diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 3f5e67f..16fb4eb 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Testing Locally
 
 1. Clone the repo
-2. From the root, run yarn && yarn start
-3. Visit localhost:3000
+2. From the root, run `yarn && yarn start`
+3. Visit <localhost:3000>
 
 # Running Tests
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bf80cb0..2618612 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ interface TreeProps<T> {
   openByDefault?: boolean;
   selectionFollowsFocus?: boolean;
   disableMultiSelection?: boolean;
+  disableSelect?: string | boolean | BoolFunc<T>;
   disableEdit?: string | boolean | BoolFunc<T>;
   disableDrag?: string | boolean | BoolFunc<T>;
   disableDrop?:
diff --git a/packages/e2e/cypress/e2e/gmail-spec.cy.ts b/packages/e2e/cypress/e2e/gmail-spec.cy.ts
index f51febd..301735a 100644
--- a/packages/e2e/cypress/e2e/gmail-spec.cy.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e/cypress/e2e/gmail-spec.cy.ts
@@ -139,6 +139,23 @@ describe("Testing the Gmail Demo", () => {
     cy.get("@item").contains("Categories").click(); // collapses
     cy.get("@item").should("have.length", 1);
   });
+
+  it("can select inbox but not categories", () => {
+    cy.get("@item").contains("Inbox").click();
+    cy.focused().should("have.attr", "aria-selected", "true");
+    cy.get("@item").contains("Categories").click();
+    cy.focused().should("have.attr", "aria-selected", "false");
+  });
+
+  it("select all does not select categories or spam", () => {
+    cy.get("@item").contains("Inbox").click();
+    cy.focused().type("{meta}a");
+    cy.get("[aria-selected='true']")
+      .should("not.contain.text", "Categories")
+      .should("not.contain.text", "Spam")
+      .should("contain.text", "Inbox")
+      .should("have.length", TOTAL_ITEMS - 2);
+  });
 });
 
 function dragAndDrop(src: any, dst: any) {
diff --git a/packages/react-arborist/src/interfaces/node-api.ts b/packages/react-arborist/src/interfaces/node-api.ts
index cd4da42..3885ff6 100644
--- a/packages/react-arborist/src/interfaces/node-api.ts
+++ b/packages/react-arborist/src/interfaces/node-api.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ export class NodeApi<T = any> {
     return this.tree.isEditable(this.data);
   }
 
+  get isSelectable() {
+    return this.tree.isSelectable(this.data);
+  }
+
   get isEditing() {
     return this.tree.editingId === this.id;
   }
diff --git a/packages/react-arborist/src/interfaces/tree-api.ts b/packages/react-arborist/src/interfaces/tree-api.ts
index b442a89..a09e9e8 100644
--- a/packages/react-arborist/src/interfaces/tree-api.ts
+++ b/packages/react-arborist/src/interfaces/tree-api.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { EditResult } from "../types/handlers";
-import { Identity, IdObj } from "../types/utils";
+import { BoolFunc, Identity, IdObj } from "../types/utils";
 import { TreeProps } from "../types/tree-props";
 import { MutableRefObject } from "react";
 import { Align, FixedSizeList, ListOnItemsRenderedProps } from "react-window";
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
     return this.visibleNodes.slice(start, end + 1);
   }
 
-  indexOf(id: string | null | IdObj) {
+  indexOf(id: Identity) {
     const key = utils.identifyNull(id);
     if (!key) return null;
     return this.idToIndex[key];
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
     }
   }
 
-  async delete(node: string | IdObj | null | string[] | IdObj[]) {
+  async delete(node: Identity | string[] | IdObj[]) {
     if (!node) return;
     const idents = Array.isArray(node) ? node : [node];
     const ids = idents.map(identify);
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
     setTimeout(() => this.onFocus()); // Return focus to element;
   }
 
-  activate(id: string | IdObj | null) {
+  activate(id: Identity) {
     const node = this.get(identifyNull(id));
     if (!node) return;
     safeRun(this.props.onActivate, node);
@@ -328,9 +328,13 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
     const changeFocus = opts.focus !== false;
     const id = identify(node);
     if (changeFocus) this.dispatch(focus(id));
-    this.dispatch(selection.only(id));
-    this.dispatch(selection.anchor(id));
-    this.dispatch(selection.mostRecent(id));
+    if (this.get(id)?.isSelectable) {
+      this.setSelection({
+        ids: [id],
+        anchor: id,
+        mostRecent: id,
+      });
+    }
     this.scrollTo(id, opts.align);
     if (this.focusedNode && changeFocus) {
       safeRun(this.props.onFocus, this.focusedNode);
@@ -348,9 +352,11 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
     const node = this.get(identifyNull(identity));
     if (!node) return;
     this.dispatch(focus(node.id));
-    this.dispatch(selection.add(node.id));
-    this.dispatch(selection.anchor(node.id));
-    this.dispatch(selection.mostRecent(node.id));
+    if (node.isSelectable) {
+      this.dispatch(selection.add(node.id));
+      this.dispatch(selection.anchor(node.id));
+      this.dispatch(selection.mostRecent(node.id));
+    }
     this.scrollTo(node);
     if (this.focusedNode) safeRun(this.props.onFocus, this.focusedNode);
     safeRun(this.props.onSelect, this.selectedNodes);
@@ -359,11 +365,14 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
   selectContiguous(identity: Identity) {
     if (!identity) return;
     const id = identify(identity);
-    const { anchor, mostRecent } = this.state.nodes.selection;
     this.dispatch(focus(id));
-    this.dispatch(selection.remove(this.nodesBetween(anchor, mostRecent)));
-    this.dispatch(selection.add(this.nodesBetween(anchor, identifyNull(id))));
-    this.dispatch(selection.mostRecent(id));
+    if (this.get(id)?.isSelectable) {
+      const {anchor, mostRecent} = this.state.nodes.selection;
+      const selectableNodes = this.filterSelectableNodes(this.nodesBetween(anchor, identifyNull(id)))
+      this.dispatch(selection.remove(this.nodesBetween(anchor, mostRecent)));
+      this.dispatch(selection.add(selectableNodes));
+      this.dispatch(selection.mostRecent(id));
+    }
     this.scrollTo(id);
     if (this.focusedNode) safeRun(this.props.onFocus, this.focusedNode);
     safeRun(this.props.onSelect, this.selectedNodes);
@@ -375,8 +384,9 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
   }
 
