The next few days are are packed full of story and spoken word happenings for people of all ages and sensibilities.

1. Author Nick Belardes has devoted his life to poking around the peculiar and perplexing.  He’ll be sharing strange stories, random obsessions and bizarre trivia at the Random Obsessions Book Tour on Wednesday, September 23 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the UA Student Union Bookstore, 1209 E. University Blvd., Call 621-2814 for more information.

2. Refugees’ amazing stories of hardship, courage and hope come to life using music, song, dance and live performance via the talents of the Stories that Soar! professional acting troupe on Saturday, September 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Catalina High School Auditorium, 3645 E. Pima.

This free community event hosted by Chairman Richard Elias is open to the public.  The stories start at 6 p.m. and a public forum to discuss issues and share ideas  follows at 7. Food provided by the refugee community will be offered during the intermission.

3. Poetry Joeys, a Saturday morning reading and activity group for children ages four through ten will meet this Saturday, September 26 at 10 a.m. at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, 1508 East Helen Street (At Vine Avenue).

Two experienced teaching artists divide children into age-appropriate groups and inspire them to develop their flexibility with language. Participants in each session read and write poems and enjoy creative movement activities that spark the imagination. Poetry Joeys meets in the Children’s Corner of the library.

4.  Edge 17: a Reading Series of Emerging and Younger Writers, curated by Melissa Buckheit will be featuring three poets on Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Casa Libre en la Solana, 228 N. 4th Avenue.  There’s a suggested donation of $5.

Stephanie Balzer is executive director of VOICES Community Stories Past and Present, Inc., a Tucson nonprofit that mentors youth in the documentary arts and publishes their work.

Rafael Otto writes fiction (long, short and flash), poetry, spoken word, and lyrics.

Orlando White is originally from Tólikan, Arizona. He holds a BFA in creative writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts and an MFA from Brown University.

According to the Casa Libre website, you can join White for a workshop, Let Err Poetry, focusing on “reexamining and rewriting the English alphabet from an imaginative perspective of one’s own ethnic and/or social sensibilities”.  The workshop is on Saturday, September 26 from 10 to 1 and costs $50.  Contact Casa Libre to register.