Saturday, April 24, 2010

WHAT ARE YOU READING!?

Here's where you can share with other kids what you're reading this summer. We'll post what we're reading too (see below.) If you try any of ours, write back and let us know what you thought. Thanks!--Children's Librarian Staff
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Gideon the Cutpurse : Being the First Part of the Gideon Trilogy 
by Linda Buckley-Archer
Looking for the next best series!? Well, look no further as this is a hot ticket. Peter and Kate, 12, have literally stumbled from the 21st century back to 1763. Their time travel must be connected to the antigravity machine Kate's father has been working on, but since it has been stolen by a vicious criminal called The Tar Man, they really have no choice but to trust Gideon, the stranger whose offer of help seems genuine enough, even if he is known as a cutpurse.  --Valerie


Lets do Nothing!  by Tony Fucile
This picture book is hilarious. Frankie and Sal have run out of things to do: "We've played every sport ever invented" and "baked enough cookies to feed a small country--" Then Sal hits upon a solution: "Let's do nothing!" How hard could that be? Maybe not a problem for Sal, the older kid, but Frankie's wild imagination causes the whole plan to run wild. --Valerie


The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
On a perfectly ordinary day, Peter Augustus Duchene goes to market. Instead of buying the fish and bread that his guardian, Vilna Lutz, has asked him to buy he uses the coin to pay a fortune-teller to get information about his sister, whom he believes to be dead. He is told that she is alive, and that an elephant will lead him to her. That very night at a performance in the town's opera house, a magician conjures up an elephant (by mistake) that crashes through the roof. And once again, you find yourself in a wonderful story by Kate DiCamillo. --Laura

Creature by Andre Zuckerman Breathtaking is the word for this alphabet book.  The sharp focused photographs have amazing detail. On each spread, a letter of the alphabet is presented in large, bold font in its capital and lowercase form along with a teasing photograph which adds to the fun of an animal guessing game.  Please comment!--Laura

FREE FOR KIDS!

Animals
Art
History
Music
Science
Storytelling
Walking Trails
SPECIAL PLACE OF THE WEEK

Other Resources:
Kids Adventures Around the Bay by Elina Wong
Inside/Out (Guide to Arts and Arts Education for Children and Teens in San Francisco)
Around San Francisco with Kids by Fodor's

Animals
BUFFALO ENCLOSURE
John F. Kennedy Dr. at Chain of Lakes Dr. East
(western end of Golden Gate Park)
THE RANDALL MUSEUM199 Museum Way at Roosevelt Way
415-554-9600 http://www.randallmuseum.org/
Tues. – Sat.: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
“Meet the Animals” talk: Saturdays at 11:15 AM
Animal feedings on Saturdays at noon
Model railroad exhibit: Saturdays, 10:00 AM –
4:00 PM
Free admission
SAN FRANCISCO ZOOSloat Blvd. at 47th Ave. near the Great Highway
415-753-7080 http://www.sfzoo.org/
Daily: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Children’s Zoo: Daily, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Free admission for all on the 1st Wednesday of each
month and for children 2 and under daily.

Art
CALIFORNIA PALACE OF THE LEGION OF HONOR
34th Avenue at Clement St. (Lincoln Park)
415-863-3330 http://www.famsf.org/
Tues. – Sun.: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Free admission for all on 1st Tuesday and for children
12 and under daily
CARTOON ART MUSEUM
655 Mission St. at Third St.
415-227-8666
http://www.cartoonart.org/
Daily 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM; closed Monday
First Tuesday is “Pay What You Wish Day”; children 5 and under free at all times
THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
Golden Gate Park
415-750-3600 http://www.famsf.org/
Tues. – Sun.: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM; Fridays until 8:45 pm (part of year)
Drop-in workshops: Sat. 10:30 AM – noon; ages 4-12
Free admission for all on 1st Tuesday and for children
12 and under daily; free activities on Friday evenings.
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
151 Third Street between Mission and Howard St.
415-357-4000 http://www.sfmoma.org/
Summer Hours (Memorial Day – Labor Day):
Mon.-Tues. & Fri.-Sun.: 11:00 AM – 5:45 PM;
Thurs. 11:00 AM – 8:45 PM; closed Wednesdays
Summer Hours: May 25-September 7: Monday-Tuesday,
Fri.-Sun.: 10:00 AM-5:45 PM; Thurs.: 10:00 AM - 8:45 PM
closed Wednesdays. Free admission for all 1st Tuesday and at all times
for children 12 and under when accompanied by
an adult

