Vroman's Bookstore: Ashlee Yates reads from & signs The Stink
2025-09-20 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Our life is perfect until one day a new smell enters our home, PEE EWW! This playful children’s book follows an English Bulldog as he navigates life with his new very stinky baby sister. A heartwarming tale about home life changes shown through quirky illustrations and vivid language.
Perfect for parents to read to their kids or for kids to read to their pets. The perfect addition to any child’s bookshelf!

Archetype Yoga: Bookclub: Exalted by Anna Dorn
2025-09-20 11:30 - 12:30 | Archetypa Yoga, 638 e colorado ave, pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
At Archetype Yoga, we invite our students to evolve beyond the mat. Join our community to focus on one book to read per month. We’ll meet every month to discover, gain insights and learn together. Our focus will be a deep dive into the world of wellness and movement. Come join in on the fun and get rewarded for reading with studio discounts.
August Book of the Month: Exalted by Anna Dorn
Check out our Instagram for our latest pick- @archetypeyoga or email us at hello@archetype.yoga. for more information.

Vroman's Bookstore: Leslie Adame, in conversation with Tamika Burgess, presents & signs Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic (Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic #1)
2025-09-20 13:00 - 14:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A new Latinx middle grade fantasy debut where a secret magical academy, an evil sorcerer, and a powerful, coveted gem awaits one girl in her quest to reunite her family. Perfect for fans of Claribel A. Ortega and B. B. Alston!
Twelve-year-old Chloe Vega’s biggest fear is that her undocumented parents will be detained by immigration. That is, until she learns that her parents are actually part of a secret magical society…and that the suspicious looking police officers who have been hanging around their block are henchmen for an evil sorcerer determined to settle a decades-old score.
Just when Chloe discovers that she has powers, too, her parents are kidnapped. In order to rescue them, she’ll need to harness her abilities at an elite academy, run by the very agency who exiled her parents from the magical world.
Finding herself in the center of a magical war that might destroy everything she has ever known, Chloe can’t shake the feeling that the Agents of Magic are hiding secrets. With her parents’ lives hanging in the balance, she must uncover who is truly on her side and fast to save her family–and the world itself.

Pasadena Heritage: Playhouse Village Twilight Walking Tour
2025-09-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Pasadena Heritage, The Blinn House 160 N Oakland Ave, Pasadena, 91101, United States
Join Pasadena Heritage a twilight walking tour of the Playhouse Village Historic District, which traces Pasadena’s eastward expansion during the 1920s and 1930s, when the city transitioned from an agricultural hub to a thriving tourist destination. Shaped by the construction of the grand Civic Center, this area features a variety of architectural styles and several notable landmarks, including the Pasadena Playhouse itself.
The tour will last approximately 1.5 hours and cover a walking distance of about 1 mile. Please note, for the comfort of all guests, dogs are not permitted on Pasadena Heritage walking tours.

Ice House Comedy: Jetski Johnson, Jamie Kaler, Dvontre Coleman
2025-09-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Jetski Johnson, Jamie Kaler, Dvontre Coleman. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 7pm. **18+ with a 2-item minimum per seat.**

Ice House Comedy: Home By 9 Comedy Show
2025-09-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Home By 9 Comedy Show. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show starts at 7:30pm. **21+ only with a 2-item minimum per seat in showroom.**

Ice House Comedy: The Shin Dig Show
2025-09-20 21:00 - 22:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents The Shin Dig Show. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 3:30pm. Show Starts at 9pm. **21+ with a 2-item minimum per seat.**

Ice House Comedy: Scott Blugrind & Friends
2025-09-20 21:30 - 23:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Scott Blugrind & Friends. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 9:30pm.
**21+ only with a 2 item minimum per seat in the showroom**

