Monday, December 4, 2023

Texas Bluebonnets Have Bloomed in the Library

[Written by Ms. Elizabeth Beamon]

Every spring I look forward to the new Texas Bluebonnet booklist. Since 1981 the Texas State Library has asked librarians and teachers to recommend new books for this award. Twenty titles, both fiction and non-fiction are chose and appeal to grades 3 – 5. Children read independently, or as a class, that leads up to state-wide voting in January for their favorite title.

The Southlake Public Library buys multiple copies as this is a popular program in our area, and below are a few selections that I’ve picked to read:

Little Cat’s Luck by Marion Dane Bauer
A little cat named Patches manages to push out a window screen and leave her house, chasing a falling leaf, and sets out to find a special place to call her own. So very cute.

Follow the Moon Home; a Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson
A book about loggerhead sea turtles, and a girl’s attempts to help save their babies from man-made light. A powerful message how kids can change the world through teamwork and perseverance.

Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee
Worlds collide to create a fantastical, heartbreaking, and gorgeous tale about two sisters, a fox cub, and what happens when one of the sisters disappears forever. In alternate voices the authors tell the searingly beautiful tale of one small family’s moment of heartbreak, a moment that unfolds into one that is epic, mythic, shimmering, and most of all, hopeful.

Please visit the Southlake Public Library and join me in reading this list of books. I promise you won’t be disappointed. You can find the 2017-2018 Bluebonnet list here.

Enjoy!  Ms. Elizabeth

Join the Southlake Senior Center on a Trip to see the Bluebonnet Trails of Ennis

The Southlake Senior Center is inviting its members on a day trip to view the “Official Texas Bluebonnet Trail” in Ennis on Thursday, April 14. There is a $3 registration fee. The bus will leave the Senior Center at 8:30 AM. Participants are encouraged to bring money for lunch.

In 1997, Ennis was designated by the State Legislature as not only the home of the Official Texas Bluebonnet Trail, but also as the “Official Bluebonnet City of Texas.” All through the month of April, Ennis showcases more than 40 miles of mapped driving Bluebonnet Trails sponsored by the Ennis Garden Club. These are the oldest trails know in the state. Tens of thousands of visitors make the trek to Ennis each year to view the wildflower show.

Learn more about the Ennis Bluebonnet trail here. For questions about the April 14 trip contact the Southlake Senior Center.