Adventures for Kids Celebrates Its Sweet 16 : Authors and illustrators will help mark the occasion with a focus on funny children’s books.

It’s merrymaking time at Adventures for Kids as the store, at 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura, celebrates its 16th birthday with authors and illustrators famous for their hilarious children’s books. Ted Taylor (“The Cay” and “Timothy of the Cay”) will tell tales from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Friday. Barney Saltzberg (“This Is a Great Place for a Hot Dog Stand”) will entertain from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. And at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dav Pilkey will demonstrate his drawing techniques, describe how he got started writing and read from Sue Denim’s “The Dumb Bunnies’ Easter,” which he illustrated.

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Poet Joan Raymund keeps literary tradition alive in Ojai as director of the Ojai Art Center’s literary branch, leader of a weekly poetry workshop and editor of Rivertalk, an annually published collection of work by Ventura and Santa Barbara poets. Raymund’s first book of poetry, “The Chair Game,” has just been published and she will be honored at a champagne reception at 6 p.m. Friday at Ojai Table of Contents, 208 E. Ojai Ave.

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Once again, the Camarillo Friends of the Library will pitch the Big White Tent from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Las Posas Road and Daily Drive to house its used book sale. Because of county budget cutbacks, Friends is the main source of funds for new books and other materials for the library, donating $3,400 a month. If you would like to join Friends, call 482-3888.

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The Simi Valley Library Poetry Group welcomes poets to an open reading at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Donation of a book in good condition for the Friends of the Library bookstore is encouraged but not required. Call 522-1178.

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Darlene Rand will read to children at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Ojai Table of Contents, 208 E. Ojai Ave.

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Margaret Brownley of Simi Valley, author of romance novels, including “Rawhide and Lace” and “Wind Song,” will speak at noon Wednesday to the Simi Valley Woman’s Club about how female romance writers from Victorian times to the present have influenced social and political attitudes. The luncheon meeting will be held at the Sycamore Community Center, 1692 Sycamore Drive, Simi Valley. Call 527-7854 for reservations.

Author and radio talk-show host Frances Halpern writes a regular column in Ventura County Life. Information on literary events should be sent to her at least two weeks in advance. Write to her at 5200 Valentine Road, Suite 140, Ventura 93003, or send faxes to 658-5576.