Vroman's Bookstore: An Afternoon with author & director Andrew Davis
2025-09-21 14:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The director of Holes, Under Siege, A Perfect Murder, and the Academy Award nominated hit The Fugitive joins us for a discussion about his films and his debut novel Disturbing the Bones, co-authored with Jeff Biggers, which features subjects & themes that reverberate throughout his filmography.
Cover of Disturbing the Bones with a picture of author Andrew Davis and at the bottom it says TICKETED
An Afternoon with author & director Andrew Davis
The director of Holes, Under Siege, A Perfect Murder, and the Academy Award nominated hit The Fugitive joins us for a discussion about his films and his debut novel Disturbing the Bones, co-authored with Jeff Biggers, which features subjects & themes that reverberate throughout his filmography.
About the book
A propulsive debut political thriller set in the aftermath of a global nuclear weapons crisis—from the acclaimed filmmaker of The Fugitive and an award-winning journalist . . .
“A knife-edged investigation that morphs into a political thriller about a world on the brink. An ingenious page turner.” —Michael Mann
A plot to disrupt a global peace summit in Chicago collides with a civil rights case breakthrough at a mysterious archaeological site . . .
Chicago detective Randall Jenkins has not been back home to the historic Civil Rights hotspot of Cairo, Illinois since the disappearance of his mother, a well-known journalist, several decades ago. That all changes the day Dr. Molly Moore, an ambitious young archaeologist in the national spotlight for her groundbreaking high-tech discoveries, uncovers a set of strange bones at a huge 12,000-year-old site at a highway construction project. With retired military general and contractor William Alexander breathing down her neck to cover up the dig, Molly and Randall soon find themselves in the middle of a wild military conspiracy.The detective and archaeologist’s entwined family mysteries suddenly thrust them into the central position as the only people who can ensure the safety of the ongoing Chicago global peace summit. They must take on the rogue general who views any disarmament agreement as a clear and present danger to the United States. The fate of global peace and the lives of Molly and Randall hang in the balance.
About the authors
Andrew Davis, raised on the southside of Chicago, is the acclaimed director and screenwriter of numerous films, including Holes, Under Siege, Code of Silence, A Perfect Murder, and The Guardian, and whose landmark film, The Fugitive, chosen in 2020 by Los Angeles Times readers as the ultimate summer film, was nominated for seven Academy awards including Best Picture.
Jeff Biggers is an American Book Award-winning historian, journalist and playwright. Based part-time in Italy since 1989, he is the recipient of the David Brower Award for Environmental Reporting, the Foreword Magazine Book of the Year for Travel Writing, a Lowell Thomas Award for Travel Journalism, and other honors. Author of ten books of cultural history and investigative reporting, his work has appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, Salon.com, and on National Public Radio and Public Radio International.

Pasadena Walking Tours: Pasadena After Hours
2025-09-21 17:30 - 19:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
The area now known for the Pasadena Hotel & Pool and the Ice House was once one of Pasadena’s liveliest spots for “Nite-Life.” On this walking tour, we’ll explore the Catalina Villas neighborhood and step back to a time when, within just a few blocks, you could play mini golf, go bowling, catch a film at an ornate movie palace, and spend the evening in one of several now-forgotten nightclubs – complete with dance floors, live music, or even a “Harmony Hostess.” Along the way, we’ll uncover spectacular residential gems and long-lost amusements that once lit up this eastside entertainment strip.

Vroman's Bookstore: Vroman’s on Screen - Tim Greiving, in conversation with Matt Gourley, discusses & signs John Williams: A Composer’s Life
2025-09-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
John Williams is one of the most important film composers of all time, having almost singlehandedly revived the Hollywood symphonic scoring tradition and helped restore the livelihood of American orchestras through the popularity of film music programming. His film music, in the words of director Oliver Stone, “came to stand for the American culture.”
In John Williams: A Composer’s Life, the first biography of the composer, author Tim Greiving offers an engaging account of a man whose body of work is well-known but whose personal life has consistently remained very private. Williams wrote the memorable scores and hummable themes for a staggering number of popular touchstones across multiple generations–among them Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, and the Harry Potter series–and earned more Oscar nominations than any individual artist in the history of the motion picture Academy. He also composed dozens of concerti, fanfares, and other concert works and was a national presence as music director of the Boston Pops for more than a decade. He inspired countless children to pursue a career in the orchestra and won the respect of the classical community worldwide. Seeking to understand what drove Williams’s musical productivity and its effects on the lives of those close to him, Greiving delves deeply into the composer’s decades-long career, uncovering countless new stories and revelations. Throughout, he analyzes and describes Williams’ film scores, recalling them primarily in narrative and emotional terms rather than purely musicological ones, and in doing so emphasizes one of Williams’s principle strengths: his musical storytelling.
With unprecedented interview access to Williams and those close to him, Greiving presents the definitive portrait of a beloved but famously private doyen of twentieth-century pop culture. Featuring 175 exclusive interviews–including with Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, George Miller, Mia Farrow, Hans Zimmer, Yo-Yo Ma, session musicians, family members, and friends–John Williams: A Composer’s Life is the first and last word on the great court composer of the cinema age, the musical conductor of our collective memory.

