New Canadian lit icon Douglas Coupland is getting some seriously excellent reviews for his latest book jPod, a snarky send-up of the game development industry and the manufactured hipness of it all. (The website is an experience in itself).

Coupland will be reading/chatting on the 23rd at Walter Hall (U of T, 80 Queen's Park Cres), and tickets are a mere 5$ from Pages.

Don't wanna drop the fiver for the event? Random House is having a contest - randomly (get it? puntastic) selected winners will get a signed copy of the book and, wait for it, action figures. I'm entering. Come on, who can resist action figures?

A little young for social satire? The Milk International Children's Festival of the Arts runs May 21-28 at Harbourfront, and includes ALOUD, a reading/meet and greet series from YA authors.

Featured authors/titles:
Julie Burtinshaw - The Freedom of Jenny
Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel - Travels with My Family
Lauren Mechling and Laura Moser - All Q, No A: More Tales of a 10th-grade Social Climber
Val Ross - You Can't Read This: Forbidden Books, Lost Writing, Mistranslations, and Codes
Teresa Toten - Me and the Blondes
Sarah Withrow - What Gloria Wants

Readings require tickets (see website link), and there will also be a tent with free events throughout the fest.

Doors Open Toronto arrives this weekend, and included in the 'urban adventure' is access to local publisher Coach House. They tell me it's been one of the most popular DOT destinations, why, I have no idea. Because printing presses are interesting? It's a pretty building? They'll be selling stuff and having contests (which, I think, means free stuff)? Who knows? You can find out (410 Huron St., S. of Bloor).

Image from jPod.info