourself. A lot of people simply read the book and flew off the handle because it either accords with what they want it to or it doesn't. People want things to be very clear-cut. Here's the issue and here's how I stand on it. But I think it's much more complex. I think it has to do with biology. You may notice that Delaney is a nature writer. Well, nature writers are generally very liberal, even radically liberal on all issues except one--the issue of immigration, on which they are more reactionary than anyone. The reason for this is they argue that there are six billion people on the planet now, and who is the enemy of the environment? Who is the enemy of clean air, clean water, all the dwindling animal species? Well, it's us. Us, human beings. Our species. And this is an element of the book which is very important and has been overlooked. There is this population pressure on the world in all the industrial nations, not simply the United States. England, Germany, and France all have huge influxes of immigrants, and I'm wondering, what does this mean and how are people going to deal with it? I think ultimately, as you see in The Tortilla Curtain, it may simply exacerbate racist tendencies.Q: What research did you do to prepare for the writing of The Tortilla Curtain?A: It may sound silly, but I've always felt an affection for Mexico and Mexican culture. I grew up in New York, as you may know, and the language I studied from eighth grade on was Spanish. In fact, the only language I can speak besides English is Spanish. I've always been attracted to the culture, and even before I moved to California I had traveled in Mexico and Central America. When I decided to write this book, I knew that I had to see one thing only. And that was the fence at the border. So I went back to Tijuana, where I hadn't been for some years, and spent the day there. I talked to people. I walked along the fence. I saw people waiting to climb over the fence with little plastic bags with everything they owned in them. I saw the border guards eyeing me suspiciously from the other side. I saw the huge fence the U.S. is building out into the water, and so on, just to get a feel for that again and see what it's like. And it's a real war zone, it's a real disaster, Tijuana, let me tell you.Q: The search for the American dream is a theme that resounds throughout The Tortilla Curtain. Do you think there is such a thing as the American dream?A: I've addressed this throughout all of my work, our material obsession, all the stuff I've written about eating and how much we have and the surfeit of things; my story "Filthy with Things," for instance. What is the American dream? Well, the American dream is, "you pull yourself up by your bootstraps, you make it, you have a house, you live in the suburbs, and you drive a new car." What is that? That is a material dream. If you have nothing, then you have material dreams. Presumably, if you have an education and you have enough to eat, then you can have aesthetic dreams or humanistic dreams. Easy for me to say. I have every material thing I could want. I didn't become a writer to make money. I became a writer because that is my obsession and that's how I view the world. As a novelist, my job is to try to inhabit people of any culture, to be a person of another sex, or another race, or another ethnic group. I think it helps me to understand them, and it helps the reader to understand them, too.Q: What writers do you admire? Have any of them influenced your work?A: I admire hundreds of writers of the past and present and many, many of them have influenced my work. A writer who has influenced me with regard to this type of book is Steinbeck because I'm re-examining his ethos, as we said. In terms of satire, people like Flannery O'Connor and Evelyn Waugh have been influential on me, writers who are sort of angry about the way things are happening in society, and so they hold up certain behaviors to ridicule.

2025From award-winning author Lindsay Lackey, Farther Than the Moon is a heartfelt story about a thirteen-year-old boy named Houston who dreams of becoming an astronaut. When he’s accepted to a prestigious astronaut program, Houston faces a dilemma: his younger brother, Robbie, has disabilities that prevent him from attending. Despite the challenges, Houston is determined to honor Robbie’s dream of space exploration, even if it means making sacrifices. As Houston navigates the demands of the program and confronts the reality of his brother’s limitations, he discovers the true meaning of friendship, perseverance, and the power of hope. < All Book Selections 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World Farther than the Moon Lindsay Lackey Audience: Middle Grades From award-winning author Lindsay Lackey, Farther Than the Moon is a heartfelt story about a thirteen-year-old boy named Houston who dreams of becoming an astronaut. When he’s accepted to a prestigious astronaut program, Houston faces a dilemma: his younger brother, Robbie, has disabilities that prevent him from attending. Despite the challenges, Houston is determined to honor Robbie’s dream of space exploration, even if it means making sacrifices. As Houston navigates the demands of the program and confronts the reality of his brother’s limitations, he discovers the true meaning of friendship, perseverance, and the power of hope. About the Author Lindsay Lackey never wanted to be an astronaut when she was growing up. She did, however, want to be an opera singer, a Supreme Court Justice, or an author. She was born in Colorado and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their spoiled dogs. Her debut novel, All the Impossible Things was the recipient of multiple honors and critical acclaim. Her second novel, Farther Than the Moon , launched in 2023 and was shortlisted for several awards, including the OWL Award and the Cybil Award for middle grade fiction. Lindsay loves to sing, is almost always listening to an audiobook, and is now obsessed with space. In fact, if NASA wants to send a children’s book author to space, she will happily volunteer. Lindsay Lackey 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

