Silicon Valley Reads 2026

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.

With our program partner United Nations Association Film Festival, Palo Alto City Library presents three documentaries that highlight people whose work have created bridges to belonging. All three documentaries are schedule for 6 p.m. Thursday evenings at Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Road off Embarcadero Road.

• January 22: The Librarians
• February 26: How to Build a Library
• March 5: Labors of Love: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Szold

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.

Opening event

Mark your calendars for our free Kickoff Event on Thursday, January 15 at 7 p.m. at the De Anza VPAC Theater in Cupertino. This special evening will feature a live conversation with the three acclaimed authors of our selected books for adults and an accompanying art show at the Euphrat Museum off the lobby "A Sense of Belonging".

Following the kickoff, our local libraries, schools, and partner organizations will host a wide array of programs designed to bring our community together and help build bridges to belonging. Registration for the Kickoff event will open in December. Please check this site again then for the registration link and more program details! Subscribe to the Silicon Valley Reads newsletter here.

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.
• Thank You, Neighbor! by Ruth Chan (for Pre-K and new readers) follows 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.
• Together, A Forest by Roz MacLean is chosen for elementary school readers. 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.
• Front Desk by Kelly Yang is for middle school readers. 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.
• Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino is selected for high school and young adult readers. 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.
• Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley for adults. 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.

Together, these books inspire reflection on the bridges we build and those still needed, sparking meaningful conversations about creating a more connected, compassionate community.