Noe Valley Voice April 2012
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On Loving the Earth

By Susan Higgins, Adult Services Librarian,
and Catherine Starr, Children’s Librarian,
Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Branch Library

This month we commemorate the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day by featuring a selection of books about enjoying and protecting our environment. 

 

For Adults and Teens

¥ Go on an armchair birding adventure with The Islands of San Francisco Bay, by Michael T. Lee and photographer James A. Martin.

¥ Former national park naturalist William C. Tweed reflects on the state of our national parks while hiking in Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia, in Uncertain Path: A Search for the Future of National Parks.

¥ Poet, essayist, and naturalist Diane Ackerman celebrates the natural world throughout the seasons in Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day.

¥ Climate change specialist Mark Lynas proposes increased use of environmentally friendly technologies, in The God Species: Saving the Planet in the Age of Humans.

¥ Planet Home: Conscious Choices for Cleaning and Greening the World You Care About Most, by Jeffrey Hollender and Alexandra Zissu, is a comprehensive guide to cleaning most everything in your home in a non-toxic way.

¥ Heather Rogers’ Green Gone Wrong: How Our Economy Is Undermining the Environmental Revolution examines claims that “green” products and businesses can save the environment.

¥ Learn how to grow, make, and preserve food, and raise animals, from The City Homesteader: Self-Sufficiency on Any Square Footage by Scott Meyer.

¥ Peaceful Places San Francisco: 110 Tranquil Sites in the City and the Greater Bay Area, by Raynell Boeck, is a guide to parks and gardens, trails, museums, shops, cafes, religious centers, and other venues and the best times to visit them.

¥ 47 Things You Can Do for the Environment by Lexi Petronis, with environmental consultant Jill Buck, provides teens with big and small ideas that can be implemented at home, at school, and in their communities.

 

For Children

Picture Stories

¥ Preschoolers can learn how to be green in Dora Celebrates Earth Day! by Emily Sollinger, illustrated by Dave Aikins. Ages 3 to 5. 

¥ The Carrot Seed is Ruth Krauss’ classic about a boy who never doubts he can grow a carrot from a seed. Ages 4 to 8.

¥ In Every Day Is Earth Day, by Jane O’Connor, “Fancy Nancy” insists her family save energy all day, every day. Ages 5 to 7.

¥ A school club raises money for garden plants by holding an aluminum-can drive in Earth Day—Hooray! by Stuart J. Murphy and Renee Andriani. Ages 5 to 8.

Nonfiction

¥ The Earth Book by Todd Parr is filled with colorfully illustrated conservation tips. Ages 5 to 9.

¥ Earth Day, by Linda Lowery, with illustrations by Mary Bergherr, tells how Earth Day evolved from the 1960s to today. Ages 6 to 9.

¥ Keeping Our Earth Green, by Nancy F. Castaldo, offers “over 100 hands-on ways to help save the earth.” Ages 7 and up.

¥ In Human Footprint, author Ellen Kirk adds up all the things we eat, use, wear, buy, and throw out over the course of our lives. Ages 8 and up.

¥ A butterfly feeder, a backyard pond, and a giant air blaster are among the DIY adventures in Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself, by Kathleen M. Reilly. Ages 9 and up.

Poetry/Folk Tales

¥ In Why the Sky Is Far Away, a Nigerian folk tale retold by Mary-Joan Gerson and Carla Golembe, the Sky gets angry when people act selfish and wasteful. Ages 5 to 9.

¥ Piecing Earth and Sky Together is a creation story from the Mien tribe of Laos adapted by Nancy Raine Day. Ages 5 to 9.

¥ Judith Nicholls selected the poems in The Sun in Me: Poems About the Planet, illustratedby Beth Krommes. Ages 6 to 10.

¥ The Earth Is Painted Green: A Garden of Poems About Our Planet is edited by Barbara Brenner and illustrated by S.D. Schindler. Ages 8 to 11.

 

LIBRARY EVENTS

Photography—Art or Craft? This art talk by SF MOMA traces photography back to its origins and looks at its many roles: from a scientific recording, to an imitation of a painting, to the more contemporary characterization as an art object. Sat., April 7, 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Write Your Will Workshop: San Francisco attorney Stuart Bronstein will discuss wills and estate planning, and then participants will have the opportunity to complete fully executed, valid wills. Bring a non-erasable blue pen. Seating is limited. Call 415-355-5707 or stop by the library to register. Sat., April 14, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

The Great Books Discussion Group discusses famous short stories, essays, and speeches on the second Wednesday of each month. Wed., April 11, 6: 15 to 8:15 p.m.

On the Same Page Book Discussion: Celebrate National Poetry Month by joining us for a discussion of On the Same Page selection The Best of It: New and Selected Poems by Kay Ryan, poet laureate of the United States from 2008 to 2010. Sun., April 15, 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Noe Valley Book Discussion Group: This group reads and discusses a variety of contemporary fiction and nonfiction on the third Wednesday of each month. Wed., April 18, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

 

Events for Children

Rhythm Duo! Enjoy a masterful performance ˆ deux of outrageously creative body percussion and instrumental music-making on Saturday, April 21, 4: 30 to 5:15 p.m. For ages 4 and up.

Friday Film for School-Aged Children: Join us in watching Tangled, a Disney retelling of the folk tale Rapunzel. Friday, April 27, 3 to 4:40 p.m. For ages 8 and up.

Join Children’s Librarian Catherine at Toddler Tales on Tuesdays, April 3, 10, and 24, for children 18 to 36 months and their parents/caregivers. 10: 15 to 10:45 a.m. and 11 to 11:30 a.m.

Preschool Films based on beloved picture books will be shown on Tuesday, April 17, from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. and 11 to 11:30 a.m. For ages 3 to 5 years and parents/caregivers.

 

All events take place at the Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Library, 451 Jersey St. near Castro Street. For information, call 415-355-5707 or visit www.sfpl.org.

 


BRANCH HOURS

Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Branch Library

451 Jersey St., 355-5707

Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
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1-5

10-9
1-9
10-6
1-6
10-6


Eureka Valley–Harvey Milk Branch Library

1 José Sarria Ct. (3555 16th St.), 355-5616

Sun
Mon
Tues
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12-6
10-9
12-9
10-6
1-6
1-6


Glen Park Branch Library

2825 Diamond St., 355-2858


Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat

10-6
10-6
12-8
1-7
1-6
1-6

Mission Branch Library

300 Bartlett St., 355-2800

Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
1-5
1-9
10-9
10-9
10-6
1-6
10-6