Location: Brea, California 92821, United States

Thursday, June 20, 7pm Kristen Kittscher discusses and signs The Wig in the Window

Best friends and seventh graders Sophie Young and Grace Yang have made a game out of spying on their neighbors. On one of their midnight stakeouts, they witness a terrifying, bloody scene at the home of their bizarre middle-school counselor Dr. Charlotte Agford (also known as Dr. Awkward). At least, they think they do. The truth is that Dr. Agford was only making her famous pickled beets. But when Dr. Agford begins acting even weirder than usual, Sophie and Grace become convinced that she's hiding something - and they're determined to find out what it is. Soon the girls are breaking secret codes, being followed by a strange blue car, and tailing strangers with unibrows and Texas accents. But as their investigation heats up, Sophie and Grace start to crack under the pressure. Will solving the case destroy their friendship?

Location: Street: 695 E. Colorado Blvd City: Pasadena, Province: California Postal Code: 91101 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Skippyjon Jones, Lost in Spice by Judy Schachner, Judy Schachner (Illustrator)
Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse by Judy Schachner, Judy Schachner (Illustrator)
Skippyjon Jones and the Big Bones by Judy Schachner
Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner, Judy Schachner (Illustrator)
Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble by Judy Schachner, Judy Schachner (Illustrator)
Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner, Judy Schachner (Illustrator)
Skippyjon Jones Cirque de Ole by Judy Schachner

Storytime, Special Event Younger guests can come in and enjoy our Saturday Storytime and a meeting with Skippyjon! Older guests should grab one of our Reading Journals and browse our selection of books for an opportunity to get a free book! (added from Barnes & Noble)… (more)

Julia Reed, a master of the art of eating, drinking, and making merry, takes the reader on culinary adventures in places as far flung as Kabul, Afghanistan and as close to home as her native Mississippi Delta and Florida’s Gulf Coast. Along the way, Reed discovers the perfect Pimm’s Royale at the Paris Ritz, devours delicious chuletons in Madrid, and picks up tips from accomplished hostesses ranging from Pat Buckley to Pearl Bailey and, of course, her own mother. Reed writes about the bounty—and the burden—of a Southern garden in high summer, tosses salads in the English countryside, and shares C.Z. Guest’s recipe for an especially zingy bullshot. She understands the necessity of a potent holiday punch and serves it up by the silver bowl full, but she is not immune to the slightly less refined charms of a blender full of frozen peach daiquiris or a garbage can full of Yucca Flats. And then there are the parties: shindigs ranging from sultry summer suppers and raucous dinners at home to a Plymouth-like Thanksgiving feast and an upscale St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This delightful collection of essays by Julia Reed, a master storyteller with an inimitable voice and a limitless capacity for fun, will show you how to entertain guests with style, have a good time yourself and always have that perfect pitcher of sangria ready at a moment’s notice.

Location: Street: 695 E. Colorado Blvd. City: Pasadena, Province: California Postal Code: 91101 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

In 1913, a dedicated group of men and women came together to form the Jewish Consumptive Relief Association of California. Launching a free, national and nonsectarian tuberculosis sanatorium outside of Los Angeles, they offered care to their brothers and sisters in need. By the mid-1940s, tuberculosis was on the decline in the United States. But the organization that became City of Hope rose to the challenge of each successive era, tackling the world's most catastrophic diseases while reaffirming its humanitarian vision that "health is a human right."

On Monday, June 24th at 7:00 p.m. DR. LINDA MALKAS will address the institution’s legacy, as well as its bright future. The City of Hope was founded in the same year as the City of San Marino was incorporated, and thus is celebrating its Centennial in 2013 along with San Marino. Over its history, the City of Hope has been a place of hope and discovery and anticipates continuing in the next century working on the future promise for the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer and diabetes, and the research that makes that possible.

Dr. Malkas is an expert in the areas of human cell DNA replication/repair, women’s cancers, as well as in cancer biomarker and therapeutic target discovery and development. She is currently an Associate Chairman and Profession in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Deputy Director for Basic Research of the City of Hope’s NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center as well as co-leader of the Molecular Oncology and Cancers Programs at the Cancer Center.

Seating is limited and attendance to this free monthly series has been to capacity so arrive early! (notparoo)… (more)

Tuesday, June 25, 7pm Khaled Hosseini discusses and signs And the Mountains Echoed

This event will be held at All Saints Church, 132 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena, 91101.

Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.

Khaled Hosseini will be joined in conversation by CBS News National Correspondent Leland P. “Lee” Cowan.

Event Details: (Updated 6/14/13) - This is a ticketed event. Tickets will be given with the Vroman's Bookstore purchase of And the Mountains Echoed ($28.95 + tax) and are now available for pick up from Vroman's main store and Hastings Ranch locations. If you have any questions, please call (626)449-5320.

- One ticket per book. Unfortunately, there is no ticket only option available, per the publisher's stipulations. A book must be purchased to receive a ticket.

- Books/ tickets that have not been picked-up from either Vroman's location before the close of business on 6/24/13 (9pm) will be transferred to the venue for pick-up the evening of the event.

- Doors open at 6pm. Vroman's is hosting this event in the All Saints Church sanctuary, which is located at 132 N Euclid Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101.

