Events
Weekend Storytime
Every Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 am
Join us every Saturday and Sunday for a weekend storytime and craft for your young ones!
No sign up is required.
YA Panel
AANHPI Month YA Panel
Saturday May 9th 6:00PM
Join YA authors Kat Cho, June CL Tan, and Grace K Shim at Words on Warren for a panel discussing the importance of AANHPI representation in YA literature!
Kat Cho
June CL Tan
Grace K. Shim
Middle Grade Book Event
Rialto
Ivy and Dahlia Vicar know this summer’s trip to visit friends in Rialto, Missouri, is going to be different from their usual family vacations.
Twelve-year-old Dahlia, an artist who lives with anxiety, is looking forward to something new. Rialto, after all, has its own abandoned theme park! But mystery-loving, fourteen-year-old Ivy is struggling with how to be the right kind of big sister to Dahlia, and longs for the way things—especially vacations—were when they were younger.
In Rialto, it quickly becomes clear that this vacation will also be different in totally unexpected ways. For one thing, the town stands in the middle of an improbable forest that, according to local legend, swallowed it overnight decades before. Then there are Dahlia’s even more improbable sightings of impossible creatures—a giraffe with antlers and a leopard with wings. And there’s their new friend Remy, whose family inherited the house they’re all staying in from an aunt who left bequests for local friends that Remy must personally distribute.
When he enlists Ivy and Dahlia to help deliver these gifts, they find themselves drawn into a mystery going back to the time when Rialto Park was still open. And it begins to seem that, if they are going to help Remy solve it, they will have to find a way to believe in magic.
Themes of friendship, family, mental health, and resilience are expertly woven through this magical, richly imagined story of two sisters and an enigmatic town that transforms everyone who visits it.
Come join author Kate Milford as she talks about her brand new book Rialto
Sunday May 31st 2 pm
Middle Grade Theater Panel
Saturday July 11th 2:00pm
Join Middle Grade Authors Wendy Lu and Lindsay Champion as they discuss their new books about the highs & lows of Middle School Theater!
Wendy Lu
Lindsay Champion
Guest Storytimes
Storytime
How NOT to Make a Jelly Sandwich
Prepare for outrageous fun and shenanigans in this madcap comedy from the creator of the beloved Very Impatient Caterpillar series. Perfect for fans of Dragons Love Tacos, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, The Food Group series, and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
Why be simple when you can be silly?
Frankie has her own way of doing things—the FUN way!
In her world, the ordinary becomes more enjoyable with a little original thinking. If you want to make a delicious jelly sandwich, for example, just follow Frankie’s five simple steps:
1. Disguise yourself as a duck
2. Spin with an elephant
3. Bathe a dog
4. Organize a joust
5. Train a hamster
Taking inspiration from the classic elementary school assignment, writing a “how to,” this playful, twisty adventure, filled with ingenious ideas, is an unbridled celebration of imagination and creativity.
Come join author/illustrator Ross Burach as he reads How NOT to Make Jelly Sandwich
POSTPONED - NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCE
Ross Burach
Storytime
Good Morning, Garden! and Peekaboo, Flowers!
Grow a child's curiosity for nature and learning and say, "Good morning, garden!" From Baby Botanicals, a bright and beautiful new board book series that promotes a love of gardening.
Come join author Jillian Miao as she reads Good Morning, Garden! and Peekaboo, Flowers!
Saturday May 9th 11:30 am
Jillian Miao
Storytime
AAPI Month Special Storytime!
Sunday May 10th 11:30 am
Join us for an extra special storytime to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander month! Featuring 2 guest readers: Aram Kim and ShinYeon Moon!
Lao Lao’s Dumplings (written by Dane Liu, illustrated by ShinYeon Moon):
Millie loves to help LaoLao cook, especially her favorite dish. Dumplings! They gather fresh ingredients from Chinatown. Chives from Auntie Lim, shrimp from Uncle Lee, and juicy, fragrant lychees that make their days together so sweet.
