Attention parents of alterna-tweens. Your child gets a double dose of pop kid culture for free tonight at the Union Square Barnes & Noble. First, YA author Blake Nelson reads from his latest book, Destroy All Cars. Next, all-girl teen group Care Bears on Fire plays a short set of songs from the band’s new CD, Get Over It! Bet you’ve heard that phrase before…

We’ll spare you any “who let the dogs out” references. Award-winning author Chris Raschka (Charlie Parker Played Be Bop, Yo! Yes?) is much too sophisticated for that sort of thing. Today he hits Bank Street Bookstore on the Upper West Side to read from his latest picture book, Hip Hop Dog, which, as the title implies, is about a rapping pooch.

Looks like the weather might clear up in time for Sunday morning’s Brady Rymer show at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. Bonus: The shop is holding a big children’s book sale all weekend long, giving you an excuse to stop by even if you aren’t going to the gig (though our littlest music reviewer will be disappointed if you don’t). Hardcovers are 30 percent off and paperbacks are just a buck.

Some good library news for a change: The NYPL’s St. Agnes branch, closed for renovation since October  2007, celebrates its grand reopening this Thursday with a day of family activities (Magic! Music! Face painting! Balloon animals!). Much of the building’s first floor is devoted to the kiddies, with two reading areas, a new sky-lit story-hour room, comfy seating, 12 computer terminals—and, best of all, enough books to while away many a winter’s afternoon. The festivities kick off Thursday February 11 at 11am with the opening ceremony and ribbon cutting; kids’ programming begins at 12:30pm.

Photo: Elizabeth Felicella

Everybody loves an award winner, so head to NYPL’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture this Saturday at 3pm to meet illustrator Jerry Pinkney, whose gorgeous (and wordless) picture book The Lion & the Mouse was awarded this year’s Caldecott Medal. The prolific Pinkney will sign the book—a retelling of one of Aesop’s fables—and read from a few of his other 100-plus (!) titles. If you’ve yet to buy your copy of the bestselling Lion & Mouse, pick one up at the Schomburg Shop before the reading.

Got a tween who’s eagerly awaiting the film version of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, opening next Friday February 12? Bring her to Borders Kips Bay today where she can meet members of the movie’s cast at 5pm. Here’s the catch—you’ll need a wristband to get in, and only a limited number will be given out (with purchase of a Percy Jackson book, of course). The store opens at 10am so be sure to get there early.

Little ones can learn about all things nature related at the Horticultural Society’s preschool storytime. In addition to children’s tomes, staffers use puppets and songs to impart the lesson.