Join us Thursday, May 29th at 7pm for the 2008 BEA Kane/Miller Kidlit Drink Nite.

Firefly

11720 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604

Phone: 818 762 1833

On line review:

Buildings in Los Angeles tend to be faceless blocks from the outside, so don’t be disappointed to find that Firefly has no sign outside indicating where it is. It hasn’t stopped those in-the-know driving over the hills to Ventura for nights of fine dining and classy drinks. The bar is done up like a millionaire’s drawing room with antiques, oil paintings, leather couches, plush sofas and shelves of books - very Getty. The dining room is beyond this, an open-air patio serving Mediterranean type dishes to suit the al fresco setting, among them gorgeous grilled pancetta-wrapped shrimp, filet mignon and various cheeses. The wine and drinks served by stylish staff are just as tasty. Start off with an apple-tini, go on to California wine and by the time you’re on the brandy you’ll be gazing at the stars above you - or at the tables next to you. A classy tucked away gem.

It’s spring Down Under, and the gardeners of Melbourne are out in abundance, reminding me of the heartwarming account of a multicultural community garden, Paul Fleischman’s lovely Seedfolks.

Gina Biancarosa, friend and literacy expert, is a big fan of the Newbery Award-winning children’s author, and Seedfolks is her “absolute favorite” Fleischman book. “Just so well written, and even though it takes place in America, there are a number of immigrant characters in it.” She points out the Christian Science Monitor’s comment on Fleischman’s website, “The size of this slim volume belies the profound message of hope it contains.” Here’s an account of what Seedfolks inspired one young reader to do. Here’s an excerpt from Seedfolks and Fleischman’s story of how he came to write it.

Now for a few other books on community gardens… In Jorge Argueta’s bilingual text, Xochitl and the Flowers, Xochitl and her family, El Salvadorans new to San Francisco, turn a garbage heap behind their apartment into a nursery for plants. Here’s PaperTigers’ interview with author and illustrator Carl Angel. In Our Community Garden, by Barbara Pollak, also set in San Francisco, kids make a feast of burritos, stir-fry, and other ethnic specialties, using foods they’ve grown in their community garden. The Garden of Happiness, YA author Erika Tamar’s first picture book, is the story of a multicultural community garden in New York City.

Inspired? Right. For ideas on how to use Seedfolks in the classroom or how to start a school garden, click here and scroll down. Happy gardening!