As the seasons change, LaoLao feels more and more tired, too tired to make dumplings. But can Millie make them without LaoLao? And will her dumplings come out delicious, and make LaoLao happy, too?
Full of humor, heart, and wholly original illustrations, this story is a timeless celebration of family, food, community, and the different ways we share love.
Aram Kim
Baby Cousin’s Big Day (written and illustrated by Aram Kim):
The whole family is gathering to celebrate baby cousin’s 1st birthday. They will do the doljabi! Dasom’s mommy will assemble a microphone, a ball, money, yarn, a paintbrush, and other things. Dasom will pick something, and that will decide her future. If she picks a ball, she will be an athlete. If she picks a paintbrush, she will be an artist.
Yoomi is worried. What if Dasom picks a paintbrush and doesn’t want to be an artist? Grandma assures Yoomi that Dasom can become whatever she wants–but maybe she will be a creative person, just like an artist.
But Baby Dasom’s choice surprises everybody—and reminds us that friends and family are what’s important!
Yoomi’s concern displays empathy, and her questioning shows a girl exercising her critical thinking muscles in this delightful story about family customs and relationships.
ShinYeon Moon
Storytime
Serafina Makes Waves
Introducing an irresistibly over-the-top new kitty character who’s ready to make a big splash!
Meet Serafina. If there’s one thing you should know about Serafina, it’s that she absolutely, positively HATES water. Running faucets, rain, or the sea? No thank you. So even though she looks fantastic in goggles, Serafina is NOT happy to be forced into a swim class by the powers that be. NOTHING can convince her to get into that disgusting pit of seething water. Nothing, that is, except maybe a very beloved old friend who needs a hand.
The first book in an unforgettable new picture book series from acclaimed creators Matthew Burgess and Robin Rosenthal shows how trying something new can lead to unexpected joy.
Come join author Matthew Burgess and illustrator Robin Rosenthal as they read Serafina Makes Waves
Saturday May 16th 11:30 am
Matthew Burgess
Robin Rosenthal
Storytime
Shrinking Violet
Violet knows what its like to be afraid: when youre afraid, you feel helpless and small. But when Violet is afraid, she doesnt just feel smallshe actually shrinks! Its tough to stop feeling frightened when youre only a few centimeters tall. But when Violets best friend is in danger, shell have to learn to deal with her fear in a new wayand save the day in the process.
Shrinking Violet is a beautifully illustrated story about fear and bravery for anyone who has ever felt scared and small. Readers will root for Violet as she finds her voice, stands up for her friend, and, most importantly, discovers the tremendous power of her own inner strength.
Come join illustrator LeUyen Pham as she reads Shrinking Violet
Sunday May 17th 11:30 am
LeUyen Pham
Storytime
Tricky Chopsticks
Jenny Chow struggles with chopsticks—aiya, those slippery, oh-so-tricky chopsticks! But cousin Victor’s birthday party is just around the corner, along with her family’s annual chopsticks challenge. Jenny doesn’t want to be the only Chow who never learns how to use the utensils. She’ll do whatever it takes to prove she can hold her own in her family’s long-held tradition—no matter how many experiments she wobbles and fumbles through.
Come join author Sylvia Chen as she reads Tricky Chopsticks
Saturday May 23rd 11:30 am
Sylvia Chen
Storytime
Watermelon Pool
When the summer sun is in full force, there’s only one way to beat the heat: dive into a watermelon pool. After a large watermelon gets split in half, everyone in the village dives in, digging into the fruit and making slides from the rind while spending a joy-filled day together until nightfall.
Bonsoir Lune is a bestselling and beloved picture book creator working in Korea. Watermelon Pool was her debut picture book, first published in 2015. Translated by New York Times bestselling author Fraces Cha, Watermelon Pool is the perfect, refreshing read during any scorching hot summer.
Come join translator Frances Cha as she reads Watermelon Pool
Saturday June 6th 11:30 am
Frances Cha
Storytime
Navigating Night
Every night, a girl must help her dad, whose English is not as good as hers, make deliveries for their small family restaurant. Sitting next to him in the car, she studies a map and gives him directions in Cantonese. She helps him get to the places he needs to go.
