Books and enrichment

Events related to books and those that enrich your mind, such as book signings, book club events, book sales, writers' group events, lectures, speakers, classes, forums and discussions. Send items to nbrcalendar@dailyherald.com two weeks before event date.

Feb. 10

Book It: 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, Round Lake Area Public Library, 906 Hart Road, Round Lake. Discuss "The Darkest Evening of the Year" by Dean Koontz. For information. call (847) 546-7060.

Read to Succeed program: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, Antioch Library, 757 N. Main St., Antioch. Chicago Wolves defenseman Chad Denny will make an appearance, as part of the team's Read to Succeed program, to focus on the importance of recreational reading. For information, call (847) 395-0874 or visit antiochdistrictlibrary.org.

Thinking' About Lincoln: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, Grayslake Area Public Li­brary, 100 Library Lane, Grayslake. Students in grade 1-3 can learn interesting and fun facts about Lincoln and make an edible log cabin with pretzels and chocolate frosting. Registration is required. Call (847) 223-5313 or visit grayslake.info.

Winter Comfort Foods: 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, Whole Foods Market, 760 Waukegan Road, Deerfield. Participants will learn how to make butternut squash, mushroom and leek risotto, risotto cakes, polenta soup and polenta fries. $10 per person. Call (847) 444-1900.

Feb. 11

Coaching for Performance: 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, College of Lake County Southlake Campus, 1120 S. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills. Participants will learn how to improve employee performance through coaching. The is $30 per person, which includes participant guide, lunch and beverage. To register, call (847) 543-2615.

Writer's Support Group: 6:30-8:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. The group offer writers, published or not, an opportunity to critique each others' work and share ideas and techniques. Registration is not required. For information, call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.

101 Things You Should Know About Africa: 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, Indian Trails Public Library District, 355 S. Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling. Chris Medjo Me Zengue from Cameroon will provide an entertaining and educational look at Africa, including many misconceptions. For information, call (847) 459-4100 or visit www.indiantrailslibrary.org.

Fossils in Our Backyard: 7-8:30 p.m. Feb. 11, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. The story of Mazon Creek, a 300-million-year-old coal forest in Illinois, with fossils of giant fern trees, insects, jellyfish and the enigmatic Tully Monster (the state fossil of Illinois). For information or to register, call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.

Images of Honest Abe: 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, Lake Villa District Library, 1001 E. Grand Ave., Lake Villa. Examine a variety of depictions of Lincoln and their historical context. To register, call (847) 356-7711 or visit lvdl.org.

Eyewitness on Africa: Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Part one of a three-part series with World Traveler Bill Helmuth: "Overland from Victoria Falls to Zanzibar." For information or to register, call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.

Feb. 12

Teen Writing Workshop: 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Indian Trails Public Library District, 355 S. Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling. Teens can get creative writing ideas and brush up on writing skills. Reservations required. Call (847) 459-4100 or visit www.indiantrailslibrary.org.

Darwin Day: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Byron Colby Barn, 1561 Jones Point Road, Grayslake. Storyteller and science teacher Brian "Fox" Ellis will portray Charles Darwin to celebrate Darwin's 200th birthday. Ellis will bring an extensive show-and-tell display with fossils, insects, plants and animal skins to provide a hands-on experience for the audience. Admission is free. For information about Ellis, visit foxtalesint.com/Main/HomePage.

How Photography Elected Abraham Lincoln: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Grayslake Area Public Li­brary, 100 Library Lane, Grayslake. Artist and art history professor Leisa Corbett will discuss how the invention of photography in the 19th century helped Lincoln win the 1860 presidential election. For adults and young adults. For information or to register, call (847) 223-5313 or visit grayslake.info.

Adult Book Discussions: 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 and March 12, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Discuss "The Welsh Girl" by Peter Ho Davies on Feb. 12. Discuss "Thousand Pieces of Gold" by Adeline Yen Mah on March 12. For information or to register, call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.

Feb. 13

Senior Connections: 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 13, Regent Center, 1200 Regent Drive, Mundelein. "1776" by David McCullough will be discussed.

Feb. 14

Manage Your Career: 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14; or 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12. Grayslake Park District Rec Center, 240 Commerce Drive, Grayslake. The course is intended to help participants develop insight into which career direction to pursue and develop a -formulated career plan. For adults ages 16 and up. Cost is $26 for Grayslake residents, $33 for nonresidents. For information and to register, call (847) 223-7529.

Of Bogs and Books: 10-11:30 a.m., the second Saturday of each month, Volo Bog State Natural Area, 28478 W. Brandenburg Road, Ingleside. Adults share morning coffee and snacks over a discussion of nature, science and environmental readings. On Feb. 14, discuss "Where the Wild Things Were: Life, Death, and Ecological Wreckage in a Land of Vanishing Predators" by William Stolzenburg. Reservations are requested but drop-ins are welcome. Call (815) 344-1294.

An Evening with the Lincolns: 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, Lake Villa District Library, 1001 E. Grand Ave., Lake Villa. A one act play in which Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln reminisce and reflect over their lives together. For information, call (847) 356-7711 or visit lvdl.org.

Feb. 15

Roots of American Music: 2-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich. Musician and educator Ray Kamalay will present a slide lecture along with music that traces the development of early American music from slavery to the early jazz age. To register for this free event, call (847) 438-3433, e-mail infodesk@eapl.org or visit eapl.org.

Feb. 16

Genealogy Interest Group: 3-5 p.m. Mondays, Feb. 16, March 16 and April 20, Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich. Check eapl.org for specific monthly topics. No registration for this program is required. For information, call librarian Carol Bartlett, at (847) 438-3433, ext. 215, or stop by the library's Information Desk.

Feb. 17

ADHD Roundtable: 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, Warren Township Youth and Family Services, 17801 W. Washington St., Gurnee. Monthly group for parents of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The Feb. 17 presentation, "An Introduction to Cogmed Working Memory Training program," will introduce parents to an interactive computer program designed to enhance a child's attention. To reserve a space or for information, visit warrentownship.net or call (847) 244-1101, ext. 401.

Smart Shoppers Value Tour: Noon to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, Whole Foods Market, 760 Waukegan Road, Deerfield. Take a tour of the store with a Smart Shopper Expert; see value products and get tips for grocery shopping on a budget. Free. Call (847) 444-1900.

Sweeteners 101: 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, Whole Foods Market, 760 Waukegan Road, Deerfield. Learn about several varieties of sweeteners, including unrefined brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, agave and more. Free. Call (847) 444-1900.

Becoming a Love and Logic Parent: 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Feb. 17, Warren Township Youth and Family Services, 17801 W. Washington St., Gurnee. Parents of children from birth to age 13 can learn some easy strategies to avoid bedtime battles and other tough situations. The program is free to Warren Township residents, however a $10 workbook fee is required. For details and registration, call (847) 244-1101, ext. 401.

Eyewitness on Africa: 7-8 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Part two of a three-part series with World Traveler Bill Helmuth: "Africa's Great Game Preserves." See elephants, hippos, buffalo, leopards and lions in their natural habitat. For information or to register, call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.

Feb. 20

Astronomy Nights: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, Volo Bog State Natural Area, 28478 W. Brandenburg Road, Ingleside. The Lake County Astronomical Society meets the third Friday of each month except December. 7:30 p.m. business meeting is followed by an indoor presentation at 8:30 p.m. and viewing if skies are clear about 9:30 p.m. For information, call (815) 344-1294.

Feb. 24

Sign Language: 8:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays Feb. 24 to April 7 (no class March 31), Grayslake Park District Rec Center, 240 Commerce Drive, Grayslake. Participants will learn vocabulary and Signed English sentence structure through games, stories and more. For teens and adults ages 12 and up. Cost is $53 for Grayslake Park District residents, $66 for nonresidents. For information, call (847) 223-7529.

Feb. 25

Basic First Aid: 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25 or March 25, Grayslake Fire Station, 160 Hawley St. Grayslake. For ages 16 and up. Learn techniques to safely administer first aid and cover a variety of injuries. Cost is $32 for Grayslake residents, $42 for nonresidents. For information, call the Grayslake Park District, at (847) 223-7529.

The Adoption Process Today: 7-9:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, Vernon Hills High School, 145 N. Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills. Seminar will discuss the fundamentals of an adoption and the legal steps of the process. There is a fee of $29 er person. For information, call (847) 932-2176 or visit comed128.org/programs.htm.

March 5

Lakes Literary League: 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5, Lake Villa District Library, 1001 E. Grand Ave., Lake Villa. All writers, published or not, are invited, and may bring writing to share. Drop off and pick up copies of writing at the Adult Reference Desk. For information or to register, call (847) 356-7711 or visit lvdl.org.

March 11

Eyewitness on Africa: Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Part three of a three-part series with World Traveler Bill Helmuth: "Soul of South Africa." For information or to register, call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.

March 12

Adult Book Discussions: 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 12, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Discuss "The Welsh Girl" by Peter Ho Davies on Feb. 12. Discuss "Thousand Pieces of Gold" by Adeline Yen Mah on March 12. For information or to register, call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.

Ongoing

Adult Book Discussion: 10 a.m. the second Saturday of each month, Lake Villa District Library, 1001 E. Grand Ave. Books are available at the Circulation Desk the month before the discussion. For information, call (847) 356-7711 or visit lvdl.org.

Relax and Read to Rover: 5-6:30 p.m., Mondays through March 2, Wauconda Area Library, 801 N. Main St., Wauconda. Children in grades 1-6 are invited to bring their favorite books and read to a certified therapy dog. Each session will last 20 minutes. Registration is required. For more information, call the Children's Services at (847) 526-6225, ext. 212.

Soup's On: Noon to 1 p.m. every Wednesday through the end of March, Whole Foods Market, 760 Waukegan Road, Deerfield. Cook up a different soup to sample every week. Call (847) 444-1900.