PAYAL DOSHI: Introduces her new middle grade novel, “Rea and the Blood of the Nectar,” about Rea and her brother Rohan, who disappears on their 12th birthday. Their mother and grandmother act as though Rohan is gone forever but Rea and her friend meet with a fortune teller whose powers set them on a thrilling and secret quest. They travel to Astranthia, a land of magic and whimsy where Rea learns Rohan has been captured. This is the first book in The Chronicles of Astranthia series by this Minneapolis author, who was born and raised in Mumbai, India. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, via Zoom, presented in Friends of the St. Paul Public Library’s Fireside Readings series. To register: thefriends.org.

SOUTH KOREAN POETS: Acclaimed poets Kim Ki-taek and Yi Won, joined by English language translators of their new releases, present a program hosted by Rain Taxi Review and the Global Poetry initiative at Metro State University. Kim Ki-taek celebrates publication of “Smiling in an Old Photograph,” a chapbook published by RainTaxi’s OHM edition, and Yi Won celebrates “The World’s Lightest Motorcycle,” a bilingual book from Zephyr Press. Other participants are Ed Bok Lee, Yang Eun-mi, E.J. Koh, and Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello. Poet Lee Herrick will moderate and Bomi Yoon will interpret for the Korean participants. Kim Ki-taek, born in Anyang, South Korea, has 10 major previous works, including “Where Has the Dog Gone Leaving Its Bark Behind” and translations. He teaches at Kyung Hee Cyber University in Seoul. Yi Won is a South Korean avant-garde poet and essayist, born in Gyeonggi-do. She studied creative writing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts and earned a master’s at Dongguk University. Her poetry debuted in 1992, and she received two contemporary poets awards. Her books include “I Am My Affectionate Zebra.” She is a professor of creative writing at Seoul Institute of the Arts. 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, via crowdcast.  Registration at: raintaxi.org.

JACK ZIPES: Minnesota Master of Fairytales presents “Bambi: The Story of a Life in the Forest” and Tistou: The Boy with the Green Thumbs of Peace,” new editions of classic tales. Zipes is professor emeritus of German and comparative literature at the University of Minnesota who says his mission is to “unbury the dead and neglected authors of fantasy” and to create conditions for a better world. Virtual event. 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, presented by Magers & Quinn.  Registration required. Go to: magersandquinn.com/events.

WHAT ELSE  IS GOING ON

The Jan. 11 death of Clyde Bellecourt has renewed interest in the co-founder of the American Indian Movement and his impact on racial justice for Native Americans. You can read about his amazing and controversial life in his autobiography, “The Thunder Before the Storm,” published in 2016 by Minnesota Historical Society Press.

Kathleen West’s widely-praised novel “Are We There Yet?” is available now in paperback. It’s about two moms dealing with the startling transformations their kids go through in middle school and how social media influences today’s early teens. … Kent Krueger’s 19th Cork O’Connor thriller, Fox Creek,” is listed as among the most anticipated crime fiction by online Novel Suspects publication. … Former Minnesotan Nora Purmort McInerny’s essay collection, “Bad Vibes Only,” will be published in July. She is the author of “It’s OK to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too),” about the death of her husband, who fought brain cancer for three years.

As junior Duxbury star Ayla Abban skated the ice at team tryouts in December, she looked around the rink with great satisfaction.

A year removed from causing chaos en route to a Patriot League Cup title, in which the forward lit the lamp so much she earned a Herald Dream Team selection, Abban’s Dragons had high expectations for this season now that the chance to play for a state title is back. She knows what she brings to the team. And with a solid returning core around her with a vast crop of newbies holding their own at tryouts, she felt her team was as good as any.

A few weeks in, with Duxbury coasting to a 9-0-2 record through the team’s first 11 games, that group isn’t just the front-runner in the Patriot League again. The Dragons are a fearsome Div. 2 state championship contender.

“(We just want to) keep showing people the team that we know we can be and keep working hard so we can keep this streak going,” Abban said. “From tryouts, I knew that if we came together and brought a good energy that we could be a really good team this year.”

Abban has been a bona fide star, with 17 goals and 6 assists already. But the strength of those around her is what makes Duxbury so good.

Junior defenders Lily Sparrow (10 points) and McKenna Colella (9 points) are forces from the blue line. Goalie Anna McGinty comes off an All-Scholastic year with an equally impressive sophomore season thus far (10.6 saves per game), allowing no more than one goal in any contest. Senior leadership is strong behind Grace Landolfi, Ava Rabeni and Katie Geis, and a plethora of freshmen are already playing major roles across four solid lines.

With meaningful wins over Needham, Falmouth, Pembroke and Hingham, everyone is meshing in all the right ways.

“I think we’ve got some upperclassmen that have played in all situations and we’ve got a good mix of younger kids that have come in and stepped into some roles that would normally be reserved for older kids, and they’re starting to get used to playing in big situations,” said head coach Dan Najarian. “I think we expected to win some hockey games, but I think it’s always surprising when you get 10 or 11 games into a season and you’re fortunate enough to have not lost a game yet. … To expect to go undefeated is a little bit unrealistic and we’re happy to be where we are.”

Abban says the team is focused on just giving its best effort at this stage, knowing that no team has been able to beat them even when they aren’t playing their best hockey. That message isn’t lost on a large freshman group, which plays a vital function for the team despite inexperience.

Seven freshmen made the team, with standout performances already coming from defender Madeleine Greenwood (8 points), forward Meghan Carney (7 points), forward Zoey Madigan, defender Sami Norton and defender Maeve Gallagher. Their presence has made a world of a difference.

“It’s huge,” said Sparrow. “All of them play huge roles and they’ve all stepped up so much in the big games this season. It’s so important knowing that we have that depth on our team where we can run four lines. Other teams can’t do that, we have four lines that we can trust and use to wear down teams.”

One-timers

• Pre-season girls hockey expectations within the Middlesex League Liberty had usual favorites Arlington and Woburn slated for big things, but Winchester is off and running to a hot start that has it right in the mix as well. The Spy Ponders just defeated the Red and Black 5-2 on Wednesday, and are 7-1 overall with a 5-4 win over Woburn already.

• The first opponent girls St. Mary’s (L) head coach Frank Pagliuca said to look out for before the season was Archbishop Williams. Pagliuca nailed this one. So far, the Bishops have posted impressive wins over Malden Catholic (2-1), Bishop Fenwick (4-1) and Bishop Stang (5-3) to get off to a 6-4-1 start.

• The Winthrop girls excelled last year in the Covid season and are continuing that trend amid an undefeated start to the season. Each of its last three games entering the weekend were decided by at least three goals, and at a 6-0-1 record, its only blemish is a 2-2 tie against title-contending Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading.

• Winning comfortably has become a habit for the Algonquin girls, who outscored opponents 54-9 in a 9-0-2 start in Div. 2 action. Five of its first 11 games have been decided by at least five goals.