Educator News: May/June 2026

EDUCATOR NEWSLETTER

MAY-JUN 2026

Dear Educator,

As the school year comes to a close, Pasadena Public Library looks forward to continued learning with our annual Summer Reading Program for all ages. Take a look at this year's summer reading theme below, and be sure to sign up and get your free book at any Pasadena Public Library branch starting June 13, 2026!

Summer Reading Program | June 13 - August 1, 2026

Join us On the Road to Reading as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66), one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. Established on November 11, 1926, Route 66 covered 2,448 miles and ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before terminating in Santa Monica. US 66 was a primary route for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

As you travel the Road to Reading this summer, be sure to make frequent stops along your reading journey to enjoy our special summer programs along the way and see if you can find any of the Route 66 era neon signs located in Pasadena.

To join the Summer Reading program:

Sign up at any Pasadena Public Library site or online at Pasadena.Beanstack.com.
Complete and track your own activities.
Receive prizes whenever you complete a summer reading milestone.
Plus, lots of free programs for families such as magic shows, gaming, music, stunts and art.

Available at all Pasadena Public Library branches: CityOfPasadena.net/library/branches/

For more info, visit: CityOfPasadena.libguides.com/summer-reading

Featured Programs & News

One Book, One Coast:

A Reader’s Guide to "They Called Us Enemy"

Sat., May 16, 2026 | 3 - 4p.m.

Lamanda Park Branch Library

George Takei’s lifelong commitment to truth telling and equal rights was forged in his childhood while unjustly imprisoned in World War II American concentration camps. Susan H. Kamei, award-winning author of When Can We Go Back to America? Voices of Japanese American Incarceration during World War II, provides behind-the-scenes context for Takei’s firsthand accounts of his family’s incarceration in his best-selling graphic novel They Called Us Enemy. A descendant of wartime incarcerees, Kamei shares lessons to be learned about the meaning of being American. Sponsored by The Friends of Pasadena Public Library.

Learn More

Helping Little Ones Grow: Understanding Your Child’s Development

Wed., May 20, 2026 | 4:30 - 6p.m.
Jefferson Branch Library

Join us for a fun and informative workshop on early childhood development. The Pasadena Public Health Department will talk about what child development means, developmental milestones, and how parents can monitor and support their child’s growth. You’ll also learn about the ASQ-3, a parent-led screening tool, and how to complete an ASQ-3 at the library or health department. This session is ideal for parents and caregivers of children (ages 0-3) who want practical tips and resources to help their little ones thrive. Light dinner provided. Sign-up beginning May 1, 2026: CityOfPasadena.net/Library/Calendar/

Free lunches and activities for ages 0-18 every weekday at Jefferson and Villa Parke Branch Libraries from June 8 - August 14, 2026 (except July 3). Available on a first-come, first-served basis, as supplies last. Activities provided during the lunch period include STEM projects, art, crafts, homestead, nutrition, wellness, movies, games, music, or play activities. No registration needed.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. The Summer Food Service Program is a program of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, administered in California by the California Department of Education. Lunch at the Library is a project of the California State Library, supported with funds from the State of California.

Elementary School Booklist

Check out these books recommended for grades K - 5!

Making Art

by Diana Ejaita

A celebration of the many ways we make art, spanning mediums, geography, and resources. Readers will be encouraged by the invitation to create anything, anywhere, with any materials. This deceptively simple and stunningly composed picture book offers children a sense of what art can be, and the ways in which it adds beauty to our lives.

PLACE A HOLD

Early Equity Kit Spotlight:

South Asian Heritage

Early Equity Kits are curated resources for families dedicated to raising socially conscious children.

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by checking out an Early Equity Kit that explores joyful stories about South Asian families, culture, and heritage, like "Bindu's Bindis," "Happy Diwali," and "Leila in Saffron."

EXPLORE EARLY EQUITY KITS

Middle School Booklist

Check out these books recommended for grades 6 - 8!

Wombat Waiting

by Katherine Applegate

Wombat isn't actually a wombat, but when the homeless dog is discovered, singed and ash-covered after a terrible fire destroys a community, someone tags her with the nickname and it sticks.

Surrounded by a devastated town, Wombat takes up residence on bench near the makeshift community center, and no matter what, Wombat refuses to move from her perch, despite the efforts of many humans. Clearly the dog is waiting for someone. But for whom? And what are the odds they survived?

PLACE A HOLD

Ape Escape

by Stuart Gibbs

When a baby gorilla is stolen from an orphanage in Rwanda, Teddy, his parents, and an old family friend find themselves in a race against time to save it. Teddy has to piece together clues to figure out where the little ape is being taken while traveling through some of the most incredible—and dangerous—terrain in the world. This is the tenth novel in New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs’s FunJungle series.

PLACE A HOLD

High School Booklist

Check out these books recommended for grades 9 - 12!

Soundtrack: A Novel

by Jason Reynolds

Stuy Grey plays the drums, just like his mom, a founding member of the all-black punk band the Bed-Stuy Magic Dusters. His landlord, Dunks, has chops: He shreds on only five strings. Add Alexis on bass guitar and Keith on horn: These teens are a band, busking in New York City subway stations to scrape enough money to record an album. As their popularity grows, so do the pressures, from complicated family dynamics to the glare of unexpected public attention. And when the police start looking for their bassist, Stuy faces his toughest decision yet.

PLACE A HOLD

The Fight of Our Lives:

AIDS in America

by David Levithan and Gabriel Duckels

The AIDS crisis in America is complex and composed of countless individual stories of grief, love, and advocacy. Its history shows the power of youth activism, how creativity and community can be vehicles for social change, and how bigotry and misinformation led to inequality in care. A thoughtful, poignant look at the AIDS crisis in the United States that includes primary source interviews, history, medical research, and cultural touchpoints.

PLACE A HOLD

Resource Spotlight

Check out this resource available at the Pasadena Public Library.

Join the Club!

Book Group Kits

EXPLORE

Summer Reading Resource

Are you reading a book with your class this summer? Try one of our Book Group Kits complete with a set of 15 copies of the book and a teaching guide containing discussion questions, activity ideas, and information about the author. Common summer reading titles including Holes, Esperanza Rising, The Handmaid's Tale, and more are available for check out.

Connect with #PPL

The library often photographs or videotapes programs for use in publicity materials. By being present during these activities, you consent to the use of your appearance or likeness by the library and its licensees, designees, or assignees, in all media, worldwide, in perpetuity. To ensure the privacy of individuals and children, images will not be identified using names or personal identifying information without written approval from the photographed subject, parent or legal guardian.
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For accessibility information and requests, contact the library site hosting the program. Providing at least 72 hours advance notice will help ensure availability.
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Reporting Fraud, Waste or Abuse
For reporting suspected cases of fraud by the City or its employees, officials, contractors, or vendors, call the HOTLINE at (626) 744-7448 or visit https://www.CityOfPasadena.net/City-Manager/Internal-Audit/Fraud-Hotline.

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Pasadena Public Library
285 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, CA 91101
Phone: (626) 744-4066

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