The Californer - First Partner launches and expands her annual Book Club, celebrates libraries as community treasures open to all Californians

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Jun 25, 2025

First Partner launches and expands her annual Book Club, celebrates libraries as community treasures open to all Californians

What you need to know: The First Partner launched her annual Book Club today, which features great kids' reads curated by librarians across California, as well as investments to support library community programming.

SACRAMENTO – California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom today launched and expanded her b ook club, which includes a list of children's books curated by librarians across the state, as well as investments in library programs that help connect more kids to libraries and reading over the summer — and now all year-round. Part of the First Partner's California for ALL Kids initiative, the Book Club is a partnership with the California State Library, aimed at boosting early literacy, reducing the "summer slide" of learning, and supporting the mental health and well-being of all California children. Libraries — increasingly under threat from the Trump Administration — play a key role in supporting kids' early literacy and mental health.

"Books and storytelling have the power to change the trajectory of a life — especially the books we read when we're young. That is why I'm so thrilled to share these inspiring children's books, curated by librarians across the State of California. Our libraries create community and safe havens for us all, but particularly for our children, allowing them to escape into the joy and wonders of reading, disconnect from the online world, build early literacy skills, and so much more. Although we live in a time when beloved public resources like these are under increasing threat from the Administration in DC, California is working to protect them as the community treasures they are for kids, families, and entire communities."

Governor Gavin Newsom

This year's Book Club list includes 20 books centered around themes of positive girl representation, environmental leadership, healthy lifestyles, and youth mental health. The books range in reading levels from preschool to high school and are now available for check-out at 890 public libraries across the state. For the full list of authors and books, see here.

To complement the Book Club, the California State Library "Book to Action" initiative has provided funds for libraries to build programming that encourages kids and families to visit public libraries — from volunteer projects in library gardens to digital storytelling workshops and craft programs.

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"Books can open entire worlds for young people and access to them is something all California families can enjoy through our public libraries," said California State Librarian Greg Lucas. "I encourage all families to head to your local library this summer and year-round and check out one of this year's First Partner's Book Club picks. We're grateful for the First Partner's leadership in helping ensure that our libraries can continue to provide inspiration, joy, learning, support, and community for all Californians."

Libraries as community hubs

Libraries are places where children learn, families gather, and anyone — regardless of income or background—can access tools to grow and explore.

The California State Library Parks Pass gives library cardholders free vehicle day-use entry to over 200 participating state parks. Since the start of the program, 26,000 California State Library Parks Passes have been distributed across all California public library jurisdictions. The First Partner helped spearhead and create the California State Library Parks Pass, as well as the California State Park Adventure Pass, which gives fourth graders and their families who live in California free access to 54 parks for an entire year.

Libraries play a key role in knitting communities together, and nowhere is this more visible than in regions rocked by natural disasters and public health emergencies — such as Los Angeles was during the Palisades and Eaton fires. Libraries served as key community hubs for recovery efforts.

To help highlight the importance of California's libraries, the First Partner joined library friends, local authors, and advocates for a visit to the Altadena Library on June 18. Altadena's Summer Reading program is now fully back and up and running after the Eaton fire and includes the "Lunch at the Library" program, which provides free lunches for children and teens from June 9 through August 1, 2025. Lunch at the Library is a project of the California State Library, supported with funds from the State of California. Last year, the program offered free summer lunch programs for kids at more than 200 libraries across the state.

Libraries under attack

Libraries are increasingly under budget attack from the current Administration in DC — and California is pushing back.

Summer learning and early literacy

Studies show that students who participate in summer reading programs have improved educational outcomes. Additionally, access to reading and learning opportunities between the ages of 0 and 5 are linked to an individual's future health, education, and economic outcomes.

Between 2011 and 2022, California had one of the largest gains in 4th-grade reading levels. However, the state has more work to do to ensure that all kids — no matter their zip code–have a chance to read, grow, and thrive. To that end, earlier this month, Governor Newsom announced the Golden State Literacy Plan, outlining sweeping new investments to boost student reading achievement. Under the Governor's leadership, the state has continued to make foundational investments in education – from expanded before school, after school, and summer school programming, to universal school lunches and free pre-Kindergarten for all 4-year olds.

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