The Villa Park Public Library's "Young at Heart" book group meets Wednesday, Sept. 2, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. to discuss "On the Wings of la Noche" by Vanessa L. Torres, a young adult fantasy rooted in Mexican folklore.
The monthly group is built for adults who enjoy young adult and children's literature. Gisela Parker, who leads the program, encourages registration ahead of the session. Residents can email her at [email protected] to reserve a copy of the book or stop by the library at 305 S. Ardmore Ave. to pick one up.
An award-winning pick
Torres' novel follows Estrella "Noche" Villanueva, a 17-year-old Lechuza, a jet-black owl from Mexican folklore who guides the dead to the afterlife while grappling with grief over her dead girlfriend. The 352-page book, published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, explores themes of forgiveness, identity and reconciliation.
The novel has earned significant recognition, according to Goodreads: the 2026 Pura Belpré Award for Young Adult literature, the 2026 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Young Adult Literature and the 2025 International Latino Book Awards for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Adventure.
A standing monthly gathering
Young at Heart is not new. The group's previous session on July 1 tackled "One Dead Spy" by Nathan Hale, and Parker has led both sessions in the same 75-minute evening format.
The library's event listing does not mention a fee. Registration is strongly encouraged.
The library is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents with questions can call (630) 834-1164 or email Parker directly to join the Sept. 2 discussion.
