Hennepin County Library Offers 10 Children’s Day/Book Day Events

Editor’s Note: The following announcement comes from Hennepin County Library.

Families of all cultures are invited to 10 free Children’s Day/Book Day events beginning in April at Hennepin County libraries. Children’s Day/Book Day is an international celebration of books, reading and the importance of literacy for all children.

Initially, Children’s Day/Book Day focused on Latino families. “Today, it is for families of all races and ethnicities,” said Gretchen Wronka of Hennepin County Library’s Multicultural Services section. “This aligns with the national initiative and founder Pat Mora’s philosophy and passion, that Children’s Day/Book Day is Mexico’s gift to all children.”

This year, Library staff is collaborating with several community partners to extend the Library’s outreach to all families. Partners include the Friends of the Augsburg Park, Oxboro, and Penn Lake libraries; Bloomington Theatre and Art Center; La Oportunidad and Bloomington Public Schools.

The 2013 national theme is “Many Children, Many Cultures, Many Books.” Hennepin County Library will offer exhibits of children’s book art projects, book-making for families, a workshop creating art that resembles textiles from Panama, a puppet show, Mexican folk dancing and multilingual storytelling.

Library Spanish Outreach liaison Marcela Sanchez said, “Hennepin County Library enthusiastically celebrates children, books and diverse cultures in many ways, including Children’s Day/Book Day programs. We want Latino and other immigrant families to know that the Library welcomes them and that staff is happy to see them becoming regular library users.”

She added, “I’m thrilled when I see a parent playing with a younger child in one of our new learning environments or comfortably reading a magazine in Spanish. Meanwhile, their school-age children might be getting help with homework or attending a program. It’s even better when everyone goes home with books, CDs and DVDs, and they visit again the following week!”

The Library’s Children’s Day/Book Day events are funded by Minnesota’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Inspired by Mexico’s El Dia del Nino (Day of the Child), Children’s Day/Book Day was officially established in 1997 in the Southwestern U.S. to raise Latino families’ awareness of the importance of early literacy. Soon schools and libraries across the country also began offering events. In 2001, the American Library Association formalized its support of Children’s Day/Book Day. In 2006, Hennepin County Library was one of 10 libraries in the country to receive a $10,000 grant from Target/ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) to support Children’s Day/Book Day programming.

For more information, call Spanish Outreach liaison Marcela Sanchez at 612-543-8510.

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April 18–May 2

Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day: Art on Display/Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: exposición de arte
Augsburg Park Library
For families. Enjoy an exhibit of children's book art projects created by Centennial Elementary School's kindergarten class under the direction of Anne Sawyer-Aitch. 
Sponsored by Friends of the Augsburg Park Library.

Disfruta la exposición de libros creados por estudiantes de kínder de Centennial Elementary School bajo la dirección de Anne Sawyer-Aitch.

Patrocinado por los Friends of the Augsburg Park Library.

Saturday, April 20, 2–3 p.m.
Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day: Making Molas/ Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: haciendo molas
North Regional Library
For families. Join artist Paulino Brener for a lively workshop making molas, handmade textiles from Panama using a reverse appliqué technique. Create colorful art that imitates the look of molas by layering construction paper. Display your molas at the library for the Children's Day/Book Day celebration on Saturday, April 27.  
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Asiste a un animado taller para hacer molas, los textiles de Panamá hechos a manos usando una técnica de appliqué a la inversa, con el artista Paulino Brener. Vas a crear una artesanía colorida que como las molas se hará usando capas, pero de papel cartulina. Exhibe tus molas en la biblioteca durante la celebración de El día de los niños/El día de los libros el sábado 27 de abril.
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Saturday, April 20, 2–4 p.m.
Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day: Bookmaking for Families/ Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: haciendo libros con la familia
Oxboro Library
Location: Bloomington Theatre and Art Center (BTAC - in the Bloomington Civic Building), 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington
For families. Learn how to make handmade books from BTAC artists. Families will make an accordion book and a pop-up book. Drawing, collage, paper crafting and mixed-media techniques will be used. Participants will be asked to leave one book with BTAC to be displayed at local libraries including Oxboro, Penn Lake, Southdale and Augsburg Park. 
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Sponsored by Friends of the Oxboro, Penn Lake and Augsburg Park libraries and presented in collaboration with Bloomington Theatre and Art Center.

Aprende como hacer libros hechos a manos con artistas de BTAC. Las familias podrán hacer un libro de acordeón y otro libro desplegable; se usarán diferentes técnicas como dibujo y collage. Se les pedirá a los participantes que dejen uno de sus libros con el BTAC para ser exhibido en las bibiliotecas Oxboro, Penn Lake, Southdale y Augsburg Park.
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund; patrocinado por los Friends of the Oxboro, Penn Lake y Augsburg Park libraries; presentado en colaboración con Bloomington Theatre and Art Center.

