Page Turner

El Camino Real High School sophomore Ryan Ruby will be the featured poet Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 16461 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Ryan, who recently received an honorable mention in the Chaparral Poetry Competition, has previously read his work at Barnes & Noble, the Cobalt Cafe, Exile Books and other places, but this is his first stint as a featured poet. Sign-ups at 7:15 p.m., open readings at 7:30, Ryan at 8. (818) 380-1636.

Singer-songwriters Jimmy Smith and Ritt Henn perform at 8 and 9 p.m., respectively, tonight at Exile Books & Music, 14925 Magnolia Blvd., Sherman Oaks. The store offers music and spoken-word performances starting at 8 p.m. Saturday with E.C. Archibeque, Andrew Lorand, Scott Wannberg and Box the Walls. $5 cover both nights. (818) 986-6409.

The Alexis Donnelly Swing ‘n’ Jazz Band will perform tunes of the 1940s and ‘50s at 8 tonight at Borders Books & Music, 9301 Tampa Ave., Northridge. Pianist Esteban will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday. Free. (818) 886-5443.

Open mike poetry readings start at 8 tonight at Barnes & Noble, 731 N. San Fernando Road, Burbank. Author and therapist Jerrie McGreal will hold a question-and-answer session on “Raising Happy, Healthy Children” at 7 p.m. Thursday. (818) 558-1383.

The initial meeting of a book discussion group at Borders Books & Music, 6510 Canoga Ave., Canoga Park, will delve into John Gray’s “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus” at 7 p.m. Tuesday. (818) 887-1999.