Mychal Threets, author and host of the PBS Kids television show “Reading Rainbow,” visited the Elk Grove United Methodist Church on his book tour, hosted by A Seat at the Table Books, on Saturday.
Threets, an author, librarian and an advocate for mental health shared his children’s book “I’m So Glad You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy.” He said this book is an invitation to all readers to come enjoy the library.
“It is a reminder that we all belong in the world. We all belong in bookstores; we all belong in the library,” Threets said. “Wherever we are, you can be yourself.”
Local author Lydia Millyon read her own book “All Around Her” alongside Threets during the storytime and brought kids from the audience on stage with them. Millyon also hosted the Q&A portion of the event.
Emily Autenrieth, the owner of A Seat at the Table Books, said she hoped those in attendance could feel the joy and community support around them, especially in this time and age.
“Joy is what we need right now,” Autenrieth said. “I think it’s very hard to make a difference and keep dealing with the horrors if we don’t have joy.”
Threets said he specifically chose A Seat at the Table Books to be added to the tour because he loves what the bookstore does and it reminds him of his late grandmother, who lived nearby in the last months of her life.
“The grief is still very fresh and I don’t think it will ever go away, so to be able to be at a place nearby to where she spent her last days was very special,” Threets said.
He said his fondest memories with books are with his grandparents who encouraged him to read.
Sacramento resident and mother of two Erin Cannon said she attended the event with her son because she loves what Threets stands for. She said that with her son being on the spectrum, Threets always emphasized inclusivity.
“I love that he is very much about libraries being inclusive places because that can be a hard place to go to sometimes,” Cannon said.
Cannon said she grew up watching “Reading Rainbow” and loves that Threets can continue the show in his own way. One thing that she noticed was that he takes the time to sit and talk to the kids about “real things.”
“In one of the episodes, they were talking about how sometimes they feel anxiety and what they do to take care of it,” Cannon said. “These are real things that affect kids and do need to be talked about.”
Threets grew up in Fairfield where he worked at the local library where he began growing his social media audience. He then partnered with PBS to produce literacy videos and in 2025 was named host of “Reading Rainbow.”
As a librarian, Threets said that he encourages parents to bring their neurodivergent kids to the library and that being different is okay.
“So many people feel othered and feel different. I felt that way all of my life and that is what led to many of my mental health struggles,” Threets said. “I think embracing people and embracing their differences is so wonderful.”
At the end of the event, Threets donated $500 to each non-profit organization in attendance including A Seat at the Table Books, Amanda’s Mini Library Project, Moms of Elk Grove, EG S.P.E.A.K.S. and the Elk Grove United Methodist Church.
Cosumnes River College will host a listening party featuring Threets where he will read his book, do a mental health exercise and answer questions for the National African American Read-In event on Thursday at 10 a.m. in the library computer lab.