The American Library in Paris

Toddler Time (ages 1–3)
2025-06-05 11:00 - 11:30 (Europe/Paris) | The American Library in Paris
This event for children ages 1–3 and their caregivers features 30 minutes of stories, songs, and rhymes. Stories presented during our Toddler Time programs include short picture books and board books scuh as Please Puppy Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (picture here). This session will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads. Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes and help develop your child’s early literacy skills. Stay for play and social time after the event.
The program is entirely in English, as are all of our events for children and teens. No translation will be provided. Each child must be accompanied by an adult chaperone, and chaperones are required to remain with their children for the duration of the program. Parents and caregivers are expected to sit with their children beside them, or in their laps, and participate in the program. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!

[This event was originally scheduled for 8 May] Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Story Hour: My Many Emotions (ages 3–5)
2025-06-04 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books about emotions—happy, sad and in-between! Stories included in this event include picture books such as The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Americans in Paris with Debra Bricker Balken and Éric de Chassey
2025-06-03 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
This event is part of Ways of Seeing, a special series exploring the connections between storytelling, creativity, and the visual world. Join the conversation and attend events featuring cultural luminaries. Learn more →
Curator Debra Bricker Balken and art historian Éric de Chassey discuss the key artists featured in the exhibit “Americans in Paris” about American artists in postwar Paris, whose catalog was on the American Library in Paris 2023 Book Award short list. This groundbreaking volume explores the American creative community in postwar Paris, uncovering the academies, galleries, and artistic exchanges that defined their experience. Featuring never-before-published interviews and new scholarship, Americans in Paris examines how the city influenced a pivotal moment in American art between 1946 and 1962.
About the speakers:
Debra Bricker Balken is an award-winning independent curator, scholar, and writer who has assembled numerous exhibitions internationally for major museums on subjects relating to American modernism and contemporary art. Most recently, she authored Harold Rosenberg: A Critic’s Life (University of Chicago Press, 2021), and Arthur Dove: A Catalogue of Paintings and Things (Yale University Press, 2021). In 2017, she curated Mark Tobey: Threading the Light, which was organized by the Addison Gallery of American Art, and opened at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection with that year’s Venice Biennale.
Éric de Chassey, art historian, has been Director of the French National Institute for Art History since 2016 and Professor of Contemporary Art History at the ENS de Lyon since 2012. He is Honorary Director of the Académie de France in Rome – Villa Médicis, which he directed for six years (2009-2015). He has published́, in French, English, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Polish, articles, essays, catalogs and books on art. He has also curated some forty exhibitions. Since 2022, he has chaired the RIHA, leading its project to compile a history of the visual arts in Europe. Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

Free Write: A Creative Session (ages 12–18)
2025-05-31 14:00 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
Meet other writers in the community as you explore ways to jump start your creative writing. Begin a short story during this session, or bring in a project you are working on. There will be time to write and dedicated time to share and get feedback.
Library volunteer and Teen Writing Group member Ludivine Sarazin will facilitate this workshop. Teens interested in the Library’s Teen Writing Group are encouraged to attend this session, as this workshop will follow a similar format.
Light snacks and drinks will be provided. Important information:
This event is free for Library members, and 15€ per teen for non-members. Advance registration is required. All visitors are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons.
Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

History Tour at the Library
2025-05-30 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-05-23 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-05-02 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-04-25 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
The American Library in Paris invites you to register for a History Tour. Come visit us in person at 10 rue du Général Camou and discover:

Our origin story, when our Library warehoused a collection of books donated to the Doughboys fighting alongside Allied troops in WWI
The establishment of the American Library in Paris as a private library
The famous writers of the Lost Generation (Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller, and more) who explored our stacks during their time in Paris
Our Paris Library School, which brought American innovations to French libraries in the 1920s
The true stories of the brave Librarians who kept the Library open during the Occupation of WWII
How the Library has evolved over its 105-year history into the largest English-language lending library on the European continent

All tours are on Fridays at 11h00, last one hour, and take place in person at the American Library in Paris.
Tours are free of charge and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Please contact us if you wish to reserve for 5 or more people (do not reserve through the site).
For school or group reservations, or for other questions, please email tours@americanlibraryinparis.org.
This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Florence Gould Foundation and the American Center for Art and Culture.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.

