The Beauty of April

Time sure flies when you're having fun. We're enjoying the last week of April, the warmer weather, the rain showers, and looking back on all the fun we've had this month.

This past weekend we celebrated the 40th birthday of our friend The Very Hungry Caterpillar with a very special birthday party storytime. Margaret and Miss Ellen led us all in a celebration of caterpillar!
(and SPEAKING of caterpillars, have you seen ours yet? They're here in the children's room, eating and doing their caterpillar thing. Keep checking in on their progress, until our butterfly release picnic Wednesday, May 27 at noon and Saturday, May 30 at noon.

Earlier this month, we had the privilege of listening to stories from different cultures around the world, told by renowned storyteller Linda Gorham. Linda's way is to encourage lots of audience participation, so we really got into the performance with our minds, bodies, and voices!

And we loved seeing our regular storytime goers, including this little one who had a lot of fun at Miss Ellen's Wednesday "Quack-ternoon":

ALSO! We've been celebrating National Poetry Month. We hope you had a chance to read some poems, and maybe even write some poems. We've got many varied poetry books here in the library (all year round!). And you still have time to check out our community poetry display, featuring poems from many River Forest school children.

About a Book - The Surrender Tree

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom, by Margarita Engle

Cuban-American poet, novelist, and journalist Margarita Engle describes this book as a "history in verse." The story takes place during in Cuba during the nation's struggle for independence in the second half of the 19th century.

The main character is based on a real historical figure - legendary healer Rosario Castellanos Castellanos (known as Rosa la Bayamesa). Rosa is a freed slave - although not recognized as free by the Spanish government, and so she is persecuted as a runaway. She hides out in a cave in the forest, using her knowledge of traditional medicine to heal injured rebels, runaway slaves, and Spanish soldiers alike. She does not turn anyone away.

The story is told in short poems from different perspectives including that of Rosa, her husband Jose, her young apprentice Sylvia, a slave catcher nicknamed Lieutenant Death, and others. The Surrender Tree is a beautiful book. The characters are compelling and the descriptions of Cuba's natural landscape, and its flora and fauna, are full of wonder. There are very real and desperate injustices remembered in this story, but the depiction of such heroes as Rosa la Bayamesa leaves the reader hopeful.

This winner of the Pura Belpre Award and Newbery Honor Award is highly recommended!

Grow A Reader!

We invite you to participate in our Springtime Family Reading Program, Grow A Reader, from March 21st through April 18.

When you register, your family will receive its own "garden gate" to decorate, which we'll display here in the children's room. Keep a log of the books you read, and when you come to the library you'll get a flower for each book you've read as a family. Decorate your flower and put it in your garden. Keep reading and we'll watch our gardens grow!

All families who participate will receive a bookplate with your family's name to place inside a new RFPL children's book. Your family will have the opportunity to be the first to check out the new book!

photo courtesy of Freefoto.com

About a Book

Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

Lonnie, or "Locomotion" as his Mama called him, is a twelve year old living in Brooklyn with his foster family, across the borough from his little sister, Lili. Through his letters to Lili, we learn about Lonnie's life and his thoughts on family, school, friends, war, peace, poetry...

Miss Parry highly recommends this book - while it might make you feel sad at times, it is ultimately really hopeful and will also make you smile. Lonnie is a great character - he's cool, he's thoughtful, and he's a poet. Jacqueline Woodson first wrote about Lonnie in the book Locomotion, which is a novel in verse (a story written in poems). Check out both!

Great Websites for Girls

March is National Women's History Month, and we've got a great selection of books where you can read about the lives of strong women in history and in fiction. Come check them out!

In the meantime, here's a list of websites especially for girls - places for girls to learn, play, connect, and share with other girls.

New Moon Girls : A safe online community and magazine by girls, for girls.
Girls, Inc. : Promotes a girl's right to be herself. Offers articles, club news, games, advice and information.
Braincake : An online community for girls especially interested in math and science.
Readergirlz : An online book community for teen girls.

And for the parents of girls:

Daughters.com : From the editors of New Moon Girls magazine. Offers articles and advice from experts on raising girls.
The Amelia Bloomer Project : Recommended feminist literature from birth through age 18.

Our Trip to the Beach!

Yes, you heard right.

THE BEACH.
IN FEBRUARY!

Last Saturday, we created our very own beach at the library. We read stories, played games, had a dance party, then cooled down with some treats. Thanks for all who came and made our trip so great!

More Award Winners!

Here are some more of this year's standout books:

2009 Geisel Award, given to the author and illustrator of the most distinguished book for beginning readers:

-Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems

2009 Coretta Scott King Book Award, given yearly to an African American author and illustrator for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions:

-Author Award: We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, written by Kadir Nelson
-Illustrator Award: The Blacker the Berry, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

2009 Pura Belpre Award, given to authors and illustrators who affirm and celebrate Latina/o culture and heritage in children's books:

-Author Award: The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom, written by Margarita Engle
-Illustrator Award: Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales

2009 Schneider Award, given to an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences:

-For young children: Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum by Robert Andrew Parker
-For middle school children: Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor