All events are free to attend unless otherwise stated! Please give us a call if you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like to order one of the featured books for pick-up. For updates on Bards Alley's events and book clubs, subscribe to our weekly newsletter at the bottom of this page!

Bsrat Mezghebe: I Hope You Find What You're Looking For
Sunday, March 15, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
@ Mary Riley STyles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church

​Join us at Mary Riley Styles Public Library as debut author Bsrat Mezghebe returns for a talk on her highly anticipated novel I Hope You Find What You're Looking For, a charming multi-generational family story and part of the Well-Read Black Girl Books series.

A loving ode to an immigrant community on the cusp of a new age, I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For boldly asks: How does our past define our present? It explores three women living in the Eritrean community outside 1990s DC anticipating the end of the war in Eritrea.

Bards Alley will be on-site selling copies of the novel, and Bsrat will be signing books after her discussion.

About I HOPE YOU FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR: The year is 1991. Eritrea is on the verge of liberation from Ethiopian rule and in Washington, D.C.’s tight-knit Eritrean community, change is in the air. Thirteen-year-old Lydia and her family are grappling with what peace after decades of war might mean for their future, just as they welcome Berekhet—a distant cousin newly arrived from Ethiopia to attend medical school in the States. With him comes a barrage of new ideas Lydia must confront for the first time, about the stories of nationhood and family she was raised on.

Meanwhile her mother, Elsa, a former rebel fighter, and the family matriarch, Mama Zewdi, must grapple with regrets long buried in the time their country has been at war. Elsa’s path from Eritrea to D.C. was paved with courage and loss, and figures from her past on the front lines of battle begin to resurface. Mama Zewdi, who runs a successful injera business out of her apartment, finds herself reexamining her place in their little family for the first time, while Lydia, emboldened by Berekhet, becomes committed to uncovering the secrets of her and her mother’s past—including the truth about her father, who was martyred in the war.

About the author: Bsrat Mezghebe received an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, The Paris Review, and the anthology Well–Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area

Mocktails with the Author: Jennifer van der Kleut
Sunday, March 15, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
@ Chantilly Regional Library, 4000 Stringfellow Rd., Chantilly, VA

Join us at Chantilly Regional Library for mocktails featured in the new debut thriller The Better Mother by local author Jennifer van der Kleut where she will discuss her writing and career as an author in publishing. This brand new thriller is a modern spin on Fatal Attraction meets The Hand that Rocks the Cradle and is perfect for fans of The Last Mrs. Parrish and Frieda McFadden.

Books will be available for purchase during the event and a signing will follow Jennifer's discussion.

About THE BETTER MOTHER: Still recovering from a devastating breakup, thirty-four-year-old Savannah Mitchell has finally managed to put her life back together when she gets the shock of her life—after a brief fling with a man named Max, she is pregnant. When she gets in touch to tell him, he reveals that he’s just gotten back together with his ex, Madison, and he will need time to break it to her. Surprisingly, Madison isn’t upset—in fact, she’s excited and wants to help.

Max insists Madison has the best of intentions, but Savannah finds her efforts—popping by uninvited, demanding lifestyle changes, and pretty much trying to take over the pregnancy—anything but helpful. When Savannah finally stands up for herself, Madison’s treatment of her goes from casually cruel to downright dangerous.

All Savannah wanted to do was form a friendly coparenting relationship with the father of her child—but his new girlfriend obviously has much more sinister plans in mind. She has no plans to coparent at all.

About the author: Jennifer van der Kleut (née McBride) is an award-winning former journalist of both print and digital publications, including the DC affiliate of ABC7 News. A graduate of San Jose State University, she spent most of her life in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to the Northern Virginia suburbs of DC, where she currently lives with her husband and two sons. For nearly a decade, she was the lead singer of the Bay Area–based band SweetDuration and performed with artists like Jason Mraz, Big Country, Chantal Kreviazuk, and Stabbing Westward. When she’s not writing, she loves going to the beach with her family, going to concerts with her girlfriends, and getting lost in the pages of a book.

Story Time with Jen Fier Jasinski: Because of You, I'm a Sister
Saturday, March 21, 11:00am - 12:00pm

Join us for a story time event with local author Jen Fier Jasinski as she reads her upcoming picture book Because of You, I'm a Sister. This little book is a heartwarming celebration of sibling love and the journey of becoming an older sibling. It's the perfect gift for families welcoming a new baby or preparing their child for the arrival of a sibling, or a great selection for young readers who are already siblings.