Vroman's Bookstore: Robert Oventile and Contributors read from, discuss & sign The Canyon
2025-09-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Through poems and photos, The Canyon meditates on Eaton Canyon, a unique ecosystem nestled adjacent Pasadena and Altadena, California.
In January 2025, the Eaton Fire devastated the canyon, along with parts of Altadena and Pasadena. The Canyon reflects on the resilience of this environment, recalling how its wildlife, plants, and terrain rebounded after the 1993 Kinneloa Fire. Shaped by fire and now increasingly by human-driven climate change, Eaton Canyon is part of a larger story-one that climate scientists place within the evolving Earth System.
A celebration of Eaton Canyon’s beauty and endurance, The Canyon invites readers on a journey through an ever-changing landscape.
About the Author and the Photographers
Susan Hopkins has been an Eaton Canyon Docent Naturalist since 2018 and a UC California Naturalist since 2019. Susan’s passion is taking long in duration, very short on distance hikes in Eaton Canyon. The slower you go, the more you see. She is also a nature gossip.
Edgar McGregor is a meteorologist and environmentalist living in Southern California. He takes daily walks at Eaton Canyon to pick up litter, speak about environmental issues, and monitor changes to the park. He specializes in forecasting Santa Ana windstorms and aided in warning the Altadena community in the days before the 2025 Eaton Fire.
Tom Mills is an amateur nature and wildlife photographer who is one of many volunteer docents at the Eaton Canyon Natural Area. Born and raised on the North Shore of Long Island, N.Y., Tom relocated to California in 1988 and has lived in Pasadena, California with his wife, Simone, for over thirty years. Tom is also a member of the Pasadena Audubon Society, with whom he also volunteers his time and photographs for use in the Society’s publications.
Robert Savino Oventile hikes Eaton Canyon regularly. He is coauthor with Sandy Florian of Sophia Lethe Talks Doxodox Down (Atmosphere, 2021).

Ice House Comedy: The Shin Dig Show
2025-09-26 21:30 - 23:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents The Shin Dig Show. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 9:30pm.
**21+ with a 2 item minimum per seat.**

Vroman's Bookstore: Dr. Haleh Massey discusses & signs Say Something, Poupeh Babaee!: A Graphic Novel
2025-09-27 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore
Poupeh needs to speak up for her parents at an embassy interview-the problem is that she’s been rendered mute! Smile meets New Kid in this funny, heartwarming, poignant graphic novel about the toll immigrating to the United States takes on a kid’s mental health.
Poupeh Babaee is an Iranian girl sent to live with her relatives in the United States. Although Poupeh understands and speaks English, the stress of entering a new school in a foreign land renders her mute, and she is diagnosed with selective mutism. Worse yet, a travel ban–which labels Iran a “dangerous country”–has barred her parents from entering the US! Poupeh must now overcome her selective mutism to advocate for her parents during an interview with an embassy consular officer if she ever wants to see them again.
Uplifting and engaging, Say Something, Poupeh Babaee! depicts the healing power of therapy, friendship, and familial bonds. This is a message of hope to all the awkward, overwhelmed immigrant children struggling to find acceptance.

Vroman’s on Screen - Stephen Rebello, in conversation with Alonso Duralde, discusses & signs Criss-Cross: The Making of Hitchcock's Dazzling, Subversive Masterpiece Strangers on a Train
2025-09-27 15:00 - 16:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
For the very first time the tense and drama-filled story of the making Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train is revealed as author Stephen Rebello takes readers deep into the shadows and light of one of the most subversive, corrosively funny, and beloved suspense thriller masterworks.
As entertaining as it is to watch Strangers on a Train, so too is the previously untold backstory that packs all the suspense, drama, and twists of a thriller. After all, what are the hallmarks of a great Hitchcock movie? A larger-than-life, complex cast of characters, each with something to prove, lose, or hide. Check. Tremendous risk, outsized conflict, and emotion as those men and women confront challenges off the set. Check. Feuds, deceptions, unlikely alliances, and double-crosses. Check. Coming off a 5-year-string of flops, Alfred Hitchcock gambled big on adapting Patricia Highsmith’s debut novel, which critics called “preposterous” and “unconvincing,” in addition to “unsavory,” and “sick” (1950s code words for “gay” and “perverted”). Each step of the production was fraught with battles, but Hitchcock masterfully stayed two steps ahead of his opponents as he fought to bring his vision to life. Strangers on a Train became not only a creative high-water mark and box-office smash for Hitchcock, but also kicked off his unmatched decade of classics including Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Psycho.
Richly documented, meticulously researched, and stylishly written, Criss-Cross is more than an authoritative film book. It is a portrait of an especially politically paranoid, misogynistic, and homophobic era in America, a time of dramatic transition in the entertainment industry, and a day of reckoning for Alfred Hitchcock and a few other talents with whom he made a dark, resonant, and prescient work of art.

