Young adult author A.S. King launching her latest novel [Spotlight]

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Author A.S. King is launching her latest YA story, "Pick the Lock," with a series of in-person events.

The Exeter High School graduate will be at the Exeter Community Library, 4569 Prestwick Drive, Exeter Township, on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m.

She also will be at the Lititz Shirt Factory, 5 Juniper Lane, today from 3-5 p.m. And she'll be at Children's Book World, 17 Haverford Station Road, Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

According to a press release, King's latest novel is a weird and insightful story about a girl intent on picking the lock of her toxic family.

Jane Vandermaker-Cook would like her mother back. As Jane's mother tours the world to support the family, Jane lives and goes to school in a Victorian mansion with her younger brother and their mendacious father, who confines Jane's mother to a system of pneumatic tubes whenever she's at home.

And then there's weirdly ever-present Aunt Finch, Milorad the gardener and his rat, Brutus. For Jane, this all seems normal until she suddenly gains access to the files for a lifetime of security-camera videos — her lifetime.

King's latest surrealist masterpiece follows Jane's bizarre and brilliant journey to reconnect with her mother by breaking out of her shell and composing a punk opera.

King is the award-winning author of many acclaimed books for young readers. Her novel "Dig" won the prestigious Michael L. Printz Award in 2020, and "Ask The Passengers" won the 2013 Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

The New York Times called her "one of the best YA writers working today."

In 2022, she was awarded the American Library Association's Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant contribution to YA literature. King lives with her family in Lititz, where she returned after living on a farm and teaching adult literacy in Ireland for more than a decade.

The following events have been announced for the Santander Arena and Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading.

AEW Dynamite wrestling action is coming to the arena on Nov. 20. The Harlem Globetrotters will share their basketball wizardry at the arena on Feb. 21, 2025.

Coming to the SPAC are comedian Kathy Griffin's My Life on the PTSD-List tour on March 14 and World Ballet Company's "The Great Gatsby" on May 7.

Tickets for all the shows are available at ticketmaster.com .

Reading Civic Theatre, 4350 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township, presents its first senior talent spotlight on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

The evenings 12 performers:

Donna Danielski, Mark Ettaro, Sheri Ettaro, Christine, Mitchell, Mark Christy, Anndria Ciabattoni, Craig Weidner, Dan Roberts, Deanna Reuben, Jeannette DeAngelo, Dave Myers and Pete Snow.

Special guest judges for the event are Charlie Adams, the 27-year veteran radio personality at WEEU Casey Allyn, co-host of WIOV-FM's "The Rich and Casey Show"; and Tom Radar, the award-winning TV news reporter and multimedia journalist from WFMZ-69 news.

Tickets are $25 and can be reserved at www.readingcivic.org . Light refreshments are included from 6 to 7 p.m. prior to the event.

Reading Civic Theatre also will present "South Pacific in Concert" on Oct. 4, 5 and 6. Evening performances will be at 7:30, and the Sunday matinee will be at 2 p.m.

The show will feature a live orchestra and will be directed/conducted by Exeter Township resident Pete Bourey. The cast features 35 singers of all ages.

TIckets can be purchased at readingcivic.org ,