A children’s adventure inspired by a stroke survivor’s art, a graphic novel about dinosaurs fleeing extinction, a family chronicle that became a history of the San Gabriel Valley’s pioneer settlements, and 50 poems about watching television — all four will share shelf space and stage time at Vroman’s Bookstore on Sunday.
The bookstore’s two-session Local Author Day begins at 11 a.m. with a Young Readers Edition featuring Susana Porras and Matt Bolinger, then resumes at 4 p.m. with an adult program featuring historian Layne D. Staral and journalist Joal Ryan. Both sessions include book signings at the store’s Colorado Boulevard location, continuing a recurring series that has connected local writers with Pasadena readers across multiple years.
Porras will present “Danny’s Trails: Mossley, England,” a children’s book she created in collaboration with illustrator Danny Makin, whose passion for art was reignited after a devastating stroke in 2017, according to the event listing. Described by its publisher as “loosely based on a true story” and filled with lessons in mindfulness and inner awakening, the book is designated for ages 6 to 9 and uses real landmarks and a walkable trail in the English town of Mossley to anchor its narrative. It is priced at $14.99 in paperback.
Bolinger, an animator whose credits include work with Nickelodeon and Warner Bros, will present “Dino Babies in Space: Volume 1,” the debut graphic novel of his Dino Babies comic series. The book follows four young dinosaurs — Brik, Luna, Chonk and Yo-Yo — as they search for a new homeworld after a mass extinction event threatens Earth. It is available at Vroman’s at a discounted price of $20.
The afternoon session shifts to adult nonfiction and poetry. Staral, a sixth-generation Californian and retired high school English teacher, will present “Pioneer Picnics: Settlers of the East San Gabriel Valley,” published by Kieran Publishing Company. What began as a series of articles on Staral’s own family history grew into a broader account of the settling of Henry Dalton’s Ranchos Azusa and San José in the mid-1800s, according to the book’s description. Staral, who holds a Master’s in English from Cal State University, Los Angeles, and an MFA in Writing from Vermont College, has volunteered at the Glendora and Azusa Historical Museums. The hardcover, priced at $35, includes family photographs and memorabilia documenting the transition from Mexican land grants to the small independent communities of the San Gabriel Valley.
Ryan, an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Variety and other outlets, will present “Screen Times: Poems,” a collection of 50 poems that examine growing up and growing older through the lens of television. The collection discusses shows including “Gilmore Girls,” “The Office” and “The Star Wars Holiday Special,” according to the publisher’s description. Ryan, who won a Los Angeles Press Club Award for entertainment reporting as a columnist for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, also co-wrote the Emmy-winning documentary “Miracle on 42nd Street,” named Best Documentary at the 2020 New York Emmy Awards. The hardcover is priced at $5.99.
Vroman’s Bookstore, founded in 1894 by Adam Clark Vroman at 695 E. Colorado Blvd., has been described in news reports as Southern California’s oldest and largest independent bookstore. The store hosts more than 400 free community events annually, according to published accounts. Sunday store hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Both sessions are open to the public. For more information, contact Vroman’s at (626) 449-5320 or visit vromansbookstore.com.
On Sunday, a dinosaur comic and a children’s walking guide will sit alongside a pioneer history and a book of poems about “The Star Wars Holiday Special” four local voices, separated by genre, united by a single bookstore’s belief that the neighborhood has something to say.