Boston Court: Pianist Aron Kallay
2025-09-27 20:00 | Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91206, United States
Boston Court Pasadena invites you to an evening of live music with pianist Aron Kallay. The Grammy®-nominated artist and Piano Spheres Core Artist will perform works that journey through the depths of love, the shadows of loss, the turbulence of conflict, and the joy of renewal. The program features music by Beethoven, Prokofiev, Liszt, Messiaen, Brahms, and more.

Ice House Comedy: Sean Porter and friends
2025-09-27 21:30 - 23:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Cyrus and Friends. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 7:45pm.
**21+ only with a 2 item minimum per seat in the showroom**

Vroman's Bookstore: Joss Richard, in conversation with Elissa Sussman, discusses & signs It’s Different This Time
2025-09-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
In this sweeping, second-chance romance, a twist of fate forces two former roommates back into their beloved New York City brownstone where they must confront the events that led to their estrangement–and the unresolved feelings lingering between them.
Reeling from the cancellation of her hit TV show, June Wood has nothing left to lose when a mysterious email lures her back to the New York City brownstone she once called home before she moved to Los Angeles. Thanks to a clause in the former owner’s will, she and her old roommate, Adam Harper, now own the multimillion-dollar property–or at least they will in a month, once all the paperwork is signed.
Four weeks, then June can return to her life in LA and forget about New York City and everything she left behind. Sure, the fact that June and Adam are estranged and haven’t even spoken in five years, and that their friendship didn’t exactly end on good terms might complicate matters, but this is an opportunity of a lifetime.
As the autumn leaves fall around them, through shared meals and late-night conversations, old wounds and long-buried sparks resurface, and it becomes strikingly clear: June and Adam have unfinished business. Confronted with the consequences of their choices years before, they must now navigate the minefield of their past the best way they know how: together. Second chances are always a risk, but maybe, if they get it right and are finally honest with each other and with themselves, it could be different this time.

Vroman's Bookstore: Scott Campbell reads from & signs Cabin Head and Tree Head (Cabin Head and Tree Head, Book #1)
2025-09-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore
“Hahahahahahahaha” –Jon Klassen, Caldecott medalist and New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of THE SKULL
“I laughed my head off!” –Ben Clanton, Eisner Award winner and New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of NARWHAL AND JELLY
HELLO, READER HEADS! Jump headfirst into the wonderfully off-the-wall world of renowned creator Scott Campbell, in this goofy, good-natured graphic novel series featuring a best friend duo like no other! It’s Frog and Toad meets Bill and Ted for a new generation of readers — and best buddies of all ages.
Book 1 includes 6 laugh-out-loud adventures in a universe where everyone has something on their head! Includes bonus content: Storytime with Library Head, Pool Party with Pool Head and Drawing Time with Box of Crayons Head.
Whether drawing or hiding or just saying HELLO or BYE-BYE, Cabin Head and Tree Head are irresistible buddies who have fun together, support one another’s ideas (digging for treasure without a map) and help one another overcome challenges (bad leafcuts!). These are lighthearted tales of two pals who think differently — and entirely embrace it — set in a landscape of equally unforgettable characters such as Automobile Head, Volcano Head and Trash Can Head. Let’s go hang out with all the Heads!

