In the Palms and Rancho Park area of Los Angeles, is the Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library (branch #22), the local library where Ray Bradbury spent many happy hours with his daughters. Not only did Ray Bradbury spend many hours at this library, but Central Library was one of his favorite hangouts.
There is a great park at Palms Recreation Center right next to the library, but it was so hot outside, we went straight to the children’s section in the library.
Riley sought recommendations from one of the librarians shelving books. She scored with a dinosaur book: Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton.
Riley got to share some dinosaurs with another patron of the library. . . her new friend. We had a nice chat with her mom as well. And then ate an apple when finishing the book at home.
We also got I’m New Here by Anne Sibley O’Brien.
What a wonderful book on community and children being welcomed to the United States.
We got the Caldecott Medal winner, Smoky Night by Even Bunting and illustrated by David Diaz. A beautiful book about the Los Angeles riots, and how people were brought together.
Niko Draws a Feeling by Rob Raczka and illustrations by Simone Shin was also a sweet book.
We are so fortunate to have so many libraries to visit in Los Angeles. I keep thinking about entire neighborhoods, schools and lives that are gone in the Santa Rosa area because of the California fires this month.
We, as Angelinos, are fortunate to have such great librarians too. Riley and I talked with the Children’s Librarians, Michele and Jennifer, as we were checking out. We learned about the multiple Storytimes available – Baby Storytime, Toddler Storytime, Preschool Storytime and STAR:Story Telling and Reading. We also learned about the Diwali celebration (all ages welcome!) on Monday, October 30, 2017 from 3:30-5pm.
Take advantage of your local library! They are amazing gems. According to Ray Bradbury: “Libraries raised me. I don’t believe in colleges and universities. I believe in libraries because most students don’t have any money. When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression and we had no money. I couldn’t go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.”