Monday, November 4th, 6pm

Susan Lubner, author of Drag and Rex: Forever Friends (illustrated by Blythe Russo), joins us to celebrate the release of her second book in the series, Drag and Rex: Sweet and Silly. Susan will be in conversation with Pam Vaughan, author of Missy Wants a Mammoth.

Best friends Drag and Rex are back to cook up oodles more fun in the second book in a charming buddy series that reads like a modern FROG AND TOAD. Whether it’s coming up with the perfect Valentine’s Day present, making the tricky decision of what to cook for a delicious dinner, or helping remember that really important thing that’s just out of reach, as a team, they can face down any challenge.

But there’s one thing they’ll never forget: how great it is to have a friend you can count on.

Sweet and Silly, the second book in the Drag and Rex series, features three stories told in short chapters, accompanied by bright, joy-filled full color illustrations, allowing developing readers to gain confidence and a sense of accomplishment as they giggle along with the silly antics of their favorite new friends.

Wednesday, November 13th, 7pm

Heather White, founder & CEO of OneGreenThing, joins us to discuss her new book, Eco-Anxiety: Saving Our Sanity, Our Kids, and Our Future. This event will be co-sponsored by MassEnergize and Sustainable Wellesley. 

In Eco-Anxiety, White shows you how to contribute to the climate movement through self-discovery and self-care. Utilizing the Service Superpower Profile Assessment included in the text, you’ll discover how your personality, interests, and strengths can be of service to others and the planet. Setting the intention each day to take a small step to care for the planet--can help ease your eco-anxiety, push the culture toward climate solutions, and create a sense of joy.

The climate crisis and its resulting eco-anxiety is the biggest challenge of our time. The anxiety that comes with worrying about how environmental harm will impact our--and our children's--lives can be overwhelming. Learn how to balance practicing daily sustainability actions while caring for your own eco-anxiety in this revolutionary book from noted environmentalist Heather White.

Thursday, November 14th, 7pm

Crystal King, author of Feast of Sorrow, joins us to discuss her entrancing new novel, In the Garden of Monsters. Crystal will be in conversation with Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light.

A fresh twist on the love story of Hades and Persephone with the creepy atmosphere of Mexican Gothic, this historical fantasy follows a woman with no past as she enters Italy's Garden of Monsters in 1948 and begins to suspect she’s the queen of the Underworld reincarnated. Julia Lombardi is a mystery even to herself. The beautiful model can’t remember where she’s from, where she’s been or how she came to live in Rome. When she receives an offer to accompany celebrated eccentric artist Salvador Dalí to the Sacro Bosco—Italy’s Garden of Monsters—as his muse, she’s strangely compelled to accept. It could be a chance to unlock the truth about her past. Shrouded in shadow, the garden full of giant statues that sometimes seem alive is far from welcoming. Still, from the moment of their arrival at the palazzo, Julia is inexplicably drawn to their darkly enigmatic host, Ignazio. He’s alluring yet terrifying—and he seems to know her...

"A sinister romance and hypnotic Gothic fairytale—surreal and luscious with a fascinating twist on the story of Hades and Persephone.” —Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne

Thursday, November 21st, 7pm

Alan Lightman, author of Einstein’s Dreams and host of Searching: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science on PBS, presents his new book, The Miraculous from the Material: Understanding the Wonders of Nature.

Nature is capable of extraordinary phenomena. Standing in awe of those phenomena, we experience a feeling of connection to the cosmos. For acclaimed physicist and novelist Alan Lightman, just as remarkable is that all of what we see around us—soap bubbles, scarlet ibises, shooting stars—are made out of the same material stuff and obey the same rules and laws. Pairing 36 beautiful, full-color photos evoking some of nature’s most awe-inspiring phenomena with accessible and lyrical personal essays, The Miraculous from the Material explores the fascinating science underlying the natural world.

"In this reverent survey, Lightman . . . delves into the science behind awe-inducing phenomena. . . . Readers will marvel at the eye-opening science.” —Publishers Weekly