The countywide reading engagement program, Silicon Valley Reads, opens a new window, aims to connect our community through the shared experiences of reading and meaningful conversation. The 2026 theme has just been announced: Bridges to Belonging.
Through carefully selected books and more than 100 free events, Silicon Valley Reads hopes to spark connection, empathy, and understanding across Santa Clara County. The three powerful books selected for adult readers explore the concept of belonging in a unique way:
The Power of Bridging, opens a new window , opens a new windowby John A. Powell (Non-Fiction), opens a new window: A groundbreaking guide for our divided times. Powell provides a crucial framework for moving beyond the fear and separation of "othering" to the radical, transformative work of "bridging." This essential read offers practical strategies to build an inclusive society where everyone feels they belong, challenging readers to recognize shared humanity as the ultimate path to community healing.
Mainline Mama, opens a new window by Keeonna Harris (Memoir), opens a new window: A moving and unflinching memoir of resilience and hope. Harris shares her powerful story of navigating motherhood with an incarcerated partner, shattering the myth of the "perfect family" and redefining what it means to belong. This book is a testament to the enduring bond between a mother and her children and the strength found in building love and stability in the most challenging of circumstances.
Unlikely Animals, opens a new window by Annie Hartnett (Fiction), opens a new window: A tender and humorous novel with a touch of magic. After years away, Emma returns to her quirky New Hampshire hometown to care for her dying father who sees ghosts, including the ghost of natural historian Ernest Harold Baynes. As Emma navigates loss and legacy, she discovers how profound compassion and unexpected connections can mend a broken family, heal a wounded community, and show that belonging can bloom in the most unlikely places.
Silicon Valley Reads 2026 will offer an exciting lineup of free community events in local libraries, schools, and partner organizations, designed to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together. Events will include author talks, engaging classes and workshops, community discussions, kids crafts and events, and other programs centered on themes of bringing people together and understanding and accepting our differences. The schedule of events will be released in the new year.
Silicon Valley Reads will officially kick off on Thursday, January 15, 2026, with a free in-person and live-streamed event at De Anza College in Cupertino. Attendees will hear from the authors of the featured books for adults in a discussion moderated by Sal Pizarro of The Mercury News.
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.