2013Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. But Nubs's life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis. The two formed a fast friendship, made stronger by Dennis's willingness to share his meals, offer a warm place to sleep, and give Nubs the kind of care and attention he had never received before. Nubs became part of Dennis's human "pack" until duty required the Marines to relocate a full 70 miles away--without him. Nubs had no way of knowing that Marines were not allowed to have pets. So began an incredible journey that would take Nubs through a freezing desert, filled with danger to find his friend, and would lead Dennis on a mission that would touch the hearts of people all over the world. Nubs and Dennis will remind readers that friendship has the power to cross deserts, continents, and even species. Nubs is nominated for the California Young Reader Medal, and is the recipient of 10 State Children's Choice Awards, The Christopher Medal, and the National Parenting Publication Gold Award. < All Book Selections 2013 Invisible Wounds of War Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery Audience: Grades 2 - 5 Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. But Nubs's life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis. The two formed a fast friendship, made stronger by Dennis's willingness to share his meals, offer a warm place to sleep, and give Nubs the kind of care and attention he had never received before. Nubs became part of Dennis's human "pack" until duty required the Marines to relocate a full 70 miles away--without him. Nubs had no way of knowing that Marines were not allowed to have pets. So began an incredible journey that would take Nubs through a freezing desert, filled with danger to find his friend, and would lead Dennis on a mission that would touch the hearts of people all over the world. Nubs and Dennis will remind readers that friendship has the power to cross deserts, continents, and even species. Nubs is nominated for the California Young Reader Medal, and is the recipient of 10 State Children's Choice Awards, The Christopher Medal, and the National Parenting Publication Gold Award. About the Author Brian is now stationed in Virginia and Nubs is still by his side. Kirby Larson is the acclaimed author of the 2007 Newbery Honor book, Hattie Big Sky. Her most recent title is Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival, co-written with Mary Nethery. Kirby lives in Kenmore, Washington. Mary Nethery is the author of many picture books, including Hannah and Jack, Mary Veronica's Egg, and Orange Cat Goes to Market. Mary lives in Eureka, California. Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery Author's website

2025Dr. Fei-Fei Li, the "Godmother of AI" according to Wired Magazine, has been a driving force behind recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. Her creation of ImageNet, a massive dataset of images, has been instrumental in training deep learning models. Despite facing adversity early in life, Li’s passion for physics led her to pursue a career in computer science. Her work has positioned her at the forefront of AI research, where she has witnessed both the incredible potential and the significant risks of this technology. The Worlds I See offers a personal glimpse into her journey and a clear explanation of AI's development. < All Book Selections 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World The Worlds I See Dr. Fei-Fei Li Audience: Adult Dr. Fei-Fei Li, the "Godmother of AI" according to Wired Magazine, has been a driving force behind recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. Her creation of ImageNet, a massive dataset of images, has been instrumental in training deep learning models. Despite facing adversity early in life, Li’s passion for physics led her to pursue a career in computer science. Her work has positioned her at the forefront of AI research, where she has witnessed both the incredible potential and the significant risks of this technology. The Worlds I See offers a personal glimpse into her journey and a clear explanation of AI's development. About the Author Dr. Fei-Fei Li is the inaugural Sequoia Professor in the Computer Science Department at Stanford University, and Founding Co-Director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute. She served as the Director of Stanford’s AI Lab from 2013 to 2018, and during her sabbatical from Stanford, she was Vice President at Google and served as Chief Scientist of AI/ML at Google Cloud. Dr. Li holds a B.A. in physics from Princeton, a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Caltech, and an honorary doctorate from Harvey Mudd College. Her research focuses on cognitively inspired AI, machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, robotic learning, and AI+healthcare. She has published over 300 scientific articles, and her groundbreaking work in creating ImageNet, the first big training and benchmarking dataset in AI, was instrumental in catalyzing the onset of modern AI. She is a leading advocate for diversity in STEM and AI, co-founding AI4ALL to promote inclusion in AI education. Dr. Fei-Fei Li 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

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

2025Local author and founder of Khan Academy, Salman Khan's latest book, Brave New Words, is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of education. Khan explores how AI and GPT technology will transform learning, offering a roadmap for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this exciting new world. Khan examines the benefits and challenges of AI in education, emphasizing the importance of human interaction while leveraging AI for personalized learning. He also delves into the ethical implications of AI, providing insights into how we can use these tools to build a more accessible and equitable education system. < All Book Selections 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World Brave New Words (NF) Salman Khan Audience: Adult Local author and founder of Khan Academy, Salman Khan's latest book, Brave New Words, is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of education. Khan explores how AI and GPT technology will transform learning, offering a roadmap for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this exciting new world. Khan examines the benefits and challenges of AI in education, emphasizing the importance of human interaction while leveraging AI for personalized learning. He also delves into the ethical implications of AI, providing insights into how we can use these tools to build a more accessible and equitable education system. About the Author Salman Khan Author's website

2025In the near-future New York City, Lee, a promising graduate, finds herself unexpectedly assigned to a secretive government project. Her task: to train an AI named Vicky to be a friend. As Lee delves into the research, she uncovers a world where loneliness has been eradicated, and the government is desperate to maintain this illusion. With a determination to succeed, Lee embarks on a dangerous mission to gather data for Vicky, pushing the boundaries of her own understanding of friendship and the profound impact technology can have on human connection. < All Book Selections 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World Loneliness & Company Charlee Dyroff Audience: Adult In the near-future New York City, Lee, a promising graduate, finds herself unexpectedly assigned to a secretive government project. Her task: to train an AI named Vicky to be a friend. As Lee delves into the research, she uncovers a world where loneliness has been eradicated, and the government is desperate to maintain this illusion. With a determination to succeed, Lee embarks on a dangerous mission to gather data for Vicky, pushing the boundaries of her own understanding of friendship and the profound impact technology can have on human connection. About the Author Charlee Dyroff is a writer from Boulder, Colorado. Her debut novel, Loneliness & Company , was selected as a 2024 Indie Next Pick. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, Slate, the Southwest Review, and elsewhere. One of her essays was chosen for The Best American Food Writing of 2019 . Dyroff graduated with an MFA from Columbia University where she was also awarded a fellowship. Charlee Dyroff Author's website

