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Join friends and neighbors for a potluck! This month, we're celebrating soups and other warm, savory foods that are extra nice in the winter. Bring a dish to share, or just come to talk about your experience with a chosen cookbook. All experience levels welcome! No need to bring a dish to join. Visit Valente for a selection of cookbooks that are ready to check out. This book group is for children of all ages and their caregivers and families. For more information contact Maggie at mfrench@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4015.

Kids in 6th, 7th and 8th grade can come to the Library to make signs celebrating graduating Upper Schoolers! Snacks provided. No registration necessary.

In honor of Black History Month, join Opera on Tap Boston for Shakespeare of Harlem, a concert celebrating the life, work, and enduring influence of Langston Hughes. The program weaves Hughes’ poetry and prose with art songs by composers such as Margaret Bonds and Florence Price, alongside the voices of his contemporaries, including Georgia Douglas Johnson and Countee Cullen. An ensemble of celebrated local actor-singers brings the text and music to life, illuminating the ideas, experiences, and cultural moments that shaped Hughes as a writer. The performance will be followed by a talkback, offering audiences a chance to discuss with the artists and the material in conversation. Featuring: Morgan Beckford, Soprano Melynda Davis, Soprano Todd McNeel, Baritone Fred C. VanNess Jr., Tenor Producers: Nina Evelyn and Kathryn McKellar Registration is not required but preferred.

Join us for a lively discussion of a great early middle grade book in person at the Main Library! Snacks will be provided. For ages 7-9 and a caregiver. This month’s book is Ra the Mighty Cat Detective by Amy Butler Greenfield. Can a lazy cat and a dung-obsessed beetle really crack a mystery? Ra relishes his role as the Pharaoh's beloved—and spoiled—cat. So when an amulet goes missing from the palace, Ra plans to keep enjoying his snacks and nap in the sun. But Ra's friend Khepri, a wise and industrious scarab beetle, insists on investigating in order to save the young servant girl who has been framed for the crime. Both caregiver and child should read the book before the meeting, copies are available behind the Children’s Desk. Registration is required — only one registration is needed per family. For questions about parent/child book group, please email Rachel: rbeaton@cambridgema.gov

Turn paper cut-outs into animations with the Gif-O-Graf machine! See your stories come to life! This program is for families with children who are elementary school-age or older. No registration or experience is required.

This month's book: London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth, by Patrick Radden Keefe Audience: Adults who are true crime fans. How to get the print book: Copies of the print book are set aside at the Main Library. Visit the Main Library Q&A Desk at 449 Broadway during service hours and a staff member can help you check out a copy. How to get the e-book or digital audiobook: This month’s book is available as an e-book and digital audiobook through the Libby app. How to register: Click the registration link below to register. We'll meet in the Rossi Room on the first floor of the Main Library. For more information, contact Amie at alemire@cambridgema.gov.

Most sexual violence is done by people we know. What can parents, teens, and community members do about it? Meg Stone, author of The Cost of Fear, will offer practical, gender-inclusive strategies for learning safety skills important for resisting coercion, intimidation, and violence. Avoiding violence is about developing skills, not following rules. Women receive advice like "don't wear a ponytail" or "don't shop alone." These tips lack evidence and come from male authorities who avoid questions. We will cover: Demonstration: Learn practical safety gender-inclusive skills. Resist Coercion: Skills to resist friends, those we know, or authority. Empowerment: Feel powerful in stressful situations. Community impact: Personal safety leads to social change. Registration is required.

This month's book: And Now Back to You by B.K. Borison Audience: Teens and Adults. If you read romance (or want to start), this group is for you! Reading Interests: This group will explore the burgeoning genre of contemporary romance. Example selections include: Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola and Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner. How to get the print book: Copies of the print book are set aside at the Main Library Q&A Desk on the ground floor. Visit the Main Library at 449 Broadway during service hours and a staff member can help you check out a copy. How to get the e-book or digital audiobook: This month’s book is available as an e-book and e-audiobook through Libby. We'll meet in the Teen Room on the first floor of the Main Library. For more information, contact Susannah at sbtkacz@cambridgema.gov.

Back by popular demand! Explore the art of botanical collage. In this workshop, participants work with a variety of plant-inspired imagery—think leaves, flowers, stems, and natural textures—to create their own unique composition. Whether you prefer something delicate and minimal or bold and layered, this is a chance to experiment, play, and let your creativity unfold. No prior experience is needed—this workshop is designed for all skill levels, including complete beginners. A selection of materials will be provided, so you can simply show up and start creating. That said, students are more than welcome to bring your own papers, clippings, pressed plants, or anything else that inspires you. Registration is required.

What better way to learn about wildlife than by observing them in person? Meet local wildlife ambassadors and discover the amazing adaptations that help them survive in the wild. Ask questions and learn what you can do to protect the wildlife of Cambridge. For children of all ages and their caregivers. Funding for Summer Reading has been generously provided by the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Cambridge Public Library.