With all my neighborhood wandering I do and blog about, I feel like I need to tie on my oxfords and button up my cardigan, because it is getting awfully Mister Rogers around here. And nothing screams Mister Rogers quite like going to check out the local library (well, maybe it screams more "Reading Rainbow" but I'm not splitting hairs here).
What makes it better is that the name of the library is the Smiley Library. Could there be a happier sounding place on earth?
Turns out, the Smiley library is a pretty happy place. The exterior and interior are absolutely gorgeous.
They even have a silent book auction, and a Friends of the Library bookstore. Most of the books are right around a dollar, some even cheaper!
Some books were scary old. Like this one, inscribed back in 1948.
My favorite book though, was this one, that looks like a clone of my father in his younger days. You can tell it's spot on when even my mom agreed.
In the kid's section, they had a bunch of mission models on display. I now fully recognize how weird this is for non-natives. But in California, it is part of your culture. In fourth grade you learn about the state of California and as such, learn about the California mission trail and all about Father Junipero Serra. As part of this education, students are required to write a report, and build a replica of one of the missions. I'm pretty sure mission projects are the bane of every fourth grade parent's existence. But then again, judging by the quality of some of them, maybe not.
It isn't uncommon to see mission projects on display in local libraries. I was lucky enough to see a few so I could teach Ross about the California fourth grade experience. Ross's response to my explanation was simply, "every kid has to do a project?!" Oh yes.
And oh yes to this lovely gingerbread-esque mission. With pretzel crosses, fruit-roll-up stained glass windows, and a gumdrop path. But wait, go around the back and you can see whale-sized Swedish Fish and butterscotch chip banks.
But of all the cool things we discovered at the library, I must admit that my ultimate favorite was this book-loving squirrel.
I never knew a bandaged paper cut could be so cute.
No comments:
Post a Comment