She hates doing this, though. Hates carrying grease-stained boxes of Mongolian beef and moo goo gai pan to customers’ doors. Hates being different from the kids behind these doors. Why can’t her family be normal like everyone else’s?
But when her dad tells her about how he immigrated, all alone as a teenager, to the United States, she comes to better understand him, and appreciate how he has made her American life possible.
Come join author Julie Leung and illustrator Angie Kang as they read Navigating Night
Sunday June 14th 11:30 am
Julie Leung
Angie Kang
Storytime
The Wise Pickle
A pickle arrives out of nowhere.
“I have lived a lot of life,” it says.
As the pickle slowly withers in the hot sun, the local animals ask it questions. Questions like “Do you ever get bored?” and “Are you hungry?” and “Why are we here?”
The pickle has all the answers.
Except one: what happens next?
A truly weird and wonderful book, The Wise Pickle will charm readers big and small with its combination of subtle humor, pathos and ridiculousness, all perfectly captured in Sabina Hahn’s delightful illustrations.
Come join illustrator Sabina Hahn as she reads The Wise Pickle
Saturday June 27th 11:30 am
Sabina Hahn
Storytime
Bean Supreme
Adorable hedgehog Bean returns for more adventures that will warm quills and tickle funny bones. This follow-up to the beloved Everyday Bean features legume-sized stories with larger-than-life personality!
Meet Bean, a very tiny hedgehog.
Bean loves ice cream, flying kites, making potions and waking Grandma up for breakfast.
Grandma loves ice cream, card games, a Bean that cleans and sleeping in.
Join Bean, Grandma and stuffie Clem in seven small (and sometimes tall) tales. Bean and Grandma eat ice cream and go just a little bit bananas; Bean learns how to fly a kite and gets carried away; Bean turns a party princess into a princess-witch; and there's even a story about when little Bean was so BIG she could fit Grandma in her pocket — the story of Bean Supreme!
This second volume in the Tiny Bean’s Big Adventures series by acclaimed author/illustrator and hedgehog friend/insider, Stephanie Graegin, is the perfect gift for little (and big) readers and hedgehog admirers everywhere.
Join author/illustrator Stephanie Graegin as she reads the latest book in Tiny Beans Big Adventures - Bean Supreme!
Saturday July 18th 11:30 am
Storytime
Construction Crews Build Big!
The hard-working animals living in Breezy Valley return as construction workers build a new town library, from foundation to finishing touches.
In this fun and detail-packed picture book for kids ages 3-6, the workers of Breezy Valley bring their tools and trucks to tackle the big job of building a new library. After site prep, digging and laying the foundation, and framing, the tradespeople come in to take care of wiring, piping, painting, and more. Constant action, informative labels, and cut-aways combine to give young readers the full story of how a building gets built.
Join author/illustrator R. W. Alley as he reads his latest book in the Breezy Valley series Construction Crews Build Big!
Sunday July 19th 11:30 am
R. W. Alley
Storytime
Gwei the Hungry Ghost
A picture book about a lonely ghost who learns to share and is finally fulfilled through friendship.
Gwei the ghost is absolutely famished, but unlike the other ghosts in the cemetery, he won’t eat just anything. Luckily, it’s Ghost Festival month: the one time a year when ghosts roam the realm of the living. Gwei flutters around the city eating steaming bowls of noodles, hot, hot, HOT chestnuts, and crispy fried fish with chili oil.
Yet no matter how much Gwei eats, his hunger won’t go away. As he searches for the perfect meal, he catches someone following him. It's another hungry little ghost! When he hears her grumbling belly, he reluctantly reaches into his pouch to share. To his surprise, he finally starts to feel full.
With charming Chinese folklore–inspired text by Emeline Lee and warm, glowing illustrations by Basia Tran, Gwei the Hungry Ghost is a story about how friendship feeds the soul.
Join author Emeline Lee and illustrator Basia Tran as they read their new book Gwei the Hungry Ghost
Sunday July 26th 11:30 am
Emeline Lee
Basia Tran