2009For grades 4-7, this is the story of two friends who overcome their fears - one of going to fifth grade and one of racial prejudice. "Full of humanity and humor, this well-paced novel offers a dollop of history with its setting in rural Georgia at the moment local boy Jimmy Carter's presidential bid is gaining momentum. The villains' credibility makes them scary, and both Gabe and Frita's refreshingly functional families are exquisitely drawn..." - Publisher's Weekly Gabriel King believes he was born chicken. He's afraid of spiders, corpses, loose cows, and just about everything related to the fifth grade. If it's a choice between graduating or staying in the fourth grade forever, he's going to stay put - only his best friend Frita Wilson won't hear of it. "Gabe," says Frita, "we gotta do something about you." When Frita makes up her mind she's like a locomotive - there's no stopping her. "First you're going to make a list. Write down everything you're afraid of." Gabe's list is a lot longer than he'd like Frita to know. Plus, he can't quite figure out how tackling his fears will make him brave. Surely jumping off the rope swing over the catfish pond can only lead to certain death...But maybe Frita knows what she's doing. It turns out she's got her own list, and while she's watching Gabe tackle each of his fears, she's avoiding the fear that scares her the most. With wisdom and clarity, K. L. Going explores the nature of fear in what should be an idyllic summer for two friends from different backgrounds. For them, living in a small town in Georgia with an active Ku Klux Klan, the summer of 1976 is a momentous one. < All Book Selections 2009 The Liberation of Gabriel King K.L. Going Audience: Grades 4 - 7 For grades 4-7, this is the story of two friends who overcome their fears - one of going to fifth grade and one of racial prejudice. "Full of humanity and humor, this well-paced novel offers a dollop of history with its setting in rural Georgia at the moment local boy Jimmy Carter's presidential bid is gaining momentum. The villains' credibility makes them scary, and both Gabe and Frita's refreshingly functional families are exquisitely drawn..." - Publisher's Weekly Gabriel King believes he was born chicken. He's afraid of spiders, corpses, loose cows, and just about everything related to the fifth grade. If it's a choice between graduating or staying in the fourth grade forever, he's going to stay put - only his best friend Frita Wilson won't hear of it. "Gabe," says Frita, "we gotta do something about you." When Frita makes up her mind she's like a locomotive - there's no stopping her. "First you're going to make a list. Write down everything you're afraid of." Gabe's list is a lot longer than he'd like Frita to know. Plus, he can't quite figure out how tackling his fears will make him brave. Surely jumping off the rope swing over the catfish pond can only lead to certain death...But maybe Frita knows what she's doing. It turns out she's got her own list, and while she's watching Gabe tackle each of his fears, she's avoiding the fear that scares her the most. With wisdom and clarity, K. L. Going explores the nature of fear in what should be an idyllic summer for two friends from different backgrounds. For them, living in a small town in Georgia with an active Ku Klux Klan, the summer of 1976 is a momentous one. About the Author K.L. Going is the award winning author of numerous books for children and teens. Her first novel, Fat Kid Rules the World was named a Michael Printz Honor Book by the American Library Association, and was included on YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults list and their list of Best Books for the Past Decade. Her books have been Booksense picks, Scholastic Book Club choices, Junior Library Guild selections, NY Public Library Best Books for the Teenage, and winners of state book awards. They’ve been featured by Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Children's Book Council as Best Books of the year. Her work has also been published in Korea, Italy, Japan, Germany, and the UK, and her novel Fat Kid Rules the World is soon to be an independent film! K.L. Going Author's website Lessons and Discussion Questions Nancy Keane's Booktalks -- Quick and Simple

2014“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. < All Book Selections 2014 Books & Technology: Friends or Foes? 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. About the Author Robin Sloan grew up near Detroit and now splits his time between Berkeley and the internet. He graduated from Michigan State with a degree in economics and, from 2002 to 2012, worked at Poynter, Current TV, and finally at Twitter in San Francisco, where he worked on media partnerships. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is his first novel. Ajax Penumbra 1969 , a short prequel, was released in September. Robin Sloan Author's website

