Noe Valley Voice February 2006
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More Books to Read

It's hard to believe after years of delay, but the Noe Valley­Sally Brunn Library at 451 Jersey Street is finally set to close for renovation on Saturday, Feb. 11. To celebrate the event--and to thank librarians Carol Small, Roberta Greifer, Wayne Donica, and the rest of the staff for all their gifts to Noe Valley book lovers--the neighborhood will hold a farewell party at the branch that same day, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Another era will be ending as well: With this issue of the Voice, Noe Valley Branch Manager Carol Small will no longer be selecting and writing about new children's books for this column. Though she will continue to work at other library branches (and at the bookmobile) during the Noe Valley Library's two-year renovation, she has decided to hand over the reins of "More Books to Read" to her colleagues at the Eureka Valley­Harvey Milk Library. We're sad to see Carol go--it's been 16 wonderful years--but we're grateful that Children's Librarian Pam Ow, with the aid of Eureka Branch Manager Karen Sundheim, has agreed to keep us supplied with children's book selections (see below). To check out a book's availability, call the Noe Valley (355-5707) or Eureka Branch (355-5616), or visit the San Francisco Public Library web site: www.sfpl.org. You can also flag down the bookmobile, which will make regular visits to Noe Valley after the Feb. 11 closing. Look for it on Elizabeth Street near Diamond, in front of St. Philip's School, on Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information call 557-4353. --Editor

NEW SELECTIONS

Children's Fiction

- Baby Oscar, sister Millie, and their parents go out for a city park picnic to celebrate Oscar's Half Birthday, by Bob Graham. Ages 3 to 6.

- A boy describes his lyrical nighttime stroll in I Took the Moon for a Walk, written by Carolyn Curtis and illustrated by Alison Jay. Ages 4 to 7.

- Digby, a dog, and Kate, a cat, share a friendship where compromise smooths out little disagreements, in Digby and Kate 1, 2, 3, by Barbara Baker, illustrated by Marsha Winborn. Ages 5 to 7.

- In 1934, 12-year-old Kai endures a long sea voyage and anxious weeks of waiting at the immigration station in Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain: An Angel Island Story, by Katrina Saltonstall Currier, illustrated by Gabhor Utomo. Ages 8 to 10.

- Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, by Gary D. Schmidt, tells the story of a lonely preacher's son, Turner Buckminster, who settles with his family in a rural Maine town rife with bigotry, and befriends Lizzie, a young girl living nearby in a shanty town of former slaves. Ages 11 and up.

Children's Nonfiction

- Ice Skating School by Naia Bray-Moffatt follows a class of young skaters from their first steps on the ice to a performance, with color photographs by David Handley. Ages 5 to 8.

LIBRARY EVENTS

Noe Library's Farewell Party

- Say goodbye to the Noe Valley Library at a special party at the branch on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. There will be entertainment for children, food, music, and farewells to the staff, who have packed up the books in preparation for the final closing of the branch that evening.

Children's Programs

- Kids ages 2 to 5 are invited to attend the Noe Valley Library's last preschool story time at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The stories will be told at 451 Jersey Street.

- At the Eureka Valley­Harvey Milk Memorial Branch at 3555 16th Street, lapsits for newborns to 3-year-olds are scheduled for Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, and 21, at 10:30 a.m. The branch will hold afternoon story time, for ages 3 to 5, on Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, and 28, at 3:30 p.m.

Also at the Eureka Branch

- Jonathan Bracker will read poems from his new book Paris Sketches on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. Bracker's poems have been published in The New Yorker, The James White Review, Bay Windows, and Poetry Northwest, among other publications.

- "Beautiful Diversities" features readings by African-American GLBT authors, including Jewelle Gomez and Frederick Smith, on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m. Both events will be at 3555 16th Street.

Children's book annotations written by librarians
Pam Ow and Karen Sundheim of the Eureka Valley ­Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library

The Noe Valley­Sally Brunn Branch Library, 451 Jersey Street, will remain open until closing for renovation on Feb. 11. Hours are Tues. 10-9, Wed. 1-9, Thurs. 10-6, Fri. 1-6, and Sat. 10-6. Phone: 415-355-5707. The Eureka Valley­Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library is located at 3555 16th Street (near Market). Hours are Mon. 12-6, Tues. 10-9, Wed. 12-9, Thurs. 10-6, Fri. 1-6, and Sat. 1-6. Phone: 415-355-5616.