By NICOLE MARTIN

This week’s read

Jodee Blanco’s “Please Stop Laughing at Me…” is a heart-wrenching memoir of Jodee’s experience with an increasingly problematic issue in our nation’s schools: bullying. “Please Stop Laughing at Me …” chronicles the torments Blanco endured from her classmates as early as elementary school and continuing through high school.

Her harrowing tale helps the reader to explore the mental anguish that comes with being bullied and how even with the most caring and supportive of parents, it is hard to deal with.

She provides a relentless view of how misunderstood the mental effects of bullying are and how educators often struggle to deal with bullying in their schools.

Blanco’s book is a must read for anyone who is, has, or knows someone who is struggling with bullying.

Youth events

n Guys Read and Girls Read will meet at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the boardroom. This month, the book club is reading Rachel Cohn and David Levithan’s “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.”

n Chess Club will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Players of all ages and skill levels are welcome.

Adult events

n Tree Climbers Genealogy Group will meet in the community from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The public will be provided with a demonstration on how to use an aspect of the Local History and Genealogy collection, with each month highlighting a different resource. For more information, call 683-8545 ext. 112.

n Video Book Club starts May 7. The Video Book Club will meet to discuss and read books that have become movies or movies that have become books.

n The library will be participating in Lake Michigan College’s Exposing Greatness Business Expo from 4 to 7:30 p.m. May 9.

We’ll be featuring a variety of e-book readers can take for a test drive.

n As a celebration of Local History Day, Bob Myers from the Berrien County Historical Association will provide a presentation at 1 p.m. May 12 on the Civil War-era Michigan Volunteer Infantry, which was organized in Niles. At 2 p.m., the Michiana Civil War Re-Enactors will discuss military camp and family life in the 1860s.

Following the presentations, the Friends of Silverbrook will conduct a guided tour of the Civil War portions of the cemetery (approximately 4:30 p.m., weather permitting).

Applications accepted

One final note, NDL is accepting applications for the position of library clerk (page).