2005"Epitaph for a Peach: Four Seasons on My Family Farm," by David Mas Masumoto, is the chronicle of a year in the author’s quest to save the Sun Crest peaches grown on his family’s farm. But more is at stake than peaches. This son of Japanese Americans interned during World War II is also working to preserve a way of life. Interweaving his family’s story through the four seasons of his story, Masumoto demonstrates the faith, patience, and determination required to run a family farm in a world of agribusiness. As Publishers Weekly puts it "This is a peach of a book, as delectable as the Sun Crest peach Masumoto is struggling to save." < All Book Selections 2005 Epitaph for a Peach David Mas Masumoto Audience: Adult "Epitaph for a Peach: Four Seasons on My Family Farm," by David Mas Masumoto, is the chronicle of a year in the author’s quest to save the Sun Crest peaches grown on his family’s farm. But more is at stake than peaches. This son of Japanese Americans interned during World War II is also working to preserve a way of life. Interweaving his family’s story through the four seasons of his story, Masumoto demonstrates the faith, patience, and determination required to run a family farm in a world of agribusiness. As Publishers Weekly puts it "This is a peach of a book, as delectable as the Sun Crest peach Masumoto is struggling to save." About the Author David Mas Masumoto is the author of "Harvest Son," "Planting Roots in American Soil," "Epitaph For A Peach: Four Seasons on My Family Farm," "Four Seasons in Five Senses, Things Worth Savoring," "Silent Strength," "Home Bound," "Country Voices, The Oral History of a Japanese American Family Farm Community," and "Letters to the Valley: A Harvest of Memories." He received the James Clavell Japanese American National Literacy Award in 1986. A third generation farmer, Masumoto has a bachelor's degree in sociology from U.C. Berkeley and a master's degree in community development from U.C. Davis. He also attended International University in Tokyo, Japan. "Epitaph for a Peach" won the 1995 Julia Child Cookbook Award in the Literary Food Writing category and was a finalist for the 1996 James Beard Foundation Food Writing Award. It also received the San Francisco Review of Books Critics' Choice Award 1995-1996. Masumoto was appointed to the California Council for the Humanities board in 1994 and served as Co-Chair from 1998 to 2001. In 2002, Masumoto joined the Board of Directors of the Irvine Foundation, dedicated to enhancing the social, economic and physical quality of life throughout California and to enriching the state's intellectual and cultural environment. David Mas Masumoto Author's website SELECTED REVIEWS: From Publishers Weekly This is a peach of a book, as delectable as the Sun Crest peach Masumoto is struggling to save. It is a superior variety as to taste but has a short shelf life. The author, a third-generation farmer, gives an eloquent account of one year on his farm in the California desert. He notes that grape and tree fruit farmers are deprived of an annual rite that other farmers have planting a new crop. Peach trees are planted every 15 to 20 years; grapevines, once in a lifetime. And, according to the author, a new planting is like having another child, requiring patience and sacrifice and a resounding optimism for the future. Masumoto's book reveals his commitment to the land and his family; it is also a cogent commentary on American agriculture. From Library Journal This book is a delightful narrative on the life of a Japanese American peach and grape farmer in the San Joaquin Valley near Del Rey, California. With poetic flair and a sense of humor, Masumoto offers his perspectives on the joys and frustrations of raising and tending peaches and grapes. He describes his relationship with the weeds and insects that invade his fields, the unpredictability of the weather, his desire to treat workers fairly, and the realities of the market structure. From New York Times Book Review "Masumoto's style is lyrical... Epitaph for a Peach is an important book. It is not resignation but stoicism that tinges this text, eliciting sympathy and admiration."

2013Rachel "Brownie" Browning is thirteen when her father comes back from the war in Iraq. Of course she understands that he has been injured and that he will be a little different, at least for a while. But Brownie doesn't even know the man with a prosthetic arm and leg who sits in the living room day after day. He's certainly not the father who helped her build a fort in her backyard, or played basketball with her sister, or hauled her little brother around like a sack of potatoes. Brownie's mother says that because of his traumatic brain injury, their father needs their affection and patience. In time, he'll be better - Dad will be back. But Dad doesn't seem to be making much progress, or much effort. He doesn't smile. He doesn't talk. He won't even get out of his wheelchair, even though the doctors have taught him how and say that walking is essential to his recovery. And Brownie begins to wonder, will her family ever be able to return to the way life was before the war? A story about an ordinary family forced to deal with an extraordinary loss, Back Home tells the tale of families scarred and the battle just beginning when their wounded loved ones return home. < All Book Selections 2013 Invisible Wounds of War Back Home Julia Keller Audience: Grades 5 - 8 Rachel "Brownie" Browning is thirteen when her father comes back from the war in Iraq. Of course she understands that he has been injured and that he will be a little different, at least for a while. But Brownie doesn't even know the man with a prosthetic arm and leg who sits in the living room day after day. He's certainly not the father who helped her build a fort in her backyard, or played basketball with her sister, or hauled her little brother around like a sack of potatoes. Brownie's mother says that because of his traumatic brain injury, their father needs their affection and patience. In time, he'll be better - Dad will be back. But Dad doesn't seem to be making much progress, or much effort. He doesn't smile. He doesn't talk. He won't even get out of his wheelchair, even though the doctors have taught him how and say that walking is essential to his recovery. And Brownie begins to wonder, will her family ever be able to return to the way life was before the war? A story about an ordinary family forced to deal with an extraordinary loss, Back Home tells the tale of families scarred and the battle just beginning when their wounded loved ones return home. About the Author Julia Keller was born and raised in Huntington, West Virginia. Her father was a mathematics professor and her mother was a high-school English teacher. Julia has taught at Ohio State and Princeton universities and the University of Notre Dame. She won a Pulitzer Prize for feature writing for her work at the Chicago Tribune. She is also the author of Mr. Gatling's Terrible Marvel and a recently-published murder mystery, A Killing in the Hills. Julia Keller Author's website

2023Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would also mean leaving his brother, the only family member he has left, every day. Heartbreak, hope, and gentle humor exist together in this graphic novel about a childhood spent waiting, and a young man who is able to create a sense of family and home in the most difficult of settings. It's an intimate, important, unforgettable look at the day-to-day life of a refugee, as told to New York Times Bestselling author/artist Victoria Jamieson by Omar Mohamed, the Somali man who lived the story. < All Book Selections 2023 Journey to New Beginnings When Stars are Scattered Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed Audience: Grades 5-8 Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would also mean leaving his brother, the only family member he has left, every day. Heartbreak, hope, and gentle humor exist together in this graphic novel about a childhood spent waiting, and a young man who is able to create a sense of family and home in the most difficult of settings. It's an intimate, important, unforgettable look at the day-to-day life of a refugee, as told to New York Times Bestselling author/artist Victoria Jamieson by Omar Mohamed, the Somali man who lived the story. About the Author Victoria Jamieson Co-author/Illustrator Victoria Jamieson is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of books for children. Her graphic novel Roller Girl was awarded a 2016 Newbery Honor. When Stars Are Scattered, co-written with Omar Mohamed, was named a National Book Award Finalist in 2020. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania. Omar Mohamed Co-author Born in Somalia, at age 4, Omar fled to Dadaab Refugee Camp, and spent the next 15 years in the camp. Despite the difficulties of living in the refugee camp, Omar completed his primary and secondary school in Dadaab. He came to the U.S. in 2009 as a refugee, traveling with his younger brother who is mentality handicapped. In 2010 Omar became a US citizen and was also accepted into the University of Arizona where he completed his degree in International Development. Omar started Refugee Strong, a 501(C) (3) nonprofit organization committed to empowering refugee communities by providing support and hope through education. Having grown up in Dadaab Refugee Camp, Omar is a constant advocate for those who live there. Omar co-authored When Stars are Scattered based on his experience. Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed Author's website