Story Hour: Day of Dragons (ages 3–5)
2025-05-28 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books about dragons—and knights too! Stories included in this event include picture books such as Knight Owl by Christopher Denise (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Jeremy Eichler on Music, Memory, and the Second World War
2025-05-27 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
In Time’s Echo: The Second World War, the Holocaust, and the Music of Remembrance, award-winning critic and historian Jeremy Eichler explores music as a vessel for memory, revealing how composers like Strauss, Schoenberg, Shostakovich, and Britten inscribed the legacies of war and loss into their scores. With a scholar’s insight and a storyteller’s grace, Eichler uncovers how the sounds of the past continue to shape our present.
This event will be moderated by author and former New York Times correspondent Alan Riding.
About the speakers:
Jeremy Eichler is an award-winning writer, critic and cultural historian who served for 18 years as chief classical music critic of The Boston Globe. His recent book Time’s Echo — named “History Book of the Year” by The Sunday Times — won the 2024 Ralph Waldo Emerson Award as well as three National Jewish Book Awards. The recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Radcliffe Institute, he currently teaches at Tufts University and serves as the first Writer-in-Residence of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Alan Riding is a former correspondent of the New York Times, having been variously based in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Paris, most recently as the paper’s European arts correspondent. He is author of books on Mexico, Shakespeare, Opera and the cultural life of Paris during the Nazi occupation. He lives in Paris with his journalist wife, Marlise Simons. Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

Saturday Series: Translation Exploration (ages 6–12)
2025-05-24 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Participants in this workshop will take a look at examples of bilingual dictionaries, and bilingual books, and then make their own books using a second language of their choice. All supplies will be provided by the Library. At the end of the workshop, you can take your dictionaries home! This event will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads with the help of Library volunteers.
Children between the ages 6–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library. Caregivers are welcome to participate in this event. Please note on the registration form if you plan on attending and playing along. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. The activity is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. All participants must be able to understand and speak English in order to participate in the program. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Teen Night: Adventure Quest Role Play (ages 12–18)
2025-05-23 19:00 - 21:00 | The American Library in Paris
Interested in tabletop role-playing games? Join us for a Friday night campaign TTRPG! We’ll have characters, mini-figures, dice, and an awesome story for you! The game offered during this event will be a short one-off, with no experience needed, and all materials will be provided. This event will be hosted by Julia Paré, the Princeton Social Impact Fellow and Children’s and Teens’ Services staff with the help of Library volunteers.
Drinks and light snacks will be provided, as well as lots of popcorn. Important information:
This event is free for Library members, and 15€ per teen for non-members. Advance registration is required. All visitors are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. After-hours events for teens, such as Teen Nights, require a signed permission slip, which can be downloaded here. One permission slip is needed per academic year (September–July).
Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Toddler Time (ages 1–3)
2025-05-22 11:00 - 11:30 | The American Library in Paris
This event for children ages 1–3 and their caregivers features 30 minutes of stories, songs, and rhymes. Stories presented during our Toddler Time programs include short picture books and board books scuh as Hey, Water by Antoinette Portis (picture here). This session will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie. Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes and help develop your child’s early literacy skills. Stay for play and social time after the event.
The program is entirely in English, as are all of our events for children and teens. No translation will be provided. Each child must be accompanied by an adult chaperone, and chaperones are required to remain with their children for the duration of the program. Parents and caregivers are expected to sit with their children beside them, or in their laps, and participate in the program. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers! Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Story Hour: Numbers All Around (ages 3–5)
2025-05-21 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books about numbers you can find in the world around you. Stories included in this event include picture books such as I Know Numbers by Taro Gomi (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Children’s and Teens’ Services Intern Nicole Hoffman will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal
2025-05-20 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
This event is part of Ways of Seeing, a special series exploring the connections between storytelling, creativity, and the visual world. Join the conversation and attend events featuring cultural luminaries. Learn more →
As surveillance technologies become ever more pervasive, how can we protect our privacy and resist corporate and state control? Join Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal and a leading voice on tech ethics, for a crucial conversation on the rise of surveillance, the power of AI, and what we can do to fight back.
The conversation will be moderated by Stéphan-Eloïse Gras and Rachel Donadio.
About the speakers:
Meredith Whittaker is Signal’s President and a member of the Signal Foundation Board of Directors. She has over 17 years of experience in tech, spanning industry, academia, and government. Before joining Signal as President, she was the Minderoo Research Professor at NYU, and served as the Faculty Director of the AI Now Institute which she co-founded. Her research and scholarly work helped shape global AI policy and shift the public narrative on AI to better recognize the surveillance business practices and concentration of industrial resources that modern AI requires. Prior to NYU, she worked at Google for over a decade, where she led product and engineering teams, founded Google’s Open Research Group, and co-founded M-Lab, a globally distributed network measurement platform that now provides the world’s largest source of open data on internet performance. She also helped lead organizing at Google. She was one of the core organizers pushing back against the company’s insufficient response to concerns about AI and its harms, and was a central organizer of the Google Walkout. She has advised the White House, the FCC, the City of New York, the European Parliament, and many other governments and civil society organizations on privacy, security, artificial intelligence, internet policy, and measurement. She recently completed a term as Senior Advisor on AI to the Chair at the US Federal Trade Commission.
Stéphan-Eloïse Gras is a researcher and entrepreneur specializing in the geoeconomics of AI. An assistant professor at CNAM-Paris, she explores AI technologies through the lens of software & critical data studies. She also serves on the board of Probabl, an AI company built around the popular open-source library scikit-learn. With 15+ years in the digital sector, she has led initiatives at the intersection of innovation, research, education, and emerging markets. As CEO of Digital Africa, she oversaw a €130M initiative supporting African startups. She also co-founded Africa 4 Tech and led OpenClassrooms’ strategic expansion in Africa. Her doctoral research traced the rise of AI through a music recommendation algorithm acquired by Spotify. She teaches at CNAM, Sciences Po, NYU, and Sorbonne and is currently writing a book on the geoeconomics of AI, describing LLMs as “belief-making machines.”
Rachel Donadio, the Library’s Curator of Cultural Programs, is a Paris-based writer, journalist and critic, a contributing writer for the Atlantic, a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books and a former European Culture Correspondent and Rome Bureau Chief of the New York Times.