Saturday, April 27, 10:30 a.m.–noon
Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day: Art Open House and Puppet Show/ Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: exposición de arte y espectáculo de títeres
East Lake Library
For families. Boys, girls and families: come enjoy the "Lupita no quiere dormir" puppet show! Also admire the display of puppets made by students from El Camino at Andersen United under the direction of artist Gustavo Boada.  The puppet show will be presented in Spanish. Puppets will be on display in the children's area April 27-May 18.
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Presented in collaboration with La Oportunidad.

¡Niños, niñas y familias; vengan a disfrutar el espectáculo de títeres “Lupita no quiere dormir”! Y admiren la exhibición de títeres creados por estudiantes de El Camino en Andersen United, bajo la dirección de Gustavo Boada. El show de títeres será presentado en español. Los títeres estarán en exhibición en el área de los niños de abril 27 a mayo 18.
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund y presentado en colaboración con La Oportunidad.

Saturday, April 27, 1 p.m.

Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day: Mexico Lindo Folk Dance/ Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: Danza Folclórica México Lindo
Brookdale Library
For families. Enjoy Mexican folk dancing by local children. Learn about the origin and significance of these dazzling dances and costumes! 
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Disfruta de esta danza folclórica llevada a cabo por niños de nuestra comunidad. ¡Aprende acerca de los orígenes y el significado de sus deslumbrantes bailes y vestuarios!
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Saturday, April 27, 1 p.m.

Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day/ Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros
Oxboro Library
For families. Celebrate this annual day of connecting children to the love of books and reading and enjoy an authentic Aztec ceremonial dance performance by Mexican dance group KetzalCoatlicue.  
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Presented in partnership with Bloomington Public Schools.

Celebremos este día de unir a los niños con el amor por los libros y la lectura y disfrutemos de una auténtica danza ceremonial azteca con el grupo mexicano KetzalCoatlicue.
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund y presentado en colaboración con Bloomington Public Schools.

Saturday, April 27, 2 p.m.

Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day: Celebration for All Children/Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: celebración para todos los niños
North Regional Library
For families. North Regional, Sumner, Webber Park libraries and Sojourner Truth Academy invite you to a celebration for all children! There will be music, art, dance, piñatas and a display of projects by students under the direction of artist Paulino Brener.
Join us for a special performance by KetzalCoatlicue, Mexican dance group, which performs Aztec dance with dazzling costumes and drum music. 
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

¡Las bibliotecas North Regional, Sumner y Webber Park junto con Sojourner Truth Academy te invitan a una celebración para todos los niños! Habrá música, arte, danza, piñatas y una exhibición de proyectos creados por niños bajo la dirección de Paulino Brener.
También habrá una presentación especial de KetzalCoatlicue, grupo mexicano de danza azteca con deslumbrante vestuario y música de percusión.
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Saturday, April 27, 4–6 p.m.
Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day: Fiesta/ Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: fiesta
Nokomis Library
For families. Learn about traditional Mexican dance and watch a performance by students from Hiawatha Leadership Academy. Stay for a fiesta including traditional games and crafts for the whole familia! 
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Aprende acerca del baile folclórico mexicano y disfruta de una presentación por estudiantes de Hiawatha Leadership Academy. ¡Quédate a la fiesta, habrá juegos y manualidades tradicionales y para toda la familia!
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Tuesday, April 30, 2–3 p.m.
Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day: Paper Boats/ Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: barcos de papel
Sumner Library
Registration required, begins April 2. Register online or call 612-543-6875.
Preschool. Argentinian actor Paulino Brener travels the world in a paper boat, sharing stories from many lands. Make your own paper boat and join Brener in this entertaining and multilingual storytelling feast! 
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Se requiere inscripción; empieza el 2 de abril; límite 40. Preescolar. El actor argentino Paulino Brener viaja por el mundo en un barco de papel compartiendo historias de muchos lugares. ¡Haz tu propio barco de papel y disfruta con Brener de este banquete de historias entretenidas y en diferentes idiomas!
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

May 15–June 5
Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day: Art on Display/ Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros: exposición de arte
Penn Lake Library
For families. Enjoy an exhibit of children's book art projects created at the April 20 Children's Day/Book Day event at the Bloomington Civic Center. 
This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Sponsored by Friends of the Penn Lake Library.

Disfruta la exposición de libros creados por niños y sus familias durante el evento “El día de los niños/El día de los libros” el 20 de abril en el Bloomington Civic Center.
Financiado con dinero del Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund y patrocinado por los Friends of the Penn Lake Library.