2011A baby kangaroo takes his first tentative hops outside of his mama's pouch, meeting other creatures and growing bolder each time. < All Book Selections 2011 Pouch! David Ezra Stein Audience: Pre-K A baby kangaroo takes his first tentative hops outside of his mama's pouch, meeting other creatures and growing bolder each time. About the Author Award-winning children's author and illustrator David Ezra Stein was born in Brooklyn, NY. By the time he was three, he was asking adults, "Wanna come to my room? Read books?" This love of reading grew into a love of telling stories, and then, writing. David Ezra Stein’s Interrupting Chicken was awarded a 2011 Caldecott Honor, as well as many state awards. His picture book Leaves won the Ezra Jack Keats award and was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, a Kirkus Reviews Editor’s Choice, and a School Library Journal Best Book. Booklist called his book Monster Hug! “a cousin to Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are.” Pouch! (Putnam), was a 2010 Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book. His books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, French, and Finnish David Ezra Stein Author's website "With each vivacious bounce, a baby kangaroo seeks independence-bit by bit. Ready, more or less, to venture forth from his mama's pouch, this tenacious tyke now explores the world around him. With a few hops, Joey greets each creature he meets with a forceful, "who are you?" Their one-word responses alarm him; Joey quickly cries "Pouch!" as he returns to his mother's side. When Joey meets another joey, though, he gains courage with his newfound friend. Punchy dialogue zings during the kangaroo's brief interactions, and repetition successfully accelerates the story. Succinct phrases maintain playful pacing and provide a fluid read-aloud. The bold, white hand-lettered dialogue predominately placed against the vignettes expresses the toddler's fledgling growth. Rich colors, mostly in orangey-browns, golden yellows and rustic greens, evoke an earthy atmosphere. The background surroundings seamlessly blend, maintaining focus on the central characters, and soft curves convey maternal love as Joey's mother supports his maturity. Warm and inviting, this buoyant tale is hopping good fun." —Kirkus Reviews