- Tickets and books will be available for purchase at the venue the evening of the event. Guests may purchase additional books to be signed. While supplies last.

Location: Street: 132 N Euclid Ave. Additional: All Saints Church City: Pasadena, Province: California Postal Code: 91101 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Thorsten Hoins worked on personal branding at the June 19 Brown Bag workshop. Building on to the personal mission statement, learn how to incorporate it into resumes that get noticed and land interviews. All participants receive an annotated webliography of valuable online resources and a list of suggested print materials in the Monrovia Library.

Didn't make it to the June 19 workshop? You're welcome to join in now. Sign up to reserve a place. Walk-ins welcome. (cesimone)… (more)

On January 12, 2010, the deadliest earthquake in the history of the Western Hemisphere struck the nation least prepared to handle it. Jonathan M. Katz, the only full-time American news correspondent in Haiti, was inside his house when it buckled along with hundreds of thousands of others. In this visceral, authoritative first-hand account, Katz chronicles the terror of that day, the devastation visited on ordinary Haitians, and how the world reacted to a nation in need.

More than half of American adults gave money for Haiti, part of a monumental response totaling $16.3 billion in pledges. But three years later the relief effort has foundered. It’s most basic promises—to build safer housing for the homeless, alleviate severe poverty, and strengthen Haiti to face future disasters—remain unfulfilled.

Location: Street: 695 E. Colorado Blvd City: Pasadena, Province: California Postal Code: 91101 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Alyce Stevens Rohrer discusses and signs Heaven Sent When Lithia is Heaven Sent to Earth on special assignment, she is not sure she is the one for the job but accepts it anyway. Born on Earth to a Mormon family, she learns about the practice of polygamy both past and present and rejects the entire idea as one not right for the country she loves.

Miceala Shocklee discusses and signs Drop Dead Gorgeous “This is not a pretty book. It is a book that contains all the mess and grunge of a real life. My life - with an eating disorder. This is a look from the inside. Written while I am still recovering, this book is an attempt to give all those who have never had to live within the war zone of an eating disorder a real look at the battleground.”

Fiorella Patri Dandekar discusses and signs The Fear of Surrender “Life and death... we are born and yet we are marked to die. Why is it that we all have to go? Even though my parents died a while ago, I still feel a great sense of loss and emptiness. I still don't know the details of life after death, but through my near-death experiences, I can say that my spirit was alive and travelling upwards someplace...”

Location: Street: 695 E. Colorado Blvd City: Pasadena, Province: California Postal Code: 91101 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

On Monday, July 1 at 7:00 p.m., Registered Dietician VICTORIA BUXTON-PACHECO will present a fun program on food and nutrition as Crowell Public Library celebrates summer reading with programs, prizes and surprises. Victoria will discuss adapting your favorite comfort food recipes, portion control, healthy snacks, reading food labels and how it all relates to the USDA’s Choose My Plate program http://www.choosemyplate.gov. See how eating healthy can make your taste buds stand up and cheer!

Victoria comes to us from the Community Outreach Department at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia. She provides nutritional counseling for clients with gestational diabetes, cardiac disease, cancer and weight management issues. She graduated from Cal State Los Angeles and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degree in Nutrition. Victoria recently published a nutrition textbook and is on the faculty at Pasadena City College and Cal State Los Angeles.

And you won’t want to miss the free demonstration by BRYCE FUJII on transforming common fruits and vegetables into beautiful, edible decorations. With just a few basic tools, garnishes can enhance any meal, making it special without adding significant cost. When presented attractively, food not only looks pretty but also seems to taste better, too! Connect with your inner artist -- even you can be a Rodin with a radish!

Bryce Fujii has been an Independent Director and Trainer with The Pampered Chef for seven years. His lifelong passion for food led him to become a USPCA certified personal chef. While pursuing college degrees in business and fine arts, Bryce learned that with a little instruction, everyone has enough time and talent to prepare delicious and impressive home-cooked meals. Join us on Sunday, July 14th in the Barth Community Room and learn some basics of epicurean embellishments! (notparoo)… (more)

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. We will update our event information as soon as we have a new date. Thank you so much for understanding!

Ever since Unicorn moved into the neighborhood, Goat has been feeling out of sorts. Goat thought his bike was cool-until he saw that Unicorn could fly to school! Goat made marshmallow squares that almost came out right, but Unicorn made it rain cupcakes! Unicorn is such a show-off, how can Goat compete? When Goat and Unicorn share a piece of pizza, Goat learns that being a unicorn might not be all it's cracked up to be. And when Unicorn shows his admiration for Goat, it looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Location: Street: 695 E. Colorado Blvd City: Pasadena, Province: California Postal Code: 91101 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

On her twelfth birthday, Bess of Hardwick receives the news that she is to be a waiting gentlewoman in the household of Lady Zouche. Armed with nothing but her razor-sharp wit and fetching looks, Bess is terrified of leaving home. But as her family has neither the money nor the connections to find her a good husband, she must go to facilitate her rise in society.

Location: Street: 695 E. Colorado Blvd City: Pasadena, Province: California Postal Code: 91101 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)