On Saturday May 21 from 2:00-3:00 pm Opera San Jose will be presenting their One-Act Touring performance of Hansel and Gretel at Vineland Branch Library. This condensed version of Engelbert Humperdinck's classic opera will feature fully costumed singers with live piano accompaniment.  Children will get a positive experience of an art form that may be new to them.  The production lasts approximately 45 minutes, including 10 minutes for Q&A. 

Join us on Saturday, May 14 from 1:00-2:00 pm at Vineland Branch Library for the Traveling Reptile Program. The staff of the East Bay Vivarium, a unique reptile store in Berkeley, will bring 20-30 reptiles and other CREEPIES, CRAWLIES and CRITTERS. You will get to see a tarantula, a giant tortoise, a giant boa, plus frogs, lizards and snakes. In addition to seeing some really cool animals, you'll also learn about natural history, animal husbandry and safety. Bring the family and have a fun afternoon!

Four years ago I discovered the Going Native Garden Tour and was inspired to redesign my front yard to feature California native plants.  If the idea of waterwise, low maintenance, and bird and butterfly gardening appeals to you, sign up on the California Native Plant Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter's website for their upcoming April 17th garden tour. It's a great opportunity to peek into expert gardener's front and back yards and to get advice on plant selection and growing techniques. Once you're inspired to try native plants, checkout the SJPL's collection of California native plant books, buy some new plants, and grab your shovel!

Every year the National Education Association sponsors Read Across America events.  This year local teachers from the San Jose Teachers' Association will visit Vineland Branch Library on Tuesday, Mar. 2 from 4-5:00 and will read their favorite Dr. Seuss stories.  Join the fun ... come and celebrate the joy of reading and the wonderful silly stories of one of America's favorite children's authors.

Have you noticed how the setting of a novel can affect your enjoyment of the story?  A few weeks ago I realized that I love stories set in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Edinburgh is steeped in both the present and the past.  Princes Street literally divides the medieval Old Town from the elegant Georgian New Town, an 18th century planned development.  Scotland’s rich political, literary, and art history provide intriguing material for fascinating plot themes, especially to mystery and crime novels.

I invite you to get a feeling for Edinburgh by reading the mystery novels of Ian Rankin or the Isabel Dalhousie series of Alexander McCall-Smith.  My next Edinburgh read will be McCall-Smith's delightful 44 Scotland Series.   You'll get a feeling for Gaelic names, the pub scene, and even the heather on the moors.  If you decide you also love Edinburgh, check out the library’s travel collection and plan a wonderful vacation to Edinburgh.

Vineland Branch will be featuring a puppet show by British puppeteer Robin Stevens on Saturday Dec. 11^th at 11:00 a.m.  The Gnome Show will feature a cast of magical characters, including the tale’s star, a Wood-Gnome who loses his favorite feather.  Children and families are invited to join the fun and help the Gnome get reunited with his feather. 

If Mr. Stevens’s delightful puppetry inspires you to create your own puppet magic, check out the puppet making titles in the library catalog. Puppet Mania! by John E. Kennedy or How to Make Puppets with Children by Joy Evans and Jo Ellen Moore will inspire your imagination and creativity.