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Watch Party - Author Talk: Rex Ogle

Illuminating Hope and Grace in the Face of Hardship

2025-07-23 16:00:00 2025-07-23 16:45:00 America/New_York Watch Party - Author Talk: Rex Ogle Engage in a lively discussion and fun activities with Rex Ogle during this virtual watch party at your local branch! Recommended for ages 6-12. West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center -

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

Engage in a lively discussion and fun activities with Rex Ogle during this virtual watch party at your local branch! Recommended for ages 6-12.

This is a hybrid virtual event hosted on YouTube Live with the option to tune in from this branch location. All presenters will be appearing virtually for this Watch Party event. Registration is not required to attend, but you will receive a reminder email if you register.

If you would prefer to attend from a different location, please visit the primary Author Talk webpage for this event: https://attend.ocls.org/event/13515089.

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.

The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Orange County Library System.

AGE GROUP: | Kids |

EVENT TYPE: | Authors - Books - Writing |

TAGS: | ipevents | bb-meet-the-author |

West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center

Phone: 407-835-7323

Hours
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Mon, Aug 10 10:00AM to 7:00PM
Tue, Aug 11 10:00AM to 7:00PM
Wed, Aug 12 10:00AM to 7:00PM
Thu, Aug 13 10:00AM to 7:00PM
Fri, Aug 14 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Aug 15 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Aug 16 1:00PM to 6:00PM

About the branch

LYNX Bus Link 125 Silver Star Rd.
LYNX Bus Link 27 Ocoee / Winter Garden

West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center is located in the historic city of Ocoee near the intersection of Silver Star and Clark Roads. The branch opened in August 2001 and was designed by Harvard, Jolly, Clees, Toppe Architecture Firm. West Oaks Branch provides exceptional library services to the nearly 50,000 residents of Ocoee and surrounding areas. In January 2015, the branch became the new Genealogy Center for Orange County, housing a collection of over 30,000 genealogy books. The Library is the official repository of the Florida State Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The construction of West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center was funded by the Library System and a Florida Library Construction Grant.

Genealogy Resource Guide

Upcoming events

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Tue, Aug 18, 2:00pm - 2:30pm
Schedule a 30-minute one-on-one appointment with the Genealogy Specialist. Sessions are available Tuesdays between 2:00 and 4:00 PM and are designed focus on your particular genealogy question.
This event is full

Tue, Aug 18, 2:30pm - 3:00pm
Schedule a 30-minute one-on-one appointment with the Genealogy Specialist. Sessions are available Tuesdays between 2:00 and 4:00 PM and are designed to help you focus on YOUR genealogy question.

Tue, Aug 18, 3:00pm - 3:30pm
Schedule a 30-minute one-on-one appointment with the Genealogy Specialist. Sessions are available Tuesdays between 2:00 and 4:00 PM and are designed to help you focus on YOUR genealogy question.

Fri, Aug 21, All day
West Oaks - Ask at Desk
Help us take part in the Great Florida Pollinator Census! Visit the branch to receive a counting sheet before you venture into the garden to study our local pollinators. Recommended for all ages.

Fri, Aug 21, 10:00am - 11:00am
West Oaks - Sarchet Community Room
Do you love Bingo? Come play with us! Meet new people, listen to music and play for your chance to win a fun prize! Recommended for seniors.
This event is full

Sat, Aug 22, All day
West Oaks - Ask at Desk
Help us take part in the Great Florida Pollinator Census! Visit the branch to receive a counting sheet before you venture into the garden to study our local pollinators. Recommended for all ages.

Sun, Aug 23, 1:15pm - 2:45pm
West Oaks - Technology Classroom
Build and program machines with LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime. Apply STEAM concepts and the engineering design process with hands-on learning. Recommended for ages 6-12. Registration required.
This event is full

Sun, Aug 23, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
West Oaks - Genealogy Area
A one-on-one appointment with our Genealogist Lisa. Together we will explore your questions and help you with your personal research!
This event is full

Sun, Aug 23, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
West Oaks - Genealogy Area
Schedule a 60 minute one-on-one appointment with the Genealogy Specialist at our Monthly Sunday Sessions! Times available: 2 - 4 pm.
This event is full

Sun, Aug 23, 3:30pm - 5:00pm
West Oaks - Technology Classroom
Build and program machines with LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime. Apply STEAM concepts and the engineering design process with hands-on learning. Recommended for ages 6-12. Registration required.
This event is full

Sun, Aug 23, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
West Oaks - Genealogy Area
Schedule a 60 minute one-on-one appointment with the Genealogy Specialist at our Monthly Sunday Sessions! Times available: 2 - 4 pm.