Every year on the first Friday and Saturday of April, Fresno Pacific University hosts the West Coast Mennonite Quilt Auction for World Relief.

An energetic affair that features food booths, antiques, used books and music in addition to hundreds of quilts for sale and auction, it also boasts a 10,000 Villages tent filled with fair-trade crafts, jewelry, coffee and chocolate from around the world. This year in the tent, I discovered three new multicultural picture books that would be perfect for a classroom story time or bedtime read-aloud.

"Meggie Moon," written by Elizabeth Baguley of England and illustrated in bright primary colors by Gregoire Mabire of France, tells the energetic tale of Digger and Tiger as Meggie invades their private junkyard and introduces them to an adventurous way of looking at the world (Good Books, $16).

"Shi-shi-etko," written by Nicola I. Campbell and illustrated in warm tones by Kim LaFave, is the touching story of "She who loves to play in the water," a young British Columbian girl who visits her favorite natural haunts one last time before leaving her family to attend Indian Residential School (Groundwood Books, $17).

"Mother Earth and Her Children," first written in 1906, is a colorful tribute to seasonal change and outdoor exploration; it offers much to look at for the youngest readers and their parents (Breckling Press, $18).

To learn more about Relief Sales in the U.S. and Canada, 10,000 Villages and the projects they make possible, visit http://www.mcc.org. The annual Southern California sale in Upland will take place May 16-17.

AUTHOR APPEARANCES

John Shannon 1 p.m. Saturday. Will discuss and sign "The Devils of Bakersfield." Mysteries to Die For, 2940 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 374-0084.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Veterans Writing Group 2:30 p.m. today. Open to all veterans and their families. Free; reservations requested. Unitarian Universalist Church, 5654 Ralston St., Ventura. 644-3898.

Writing Workshop 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. "Rules for Publication." Third of seven sessions sponsored by the California Literary Arts Society. $10-$20 per session. Wright Library, 57 Day Road, Ventura. 643-3385.

Train of Thought 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Poetry reading at 856 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura. 642-1146.

LITERARY NOTES

Krona Press of Thousand Oaks has released the fifth edition of "Poor Richard's TIPS from the Great Depression" by California Lutheran University professor Richard Londgren ($18). The book is filled with ideas for recycling, living simply and saving money. Proceeds from the book support CLU scholarships. To order, call 241-1051 or e-mail KronaPress@verizon.net.

LIBRARY NEWS

Crimefight Program 2 p.m. today. Presented by comedian Byron Walls of California Crimefight. Refreshments will be served. Prueter Library, 510 Park Ave., Port Hueneme. 986-1662.

Read to Pepper the Dog 3 p.m. Monday. Blanchard Library, 119 N. Eighth St., Santa Paula. 525-3615.

Crafts with Stephanie 6:30 p.m. Monday. Wright Library, 57 Day Road, Ventura. 642-0337.

Google Workshop 10 a.m. Tuesday. Free; registration required. Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 E. Janss Road. 449-2660.

Discussion Group Noon Wednesday. "The Moon Is Down" by John Steinbeck. Westlake Village Library, 31220 Oak Crest Drive. 818-865-9230.

Crafts with Stephanie 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Wright Library, 57 Day Road, Ventura. 642-0337.

Music with Motion 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Westlake Village Library, 31220 Oak Crest Drive. 818-865-9230.

Library 101 Workshop 4 p.m. Thursday. Free; registration required. Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 E. Janss Road. 449-2660.

Writers Workshop 6 p.m. Thursday. Sponsored by the Ojai Library. Twice-Sold Tales Bookstore, 122 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai. 646-1639.

Reptile Family Visit 10 a.m. Saturday. Camarillo Library, 4101 Las Posas Road. 388-5222.

Flickr Workshop 10 a.m. Saturday. Free; registration required. Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 E. Janss Road. 449-2660.

Paws for Reading 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Wright Library, 57 Day Road, Ventura. 642-0337.

STORY TIMES

Monday 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 446-2820.

10:30 a.m. (bilingual) and 5:30 p.m. (English) Prueter Library, 510 Park Ave., Port Hueneme. 486-5460.

7 p.m. (bilingual) Oxnard Library, 251 South A St. 385-7535.

Tuesday 10 a.m. Colonia Library, 1500 Camino del Sol, Oxnard. 385-8108.

10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Camarillo Library, 4101 Las Posas Road. 388-5222.

10:30 a.m. Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura. 650-9688.

10:30 a.m. Foster Library, 651 E. Main St., Ventura. 648-2715.

10:30 a.m. Oak View Library, 55 Mahoney Ave. 649-1523.

10:30 a.m. Prueter Library, 510 Park Ave., Port Hueneme. 486-5460.

11 a.m. Borders, 241 W. Esplanade Drive, Oxnard. 988-6886.

11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. 526-1735.

Wednesday 10:30 a.m. Blanchard Library, 119 N. Eighth St., Santa Paula. 525-3615.

11 a.m. Borders, 2910 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley. 526-2800.

Thursday 10:30 a.m. Moorpark Library, 699 Moorpark Ave. 517-6370.

10:30 a.m. Oak Park Library, 899 N. Kanan Road. 818-889-2239.

10:30 a.m. South Oxnard Library, 4300 Saviers Road, Oxnard. 385-8129.

Friday 7 p.m. Borders, 2910 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley. 526-2800.

Saturday 10:30 a.m. Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 446-2820.

Noon. Oxnard Library, 251 South A St. 385-7535.

3 p.m. Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura. 650-9688.

7 p.m. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 497-8159.

— We'd like to announce your news about book/author events in Ventura County. Send items at least three weeks in advance to Jo Ellen Heil at P.O. Box 7083, Ventura, CA 93006; samheil@hotmail.com; or fax to 482-6167.