Lively events in store at Villa Park Library

VILLA PARK – Special offerings from the Villa Park Public Library will range from a nature program for children presented by The Morton Arboretum to a bestselling author event online and a Mario Kart Tournament for tweens and teens.

Nature Storytime

The library partners with The Morton Arboretum to present Nature Storytime for children ages 3 to 6. Sessions will be held in person from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays, March 23 and April 27, at the library at 305 S. Ardmore Ave.

A guest presenter from The Morton Arboretum will present some fun nature stories that show how weather, trees and animals change with the season, a news release stated. The initiative aims to support the development of young children’s reading, listening and speaking skills while enhancing their connection to nature.

Registration is required for each session. For information, visit the library’s website at www.vppl.info or call 630-834-1164.

Bestselling author Jenny Lawson

Libraries across Illinois join in hosting bestselling author Jenny Lawson. The award-winning humorist will discuss her most recent memoir, “Broken (in the best possible way),” and her body of work. The event will be held virtually at 7 p.m. March 30.

Lawson is a journalist, author and blogger known for her candor in sharing her struggle with mental illness. Her previous books, “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” and “Furiously Happy,” were No. 1 New York Times bestsellers.

Joining her in conversation will be R. Eric Thomas, a national bestselling author, playwright and screenwriter. Thomas is the long-running host of The Moth StorySlams in Philadelphia and often appears on The Moth Radio Hour, NPR’s “All Things Considered” and “It’s Been A Minute with Sam Sanders.”

The event with Lawson is presented in partnership with Illinois Libraries Present, a new collaborative effort designed to bring virtual events with bestselling, esteemed and diverse authors to library patrons across the state. More than 190 libraries have joined the project.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at www.vppl.info.

Mario Kart Tournament

The library will hold a Mario Kart Tournament for tweens and teens from 4 to 6 p.m. March 29. Students in grades six through 12 are invited to compete with their friends and show off their skills in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for a chance to win a Nintendo-themed gift basket. Tournament slots are limited to 16 participants, but spectators are welcome.

Registration is required. For information, visit the library’s website at www.vppl.info or call 630-834-1164.