This story time is great for readers aged 3-8 years old and Jen will be signing copies of her book after the reading. Copies will be for sale during and after the event. No RSVP required.

About BECAUSE OF YOU, I'M A SISTER: This warm, funny, and touching picture book captures the excitement, challenges, and joys (and occasional conflicts!) of becoming a big sister. Through the eyes of an enthusiastic young girl, readers are taken on a journey from the moment she learns about her new sibling to the special bond they form over the years.

With humor and heart, the story explores many facets of siblinghood—from decorating the baby's room and choosing a name to the reality of sleepless nights and noisy days. As the years pass, the siblings experience a range of emotions together—excitement, jealousy, pride, and love—always sticking together through thick and thin. The story beautifully illustrates how the presence of a sibling makes life richer, more fun, and filled with unforgettable memories.

About the author: Jen Fier Jasinski is the author of Because of You, I’m a Sister, My Piano, Sidewalk Chalk, and My Violin. She writes stories with elements of humor, heart, and above all, play. Jen lives in Virginia.

Mark Oppenheimer: Judy Blume Biography
Monday, March 30, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
@ Fenwick Library Reading Room, GMU, 4400 University Dr., Fairfax

Mark Oppenheimer, 2022 Distinguished Lecturer in Judaic Studies, returns to George Mason University on March 30th to talk about his landmark biography of Judy Blume titled Judy Blume: A Life. Mark Oppenheimer is one of the most versatile and incisive commentators about the intersection of religion and culture in the United States. He writes books. Edits a magazine. Writes op-eds for leading newspapers. Hosts a podcast.

Bards Alley will be on-site selling copies of his books at the event. A signing will be held after Mark's talk. He will speak at 6:30pm in Fenwick Library's Main Reading Room. This event is open to the public, no registration required.

About JUDY BLUME: A LIFE: To know the name Judy Blume is to know and love literature. Her influential novels turned classics—including Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing; Deenie; and Summer Sisters—touched the lives of tens of millions of readers. For more than fifty-five years her work has done something revolutionary: it rewired the world’s expectations of what literature for young people can be—frank, candid, earthy, and unafraid to show the messier sides of humanity. But little is known about the real woman behind the iconic persona, and the unlikely journey of her literary ascension, until now.

In Judy Blume, journalist, historian, and longtime Blume aficionado Mark Oppenheimer pens a beautiful, multidimensional portrait of the acclaimed author through extensive interviews with Blume herself, invaluable access to her papers and correspondence, and thoughtful analysis of Blume’s beloved novels, including early, unpublished works that shed light on the pathbreaking writer she would become. Oppenheimer goes deep, exploring Blume’s middle-class 1950s upbringing, complicated childhood, varied relationships and marriages, unabashed sexual experiences, bouts of heartache and loss, and enduring legacy as a champion of free speech and contemporary literature. Oppenheimer peels back the curtain to reveal the woman behind the literary empire in all her complex, multifaceted glory—a true gift for anyone who grew up reading and loving these extraordinary books.

About the author: Mark Oppenheimer is the author of four critically acclaimed books, including Squirrel Hill, Wisenheimer, and Thirteen and a Day. He has taught at NYU, Stanford, Yale, and Washington University in St. Louis, where he is Professor of Practice. Mark lives with his family in New Haven, Connecticut.

Books 'n Brews: A Boozy Book Fair
Sunday, April 12, 3:00pm - 6:00pm
@ Caboose Tavern, 520 Mill St NE, Vienna, VA

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Join us for one of two boozy book fairs in 2026 in collaboration with Vienna's own Caboose Tavern. Relive your Scholastic book fair days of old at Books 'n Brews where we provide a space for you to shop new and unique titles, staff picks, and more selected just for this pop-up!

Bards Alley will be set up in Caboose's upstairs loft (straight up the stairs when entering) where you can browse our selection, order anything on tap, and grab a bite to eat afterwards. Bring your friends or come solo and make an afternoon of it! Caboose will be offering their happy hour deals throughout the event, typically available only on weekdays, for $$ off cocktails, wine & beer, and food. Indoor and outdoor seating available, weather permitting.

Caboose Tavern is located at 520 Mill St. NE in Vienna, just a 3 minute drive or 15 minute walk from Bards Alley. Ample parking is available at Caboose (front & back), though you may also park at the W&OD Trail parking and walk as the lot can fill up on the weekend - it's located right off the trail, you can't miss it! More Vienna parking information here.

Stop by any time between 3pm and 6pm and shop our books, sidelines, and games and support two of your favorite Vienna businesses. We'll see you there!