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Tuesday, March 14, 2023 | View in browser
 Could it be? Amazingly, astronomical spring starts on Monday, March 20, 4:24 PM! This is the Vernal Equinox or Spring Equinox, when the sun moves northward across the celestial equator. Ancient Celts, modern neopagans, and all nature lovers celebrate the turn of the season! How to celebrate with your kids:
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Read! Check out our Spring Booklist.
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Give Back to Nature! Compost, mulch, or clean up litter.
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Take a short native nature walk near the meadow at Lovelace Park or at the Ladd Arboretum.
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Make a nature altar. Kids collect all kinds of cool stuff -- seed pods, rocks, feathers, dried stalks - as they move through the natural world; elevate their best finds at one small place in your home, like the center of the dining room table or an entry way table.
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Host a Spring Family Dinner featuring the new plants of the season: chives, leeks, and asparagus! How about this simple asparagus ricotta pizza? Kids can help with this pizza, too!
 You know what pie is (yum!) -- but what is pi? It’s the constant ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Pi is essential to engineering, making modern construction possible! Pi is an infinite number that starts with 3.141592653589793238... and is usually represented by the symbol π. Today, March 14 (3/14) is Pi day, which is usually celebrated with pie. Plus it's Albert Einstein's birthday: STEM-orama!
How to celebrate with your kids?
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Read! Find a book on our NEW Have Your Pi(e) and Read it too booklist!
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Do a STEM project! Check out this cool Pi Day video from Evanston Public Library's Ms. Kim, with a Blueberry Pie as the STEM project!
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Make a pizza pie with your kids! This recipe has both "big kid" and "little kid" jobs to get the pizza made! Or order one from a local independent pizza place!
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Make a Pi Day Circle Chain! You'll need 10 colors of construction paper, one for each number. Then start with a strip of the whatever color you named 3, then 1, then 4...take it as far as you like since the number is infinite!
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Pi Measuring! Measure the circumference divided by the diameter of your cans in the pantry to see if each and every time, the result is 3.1415.....
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Short & Sweet: My Magical Leprechaun Craft Pick up a take home storytime kit! This month features the poem "My Magical Leprechaun" in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Kits available while supplies last. Starts Tuesday, March 14, all day, Main Library: More information.
Purple Crayon Players Storytime (ages birth-5 years) Join Northwestern University Theatre students for a joyous storytime. Friday, March 17, 9:30 am, Children's Room, Main Library: More information.
Little Explorers: Space (ages 3-5 with a parent) Young explorers are welcome to join us as we learn about space, identify some constellations, investigate "space rocks", and make an out of this world craft! Monday, April 3, 10:30 am, Community Meeting Room, Main Library: Register.
SingSong: A Family Singalong (1 and up) Start your Saturday with some all-family singing at this fun, once a month, drop-in program! Hear Miss Jess play multiple stringed instruments and sing some of your favorite songs. Saturday, April 15, 9:30 am, Main Children's Room, Main Library: More information.
 All By Myself (ages 3 -5) A special storytime for children who are ready to attend without parents and younger siblings. We'll share stories, songs and crafts. This is a four week program. Mondays, April 10-May 1, 11 am, or Thursdays, April 13-May 11*, 1:30 pm, both in the Barbara Friedberg Storytelling Room, Main Library: Register for Mondays or Register for Thursdays.
The Young and the Restless INDOORS (ages 0-2)! Join this singing storytime for our youngest patrons. Singing is one of the best ways for little ones to learn language! This is a four week, registered program. Thursday, April 13 - May 11,* 10:15 am, Community Meeting Room, Main Library: Register.
Time for Twos Storytime filled with songs, picture books, puppets and rhymes for 24 to 36 months with parent, grandparent or caregiver. This is an amazing four week program full of fun! Tuesdays, April 25-May 16, 10:30 am, Barbara Friedberg Storytelling Room, Main Library: Register.
*For Thursday programs, since Evanston Public Library is closed for staff training on Thursday, April 27, the story time continues 2 weeks AFTER April 27th.
Robert Crown Mascot Contest! Will the lovable Finn win re-election or will she lose to a new challenger? Please vote for the new mascot who will live in Robert Crown for the next year. Sunday, March 1-31, Robert Crown Branch Library: More information.
