The Ceres and Hughson library branches are hosting special events in April designed to foster interest in reading but also offer persons of all ages fun activities aimed at community connection.

3D Cotton Rain Clouds

The Ceres Library will host a 3D Cotton Rain Clouds crafts activity on Thursday, April 2 at 4 p.m. Participants will design and create art featuring three-dimensional rain clouds by stretching cotton and adding paper raindrops.

Magic Monday: Magic: The Gathering

Teens are invited to play “Magic: The Gathering” at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 6 at the Ceres Library.

No experience is necessary, and all materials will be provided.

Friends of the Library to meet

The Friends of the Ceres Library will meet for their quarterly meeting at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8. The Friends of the Ceres Library invite all to to support your local library.

LEGO Day

The library will host Ceres LEGO Days at 4 p.m. on Thursdays, April 9 and April 23. Children will have the opportunity to build LEGO creations using the library’s LEGO and Duplo blocks. This program helps young ones develop critical thinking skills, and teaches basic engineering concepts. Children under 4 are welcome, but must have direct parental supervision.

‘Read to a Dog’

Independent readers up to age 12 are invited to practice their reading skills with the “Read to a Dog” program at 12 noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11 at the Ceres Library. This program is designed to help children gain confidence in their reading skills by reading aloud to certified therapy dogs. Register in-person at the Ceres Library or call 209-537-8938 as space is limited.

Master Gardeners class

The University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County will present a class on how to re-landscape the front lawn with drip irrigation and water wise plants, including California natives. The class will be offered at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 13.

Dungeons & Dragons for Teens

Teens, are you seeking adventure? Want to slay a dragon or maybe save a town from a horde of goblins? Come play Dungeons & Dragons at the Ceres Library at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 113.

Players will learn team-building and problem-solving skills while engaging their imaginations in a safe, collaborative environment. Participants aged 13 to 18 need not provide anything but an open mind and a quest for fun.

Puffy Painting

The Ceres Library will host Puffy Painting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 whereby special paint will be made with shaving cream and glue to make unique “puffy” art creations.

Duct Tape Wallet project

Intended for those 12 years of age and older, at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 20 participants will make a wallet using duct tape. The activity is sponsored by the Friends of the Ceres Library.

Día at the Ceres Library

At 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 21, join the Ceres Library for Children’s Book Day (Día de los niños, día de los libros), a multicultural celebration of the importance of reading. A special bilingual story time will be offered as well as an, activity and snacks then pick up a free book while supplies last.

Ceres Game Day

Intended for all ages, Ceres Game Day comes to Ceres at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 27. Bring family and friends to play a wide assortment of games, including chess, Jenga, Sorry!, Connect Four and more.

Perler Beads

At the Ceres Library at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, a craft session will be offered to create Perler beads. They are like colorful plastic dots that can use create art. They are placed on a board to make your picture and melted together with a little heat to stick together and become an art keepsake.

The Ceres Library is located at 2250 Magnolia Street. Hours are 12 noon to 8 p.m. Mondays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays; and closed Fridays and Sundays. For more information, visit https://www.stanislauslibrary.org/ or call 209-537-8938.

HUGHSON LIBRARY ACTIVITIES

Used Book Sale

The Friends of the Hughson Library will host a Used Book Sale April 7-10 during open hours. Shop from a selection of gently used books at bargain prices. 

LEGO Day

The Hughson library will host an Earth Day themed LEGO Day from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 6. Children will have the opportunity to build LEGO creations using the library’s LEGO and Duplo blocks and will be encouraged to create a clover, flower garden, bunnies, or whatever creation one can imagine. This program helps young ones develop critical thinking skills, and teaches basic engineering concepts. Children under 4 are welcome, but must have direct parental supervision.

Paper Garden Bugs

The Hughson Library will offer a craft whereby participants create paper garden bugs at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14.

Master Gardeners’ class

The University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County will present a class on how to re-landscape the front lawn with drip irrigation and water wise plants, including California natives. The class will be offered at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18.

Following the Master Gardener’s presentation titled “The New CA Front Yard,” participants will explore basic pen-and-ink techniques while creating their own landscape drawings at 3 p.m.

Whimsical Wind Chimes

Participants will learn how to make Whimsical Wind Chimes at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, using beads and trinkets.

Trivia Night

The Hughson Library will host a Trivia Night beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 23. Come as a team or meet up with others to challenge your wits with all-ages trivia fun.

Día at the Hughson Library

At 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, join the Ceres Library for Children’s Book Day (Día de los niños, día de los libros), a multicultural celebration of the importance of reading. A special bilingual story time will be offered as well as an, activity and snacks then pick up a free book while supplies last.

The Hughson library branch is located at 2412-A Third Street in Hughson and is open Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Mondays and Sundays).

Virtual Book Club

The county library system offers a Virtual Book Club for Adults, this month discussing “The Vaster Wilds” by Lauren Groff at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 22.

Registration required, begins April 1.

The book centers on a servant girl who escapes from a colonial settlement in the wilderness. She carries nothing with her but her wits, a few possessions, and the spark of God that burns hot within her. What she finds in this terra incognita is beyond the limits of her imagination and will bend her belief in everything that her own civilization has taught her. Lauren Groff’s new novel is at once a thrilling adventure story and a penetrating fable about trying to find a new way of living in a world succumbing to the churn of colonialism.

The library has a limited number of copies available for checkout. Please check with your local branch to reserve a copy.