2006Julia Otsuka's quietly disturbing novel opens with a woman reading a sign in a post office window. It is Berkeley, California, the spring of 1942. Pearl Harbor has been attacked, the war is on, and though the precise message on the sign is not revealed, its impact on the woman who reads it is immediate and profound. It is, in many ways she cannot yet foresee, a sign of things to come. She readies herself and her two young children for a journey that will take them to the high desert plains of Utah and into a world that will shatter their illusions forever. They travel by train and gradually the reader discovers that all on board are Japanese American, that the shades must be pulled down at night so as not to invite rock-throwing, and that their destination is an internment camp where they will be imprisoned "for their own safety" until the war is over. With stark clarity and an unflinching gaze, Otsuka explores the inner lives of her main characters-the mother, daughter, and son-as they struggle to understand their fate and long for the father whom they have not seen since he was whisked away, in slippers and handcuffs, on the evening of Pearl Harbor. < All Book Selections 2006 When the Emperor Was Divine Julie Otsuka Audience: Adult Julia Otsuka's quietly disturbing novel opens with a woman reading a sign in a post office window. It is Berkeley, California, the spring of 1942. Pearl Harbor has been attacked, the war is on, and though the precise message on the sign is not revealed, its impact on the woman who reads it is immediate and profound. It is, in many ways she cannot yet foresee, a sign of things to come. She readies herself and her two young children for a journey that will take them to the high desert plains of Utah and into a world that will shatter their illusions forever. They travel by train and gradually the reader discovers that all on board are Japanese American, that the shades must be pulled down at night so as not to invite rock-throwing, and that their destination is an internment camp where they will be imprisoned "for their own safety" until the war is over. With stark clarity and an unflinching gaze, Otsuka explores the inner lives of her main characters-the mother, daughter, and son-as they struggle to understand their fate and long for the father whom they have not seen since he was whisked away, in slippers and handcuffs, on the evening of Pearl Harbor. About the Author Julie Otsuka was born in Palo Alto and studied art at Yale University. After pursuing a career as a painter, she turned to fiction at age 30. One of her short stories was included in Scribner's Best of the Fiction Workshops 1998, edited by Carol Shields. When the Emperor Was Divine is her first novel. She lives in New York. Julie Otsuka Author's website SELECTED REVIEWS: From Publishers Weekly This heartbreaking, bracingly unsentimental debut describes in poetic detail the travails of a Japanese family living in an internment camp during World War II, raising the specter of wartime injustice in bone-chilling fashion. After a woman whose husband was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy sees notices posted around her neighborhood in Berkeley instructing Japanese residents to evacuate, she moves with her son and daughter to an internment camp, abruptly severing her ties with her community. The next three years are spent in filthy, cramped and impersonal lodgings as the family is shuttled from one camp to another. They return to Berkeley after the war to a home that has been ravaged by vandals; it takes time for them to adjust to life outside the camps and to come to terms with the hostility they face. When the children's father re-enters the book, he is more of a symbol than a character, reduced to a husk by interrogation and abuse. The novel never strays into melodrama-Otsuka describes the family's everyday life in Berkeley and the pitiful objects that define their world in the camp with admirable restraint and modesty. Events are viewed from numerous characters' points of view, and the different perspectives are defined by distinctive, lyrically simple observations. The novel's honesty and matter-of-fact tone in the face of inconceivable injustice are the source of its power. Anger only comes to the fore during the last segment, when the father is allowed to tell his story-but even here, Otsuka keeps rage neatly bound up, luminous beneath the dazzling surface of her novel. "Exceptional. . . . Otsuka skillfully dramatizes a world suddenly foreign. . . . [Her] incantatory, unsentimental prose is the book’s greatest strength." – The New Yorker "Spare, incisive. . . . The mood of the novel tensely reflects the protagonists’ emotional state: calm surfaces above, turmoil just beneath." – Boston Globe "Prose so cool and precise that it’s impossible not to believe what [Otsuka] tells us or to see clearly what she wants us to see. . . . A gem of a book and one of the most vivid history lessons you’ll ever learn." – USA Today "Shockingly brilliant. . . . it will make you gasp . . . Undoubtedly one of the most effective, memorable books to deal with the internment crisis . . . The maturity of Otsuka’s. . . prose is astonishing." – The Bloomsbury Review "The novel’s voice is as hushed as a whisper. . . . An exquisite debut. . . potent, spare, crystalline." – O, The Oprah Magazine QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION: When the Emperor Was Divine gives readers an intimate view of the fate of Japanese Americans during World War II. In what ways does the novel deepen our existing knowledge of this historical period? What does it give readers that a straightforward historical investigation cannot?Why does Otsuka choose to reveal the family's reason for moving-and the father's arrest-so indirectly and so gradually? What is the effect when the reason becomes apparent?Otsuka skillfully places subtle but significant details in her narrative.When the mother goes to Lundy's hardware store, she notices a "dark stain" on the register "that would not go away" [p. 5]. The dog she has to kill is called "White Dog" [see pp. 9-12]. Her daughter's favorite song on the radio is "Don't Fence Me In." How do these details, and others like them, point to larger meanings in the novel?Why does Otsuka refer to her characters as "the woman," "the girl," "the boy," and "the father," rather than giving them names? How does this lack of specific identities affect the reader's relationship to the characters?When they arrive at the camp in the Utah desert-"a city of tar-paper barracks behind a barbed-wire fence on a dusty alkaline plain"-the boy thinks he sees his father everywhere: "wherever the boy looked he saw him: Daddy, Papa, Father, Oto-san" [p. 49]. Why is the father's absence such a powerful presence in the novel? How do the mother and daughter think of him? How would their story have been different had the family remained together?When the boy wonders why he's in the camp, he worries that "he'd done something horribly, terribly wrong. . . . It could be anything. Something he'd done yesterday-chewing the eraser off his sister's pencil before putting it back in the pencil jar-or something he'd done a long time ago that was just now catching up with him" [p. 57]. What does this passage reveal about the damaging effects of racism on children? What does it reveal about the way children try to make sense of their experience?In the camp, the prisoners are told they've been brought there for their "own protection," and that "it was all in the interest of national security.It was a matter of military necessity. It was an opportunity for them to prove their loyalty" [p. 70]. Why, and in what ways, are these justifications problematic? What do they reveal about the attitude of the American government toward Japanese Americans? How would these justifications appear to those who were taken from their homes and placed behind fences for the duration of the war?What parallels does the novel reveal between the American treatment of citizens of Japanese descent and the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany?Much of When the Emperor Was Divine is told in short, episodic, loosely connected scenes-images, conversations, memories, dreams, and so on-that move between past and present and alternate points of view between the mother, daughter, and son. Why has Otsuka chosen to structure her narrative in this way? What effects does it allow her to achieve?After the family is released from the camp, what instructions are they given? How do they regard themselves? How does America regard them? In what ways have they been damaged by their internment?When they are at last reunited with their father, the family doesn't know how to react. "Because the man who stood there before us was not our father.He was somebody else, a stranger who had been sent back in our father's place" [p. 132]. Why do they regard him as a stranger? How has he been changed by his experience? In what ways does this reunion underscore the tragedy of America's decision to imprison Japanese Americans during the war?After the father returns home, he never once discusses the years he'd been away, and his children don't ask. "We didn't want to know. . . . All we wanted to do, now that we were back in the world, was forget" [p. 133]. Why do the children feel this way? Why would their father remain silent about such an important experience? In what ways does the novel fight against this desire to forget?The mother is denied work because being a Japanese American might "upset the other employees" or offend the customers. She turns down a job working in a dark back room of a department store because she is afraid she "might accidentally remember who I was and . . . offend myself" [pp. 128-129]. What does this statement reveal about her character? What strengths does she exhibit throughout her ordeal?Flowers appear throughout the novel. When one of the prisoners is shot by a guard, a witness believes the man had been reaching through the fence to pluck a flower [see p. 101]. And the penultimate chapter ends with the following sentence: "But we never stopped believing that somewhere out there, in some stranger's backyard, our mother's rosebush was blossoming madly, wildly, pressing one perfect red flower after another out into the late afternoon light" [p. 139]. What symbolic value do the flowers have in this final passage? What does this open-ended conclusion suggest about the relationship between the family and the "strangers" they live among?When the Emperor Was Divine concludes with a chapter titled "Confession."Who is speaking in this final chapter? Is the speech ironic? Why has Otsuka chosen to end the novel in this way? What does the confession imply about our ability to separate out the "enemy," the "other," in our midst?