Vroman's Bookstore: How to Write a Book: A Conversation with Jade Chang & Ann Friedman
2025-10-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
To celebrate the launch of Jade Chang’s new novel, What a Time to Be Alive, Jade and frequent collaborator Ann Friedman discuss one of their favorite topics… How to Write a Book! Together, Jade Chang and Ann Friedman (Big Friendship) are The Midwives of Invention (www.midwivesofinvention.com). They lead popular idea development workshops and retreats, and on 10/8 they will talk about the unexpected overlaps between writing fiction and non-fiction, their own writing processes, and their current projects.
A little more about What a Time to Be Alive:
“What a Time to Be Alive is a sly, sexy work of art. Jade Chang has captured the true essence of Los Angeles, in all of its motley, messy beauty, with humor and heart. This is a novel that you will devour, and share with your friends, and soon want to devour again.” — Angela Flournoy, author of The Wilderness and The Turner House
A deeply moving and often hilarious novel following a woman who becomes an internet folk hero in the most unexpected way, catapulting her into fame and influence just as she’s finally beginning to reckon with her complicated past
Lola Treasure Gold can’t figure out her life. She’s broke, unemployed, and back in her childhood home, a crumbling cottage in the Hollywood Hills. Worse—unspeakably worse—one of her closest friends has just died. So nobody is more surprised than Lola when a jackpot falls in her lap: she stars in a Very Viral Video, opening a surprising path for her to become a self-help guru.
With the encouragement of her other best friend, Celi—still alive, thank god—Lola embraces the public interest in her perceived message. But is she a scammer or a sage? Just as Lola is telling others to be their own guiding lights, she can’t seem to find hers: she’s grieving; she’s accused of using the notoriety of her friend’s death to fuel her rise; and she’s full of questions about the fate of her mother, who came to America pregnant, fleeing China’s one-child policy, got deported when Lola was eight, and now has totally disappeared.
Driven by an exuberant, searching spirit, Jade Chang’s kaleidoscopic new novel is a deep examination of the ways we commodify belief, the power and precarity of fame, and the delicious terror of being truly seen. What a Time to Be Alive asks if we can look honestly at the world and still love it; the answer is a brilliant, resounding yes.

Vroman Bookstore: Tom Lutz, in conversation with John Powers, discusses & signs 1925: A Literary Encyclopedia
2025-10-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The year 1925 was arguably the peak of literature’s centrality. There were more magazines, more journals, more reviews, more book news, and more book gossip than ever before or since. Literature’s rivals for cultural attention were on the rise—film was becoming a more significant part of people’s media diet, radio was just taking off, television technologies were advancing—but literature was still king. Even mediocre books got dozens of reviews, and the reviews were (most often) thoughtful and intellectually engaged. The belief that literary writing was an essential and consequential business was nearly universal. Modernist ferment continued to excite discussion while the pulp revolution in genre fiction—detective stories, science fiction, Westerns, romance—was booming. These popular books, even if sometimes condescended to, were also given thoughtful review attention.
This encyclopedia was written as we approached the 100th anniversary of the annus mirabilis. In what follows, we can see the seeds of virtually every aspect of our cultural life, from art, literature, theater, and music to physics, philosophy, social science, and political discourse. The fear of environmental degradation, the corruption in our politics, the competing claims of utopianism and dystopia, the bitterly divided views on science, mass media, art, nature, justice, generations, community, freedom, sexuality, race, immigration—all can be seen in their budding or full-blown gore and glory in 1925. We have come far and not very far at all.

Pasadena Conservatory of Music presents Musical Storytime: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
2025-10-11 11:30 - 12:30 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The Pasadena Conservatory of Music will be putting on a special musical storytime with featured book: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams. Caregivers and children aged 3-9 will enjoy story, craft activities, creative movement and a mini-concert!

Vroman's Bookstore: Stoker Award-winning author Pedro Iniguez in conversation with screenwriter Peter Atkins (Hellraiser) on horror in children’s literature (reading and signing)
2025-10-11 15:00 - 16:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Join screenwriting legend Peter Atkins (Hellraiser) in an in-depth conversation with Stoker Award-winning writer Pedro Iniguez, chronicling his journey writing science-fiction and horror, to children’s literature, including his first children’s picture book, The Fib. This event is open to all ages with a reading and signing of The Fib.
About The Fib: The line between imagination and lie blur in The Fib by Bram Stoker Award-winner Pedro Iniguez.
When Pepe struggles to find something exciting for show and tell, he spins a little lie about a magical creature with horns like a ram, claws like a bear, wings like a bat, eyes like an owl, and a tail like a lion. But, Pepe and his class soon discover that this harmless fib takes on a life of its own– literally– growing into a giant, uncontrollable monster that threatens to eat the entire school.
As chaos ensues, Pepe learns a valuable lesson: even the smallest fib can spiral out of control, but the truth holds the power to set things right. The Fib is a timeless story that weaves magic and morality into a powerful message about honesty, responsibility and the power of creativity.

