West Valley Branch Library offers many programs for children of all ages.

You can look at our events calendar any time to see what's coming up soon!

Meet Simpkin, Barnaby, Gwenny, Charlie, Elizabeth and Honey!  These cute critters recently visited the King Library Children's Room to star in their first video. 

They meet the librarian, Ms. Violetta, and learn how kids can get a library card and use it responsibly. Ms. Violetta introduces them to the many services the library has to offer: like books and videos to check out, story times, events, homework help, and much more!

Stay away from that fish, Simpkin!

You are invited to a free performance of Fratello Marionettes at the Edenvale Branch Library on Wednesday, December 21, at 6:00 PM in the Library's Community Room.

Join the fun with the puppet extravaganza titled "The North Pole Review." We will meet a frosty juggling penguin, an ice skating snowman, and the Hawaiian singing sensation the "Hi-Fi Sisters". This show will be great fun for all ages!

"The Fratello Marionettes produce high quality marionette shows using the cabaret* style of manipulation. The shows are filled with wonderful marionettes that range in size from one foot to three feet tall! In addition to sophisticated trick marionette numbers, a performance may include singers, dancers, trained dogs, clowns, and a hula dancing grandma!"
— www.fratellom.com

* Note: In cabaret presentation, the marionette is operated at the puppeteer's feet, sometimes with no back-cloth or framed stage.

Here are some samples from another show performed by Fratello Marionettes:

Wednesday's program is made possible through the generous contributions of the Friends of the Edenvale Library.

Bring your family to a day of fun and fright at the 5th annual Almaden Harvest Festival and Holiday Boutique. The Festival is at the Almaden Library and Community Center on Saturday, October 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission and parking are FREE. For more information call 408-268-1133.

Children will enjoy picking from the pumpkin patch, being spooked in the haunted houses, making crafts, playing games, and being entertained with a holiday story time and puppet show starring "Mr. K" and friends. The story time and puppet show are in the Library at 11:30 a.m. and repeated at 2:30 p.m. At 1 p.m. in the Library, Magic Dan will be performing a magic show for the entire family. For extra fun, Conroy Cougar, San José Public Library’s official mascot, will be on hand to greet everyone.

The festival features two haunted houses: one for kids and one for teens. For adults, the festival will feature arts and crafts from local artists, raffle prizes, and delicious food.

The Almaden Harvest Festival and Holiday Boutique is funded, in part, by the Friends of the Almaden Library.

Willow Glen Library is offering a variety of fun events for kids and families as part of our Summer Reading Celebration, "One World, Many Stories." Our special events are scheduled for Saturday afternoons at 2 p.m. Already we've enjoyed the magic and puppetry of Tony Borders and Latin American music from Colibri, shown in the video clip. If you missed these, don't despair; there are several more exciting events coming up! Mark your calendars for:

World Craft Day, Saturday July 2 at 2 p.m. Make a paper flower, an origami rabbit, a Chinese fan, and other crafts from around the world!

Monsters of the World craft and story, Saturday, July 9, at 2 p.m. Hear a folktale, make a paper collage monster, and learn how monsters can be found in folktales throughout the world.

Puppet Show, Saturday, July 16, at 2 p.m. Enjoy Caterpillar Puppets' new bilingual show, "Aztec Pinocchio."

Family Concert with Peter Apel, Saturday, July 23, at 2 p.m.  Singer-songwriter Peter Apel will delight even the youngest children with his quirky original songs and magic tricks.

All events are free. See you there!

Tony Borders recently brought his unique brand of puppetry, ventriloquism and magic to Willow Glen Library as we kicked off our Summer Reading Celebration. Tony entertained children and families with his "Critter Continents" show about animals from around the world. Missed it? You can catch Tony's show at Joyce Ellington Branch Library on July 12 or at the Evergreen Branch Library on July 28. Check the library calendar for more events throughout the summer.