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Illuminating Hope and Grace in the Face of Hardship

with Rex Ogle (5th-8th Grade)

2025-07-23 16:00:00 2025-07-23 16:45:00 America/New_York Illuminating Hope and Grace in the Face of Hardship You’re invited to join us online with award-winning author Rex Ogle as he talks to viewers about his struggles to navigate sixth grade as written about in his book Free Lunch. Virtual - Virtual

Wednesday, July 23
4:00pm - 4:45pm

Add to Calendar 2025-07-23 16:00:00 2025-07-23 16:45:00 America/New_York Illuminating Hope and Grace in the Face of Hardship You’re invited to join us online with award-winning author Rex Ogle as he talks to viewers about his struggles to navigate sixth grade as written about in his book Free Lunch. Virtual - Virtual

Virtual

Virtual

You’re invited to join us online with award-winning author Rex Ogle as he talks to viewers about his struggles to navigate sixth grade as written about in his book Free Lunch.

Instead of giving him lunch money, Rex’s mom has signed him up for free meals. As a poor kid in a wealthy school district, better-off kids crowd impatiently behind him as he tries to explain to the cashier that he’s on the free meal program. The lunch lady is hard of hearing, so Rex has to shout.

Free Lunch is the story of Rex’s efforts to navigate his first semester of sixth grade—who to sit with, not being able to join the football team, Halloween in a handmade costume, classmates and a teacher who take one look at him and decide he’s trouble—all while wearing secondhand clothes and being hungry. His mom and her boyfriend are out of work, and life at home is punctuated by outbursts of violence. Halfway through the semester, his family is evicted and ends up in government-subsidized housing in view of the school. Rex lingers at the end of last period every day until the buses have left, so no one will see where he lives.

Unsparing and realistic, Free Lunch is a story of hardship threaded with hope and moments of grace. Rex’s voice is compelling and authentic, and Free Lunch is a true, timely, and essential work that illuminates the lived experience of poverty in America. Register now to join the conversation!

About the Author: Rex Ogle is the author of Free Lunch, winner of the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; Punching Bag, a New York Public Library Best Book; Abuela Don’t Forget Me, finalist for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; and Road Home, which received a Printz Honor and a Stonewall Book Award Honor. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of Duncan Library and the Friends of Beatley Central Library.

Upcoming and previously broadcast author talks can be viewed here.

AGE GROUP: | Teens | Children | All Ages |

EVENT TYPE: | Summer Quest | Special Event | Family | Children | Author Talks |

TAGS: | |

Virtual


Hours
Mon, Jun 02 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, Jun 03 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Jun 04 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Jun 05 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Fri, Jun 06 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Sat, Jun 07 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, Jun 08 9:00AM to 5:00PM

About the branch

Upcoming Events

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Please join us for an online discussion of Celeste Ng's 2022 novel.

Tue, Jun 10, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
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You’re invited to an exclusive preview event with New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell as she introduces readers to her forthcoming title Don’t Let Him In (Out June 24, 2025!). Register

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World-renowned author and career advisor shows you how to get the job you want quickly and easily and in any economy. (Enrollment is for a start on this date, lessons are asynchronous over 6 weeks)Register

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Read and discuss the best of today's Virginia literature—including books by Virginia Literary Award winners and finalists in fiction and nonfiction.Register