diff --git a/ipyvue/hooks.py b/ipyvue/hooks.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5bde433
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ipyvue/hooks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+from typing import Any, Callable, cast
+
+import ipyvue
+
+import reacton as react
+from reacton.core import get_render_context
+
+
+def use_event(
+    el: react.core.Element, event_and_modifiers, callback: Callable[[Any], Any]
+):
+    # to avoid add_event_handler having a stale reference to callback
+    callback_ref = react.use_ref(callback)
+    callback_ref.current = callback
+
+    def add_event_handler():
+        vue_widget = cast(ipyvue.VueWidget, react.core.get_widget(el))
+        # we are basically copying the logic from
+        # reacton.core._event_handler_exception_wrapper
+        rc = get_render_context()
+        context = rc.context
+        assert context is not None
+
+        def handler(*args):
+            try:
+                callback_ref.current(*args)
+            except Exception as e:
+                assert context is not None
+                # because widgets don't have a context, but are a child of a component
+                # we add it to exceptions_children, not exception_self
+                # this allows a component to catch the exception of a direct child
+                context.exceptions_children.append(e)
+                rc.force_update()
+
+        vue_widget.on_event(event_and_modifiers, handler)
+
+        def cleanup():
+            vue_widget.on_event(event_and_modifiers, handler, remove=True)
+
+        return cleanup
+
+    react.use_effect(add_event_handler, [event_and_modifiers])