APRIL 1997 / VOLUME 13 / NUMBER 4 COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STATE LIBRARY AND ADULT EDUCATION OFFICE Centennial STATE LIBRARIES Denver Kid’s Book Fest: First of its Kind in the Nation The Rocky Mountain region hosts the Rocky Mountain Spanish-speaking audiences. The festival emphasizes Children’s Book Festival (RMCBF), April 25th-26th, in that reading is important in any language. Denver. This is the first free, public festival in the country ◆ The third annual Brain Quest Challenge, featuring 33 devoted to children’s books and Colorado elementary schools. Students in 2nd through 5th authors. The two-day grades compete against other schools to win prizes. This event is expected to four-hour competition is Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. attract 25,000 people. The RMCBF is a ◆ The Dia del Nino celebration. The Mexican Consulate and two-day celebration for Mile High United Way present these festivities, designed to children, families, and honor the children and the future of the world. Throughout teachers, with books and the two days there will be clowns, dancing, children’s reading as the focal point games, pinatas, and presents. of all the activities. ◆ The 5,000 square foot BiblioArcade. Featured in this area The festival kick-off are giant magnetic poetry walls, a computer playground, is a parade led by book nooks with stories read by celebrities, a storytelling First Lady Bea Romer, stage, the Children’s Museum’s storytelling globe, Denver Mayor Wellington book-making activities, a snack bar, and lounges. Webb, illustrator/ author Janet Stevens, and 35 costumed characters. Other features include ◆ The Children’s Performance Stage, sponsored by the exhibitors, a word play carnival, costumed characters, a Colorado Council for the Arts. Included among those featured computer playground, a giant model of the earth that stories on the stage are storytellers Pam Faro, Joe Hayes, and John are told in, book making, and a professional children’s Stansfield; clowns Bob Fox and Jim Jackson; singers performance stage. Bonnie Phipps, Carla Highlights of the festival include: Sciaky, Michael Stan- ◆ One hundred authors and illustrators who wood, and Eric West; will do one hour presentations and auto- the Cloud of Dust Pup- graph their books. Featured presenters pet Theater; and Merry include: Baby-sitters Club author Ann Martin; Andrew Afoot. PBS’ Kratt Brothers; Newbery Award ◆ Exhibitors and Winner Sharon Creech; Harlem-born Poet giveaways! One hun- Nikki Grimes; father of Chicano literature, dred exhibitors will Rudolfo Anaya; award-winning young adult be demonstrating and author T.A. Barron; nursery rhyme guru selling many prod- Bruce Lansky; and John Erickson, author of ucts and items related the very funny Hank the Cowdog books. Martin Kratt, a zoologist, and Chris Kratt, a biologist, bound headlong into to books and reading. nature with a wild, fun children’s creature adventure series, Kratts’ Creatures ◆ An emphasis on bilingual presentations and (Scholastic), based on the ground breaking wildlife television show for There are many give- activities. Many of the authors, perform- children debuting this June on PBS. aways throughout ers, and activities at the festival are of the festival, including interest to Spanish-speaking people. There are books, coloring books, crayons, posters, stickers, book- exhibitors, products, services, and materials available for marks, and more! Continued on page 2 Vol. 13, No. 4 2 Centennial State Libraries, April, 1997 Colorado State Publications Denver Kid’s Book Fest Continued from page 1 “We view this as an unparalleled way to bring books and by Maureen Crocker, State Publications Library authors together with children, their families, and educators,” said Kimberly Taylor, Executive Director of the Colorado April is tax month! To “celebrate,” here is a list of Center for the Book. “Through publications from the Department of Revenue available at significant partnerships with the State Publications Library. A complete list of Department school districts, publishers, of Revenue publications can be seen on their web site: libraries, and a variety of other http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/revenue_dir/home_rev.html Annual report/State of Colorado Department of sponsors, we are able to offer a Revenue. Denver, Colo. REV1.1/1996 vibrant, exciting, book-based Colorado business tax statutes and regulations as of festival for children.” January 1, 1996. Denver, Colo.:Tax Service Division, The Rocky Mountain Chil- Colorado Dept. of Revenue, [1996]. REV9.2/B96/1996 dren’s Book Festival is a project Colorado income tax and related statutes and regu- of the Colorado Center for the Book, a nonprofit organization lations, January 1996. Denver, Colo.:Taxpayer Service Bruce Lansky brought nursery rhymes into the 20th century with devoted to stimulating a lifelong Division, Dept. of Revenue, [1996]. 