   selectAll() {
+    const allSelectableNodes = this.filterSelectableNodes(Object.keys(this.idToIndex));
     this.setSelection({
-      ids: Object.keys(this.idToIndex),
+      ids: allSelectableNodes,
       anchor: this.firstNode,
       mostRecent: this.lastNode,
     });
@@ -385,10 +395,16 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
     safeRun(this.props.onSelect, this.selectedNodes);
   }
 
+  private filterSelectableNodes(nodes: (IdObj | string)[]) {
+    return nodes
+      .map(n => this.get(identify(n)))
+      .filter(n => !!n && n.isSelectable) as NodeApi<T>[];
+  }
+
   setSelection(args: {
     ids: (IdObj | string)[] | null;
-    anchor: IdObj | string | null;
-    mostRecent: IdObj | string | null;
+    anchor: Identity;
+    mostRecent: Identity;
   }) {
     const ids = new Set(args.ids?.map(identify));
     const anchor = identifyNull(args.anchor);
@@ -580,16 +596,22 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
   }
 
   isEditable(data: T) {
-    const check = this.props.disableEdit || (() => false);
-    return !utils.access(data, check) ?? true;
+    return this.isActionPossible(data, this.props.disableEdit);
   }
 
   isDraggable(data: T) {
-    const check = this.props.disableDrag || (() => false);
-    return !utils.access(data, check) ?? true;
+    return this.isActionPossible(data, this.props.disableDrag);
+  }
+
+  isSelectable(data: T) {
+    return this.isActionPossible(data, this.props.disableSelect);
+  }
+
+  private isActionPossible(data: T, disabler: string | boolean | BoolFunc<T> = (() => false)) {
+    return !utils.access(data, disabler);
   }
 
-  isDragging(node: string | IdObj | null) {
+  isDragging(node: Identity) {
     const id = identifyNull(node);
     if (!id) return false;
     return this.state.nodes.drag.id === id;
@@ -603,7 +625,7 @@ export class TreeApi<T> {
     return this.matchFn(node);
   }
 
-  willReceiveDrop(node: string | IdObj | null) {
+  willReceiveDrop(node: Identity) {
     const id = identifyNull(node);
     if (!id) return false;
     return id === this.state.nodes.drag.idWillReceiveDrop;
diff --git a/packages/react-arborist/src/types/tree-props.ts b/packages/react-arborist/src/types/tree-props.ts
index de8fff4..e68b289 100644
--- a/packages/react-arborist/src/types/tree-props.ts
+++ b/packages/react-arborist/src/types/tree-props.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export interface TreeProps<T> {
   openByDefault?: boolean;
   selectionFollowsFocus?: boolean;
   disableMultiSelection?: boolean;
+  disableSelect?: string | boolean | BoolFunc<T>;
   disableEdit?: string | boolean | BoolFunc<T>;
   disableDrag?: string | boolean | BoolFunc<T>;
   disableDrop?:
diff --git a/packages/showcase/pages/gmail.tsx b/packages/showcase/pages/gmail.tsx
index f400962..f42334f 100644
--- a/packages/showcase/pages/gmail.tsx
+++ b/packages/showcase/pages/gmail.tsx
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ export default function GmailSidebar() {
                   renderCursor={Cursor}
                   searchTerm={term}
                   paddingBottom={32}
+                  disableSelect={(data) => ["Categories", "Spam"].includes(data.name)}
                   disableEdit={(data) => data.readOnly}
                   disableDrop={({ parentNode, dragNodes }) => {
                     if (
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ export default function GmailSidebar() {
           <p>The tree is fully functional. Try the following:</p>
           <ul>
             <li>Drag the items around</li>
-            <li>Try to drag Inbox into Categories (not allowed)</li>
+            <li>Try to drag Inbox into {"'"}Categories{"'"} (not allowed)</li>
             <li>Move focus with the arrow keys</li>
             <li>Toggle folders (press spacebar)</li>
             <li>
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ export default function GmailSidebar() {
             <li>Create a new folder (press shift+A)</li>
             <li>Delete items (press delete)</li>
             <li>Select multiple items with shift or meta</li>
+            <li>{"'"}Categories{"'"} and {"'"}Spam{"'"} cannot be selected</li>
             <li>
               Filter the tree by typing in this text box:{" "}
               <input