2011Life changes in an instant. On a foggy beach. In the seconds when Abby Mason-photographer, fiancée, soon-to-be-stepmother-looks into her camera and commits her greatest error. Heartbreaking, uplifting, and beautifully told, here is the riveting tale of a family torn apart, of the search for the truth behind a child's disappearance, and of one woman's unwavering faith in the redemptive power of love - all made startlingly fresh through Michelle Richmond's incandescent sensitivity and extraordinary insight. Six-year-old Emma vanished into the thick San Francisco fog. Or into the heaving Pacific. Or somewhere just beyond: to a parking lot, a stranger's van, or a road with traffic flashing by. Devastated by guilt, haunted by her fears about becoming a stepmother, Abby refuses to believe that Emma is dead. And so she searches for clues about what happened that morning - and cannot stop the flood of memories reaching from her own childhood to illuminate that irreversible moment on the beach. Now, as the days drag into weeks, as the police lose interest and fliers fade on telephone poles, Emma's father finds solace in religion and scientific probability - but Abby can only wander the beaches and city streets, attempting to recover the past and the little girl she lost. With her life at a crossroads, she will leave San Francisco for a country thousands of miles away. And there, by the side of another sea, on a journey that has led her to another man and into a strange subculture of wanderers and surfers, Abby will make the most astounding discovery of all - as the truth of Emma's disappearance unravels with stunning force. A profoundly original novel of family, loss, and hope - of the choices we make and the choices made for us - The Year of Fog beguiles with the mysteries of time and memory even as it lays bare the deep and wondrous workings of the human heart. The result is a mesmerizing tour de force that will touch anyone who knows what it means to love a child. < All Book Selections 2011 The Year of Fog Michelle Richmond Audience: Adult Life changes in an instant. On a foggy beach. In the seconds when Abby Mason-photographer, fiancée, soon-to-be-stepmother-looks into her camera and commits her greatest error. Heartbreaking, uplifting, and beautifully told, here is the riveting tale of a family torn apart, of the search for the truth behind a child's disappearance, and of one woman's unwavering faith in the redemptive power of love - all made startlingly fresh through Michelle Richmond's incandescent sensitivity and extraordinary insight. Six-year-old Emma vanished into the thick San Francisco fog. Or into the heaving Pacific. Or somewhere just beyond: to a parking lot, a stranger's van, or a road with traffic flashing by. Devastated by guilt, haunted by her fears about becoming a stepmother, Abby refuses to believe that Emma is dead. And so she searches for clues about what happened that morning - and cannot stop the flood of memories reaching from her own childhood to illuminate that irreversible moment on the beach. Now, as the days drag into weeks, as the police lose interest and fliers fade on telephone poles, Emma's father finds solace in religion and scientific probability - but Abby can only wander the beaches and city streets, attempting to recover the past and the little girl she lost. With her life at a crossroads, she will leave San Francisco for a country thousands of miles away. And there, by the side of another sea, on a journey that has led her to another man and into a strange subculture of wanderers and surfers, Abby will make the most astounding discovery of all - as the truth of Emma's disappearance unravels with stunning force. A profoundly original novel of family, loss, and hope - of the choices we make and the choices made for us - The Year of Fog beguiles with the mysteries of time and memory even as it lays bare the deep and wondrous workings of the human heart. The result is a mesmerizing tour de force that will touch anyone who knows what it means to love a child. About the Author Michelle Richmond grew up on Alabama's Gulf Coast. She lives with her husband and young son in her adopted home, Northern California. She is the author of four books of fiction: Dream of the Blue Room, The Year of Fog, No One You Know, and the award-winning story collection The Girl in the Fall-Away Dress. Michelle has received the Hillsdale Award for Fiction from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the Associated Writing Programs Award, the James Michener Fellowship, and the Walker E. Dakin Fellowship, among others. Her stories and essays have appeared in Glimmer Train, Oxford American, Salon, The Guardian, The Believer, Best American Fantasy, and many magazines and anthologies. She holds an MFA from the University of Miami and has taught in the MFA programs in Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco, California College of the Arts, and St. Mary's College of Moraga. She currently serves on the Executive Council of the Authors Guild. The Year of Fog was rejected by 15 publishers before landing on the desk of a young editor at Random House. It went on to become one of Library Journal's Best Books of 2007, a selection for the Elle Prix des Lectrices, a Kirkus Reviews Top Pick for Reading Groups, a New York Times bestseller, and a San Franciso Chronicle Notable Book. It has been published in 10 languages and optioned for the big screen by Newmarket Films. Michelle Richmond Author's website READERS GUIDE 1. The Year of Fog unfolds as a series of flashbacks and present-tense scenes. How do Abby's impressions of her own past shift as she searches for Emma? What does her research on the neuroscience of memory tell us about the limits and the power of the mind's imagery?2. How much was Emma a factor in Abby's relationship with Jake? After Emma's disappearance, what did they discover about each other? Why was it awkward for Abby to see Jake turn to religion? Why was he skeptical of her insistence that Emma didn't drown but was kidnapped?3. How does Abby's eye as a photographer shape the way she sees the world around her? What does she see that others don't? What kinds of images captivate her the most? What does her approach to photography indicate about her approach to life?4. Are Ramon and Jake entirely different, or was there a common thread that attracted Abby to each of them? What keeps her from sleeping with Nick in chapter 40? What has she needed from men in general at crucial points in her life?5. How did Abby's recollections of her own mother affect her approach to being a stepmother?6. Describing the ancient history of memory studies in chapter 43, Abby mentions the concept of Renaissance "memory theaters" and later has a dream in which her memories are displayed in ways she cannot fully comprehend. If your past were to be categorized in such a way, what would it look like? Which objects would best represent various events? Which of your memories would you most like to preserve?7. Abby struggles with feelings of inadequacy, seeing herself as the sister who often botches her chances at a happier life. What accounts for the tremendous differences between her self-perception and Annabel's?8. How would you describe Lisbeth's wavering, extreme motivations? What would explain her dangerous decisions? How is she able to appear trustworthy?9. For Abby, one of the most difficult aspects of the search is the fact that she doesn't receive full respect as a key figure in Emma's life. Ultimately, how do you define "a devoted mother"? What are the best examples of good parenting in the novel? What determines whether someone has what it takes to be a good parent?10. What enabled Abby to uncover the truth while Jake could not? Was it her intuition? Determination? Hypnosis? Fate? Or simply the deep guilt she felt? What ultimately caused the fog to lift in Emma's disappearance?11. In many ways, the novel is a poignant portrait of coping with grief, in this case a very unresolved form of grief. What is the best way to confront tragedy?12. How did you attempt to solve the mystery of Emma's disappearance? Were you able to hold out hope for her survival?13. Goofy's help leads Abby to the sojourn in Costa Rica. What do both beach communities begin to mean to her? In what way does the landscape, both liberating and treacherous, form an appropriate place for her to come to terms with her greatest fears?14. What is distinct about Abby's storytelling voice? How might the novel have unfolded had it been told from Jake's point of view?15. What did the novel reveal to you about the world of missing children and their families? Did it change your perspective on the real-life cases you encounter in the media?16. As you saw Abby catch a wave in the final paragraph, what did you predict for her future?

