By Colton McAllister, State Politics Reporter

California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom has expanded her First Partner’s Book Club into a year-round effort, partnering with the California State Library to encourage kids from preschool through high school to pick up books and spend less time on screens.

The initiative, part of her California for All Kids push, aims to fight learning loss, build community through libraries, and support mental health. In a state where too many kids struggle with basic literacy, getting families back into public libraries seems like a valuable initiative. Some critics, however, contend the program goes beyond literacy to promote a one sided ideological agenda.

The 2026 book list offers hand-picked titles across age groups. Preschoolers might read All Are Neighbors, celebrating a diverse community welcoming new families, or I Walk with Vanessa, about standing up to bullying through kindness. Older elementary readers could pick up Mexikid, a graphic memoir of a Mexican American family road trip, or Areli Is a Dreamer, the story of a young DACA recipient adapting to life in the U.S. Middle school options include Iveliz Explains It All, following a Latina girl navigating mental health challenges, while high schoolers are directed toward Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, an adaptation exploring social hierarchies in America, and We Are Okay by Nina LaCour.

Newsom and state librarians describe the selections as promoting curiosity, resilience, and emotional well-being. Many titles focus on themes of identity, heritage, immigration experiences, diversity, and overcoming personal or systemic obstacles. Books like Finding My Dance highlight pride in Native American culture through a young dancer’s journey, and She Persisted in Sports by Chelsea Clinton spotlights female athletes breaking barriers.

Supporters say these stories reflect California’s diverse population and help kids see themselves in literature while building empathy. In an era dominated by phones and streaming, Newsom’s program is meant to get children reading.

Yet the list has drawn quiet skepticism from some parents and observers who question the narrowness of the curation. While the books vary in tone and include warm family stories or gentle lessons on kindness, some of the books contain darker messages that are sparking concern. The recommendations lean heavily into progressive themes of identity and oppression narratives. Caste, in particular, stands out, with some calling its contents extreme. It frames American society through a rigid racial caste system with comparisons to India and Nazi Germany. Critics of the book say it downplays progress, merit, and the success of various groups in modern America, with many calling its message unpatriotic and unamerican.

Looking across the full list, there’s little mention of the type of classic literature that generations of Californians grew up reading. Works like To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, or The Giver offer broad moral and character-driven stories, yet these books are absent from Newsom’s recommendations. Straightforward science explainers, neutral history, philosophy that encourages independent thinking, or books focused purely on curiosity and “how stuff works” are also absent.

California celebrates creativity and innovation, traits that depend on learning how to weigh different ideas and think for oneself. That’s why some educators are asking whether a broader selection of titles may better prepare kids for adulthood.

Newsom’s book club isn’t going away, and its success in drawing kids to libraries will likely be measured in participation numbers. Whether it truly serves all California families, by offering breadth as well as encouragement, remains an open question.

Featured image: Jennifer Siebel Newsom speaks at the March For Our Lives rally in San Francisco, March 24, 2018. (Wikimedia Commons / Photo by Pax Ahimsa Gethen, CC BY-SA 4.0)