History
CABLE CAR BARN AND MUSEUM
1201 Mason St. at Washington St.
415-474-1887 http://www.cablecarmuseum.com/
Daily, Apr. 1 – Sept. 30, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Oct. 1 – Mar. 31, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Closed holidays
Free admission
MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
685 Mission Street at Third St
415-358-7200 http://www.moadsf.org/
Wed. – Sat.: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sun.: Noon – 5:00 PM Closed Mon. & Tues.
Free admission for age 12 and under
SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MUSEUM
655 Presidio Ave. (between Bush and Pine)
415-563-4630 http://www.sffiremuseum.org/
Thurs. – Sun.: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Free admission
SAN FRANCISCO MARITIME NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Aquatic Park at Hyde Street Pier
415-447-5000 www.nps.gov/safr/
Hyde Street Pier with Historic Ships and a Vistor Center:
May 25-June 21: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM;
June 22 - Aug. 12: 9:30 AM -6:30 PM;
Aug. 17 - Sept. 30: 9:30 AM -5:30 PM;
Oct. 1 -May 12: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
"Music of the Sea for Kids" program 3rd Saturday of every
month: 300 - 3:45 PM
Free Admision for all on 1st Sunday of month and at all times
for ages 16 and under.
Free admission at all times for age 16 and under
SAN FRANCISCO RAILWAY MUSEUM
77 Steuart Street between Market and Mission
415-974-1948 http://www.streetcar.org/
Wed. – Sun.: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Free admission
WELLS FARGO HISTORY MUSEUM420 Montgomery St. (at California St.)
415-396-2619
www.wellsfargohistory.com/museums/
Mon – Fri.: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Free admission

Music
Golden Gate Park
MUSIC CONCOURSE BANDSHELLFree concerts by the Golden Gate Band
Sundays at 1:00 PM April – October
SIGMUND STERN GROVE MUSIC FESTIVAL

http://www.sterngrove.org/2009season.html
June 21 - August 23, 2009
Sundays at 2:00 p.m.
Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Ave. & Sloat, San Francisco
Admission-Free
WAVE ORGANListen to the waves and wind make music and take in beautiful bay views. Created in 1986, the acoustical art piece is best experienced at high tide. The installation consists of 25 concrete and PVC pipes planted in the water.

Located on a jetty across from the Marina Green, at the end of Yacht Road. The nearest major cross streets are Marina Boulevard and Lyon Street.

Science
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCESNatural History Museum
Steinhart Aquarium
55 Music Concourse Drive
Golden Gate Park
415-379-8000 http://www.calacademy.org/
Mon-Sat: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun: 11:00-5:00PM
Free admission for all 3rd Wednesday of each month and for
children 3 and under daily.
CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS
John F. Kennedy drive in Golden Gate Park
415-666-7001 http://www.conservatoryofflowers.org/
Tues. – Sun: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Free admission for all on 1st Tuesday and for
children 4 and under daily.
THE EXPLORATORIUM3601 Lyon St. (between Marina Blvd. and Lombard St.)
in the Palace of Fine Arts
415-561-0360 http://www.exploratorium.edu/
Closed Mondays, except on holidays
Tues. – Sun.: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Free admission for all 1st Wednesday of each month and
for children 3 and under daily
JAPANESE TEA GARDEN
Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr.
in Golden Gate Park
415-752-4227 No website
March 1 – October 31 Daily: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
November 1 – February 28 Daily 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Free admission for all Mon.,Wed., Fri.: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
and for children age 5 and under daily

Storytelling
ASIAN ART MUSEUM
200 Larkin Street at Fulton St.
415-581-3500 http://www.asianart.org/
Tues. – Sun.: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Thurs. 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Storytelling every Sunday and first Saturday. Call or check website for schedule and for other program and event information.
Free admission for children 12 and under and for all SFUSD
students with ID
Free admission for all 1st ASunday of each month
STRYBING ARBORETUM
9th Ave. at Lincoln Way (Golden Gate Park)
415-661-1316 http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/
Garden: Mon. – Fri.: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Sat., Sun., Holidays, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Children’s Story Time, ages 4 – 8, 1st and 3rd Sundays
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM, followed by docent-led
family garden walk.
Library: Daily: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, except holidays
Free admission

Walking Trails
CANDLESTICK POINT STATE RECREATION AREA
Hunters Point Expressway (between Gilman Ave.
and Jamestown Ave.)
415-671-0145 (ranger station) http://www.parks.ca.gov/
Hours: 8:00 AM – sunset
Walking paths and fishing piers; free parking except
on football home game days.
CRISSY FIELD
Along the Bay between the Marina and the Golden Gate
Bridge
Crissy Field Center located at 603 Mason at Hallack
415-561-7690 http://www.parksconservancy.org/
Park open 24 hours. Crissy Field Center: daily
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Free parking and walking paths: check websites for guided walks and family programs.
THE PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO
Visitor Center located at 50 Moraga
Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
415-561-4323 www.nps.gov/prsf/
Free parking. Hiking trails and free shuttle bus ride
around the park. Call center for information about
scheduled ranger and docent led programs