🎉 Events this week with Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Kyla Zhao, and Alan Barillaro

What’s New at Linden Tree

Friends,

I’ll keep this brief as I just got back from a busy evening event at one of our school book fairs. Top sellers tonight included Cozy Capybara, If I Built a Town, and Hilo: The Holiday Special–and I think I did a decent job of counting change despite accidentally leaving my glasses at home... 🤓

We have three excellent author events lined up for you this weekend, but I want to call special attention to Friday evening’s event with Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas Imamura. This event starts at 5pm (a little earlier than most of our evening events) and it’s a rare treat to have both the author and illustrator here together. Maggie and Yas have a beautiful new picture book, Bathtime for Snow Monkeys, but they’re also responsible for a store favorite, Love in the Library. I highly recommend coming out to see them Friday evening if you get a chance!

See you at the shop,

Chris

📅 Upcoming Events

Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas Imamura

Friday, October 16 at 5pm

We’re excited to welcome author Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrator Yas Imamura to celebrate the launch of their gorgeous new picture book, Bathtime for Snow Monkeys.

From the critically acclaimed team behind Love in the Library comes a picture book written in haiku, offering a window into the serene and relaxing world of the snow monkeys of Nagano, Japan.

Snow falls thick and cold.

Nihonzaru make their way.

Hot springs await them.

At the Jigokudani monkey park in Nagano, nihonzaru—Japanese macaques—have a unique way of de-stressing from life in a cold climate: gathering in their very own onsen, or hot spring “spa,” to lounge and snack. Peek into this magical world in the mountains, hushed by snow, where the macaques reign over their onsen, huddling together. As a playful baby monkey splashes, the others don’t want to join in, and as the baby’s amusing antics wind down, parents and little ones reading the story will happily snuggle like the macaques, warm and safe.

Kyla Zhao

In conversation with Stacey Lee
Saturday, October 17 at 6pm

Join us as we welcome author Kyla Zhao back for the launch of her YA debut, Heirs of Infamy, about two rivals from opposing gangs who grow dangerously close in this thriller set in 1940s San Francisco Chinatown. Kyla will be in conversation with New York Times bestselling author Stacey Lee.

Beneath the neon glare of postwar San Francisco, Chinatown is ruled by two rival crime families. East Phoenix deals in secrets and stealth, West Dragon in fists and fear. But both empires are bleeding money, and the fragile truce between them frays by the day.

As the daughter of Chinatown’s most powerful crime boss, Alexis Sung can do almost anything, except join the family business. When her first job for East Phoenix goes wrong, her father shuts her out for good. Across town, Zachary Ren—a brilliant orphan raised by West Dragon—is desperate to escape a life he never chose. Their paths were never meant to cross again, not after he destroyed Alexis’s one shot to prove herself.

That changes when a daring heist surfaces—one with a bounty big enough to save both families from ruin. Defying her father’s orders, Alexis seizes the chance to redeem herself by striking an uneasy alliance with Zachary. As old wounds reopen and new sparks catch, survival means trusting the last person she thought she would.

Alan Barillaro

Sunday, October 18 at 10:30am

Join us for a special Sunday storytime with Oscar-winning author-illustrator Alan Barillaro as he shares his picture book debut, Today We’ll Be Eaten, the gently humorous story of two friends facing uncertainty and discovering joy.

“Dragonfly, what do you think today will bring?” Ladybug asked.

Ladybug and Dragonfly are caught in a storm, floating upside down and helplessly on the river. They are certain that today they'll be eaten. But as they stare nervously up at the sky, waiting for that terrible fate... something different happens. By the next morning, they will have made some surprising new friends and learned a lot about living in the moment and being open to the unexpected.

📅 Mark Your Calendar

Friday, October 16 at 5pm: Book Launch with Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas Imamura, Bathtime for Snow Monkeys
Saturday, October 17 at 6pm: Book Launch with Kyla Zhao, in conversation with Stacey Lee, Heirs of Infamy
Sunday, October 18 at 10:30am: Storytime with Alan Barillaro, Today We’ll Be Eaten
Wednesday, October 21 at 6pm: Book Launch with Wendelin Van Draanen, in conversation with Mark Parsons, Ghosted
Saturday, October 24: Linden Tree Literary Fund Launch Party, featuring:
10am: Scary Monster Craft with Cindy Derby
1pm: 2-Sentence Horror Story Writing with Keely Parrack
5pm: Young Adult ARC Social
6pm: Book Launch with Trish Lundy and Charlotte Lillie Balogh
Sunday, October 25 at 10:30am: Storytime with Oliver Chin, The Discovery of K-Pop
Sunday, October 25 at 4pm: Middle Grade Book Club: Brittle Magic