BOOKS

CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS Barnes & Noble hosts signings by two former television personalities who have recently penned works for children. Kathy Lee Gifford, who wrote the book and lyrics to the new children’s musical “Under the Bridge,” appears this afternoon (today, 1 p.m., Lincoln Triangle, 1972 Broadway at 66th Street, 212-595-6859, free). On Thursday, Henry Winkler (a.k.a. the Fonz from “Happy Days”), signs “Help! Get Me Out of the Fourth Grade” (Grosset & Dunlap), his children’s book about a struggling student who tries to stop his parents from attending a parentteacher conference (Thursday, 7 p.m., Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle, 1972 Broadway at 66th St. 212-595-6859, free.)

HISTORICAL ALPHABET Craig Thompson signs his picture book “The ABC’s of Black History” (Beckham), which celebrates 26 historical figures, from Wilma Rudolph to Malcolm X. Saturday, 2 p.m., Hue-Man Bookstore, 2319 Frederick Douglass Boulevard at 125th Street, 212-665-7400, free.

DANCE

YOUTH MOVES Dance Theater Workshop presents a performance of dances by “very young” choreographers. The program includes nine solo dances by choreographers between ages 8 and 17. Saturdays, 2 p.m., Dance Theater Workshop, 219 W. 19th St., between Seventh and Eighth avenues, 212-924-0077, $20 general, $10 children.

FESTIVAL

SATURDAY CELEBRATION This weekend’s installment of the Brooklyn Museum’s First Saturday program celebrates Carnival. A hands-on art session produces a collaborative Brooklyn-themed collage inspired by Romare Bearden (6:30-8:30 p.m., tickets available at 6 p.m.), Cabello Rolim and Korimbatasamba perform a family concert of traditional Afro-Brazilian music and dance, including the martial art capoeira (7 p.m., tickets available at 6 p.m.), and Samba New York plays tunes for the popular family dance party (9-11 p.m.). To celebrate the museum’s exhibit of Mar ilyn Monroe photographs, the museum hosts an all-ages Monroe look-alike contest (8 p.m. judging), and screens “The Seven Year Itch” (9 p.m., tickets available at 8 p.m.). Saturday, 6-11 p.m., Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway at Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-638-5000.

FILM

MORNING MOVIES The “Rattle and Reel” program at the Sunshine Theater welcomes caregivers and babies to a weekly screening of one of the theater’s arty first-run films. This week, parents can view the World War I epic “A Very Long Engagement,” which stars “Amelie” ingenue Audrey Tatou. Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. doors open, 11 a.m. show, Landmark’s Sunshine Theater, 143 E. Houston St., between Eldridge and Forsyth streets, 212-330-8182, $10.25 general, $6.75 members, free for babies.

ARCTIC ANIMATION The Danish animated film “The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Bear” tells the story of a boy raised by polar bears in the Arctic, torn between his human roots and lure of the wild.The screening, which is in Danish with English subtitles, is part of a series for children ages 11 to 14 that includes both contemporary films and classics. Sunday, 11:30 a.m., Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St. at Fifth Avenue, 212-708-9805, free, tickets include museum admission, adults without children pay museum admission.

FOOD & DRINK

GLOBAL GAI PAN The Museum of Chinese in the Americas displays the exhibit “Have You Eaten Yet? The Chinese Restaurant in America.” It collects personal narratives from restaurant employees, travel diaries, vintage radio commercials, and menus, spanning from the “chow chow”restaurants that dotted the American West during the mid-19th century through the present. Through June, Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, noon-6 p.m., Friday, noon-7 p.m., Museum of Chinese in the Americas, 70 Mulberry St., between Mott and Mulberry streets, second floor, 212-619-4785, $3 general, $1 seniors and students, free admission on Fridays.

MUSIC

WHAT DOES A DIDJERIDOO DO? Tom Chapin makes his annual visit to Symphony Space, bringing lots of silly songs – and an Aboriginal didjeridoo – with him. Saturday, 11 a.m., Symphony Space, Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, 212-864-5400, $14 and $18 general, $10 and $14 members, $11 children.

HAPPY NEW YEAR The ensemble Music from China celebrates the Chinese New Year with dance, acrobatics, magic, and music with fiddles, bamboo flutes, plucked zithers, hammered dulcimers, and gongs. Children receive lucky red envelopes filled with candy at the celebration, which heralds the Year of the Rooster. Sunday, 2:30-4 p.m., Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, 718-230-2100, free.

PARENTING

TESTING TIPS Emily Levy of EBL Academy gives parents of children in grades 3 to 5 tips to prepare for standardized testing. Parents can bring a brown-bag lunch; drinks will be be provided. Wednesday, 12:30 p.m., New York Public Library, 20 W. 53rd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-621-0636, free.

BOYS WILL BE BOYS The author of “Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys” and “Speaking of Boys” (Ballantine), Michael Thompson,gives a lecture about the importance of fathers in their children’s lives. Mr. Thompson, a therapist and school consultant, argues that although fathers can feel excluded from parenting duties, they have a unique role to play. Thursday, 8:15 p.m., 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. at 92nd Street, 212-415-5500, $25.

THEATER

ANGELS IN SONG The family musical “A Band of Angels,” based on a book by Deborah Hopkinson, tells the story of the Jubilee Singers, an all-black choir formed by freed slaves at Fisk University in 1867. The play is a production of Making Books Sing, which turns children’s books into staged musicals. Beginning today, it will be performed in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. Bronx: Today-Friday, 10:30 a.m., Saturday, 2 p.m., Lehman College, Lovinger Theater, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, between Paul and Goulden avenues, Bronx. Queens: February 10 and 11, 10:30 a.m., February 12, 2 p.m., York College Performing Arts Center, 94-45 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard, between Liberty and Archer avenues, Jamaica, Queens. Brooklyn: February 14-18, 10:30 a.m., February 17, 7 p.m., Kingsborough Community College, Goldstein Theatre, 2001 Oriental Boulevard, between Quentin Street and Decatur Avenue, Brooklyn. All performances: 212-573-8791 ext. 242, $18.

WORKSHOPS

LET’S PUT ON A SHOW! Children ages 6 to 8 who have the drama bug can get a head start at “All the World’s a Stage,” a workshop at 826NYC. Future playwrights, actors, and directors are all welcome. During three sessions, the group will write, memorize, stage, and perform an original play. Saturdays, February 5 through February 19, 2-3:30 p.m., 826NYC, 372 Fifth Ave., between 5th and 6th streets, Park Slope, Brooklyn, 718-499-9884, free. To sign up, parents should send an email toworkshops@826nyc.org, including the student’s name, age, school, and the parent’s name and phone number. Seewww.826nyc.orgfor more information.

MULTIMEDIA WEEKEND Each session of the workshop series “Well-Crafted Weekends” focuses on a specific medium – clay, metal, fiber, rubber, glass, etc. Everyone over age 6 is welcome to participate in the hands-on fun. Objects from the Museum of Arts & Design’s collection serve as inspiration. Sundays, 2-4 p.m. Museum of Arts & Design, 40 W. 53rd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-956-3535 ext. 159, $7 for each family,reservations suggested.

To submit an event for consideration for the Calendar, please wire the particulars to calendar@nysun.com, placing the date of the event in the subject line.