Join Thao Lam and Carey Sookocheff on Saturday, April 15 at 2pm ET at Queen Books for their joint book birthday party! Both Thao and Carey will be reading from their books and attendees will get to participate in making crafts and other party activities.

This is a free Toronto Lit Up event. Snacks and drinks will be available, as will party hats and goodie bags! Books will available for sale by Queen Books.

Queen Books
914 Queen St East

In Happy Birthday to Me by Thao Lam, a child runs through a spectrum of emotions on the best day of the year—their birthday! Early-morning excitement gives way to shyness at the arrival of guests, hunger for cake, a craze for arts and crafts and some real piñata problems. So how can a kid possibly answer that age old question: “How does it feel to be a year older?” Happy Birthday to Me makes for the perfect birthday present or anytime-guide to naming our feelings.

The Remembering Stone by Carey Sookocheff follows Alice, who keeps a perfectly round skipping stone in her pocket to remember her grandfather by. When the stone goes missing at Show and Share, her friends search high and low and can’t find the stone—but their friendship gives Alice an idea of another way that she can remember. A gentle look at loss, grief and how small everyday actions can connect us to those we love.

Toronto Lit Up is a multi-year initiative, started in 2016 by the Toronto International Festival of Authors and the Toronto Arts Council, to spotlight Toronto writers and empower local artists with career-building opportunities. Between April 2016 and March 2023, Toronto Lit Up has presented 165 events featuring over 200 Toronto authors and illustrators. Toronto Lit Up book launches take place throughout the year at venues across the city. They are open to the public and free to attend. Click here for more information.