Celebrating Weird Couples!

Something interesting tends to happen when two people fall in love and form a relationship. They don’t become more normal…they get weirder. Husband and wife team Brooke Barker and Boaz Frankel are the authors of LET'S BE WEIRD TOGETHER, a rare relationship book that captures the rituals and mini universe (Population: 2) that a couple can create together, in a sweet, small package with humor, charming illustrations, and endearing quirkiness. Join Brooke & Boaz as they discuss LET'S BE WEIRD TOGETHER and the inspiration behind it. They'll also be inviting the audience to participate in a number of interactive games and activities! Come prepared for live animal drawings, a presentation on weird couples throughout history, and a revamped Newlywed Game open to all partnerships, romantic and platonic. This will be followed by a Q&A and custom book signing.

BROOKE BARKER is the creator of the Sad Animal Facts Instagram account and author of the New York Times bestselling book of the same name and its sequel, Sad Animal Babies. Brooke has contributed to the New York Times, Lenny Letter, the Guardian, Cup of Jo, The Stranger, and more. Her books have been translated into nine languages and her comics have been featured by New York Magazine, Forbes, Bustle, Entertainment Weekly, Fast Company, Mashable, POPSUGAR, Parade, and the Guardian, among others. Brooke's newest book is How Do Meerkats Order Pizza: Wild Facts About Animals and the Scientists Who Study Them, a winner of Pennsylvania's Carolyn W. Field Award.

BOAZ FRANKEL is a filmmaker, writer, and gardener. He is a regular correspondent on KDKA's Pittsburgh Today Live and Talk Pittsburgh. He's also the creator and host of NEXTpittsburgh's Yinzer Backstage Pass video series in which he goes behind the scenes of Pittsburgh landmarks and infrastructure. When he's not making videos, Boaz is usually working in his garden. He completed the Phipps Master Gardener program in 2019 and enjoys exploring the connections between plants, culture and history in his weekly Substack newsletter, Rootbound. He volunteers at Phipps every week and leads semi-monthly after-hours conservatory tours.