Thanks to everyone who joined us for our tour of South America last month. In April, we are excited to move on to a new part of the world: Asia! Asia is the biggest continent in terms of both land size and population, and it has a rich history and vibrant cultural traditions to match. Get your suitcases and passports ready, because we've got lots to see.

As always, displays throughout the library will guide our journey through this exciting continent. We'll have a new craft kit in the entryway every week, each exploring a different aspect of the art, culture, and natural world of the Asian continent. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see when the craft kits are ready each week!

We have a fantastic feast planned throughout the month, with four delicious dishes originating from Japan, China, Thailand, and India. The recipes will be available on our social media and in the entryway of the library each week; be sure to send us pictures of your finished dishes! On Thursday April 22 at 7:00 pm, we'll gather virtually to chat about how these recipes went for everyone. 

• Week 1: Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet)
• Week 2: Shrimp & Pork Bao (Chinese steamed buns)
• Week 3: Khao Niaow Ma Muang (Thai mango sticky rice)
• Week 4: Spring Vegetable Bhajia (Indian vegetable fritters)

We had so much fun reading, cooking, and crafting our way through the Middle East with you last month! We are looking forward to visiting a new part of the world in March: South America. South America is a huge continent, filled to bursting with different cultures, landscapes, languages, and foods to learn about and enjoy. From the chilly peaks of the Andes mountains to the lush Amazon rainforest bustling with thousands of different animal and plant species, we have so much to explore!

There are so many different ways for you and your family to join us in our "tour" of this exciting continent. We have craft kits in the entryway every week, each related to a different South American art form, cultural tradition, or part of the natural world. And inside the library, we have book displays that feature and celebrate South American stories, characters, authors, and settings. Happy reading!

And of course, we also have a different South American recipe every week for us all to try out at home. Each week, the recipe will be available in the entryway of the library and online. After a month of cooking and baking these dishes, we'll gather virtually to talk about how it went for everyone! Be sure to send us pictures of your completed recipes or tag us on social media. Our South American Recipe Chat will be on Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 pm. Here are the recipes we'll be trying this month:

• Week 1: Chicken empanadas (hand-pies filled with chicken and peppers)
• Week 2: Chocotorta (an Argentinian chocolate cookie layer cake)
• Week 3: Solterito (a Peruvian chopped vegetable salad)
• Week 4: Alfajores (dulce de leche sandwich cookies)
  

​ We can't wait to see pictures of all the wonderful foods you make, and chat about how it went for everyone at the end of the month. Safe travels!