34 p. his New York Times bestseller REV9.6/IN2/1996 The New Adventures of Mother interest in books and reading. Goose. His brand new poetry Colorado liquor excise taxes. [Denver, Colo.:Col- book, Bruce Lansky’s Poetry The two major co-sponsors of Party, joins his previous antholo- the festival are The Denver orado Dept. of Revenue, Office of Tax Analysis.] gies, A Bad Case of the Giggles and Kids Pick the Funniest Post and a coalition of front Monthly. REV1/30.11/year/mo Poems, to make him one of the The complete book of FYIs. Denver, Colo.:Taxpayer bestselling authors of children’s range school districts, including poetry. He has also written the Service Division [1996]. 1 v. (looseleaf). series Girls to the Rescue. the Colorado Department of REV9.2/F99/1996 Education, Adams, Brighton, History of local sales and county lodging taxes. Cherry Creek, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson and Platte Canyon. [Denver, Colo.]:State of Colorado, Dept. of Revenue. Other sponsors include A+ Computers, Colorado Council on Monthly. REV1.19/year/mo the Arts, Colorado Parent, Monthly state motor fuel tax & special fuel tax KCNC-TV, KKYD-1340 AM, refund data for Colorado/Colorado Dept. of Revenue, Scholastic, and Worzalla. Office of Tax Analysis. [Denver, Colo.]:Monthly. Major festival support has REV1/30.10/year/mo also been provided by Preparing your sales t ax return [videorecording]: a Christopherson & Company, video training aid. [Denver, Colo.]: Colorado Dept. of Colorado State Library and Revenue, [1995]. REV9.8/SA3/1995 Adult Education Office, Tax handbook: state and local taxes in Colorado: Mexican Cultural Center, report to the Colorado General Assembly/Colorado Mile High United Way, and Ann M. Martin is the author of the Legislative Council. [Denver, Colo.] [1996] 109 p. incredibly popular series The Baby- Janet Stevens. sitters Club. The series is celebrating GA4.9/422 The Rocky Mountain it’s 10th anniversary with the 100th title, Kristy’s Worst Idea. With nearly To borrow any of these publications, contact the State Children’s Book Festival is 150 million copies in print, The Publications Library, 201 E. Colfax Ave., Room 314, Denver, Baby-sitters Club continues to be April 25-26 at Currigan Exhi- one of the strongest sellers in the CO 80203; 303/866-6725 or fax 303/866-6940.. Hours are bition Hall, 1325 Champa, in history of publishing. 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Publications Denver. It is a free event. may also be available at depository libraries that carry state Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Information on volun- government documents, or through interlibrary loan. teering or exhibiting is available by calling 303/839-8320. The monthly newsletter from Colorado State Library and Adult Education Office Vol. 13, No. 4 3 Centennial State Libraries, April, 1997 Letters About Literature Winner Announced Sarah Bergstrom, a student at Heritage High surrounds me. “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” School in Littleton, won first prize in the “Letters has brought this to my attention and has opened About Literature” contest, sponsored by the my eyes to the potential happiness that I can Center for the Book and Weekly Reader. slowly start to gain. Bergstrom will receive her prize of $100 at a While reading your autobiography I found ceremony at the Governor’s mansion in May. that I had many unexplored questions about my Students submitted hypothetical letters to life and how to make it better. I asked myself: authors who had written books the students had What is true happiness, and what is the source recently read and about which the students had of it? If happiness is to be had, how can I obtain strong feelings. The letters explained what the it in my life? What does it mean to live in the book taught the readers about themselves. present? How do I go about living in the present? Here is Bergstrom’s’s letter to the author of How do I apply what I have learned from this Way of the Peaceful Warrior. book to my own life? And how do I use what I have learned to help and teach others? Socrates Dear Mr. Millman: would love all of those questions, huh? He I have recently had the experience of reading would probably send me out to the rock behind your book “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” and it the gas station. Seriously, I can not answer any has been quite an awakening for me. It has of these questions completely. I am OK with this reawakened my mind to many small bits of wis- because I have not yet honestly searched for the dom that I had long forgotten. And your novel answers to them, and thus I am not ready for the has put to rest many doubts in my life. It has answers. Your book has, however, renewed my changed my views on success and what I deem to be true happiness.