Pedro Iniguez is a Mexican-American Bram Stoker Award-winning speculative fiction writer from Los Angeles. The Fib is his first picture book and he is the author of Mexicans on the Moon: Speculative Poetry from a Possible Future and the comic book Catrina’s Caravan, among several others. Apart from conducting writing workshops and speaking at several colleges, he has also been a sensitivity reader and has ghostwritten for award-winning apps and online clients. When he’s not reading, writing, daydreaming, or cooking, he likes to paint beside his Chihuahua, Cookie, and his turtle, Squirt.

Vroman's Bookstore: Barbara Roberts discusses & signs The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter
2025-10-12 14:00 - 15:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Bunny Baxter thinks nothing could be worse than starting seventh grade at a school where she knows no one. But after her first day, she realizes things can actually get much worse.
If Bunny Baxter were an insect, she’d have so many ways to slip through seventh grade unnoticed. But she’s tall instead of tiny, has flaming red Medusa hair instead of camouflage, and she suffers from social anxiety, which makes it hard to be part of a swarm. Worst of all, she’s been redistricted to a new middle school away from her best friend who she could always hide behind when her anxiety got the best of her.
The first day at E.D. Britt Middle School does not go well. Bunny trips on the steps, falls into the cutest boy in the school, and causes a kid domino pile-up. At lunch, she unintentionally causes an uproar in the cafeteria, which lands her and another girl in the principal’s office. Bunny decides there is only one option: to get expelled so she can transfer to the school her best friend attends.
She soon discovers that it isn’t that hard to get in trouble—don’t turn in your homework, walk around the track instead of run in P.E., pretend you deliberately hit someone with a badminton birdie. What isn’t so easy for Bunny is realizing she now has a reputation as a troublemaker. And even more confusing, when it looks like her plan to get expelled might work, she’s no longer sure what to do.
The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter is a heartfelt coming of age story about an insect-loving girl who is learning to grow into herself—quirks and all.

Vroman's Bookstore: Nalini Jones discusses & signs The Unbroken Coast
2025-10-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A stunning debut novel set in and around a Mumbai fishing village that follows the friendship between a young girl struggling to find her place in the world, and an aging historian reckoning with his past.
​On the night his granddaughter is born in America, Professor Francis Almeida rides a bicycle through his quiet Catholic neighborhood in a suburb of Mumbai. It is 1978. He has recently retired, his grown children are scattered across the globe, and for the first time in decades, he is not sure what he should do next. A few streets from his home, in the heart of a Koli fishing village, he encounters a young mother praying for her baby daughter, ill with dengue fever, at the shrine of Our Lady of Navigators. He hopes the child will live.
Nearly a decade later, Francis meets the child again. She is Celia, daughter of a fisherman who is running from a debt collector. When an accident brings their families together, both Celia and Francis find themselves with unexpected new allies.
Spanning the turbulent years when Bombay became Mumbai, at time when environmental and economic pressures are just beginning to change the fortunes of indigenous fisherfolk, The Unbroken Coast is a lyrical novel that explores memory, faith, storytelling, and the nature of home.

Vroman's Bookstore: Judith Orloff reads from & signs The Highly Sensitive Rabbit
2025-10-18 11:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
High in the Sonoran Desert, where crickets chirp and cactus grow, lives a tiny cottontail rabbit named Aurora. Aurora is very sensitive to the beauties of nature and to the feelings of everyone around her. She likes to spend time alone, and she worries a lot. Aurora’s brothers and sister tell her she is “too sensitive” and often leave her out of their rough-and-tumble play.
When a flash flood destroys her family’s burrow, Aurora must learn to face her sensitive nature head-on. She meets a spiny lizard, spotted skunk, cactus wren, and javelina, all of whom have lessons to teach her about kindness and self-care. Will Aurora learn to embrace her nature and thrive as a highly sensitive rabbit?
Based on Dr. Judith Orloff’s teachings about living an empowered life as an empath, this beautifully illustrated story teaches us to live with beauty, sensitivity, and joy.

