Zendaya’s latest Bay Area outing started with a stop at an independent bookstore and ended with two very well-timed books in her hands.
The Challengers star recently visited Rakestraw Books in Danville, California, where she shopped, talked with staff, and posed for a photo inside the store. People reported that Zendaya held copies of Frank Herbert’s Dune: Messiah and Homer’s The Odyssey, two books tied to major upcoming projects involving herself and Tom Holland.
The Books Pointed to Dune and The Odyssey
Dune: Messiah connects to Zendaya’s return as Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s next Dune film. The Odyssey connects to Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation, which stars Holland and also includes Zendaya in the ensemble.
The pairing gave the photo its movie-fan hook without requiring a red carpet, studio caption, or official promotion. Zendaya stood inside a small California bookstore holding one book tied to her Dune future and another tied to Holland’s Nolan project.
Rakestraw Books Celebrated the Surprise Visit
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Rakestraw Books shared the visit on Instagram, saying Zendaya stopped by to shop and talk about books. The store said staff were thrilled to help her find good reads and appreciated getting recommendations from her.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Rakestraw called Zendaya “lovely” and thanked her for supporting independent bookstores. The Danville shop has been part of the San Ramon Valley literary scene since 1973, which gave the celebrity stop a local-business angle beyond the movie references.
The Visit Continued Her Bay Area Bookstore Run
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This was not Zendaya’s only recent Bay Area bookstore stop. The Chronicle reported that she visited Green Apple Books on San Francisco’s Clement Street last month with a small group that included her Euphoria co-star Hunter Schafer.
That earlier outing also included stops at Foggy Notion and Pasta Supply Co. The route placed Zendaya back in the region where she grew up; she was raised in Oakland before her career moved from Disney Channel to Euphoria, Dune, Spider-Man, and Challengers.
The Odyssey Copy Had Its Own Literary Detail
The Chronicle also noted that Zendaya appeared to be holding Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey. Wilson’s 2017 edition drew major attention because she was the first woman to publish a complete English translation of Homer’s epic.
That detail added another film connection. Nolan has referenced Wilson’s translation as one readers may want to pick up before his adaptation, according to the Chronicle.
The Tom Holland Reference Stayed Low-Key
Zendaya and Holland have kept most of their relationship private since their romance became public in 2021. People reported that Holland proposed during the 2024 holiday season after Zendaya sparked engagement speculation with a diamond ring at the Golden Globes in January 2025.
The Rakestraw Books photo did not turn the relationship into a direct public statement. It only placed Dune: Messiah and The Odyssey in the same frame, linking Zendaya’s next franchise chapter with Holland’s next major film.
Zendaya Has Several Major Films Ahead
The bookshop stop came during a packed stretch for Zendaya. The Chronicle noted that Dune: Part Three, The Odyssey, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day are all on the upcoming release calendar.
That gave the Danville photo a clean entertainment hook: Zendaya visited an independent bookstore in the Bay Area, held Dune: Messiah and The Odyssey, and turned a casual local stop into a quiet reference to two of the biggest movies on her schedule.