Collaborative Collage (ages 12–18)
2025-05-17 16:00 - 17:00 | The American Library in Paris
Join Children’s and Teens’ Services Intern Nicole Hoffman as she guides you in the creation of a joint art piece for display. Supplies will be provided, as well as light snacks.
Important information: This event is free for Library members, and 15€ per person for non-members, and advance registration is required. All Library users are expected to familiarize themselves with the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

The View from the Stage (ages 8–12)
2025-05-17 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
In this event, children will learn about ancient theater and myth, and take part in a mask-making activity. Social Impact Fellow Julia Paré will present an introduction to ancient Greek theater and tragedy and lead mask-making and theater games. Participants will discuss comedy, tragedy, and how theatrical presentation and masks encourage us to view others through a new lens. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories from the past. This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This event will be hosted by Social Impact Fellow Julia Paré with the help of Children’s and Teens’ Services staff.
Children between the ages 8–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library. Caregivers are welcome to participate in this event. Please note on the registration form if you plan on attending and playing along. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. The activity is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. All participants must be able to understand and speak English in order to participate in the program. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

History Tour: 1920s Edition
2025-05-16 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Did you know that Gertrude Stein had a penchant for pulpy mystery novels? Or that Hemingway attempted to secure a job at the Library for his drinking buddy?
The American Library in Paris invites you to register for a 1920s-focused History Tour. Come visit us in person at 10 rue du Général Camou and discover:

Our origin story, when our Library warehoused a collection of books donated to the Doughboys fighting alongside Allied troops in WWI
The establishment of the American Library in Paris as a private library
The famous writers of the Lost Generation (Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller, and more) who explored our stacks during their time in Paris
Our Paris Library School, which brought American innovations to French libraries in the 1920s

All tours are on Fridays at 11h00, last one hour, and take place in person at the American Library in Paris.
Tours are free of charge and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Please contact us if you wish to reserve for 5 or more people (do not reserve through the site).
For school or group reservations, or for other questions, please email tours@americanlibraryinparis.org.
This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Florence Gould Foundation and the American Center for Art and Culture.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.

Toddler Time (ages 1–3)
2025-05-15 11:00 - 11:30 | The American Library in Paris
This event for children ages 1–3 and their caregivers features 30 minutes of stories, songs, and rhymes. Stories presented during our Toddler Time programs include short picture books and board books scuh as Who’s the Biggest by Delphine Chedru (picture here). This session will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie. Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes and help develop your child’s early literacy skills. Stay for play and social time after the event.
The program is entirely in English, as are all of our events for children and teens. No translation will be provided. Each child must be accompanied by an adult chaperone, and chaperones are required to remain with their children for the duration of the program. Parents and caregivers are expected to sit with their children beside them, or in their laps, and participate in the program. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!