Microwave Cooking Class: Gluten Free (grades K-5) Want to learn how to cook using your microwave! This month Ms. Laura will be leading us through making some great Gluten Free food using a mug and a microwave. An ingredient list will be sent out ahead of time so you can cook along with us! Saturday, March 18, 11 am, Zoom: Register.
Mason Jar Glow Light Pop Up Maker Event! (all ages, but grade 6 and younger must be accompanied by an adult) Lift your winter spirits with a Mason Jar Glow Light! We will use glue, tissue paper and glitter to transform a jar into a beautiful glow light. Saturday, March 18, 1:30-3:30 pm, Robert Crown Multipurpose Room, Robert Crown Branch Library: More information.
Word Rangers Writing Club (grades 3-5)! Do you like to write stories, poetry, songs, or other forms of creative writing? We create a safe space to express ourselves and (if you want) share our work with others. Sunday, March 19, 2 pm, Barbara Friedberg Storytelling Room, Main Library: Register.
Sewing Drop In (grades 4 and up) Like designing your own clothing? Want to learn some basics? Have an old item you want to decorate? Come to the Robert Crown Sewing Drop-In and fashion your next favorite outfit! Wednesday, March 22, 4pm -5pm, Robert Crown Branch Library: More information.
Graphic Novel Book Club for Kids (grades 3-5) You love graphic novels, now come talk about them! This month we will be discussing Jen Wang's graphic novel, Stargazing. Stop by the children's desk to pick up a copy to read beforehand. Must be an Evanston resident or attend school in District 65 to participate. Saturday, April 1, 11 am, Barbara Friedberg Storytelling Room, Main Library: Register.
 Take a Book Survey! A team of educational researchers from the University of Utah and Penn State University is seeking to learn more about readers' book preferences across time. This link takes you, the adults, to a short, confidential questionnaire about the types of books you liked to read in the past and those you like right now. Thank you in advance for participating and completing this survey!
Plant Swap Bring in a plant cutting and pick up a new plant to add to your family's collection. Bring in houseplants of all kinds as well as vegetable & flower seedlings; enjoy this a perfect opportunity to connect with other plant lovers of all ages. Saturday, April 1, 12 pm, Robert Crown Multipurpose Room, Robert Crown Branch Library: More information.
Get a Museum Pass! Take your kids to visit a museum, zoo, garden or other fun venue with a pass from Museum Adventure or Explore More Illinois! For Evanston Public Library patrons. One Museum Adventure Pass per family per week, More information.
Blueberry Awards Celebration! Join us to hear about great books for kids about nature and climate action! The Ecology Center will make a nice bonfire, offer a chance to interact with the Ecology Center animals, and even serve popcorn. Then you can take a walk in the Ladd Arboretum to read the Blueberry Award winner at a newly installed temporary book walk! Space is limited. Thursday, March 23, 7 pm, Multipurpose Room, Evanston Ecology Center: Register.
Evanston Public Library started the Blueberry Awards in 2021 to honor the best climate and nature books each year for kids 3-10 years old and to support parents, teachers and nature center staff who work with kids. After the announcement, swing by the library for a display of all the books and to pick up our annual flyer.
More information about the Blueberry Awards!
 St. Patrick's Day is coming on March 17th! Originally a religious day to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland, now most folks celebrate the country itself. Did you know, leprechauns, diminutive spirits from folklore who guard treasure at the ends of rainbows, are themselves a protected species under European Union Law? How to celebrate with your kids:
- Create a rainbow of your own with these rainbow fruit skewers!
- Check out our St. Patrick's Day booklist that includes Irish folktales, too!
- St. Patrick's Day is also traditionally the day when we start seeds indoors that need some extra time, like tomatoes and peppers. Grab some potting soil, an old egg carton and some seeds packets and look for a sunny window.
 Ramadan, the most holy month of the Islamic year, runs from the evening of Wed, Mar 22, 2023 through to the evening of Fri, Apr 21, 2023, a month of daylight fasting, prayer and, after the sun goes down, wonderful family gatherings to break the fast.
This is Kemisha Swan Ajayi or Mimi! She's an Evanston mom and educator who has written and published a picture book about her first interactions with a tutor who helped change her life. The book is "inspired by every child that learns differently." We have 3 copies of Mr Tim the Tutor if you want to check out this book!
Congratulations, Kemisha; thank you for stopping by and making our day!
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