SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. – The annual community engagement program, Silicon Valley Reads, brings people together through books and a shared theme. Following seasons focused on technology (2025) and belonging (2026), Silicon Valley Reads is pleased to announce the theme for the 2027 season: Mind, Body, and Beyond.
This season, residents across Santa Clara County are invited to focus on wellness, longevity, mental and physical health. Featuring carefully curated books and over 200 free public programs, the 2027 season will spark conversations about personal resilience, tools for overcoming adversity, and ways to build healthy communities.
"Public libraries have evolved into vital hubs of community wellness and human connection," said Jill Bourne, San José City Librarian and co-chair of Silicon Valley Reads. "'Mind, Body, and Beyond' offers an inspiring invitation to explore whole-person health. It aligns directly with our mission to provide resources, safe spaces, and educational opportunities that empower everyone in our valley to thrive at every stage of life."
Silicon Valley Reads 2027 will feature an extensive lineup of programs and hands-on activities hosted throughout Santa Clara County in February and March 2027.
"Health and learning are deeply intertwined," said Dr. David Toston, Sr., County Superintendent of Schools and co-chair of Silicon Valley Reads. "Fostering mental resilience and physical well-being in our schools creates the foundation for students and families to flourish. We look forward to engaging readers across Santa Clara County in discussions that support healthy minds, active bodies, and connected neighborhoods."
The three featured books for adult readers explore wellness and resilience through distinct lenses:
- Body Electric: How to Rewire Your Tech-Tired Life for Health, Vitality, and Real Connection by Manoush Zomorodi (Non-Fiction): A compelling, science-backed investigation into the physical impact of modern screen life. Zomorodi delivers practical, actionable strategies to break free from digital burnout, reclaim movement, and revitalize physical health in a hyper-connected world.
- The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston (Fiction): A heartwarming, humorous, and life-affirming novel about an 82-year-old man on the brink of homelessness who is mistaken for a resident at a nursing home. Through unexpected friendships, Frederick finds renewed purpose, dignity, and a new chapter in his life that highlights the emotional core of healthy aging.
- In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado (Memoir): An inspiring memoir of resilience chronicling the author’s journey from childhood trauma to mountaineering triumph. Vasquez-Lavado recounts guiding a group of young survivors to Mount Everest Base Camp, illustrating how nature, endurance, and community can forge profound healing.
"The featured titles for 2027 reflect different viewpoints on what it means to live well," said Jennifer Weeks, County Librarian and co-chair of Silicon Valley Reads. “The books range in ideas from digital wellness, the science of movement, longevity, and resilience after trauma. These topics will spark important conversations and serve as an anchor to meaningful programs across our libraries.”
To ensure youth and families can participate in these vital conversations across every age group, Silicon Valley Reads has selected a slate of companion titles for young readers:
- What’s On Your Mind? by Todd Parr (PreK–K)
- Fresh Juice by Robert Liu-Trujillo (Lower Elementary)
- Popcorn by Rob Harrell (Upper Elementary)
- STREAM by Aida Salazar (Middle School)
- All Better Now by Neal Shusterman (High School/YA)
These selections thoughtfully explore mindfulness, physical nourishment, navigating anxiety, digital balance, and breaking mental health stigmas. They equip young readers and their families with relatable stories and practical tools to build emotional resilience, self-care habits, and empathy.
The 2027 season will officially launch on Thursday, January 28, 2027, with a kickoff event featuring all three featured adult authors at De Anza College’s Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC) in Cupertino, live streamed by The Commonwealth Club of Silicon Valley and moderated by Sal Pizarro of The Mercury News. The event will be free and open to the public.
Registration opens later this fall, and the full calendar of events will be available at siliconvalleyreads.org, opens a new window in January 2027.
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 regional public libraries, colleges, universities, and community partners.