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

Recommended Reading Silicon Valley Reads is pleased to provide a curated list of recommended reading for our Bridges to Belonging theme. 2026 Bridges to Belonging What it Takes to Save a Life: A Veterinarian's Quest of Healing and Hope Dr. Kwane Stewart Audience: Adult 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. 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. 2026 Bridges to Belonging Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting Clare Pooley Audience: Adult 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. More Books for Adults If you'd like to continue viewing a list of adult recommended reading from past years, scroll down to the "Previous Years' Recommended Reading" section below. Otherwise, select the button below to view a complete list of books that have been featured by Silicon Valley Reads. All Book Selections Over 150 Events Author talks, book clubs, community events and more! Please join us for many more events celebrating Bridges to Belonging! 2026 Calendar of Events Previous Years' Recommended Reading Selections Explore past adult Recommended Reading titles, arranged by featured year and theme. 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World Unmasking AI (NF) Dr. Joy Buolamwini Audience: Adult Dr. Joy Buolamwini, a leading AI researcher, has been warning about the dangers of biased AI for years. Her groundbreaking work exposed racial and gender biases in AI systems from major tech companies. In her book, Unmasking AI, she discusses how these biases can harm marginalized groups. Buolamwini argues that we need to ensure AI is developed ethically and equitably for the benefit of everyone. She founded the Algorithmic Justice League to advocate for algorithmic justice and prevent AI harms. 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World Brave New Words (NF) Salman Khan Audience: Adult Local author and founder of Khan Academy, Salman Khan's latest book, Brave New Words, is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of education. Khan explores how AI and GPT technology will transform learning, offering a roadmap for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this exciting new world. Khan examines the benefits and challenges of AI in education, emphasizing the importance of human interaction while leveraging AI for personalized learning. He also delves into the ethical implications of AI, providing insights into how we can use these tools to build a more accessible and equitable education system. 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World Breaking Through: My Life in Science (NF) Katalin Karikó Audience: Adult Katalin Karikó, a Nobel Prize-winning biochemist, overcame countless obstacles to revolutionize medicine. Despite facing discrimination and skepticism, she persisted in her research on messenger RNA (mRNA). Her groundbreaking work led to the development of COVID-19 vaccines, saving millions of lives. Karikó's story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of pursuing scientific discovery, even in the face of adversity. 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. 2025 Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World Annie Bot (Fiction- Adult Content) Sierra Greer Audience: Adult Annie Bot, a female robot designed to be the perfect girlfriend, is learning and growing beyond her programmed role. As she becomes more self-aware, she challenges the boundaries of her relationship with her human owner, Doug. This provocative novel explores themes of power, autonomy, and the complexities of human-AI relationships in a world where creations may surpass their creators. 2024 A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today Under a White Sky: The Nature of The Future Elizabeth Kolbert Audience: Adult 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. 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. 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. 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.

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

2013When a soldier's work takes him halfway around the world, he enlists the help of the North Star for a nightly game of catch with his son. Night Catch is a timeless story that connects families while they are apart and offers comforting hope for their reunion. The book has been endorsed by the Military Child Education Coalition, United Through Reading and Army Wife Network. < All Book Selections 2013 Invisible Wounds of War Night Catch Brenda Ehrmantraut Audience: Pre-K to Grade 2 When a soldier's work takes him halfway around the world, he enlists the help of the North Star for a nightly game of catch with his son. Night Catch is a timeless story that connects families while they are apart and offers comforting hope for their reunion. The book has been endorsed by the Military Child Education Coalition, United Through Reading and Army Wife Network. About the Author Brenda lives in South Dakota where she is on the Aberdeen Area Arts Council. She is a graduate of North Dakota State University and Miami University (of Ohio). She has taught Language Arts and Reading at all levels 1-12 and is now president of Bubblegum Press, a publisher of children's books. She is also the author of I Want One Too! Brenda Ehrmantraut Author's website

2024It'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. < All Book Selections 2024 A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today Don't Call Me a Hurricane (High School/Young Adult) Ellen Hagan Audience: 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. About the Author ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Ellen Hagan Author's website ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us.