Author and poet Gary Soto will discuss “Local News: the Shaping of a Writer” at the Friends of the Madden Library program on Friday, May 9.

The event, which will be held in the Alice Peters Auditorium in the Peters Business Building, will begin with a reception at 6 p.m.

Soto, a Fresno native, will speak about his childhood and its impact on his poetry and prose. He has authored more than 30 books, including “Living up the Street,” “Baseball in April,” and “New and Selected Poems,” which was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Well-known as a writer for children and young adults, he has earned fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information or to make a reservation ($2 for non-members, $1 for students), call 559.278.5790.