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Books on Wellness

Chocolate Storytime selected these picture books to support the 2022 Black History Month theme, Black Health and Wellness. These stories will encourage readers to practice gratitude, love themselves, eat right, move more, and focus on wellness during stressful times. For more on the origin of Black History Month and the theme, visit the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Continue reading Books on Wellness

Black History Month 2022

2022 Black History Month Theme: Black Health and Wellness The theme for 2022 focuses on the importance of Black Health and Wellness. This theme acknowledges the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing (e.g., birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc.) throughout the African Diaspora. The 2022 theme considers activities, rituals and initiatives that Black … Continue reading Black History Month 2022

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Honoring Women’s Right to Vote, Lifting as We Climb

Today, the kids took part in selecting and voting for the stories we read.  The consensus was Hair, It’s a Family Affair by Mylo Freeman and Look Up by Nathan Bryon and illustrated by Dapa Adeola.  Our book of the day was The Day You Begin by National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpre Illustrator Award winner, Rafael Lopez.  The book is … Continue reading Honoring Women’s Right to Vote, Lifting as We Climb

JPL’s Tracy Drain Talks About Jupiter For Women’s History Month

On Friday, March 29, 2019 at 4pm, Tracy Drain was the special guest reader at Chocolate Storytime.  She is a Flight Systems Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labs, and the Deputy Chief Engineer for the JUNO mission, which arrived at Jupiter in June 2016. In her 18 years at JPL, she has participated in the development and operation of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (a science/relay … Continue reading JPL’s Tracy Drain Talks About Jupiter For Women’s History Month

Ms. Ford’s Winter Wonderland

Eccentric, talented, witty, and charismatic, Ms. Betty J. Ford is the Program Coordinator for Chocolate Storytime here at our home base, La Pintoresca Branch Library.  She schedules and books special talent, speakers, and guests for our story time.  This past January 11th, she turned 80 years old.  And while some may associate this milestone season of life with slowing down, Ms. Ford considers these years as … Continue reading Ms. Ford’s Winter Wonderland

Chocolate Storytime Visits Jackson Elementary

This year, Chocolate Storytime visited Jackson STEM Dual Language Academy.  Parent volunteer Natasha Bowswer worked with Chocolate Storytime coordinator, Ayesha Randall to bring volunteers from the community to read to the students in a series of sessions.  Among the storytime readers were Tyron Hampton, Pasadena City Councilmember; Julianne Reynoso, Pasadena Unified School District Executive Director, Elementary Schools; Harlan Redmond, executive director of Harambee Ministries; Pat Smith, … Continue reading Chocolate Storytime Visits Jackson Elementary