Vroman's Bookstore: Teachers' Night Out! 2025
2025-10-18 16:00 - 18:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Vroman’s Bookstore invites educators to its annual Teacher’s Night Out, an evening dedicated to celebrating the incredible teachers and librarians who shape the community. Guests can enjoy snacks, beverages, and a variety of giveaways, including books and classroom goodies.
Throughout the evening, Vroman’s knowledgeable staff will be available to recommend new titles for classroom discussions and libraries, as well as share exclusive services available to educators. A publisher-sponsored table will feature curated reading lists and classroom recommendations.
Attendees are encouraged to browse the featured selections, connect with fellow educators, and enjoy light refreshments. Each guest will also receive a 20% off coupon for personal shopping that evening.
As a special highlight, Vroman’s Bookstore will honor 2024–2025 Teacher of the Year, Star Gomez, and Pasadena High School with an award presentation at 4:00 p.m. on the Vroman’s outdoor stage.

Vroman's Bookstore: Luisa Navarro presents & signs Mexico's Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life Through Stories and Photos
2025-10-19 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A lush exploration of the vibrant and important traditions of Día de Muertos, Mexico’s holiday for celebrating passed loved ones.
Whether you are new to the holiday and celebrating for the first time, looking to process a recent loss, or just interested in this authentic Mexican cultural tradition, Mexico’s Day of the Dead paints a vibrant picture of one of the country’s most storied and sacred holidays.
With photographer Christine Chitnis by her side, author Luisa Navarro documents the most breathtaking displays, as well as the artisans and people who keep the traditions alive. She delves into the origins of the holiday, its rich iconography, and modern-day customs. Thoughtful essays on the evolution of Día de Muertos are coupled with practical guides for celebrating it yourself, as Luisa shares her tips for cultivating your own Day of the Dead traditions. Turn to Mexico’s Day of the Dead for approachable DIY projects. Build your own altar. Make your own sugar skulls. Create papel picado and bake your own delicious pan de muerto at home.
This landmark book brings Day of the Dead to life with transportive photography, high-end finishes, and eye-catching stained edges.

Vroman's Bookstore: Antoinette Portis reads from & signs To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here
2025-10-19 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
This book is an interstellar portal, and the aliens inside want to get to know you!
Before you lift the cover, be sure you’re ready to meet Zrk and Blrg. They’re not so different from you–but to them, you’re the alien!
After their initial shock at seeing you through the portal, they’re eager to see what kind of teeth you have, compare home planets, and maybe team up for a prank. You met as aliens, but by the time the portal closes, maybe you’ll be friends.
To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here is an interactive treat sure to delight young galactic explorers. Antoinette Portis’s bright lines and bold colors pair perfectly with humor that also offers a subtle message of acceptance. Whether for bedtime or circle time, this is a portal you’ll want to open!

Vroman's Bookstore: Yaron Weitzman discusses & signs A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the Lebron Lakers
2025-10-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
NBA journalist Yaron Weitzman lays out the high stakes drama happening inside the Lakers’ organization at a crucial juncture in their history, as they try to juggle the warring priorities between Lebron James and the Buss family.
When LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, the match looked like one made in heaven. Here was a living legend, the preeminent athlete of his generation, joining forces with one of the most iconic teams in all of sports. The Lakers, in the midst of their worst stretch in franchise history and reeling from the death of their legendary owner Dr. Jerry Buss, needed a savior. LeBron, fresh off ending Cleveland’s 50-year title drought, needed a new challenge to help further burnish his legacy. The script wrote itself.
A little over two years later, LeBron and Dr. Buss’ daughter, Jeanie, were standing shoulder to shoulder, hoisting the NBA finals trophy into the air. Having won their record-tying 17th NBA title, the Lakers had reclaimed their accustomed perch on top of the basketball world and seemed destined to dominate the NBA for years to come.
Traditionally, the Lakers’ didn’t celebrate championships, they celebrated dynasties. But this was a different Lakers’ organization, one beset by infighting. A single title wouldn’t be enough to cement Lebron James status as a Lakers’ legend or help him surpass the ghost of Michael Jordan. Both parties needed sustained success, but for that to happen they needed to be on the same page. Sadly, the 2020 title would represent the pinnacle of their pairing, and the beginning of a precipitous decline.
Drawing from over 250 interviews, Yaron Weitzman takes readers on a riveting, behind the scenes journey of this fraught partnership. From the Succession-like power struggle between the Buss children, to the rise of LeBron’s landscape-altering talent agency and its attempts to assert its own power within the Lakers’ walls, to the evolution of LeBron’s priorities and political voice, “A Hollywood Ending” is the definitive story of an American icon’s final years on stage, one portraying him, a fabled NBA franchise, and the world of modern professional sports in a light never seen before.
