The Contra Costa County Library system’s officials and staff are excited to launch the third Community Reads for Kids, a reading program that strives to get everyone in the county to read and discuss the same book.

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This year’s book is “Guts” by Raina Telgemeier. In the book based on the author’s life, Raina is having tummy trouble, and it seems to coincide with her worries about food, school and changing friendships. The graphic novel deals with growing up and gathering the courage to face and conquer her fears.

The program includes an online book discussion, a live Zoom event with the author and an online program for adults about anxiety in children and teens. The book is available in hardback, paperback and eBook formats. Place your holds today.

Reading challenge: Experience all the feels this winter. Learn about the history of emojis, explore the importance of emotions and earn badges while discovering how to express yourself Jan. 1-31, when you’re encouraged to read and log 600 minutes.

Earn emoji badges, enjoy emotion-themed booklists, and write fervent, enthusiastic, dramatic, or stirring book reviews. Use your existing Beanstack account to register or create an account for free today at ccclib.beanstack.com.

LinkedIn: The library system has a new LinkedIn page (bayareane.ws/cccliblinkedin). For job openings, resume and skill resources and career-related programs follow Contra Costa County Library.

Lunar New Year Celebrations: Tomizaki’s Champions Kung Fu Institute will have a lion dance performance at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17 in the Pleasant Hill Library. “Lunar New Year” will be presented by the Asian Art Museum at 2 p.m. Jan. 21 via Zoom.

The Hercules Library will host a Lunar New Year celebration at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 24, and the El Cerrito Library will host “Chinese New Year Family Storytime” with author Oliver Chin at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 28.

Afro-Peruvian dance: At 3 p.m. Jan. 7 in the Antioch Library, join Cunamacué, a dance group based in Oakland, for a fun dance class for kids and parents. Cunamacué’s choreographies are deeply rooted in Afro-Peruvian dance vocabulary and use movements inspired by other dances of the African diaspora and modern dance.

20th Century Film Club: The Concord Library will show the 1939 film “Wuthering Heights,” starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10. Enjoy a movie night and watch films from the 20th century using the library’s video streaming service Kanopy.

Outdoor explorers: San Francisco Bay is a buffet for wintering shorebirds and provides food to fuel their migrations in spring and fall. In the “Shorebird Migration” presentation at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 23 via Zoom, area photographer Bob Lewis will discuss the various species that call the bay home for all or part of the year. Lewis will also examine the impact of migration on conservation strategies.

Visit ccclib.org to sign up for a library card and get connected to books and resources. For questions about library services and programming or account information, contact us via online chat, email [email protected] or text questions to 925-290-7627.

Brooke Converse is the Contra Costa County Library system’s public information officer and can be reached at [email protected].