April is National Poetry Month! Help your child discover poetry by checking out the library’s children poetry collection. Here are some recommended books to get your child excited about poetry:

Poetry Books

The New Kid on the Block: Poems by Jack Prelutsky

A collection of funny poems about strange creatures and people such as Baloney Belly Billy and the Gloopy Gloopers.

The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (Various Authors)

A varied and complete collection of more than 550 poems by various poets, including Emily Dickinson, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, Lewis Carroll, Ogden Nash, and Shel Silverstein.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

This is a masterful collection of humorous poems and drawings by Shel Silverstein that will engage readers.

Learn to Write Poems

Haiku Activities : Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids by Patricia Donegan

Introduces the form of Japanese poetry known as haiku, explores the seven keys to writing haiku, and provides instructions for five haiku projects, including creating haiga, or illustrated haiku.

Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem by Jack Prelutsky

Featuring personal anecdotes and an abundance of information, this is a humorous guide, filled with poetry exercises, ideas, projects, and pointers that teaches readers how to write poetry.

Poem-Making: Ways to Begin Writing Poetry by Myra Cohn Livingston

Introduces the different kinds of poetry and the mechanics of writing poetry, providing an opportunity for the reader to experience the joy of making a poem.

More Ways to Celebrate

Besides reading and writing poems, here are other ways that you and your child can celebrate National Poetry Month, according to Lily Jones and Skila Brown from www.education.com/magazine/article/Celebrate_Poetry:

• Memorize a poem together.
• Write poems about various things and occurrences at home.
• Read a short poem before a family meal, such as breakfast or dinner.
• Take a notebook and go on a walk. Be ready to write a poem or phrases about various things that you or your child would observe.
• Have a poetry slam by inviting other kids or adults over to read poems aloud.

And as always, you can ask a Youth Services Librarian to help you find more poetry resources at your local library branch. 

Are you planning a summer vacation with the kids, but don't know exactly where to go and what will be available for both you and the kids to enjoy?  Check out the library's collection of traveling with kids books and DVDs!

Plan a quick trip to San Diego, or someplace exotic like Costa Rica!  The library has tons of information that can help you plan the perfect trip!

Happy Travels!

Wilbur, the naked mole rat, likes to wear clothes. The only problem is, he's a naked mole rat. None of the other mole rats like to wear clothes, so they think Wilbur is weird. Wilbur is called before the wise community elder for a hearing on his odd behavior. What's a naked mole rat to wear to such an occasion?

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed teaches kids how it's just fine to be different from everyone else, and in the end, you might get a great surprise for being yourself.

If you like this book by Mo Willems then check out the library catalog for other delightful titles by the same author!

Babymouse is a sassy young mouse who dreams of glamour, excitement, adventure, straight whiskers, being queen of the world, and of course, being invited to Felicia Furrypaws's oh-so-exclusive party. Readers will love Babymouse's vivid imagination and also the clever illustrations and hilarious storyline of brother-sister team Matthew Holm and Jennifer L. Holm. The artwork is full of humor, life and movement.

Babymouse lives a life any school kid will identify with. Getting up in the morning is hard, P.E. is not for the faint of heart, opening your locker is dangerous and good friends are worth more than gold. Babymouse has an imagination that sweeps her away.

Also check out this interview with the authors.

My son Noah is in fourth grade and recently performed a starring role in the school play "Beauty Lou and the Country Beast." Incredibly, the children, in grades k – 5, have three days to rehearse their lines, songs and dance routines for their main performance on the fourth day. With such a short time-frame and only two people "training" the children it was surprisingly a wonderful well put-together show!

Now you may think it was the school staff that helped the students put on the show but it was a group called Missoula Children’s Theater. Having never heard of this organization I did some minor research and learned that they are a non-profit group that has been around since the 1970’s. MCT sends out teams of two staff members; the actor and the director, throughout the U.S. and Canada from school to school putting on these performances. My son has often talked about an interest in acting and this was a nice way for him to get a taste of it. Many children are never exposed to the performing arts and MCT certainly makes a lasting impact on lots of children.

If you get an opportunity please check out their website and read about their history. As a non-profit organization they happily accept donations and through their website you can book them for a week or check out their tour dates.

Living in Silicon Valley is usually associated with the high tech industry and congested freeways. But there are areas only a few minutes from the busy life of Silicon Valley, where animals find refuge and people can learn and relax.

I am talking about the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, right here in the South Bay.

On 30,000 acres the Refuge hosts over 280 species of birds each year. Located along the Pacific Flyway it is a busy stopover during spring and fall migration. Experience this amazing place with the whole family and get away from the busy urban life for a while.

If you would like your children to learn more about the Wildlife Refuge, come to one of our events with a wildlife expert at your local library.

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, March 11th @ 4pm
• Alviso Branch Library, April 8th @ 3pm
• Almaden Branch Library, April 21st @ 3:30pm

More events will be scheduled in upcoming months.