[This event was originally scheduled for 8 May] Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Story Hour: Change of Plan (ages 3–5)
2025-05-14 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books all about what happens when your plans go awry. Stories included in this event include picture books such as Saturday by Oge Mora (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Children’s and Teens’ Services Intern Nicole Hoffman will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Joan Didion and the Myths of Hollywood with Alissa Wilkinson and Joanna Scutts
2025-05-13 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
New York Times film critic Alissa Wilkinson explores Joan Didion’s complex relationship with Hollywood, from her early fascination with Western myths to her time as a screenwriter at the twilight of the studio era. In We Tell Ourselves Stories, Wilkinson examines how Didion’s writing dissected the fears, fantasies, and fabrications that define American storytelling—on and off the screen.
This conversation will be moderated by writer and literary critic Joanna Scutts.
About the speakers:
Alissa Wilkinson is a film critic at the New York Times and was formerly a senior correspondent and critic at Vox. Her previous book, Salty: Lessons on Eating, Drinking, and Living from Revolutionary Women, was published in 2022. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Joanna Scutts is a writer and literary critic based in Paris. She is a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review and her work has appeared in the Guardian, New Republic, Times Literary Supplement and New Yorker. Her books focus on overlooked women’s histories of the early 20th century and include Firebrands: 25 Women Writers to Enrich Your Reading Life, and Hotbed: Bohemian New York and the Secret Club that Sparked Modern Feminism. Her new project explores the history of American women in Paris. Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

Secret Society of Readers Book Club: Biographies (ages 8–12)
2025-05-11 14:00 - 15:00 | The American Library in Paris
***This event was originally scheduled for Sunday 4 May and has been rescheduled for 11 May.***
Children ages 8–12 are invited to bring a favorite biography to share with the group. Participants should come prepared to tell the group about the setting, characters, and plot of their book, and to read a short passage—and to try to convince others to read the book without including any spoilers. Book-related activities and games will follow the discussion. Biographies in picture book, comic book, prose or verse are all welcome!
This event will be hosted by Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie. This activity is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. Children between the ages 8–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library.
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Music Together with Stacey Pavesi Debré (ages 0–5)
2025-05-10 14:00 - 15:00 | The American Library in Paris
Today, it’s common for us to simply listen to music rather than create it ourselves. But actively making music—with our voices and our bodies—is important to children’s overall development. Since 1987, Music Together, has introduced millions of children, parents, and teachers to the joys of music-making and the powerful benefits of having music in their lives. In our family workshops children and parents learn together through active exploration and live, meaningful interaction. So, take out the earbuds and pick up the instruments we were all given at birth—ourselves! Each child (aged 0–5) should accompany one of their favorite grownups.
About Stacey Pavesi Debré: An American in Paris since 2014, Stacey has been passionate about music and learning her whole life. She studied piano and string bass, joined choirs, orchestras, a capella groups and musical theaters, and worked as a vocalist in Japan and a singing bartender in NYC. In 2017, Stacey founded Bébé Music Box to bring Music Together’s award-winning music and movement classes to families and schools in Paris. Our weekly mixed-age family classes are a fun, dynamic, and inspiring way for families to connect through music. Plus, because music learning supports all learning, the benefits for our young music-makers extend well beyond class. For more information about Bébé Music Box family classes or to contact Stacey, visit www.bbmusicbox.com. To read more about music’s magical effects on children, visit www.musictogether.com. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Caregivers must remain with their children for the duration of this program. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Story Hour: Clever Creatures (ages 3–5)
2025-05-07 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books—both factual and fictional—about super smart animals. Stories included in this event include picture books such as Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page(pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Children’s and Teens’ Services Intern Nicole Hoffman will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Ways of Seeing with Michael Pollan
2025-05-06 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
Join us for a deep dive into Michael Pollan‘s How to Change Your Mind, a #1 New York Times Bestseller that blends memoir, science, and history to examine the powerful potential of psychedelic substances.
In conversation with Curator of Cultural Programs, Rachel Donadio, Pollan will explore how these drugs are revolutionizing mental health treatment and reshaping our understanding of consciousness. We’ll also discuss Pollan’s broader body of work, which spans topics from food to nature, offering insight into his unique perspective on the intersection of science, society, and the human experience.
About the speaker:
Michael Pollan is the author of nine books, including This Is Your Mind on Plants, How to Change Your Mind, Cooked, Food Rules, In Defense of Food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and The Botany of Desire, all of which were New York Times bestsellers. He is also the author of the audiobook Caffeine: How Coffee and Tea Made the Modern World. A longtime contributor to The New York Times Magazine, Pollan teaches writing at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley. In 2010, Time magazine named him one of the one hundred most influential people in the world.

This event is made possible with the support of Résidence Tallard, a program by Kadist dedicated to hosting individuals from around the world who are recognized for their innovative ideas and impactful contributions to society.
Important information: This event will be in-person only.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

Saturday Series: Watch It Grow (ages 6–12)
2025-05-03 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Discover the magic of seeds and stories! Join us for this fun planting event. Participants will learn about the gardening and plants, then plant a seed or seedling to take home and keep. This event will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services staff members with the help of Library volunteers.
Children between the ages 6–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library. Caregivers are welcome to participate in this event. Please note on the registration form if you plan on attending and playing along. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. The activity is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. All participants must be able to understand and speak English in order to participate in the program. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Teen Night: Capture the Flag (ages 12–18)
2025-05-02 19:00 - 21:00 | The American Library in Paris
Join us for a game of capture the flag on the Champ de Mars (weather permitting). We’ll meet at the Library to divide into teams and go over the rules of the game, then we’ll set out as a group to the Champ de Mars to play the game outdoors. We’ll be playing in two teams. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads, and Children’s and Teens’ Services Intern Nicole Hoffman will each lead a team.
In the case of light rain, we’ll go ahead and play. In the event of heavy rain or storms, we’ll move the event inside. You are welcome to call the Children’s and Teens’ Services Desk directly for an update before the event. Parents/guardians can pick up participating teens at the Library at 21h00 Important information:
This event is free for Library members, and 15€ per teen for non-members. Advance registration is required. All visitors are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. After-hours events for teens, such as Teen Nights, require a signed permission slip, which can be downloaded here. One permission slip is needed per academic year (September–July).
Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Ways of Seeing with Maira Kalman
2025-04-30 19:30 - 20:30 | Maison de la Poésie, 157 Rue Saint-Martin, Paris, 75003, France
Join celebrated artist and writer Maira Kalman, the Library’s Spring 2025 Cultural Fellow, for an evening of art, words, and wit. She’ll share insights into her singular career spanning illustration, storytelling, and design, present her latest book, Still Life with Remorse, and screen her short film on Alice B. Toklas.
In conversation with American Library in Paris Curator of Cultural Programs, Rachel Donadio.
This offsite, ticketed event will take place at Maison de la Poésie (157 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris).
About the speaker:
Maira Kalman was born in Tel Aviv and moved to New York City with her family at the age of four. She was raised in bucolic Riverdale, the Bronx. She now lives in Manhattan.
Kalman has written/illustrated over 30 books for adults and children. She has been a frequent contributor to the New York Times and the New Yorker. She has created textiles for Isaac Mizrahi and Kate Spade and sets for Mark Morris. Other collaborations have been with Nico Muhly, Alex Kalman, Michael Pollan, David Byrne, John Heginbotham and Gertrude Stein. Her watch and clock designs appear under the M&Co label, the design studio created by her late husband Tibor Kalman.
She has won many awards and given numerous talks, including several TED talks. Her art has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world.
Maira Kalman is the American Library in Paris Spring 2025 Cultural Fellow. Important information: This is an offsite, ticketed event at Maison de la Poésie (157 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris).
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.

Story Hour: Good Enough to Eat (ages 3–5)
2025-04-30 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books about delicious foods, and about sharing meals with family and friends. Stories included in this event include picture books such as The Table by Winsome Bingham and Wiley Blevins, illustrated by Jason Griffin (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Intern Nicole Hoffman and Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Saturday Series: Eat Up—Family Snacks! (ages 6–12)
2025-04-26 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
Bring your favorite snack recipe and make a yummy snacks together! Participants will create recipe booklets to take home, which will be full of ideas for delicious snacks. Each person attending must bring in a recipe for a favorite snack and something small to share with 3–5 people. Snacks to share must be homemade—either made from scratch or assembled at home—otherwise fruit is welcome! This event will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services staff members with the help of Library volunteers.
Children between the ages 6–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library. Caregivers are welcome to participate in this event. Please note on the registration form if you plan on attending and playing along. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. The activity is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. All participants must be able to understand and speak English in order to participate in the program. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.
