My name is Yume, and I am a 7th grader at Baker school. I was born in Boston to an African-American father and a Japanese mother.I love expressing my identity through dance and art. I learned about “MIZUHIKI” while I was in Japan. 
I plan to open my own pop-up store one day, with the goal of raising money for the Origination Arts and Cultural Center, so that I can pursue my dream of becoming a dancer at Disney.
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I hope you enjoy the world of Mizuhiki art.
From Susan’s Artist Statement:
My work employs botanical subjects as they offer simplicity and richness all at once, serving as complete compositions in themselves. I enjoy looking closely at the everyday and gaining a deeper appreciation of the natural world around us.
Please stop by Hunneman Hall to see Susan’s watercolors.
Buying fewer clothes and maintaining what you have is the best way to reduce your environmental impact. Visible mending not only promotes sustainability but also fosters creativity, saves money, and builds community. This September, stop by the Brookline Village Library to see examples of locally mended textiles and learn about their history.
This exhibit is brought to you by local menders and Mariko Sugimori of Zoe & Mona Mending. Stay tuned for a visible mending workshop at the library December 10!
The beloved stuffies of Brookline had a wild time at the Stuffed Animal Sleepover as part of the Library’s Summer Reading program! After you dropped us off, we got ready for bed with a story to prepare for our adventure the next day, read aloud to us by Gustave.
After we woke up in the morning, we got ready for our big adventure at the Franklin Park Zoo! The wonderful Zoo team took us and the librarians on a wonderful journey through various parts of the zoo. We made new friends, furry and scaly alike!
We started out with the prairie dogs – Mickey and Minnie were mesmerized by the little critters, and even got to take a look around their habitat! Panda, Spikey, and Mortimer got in on the viewing, too. Gustave, J, Fluffy, and Phoenix loved the prairie dogs so much, they wanted to try becoming them!
Next up, we visited the farm animals! Goat felt right at home, while Scramble, Baby Yoda, and Koala were a bit less sure.
Several of us found new friends who looked like us around the zoo! Peaches and Chad the giraffe compared patches and Red slithered with the anaconda, while Michael monkeyed around with the De Brazza’s monkeys and gorillas!
J took a nice break with the sloth, and Charlie learned more about his species in the Kiwi exhibit. Zookeeper Katie hung out with Lion, and introduced him to Dinari, the lion at the Zoo (under the furthest tree)!
We found friends who were different species than us too! Meerie blended right in with the lemurs and George found a fellow long-nosed friend in the anteater. Peach Bob and Dino took a look at the hyena enclosure, where the hyenas were resting in the shade in their hideout. Baby Yoda and Vanilla even got a glimpse of the saddle-billed stork!
Stuffy made friends with the giraffe stuffies in the gift shop, while Bark and Wan watched the African painted dogs napping in the shade under their rock shelter. Ducky and Elmo had a great time meeting the emu, although Elmo got confused since their names sounded so similar!
George, Ballerina, and Vanilla even got to have an extra-special hangout with Benny the Blue-Tongued Skink!
The Tropical Forest was a favorite spot for many stuffies, and Elmo, Meerie, and Hoppy helped show the way there! Scramble, Ducky and Phoenix were all very fond of the tapir, while Koala, Bark, Wan, and Fluffy all enjoyed watching the pygmy hippo.
The lanterns all around for the Zoo’s Boston Lights displays were beautiful, and we found lots of new friends there! Red found a giant snake, Spikey found another friendly dragon, and Tiger and Tiger Woods found a tiger that looked just like them!
The lantern displays made for plenty of fun photo opportunities, like Kipod’s giant wings, Care Bear, Rainbowbelly, and Cosey’s rainbow tunnel, Gustave, Fluffy, Candy, and Harts’ leopard photobooth, and Chelle and Stuffy’s underwater experience!
Walking around the zoo in the sunshine can be tiresome, but our stuffies found lots of good places to sit and rest for a minute! Tiger and Tiger Woods found a bench in a familiar grassy habitat, and Care Bear and Rainbowbelly sat down in a shady corner with a view of the lion habitat. Hoppy, Aikat Floyd, and Charlie took a break on a beautifully decorated wall. Spikey, Owen, Panda, and Goat found a cool spot in the aquarium section, and Aikat Floyd hopped off the wall to join them there. Harts even found a refreshing hang out on a bridge next to a waterfall!
Some of us weren’t tired at all! While the rest of our friends took a break, Peach Bob and Dino tested out the Zoo golf carts, Peaches, Candy, and Owen visited the photobooth, and Lion learned all about the new penguin habitats that are being built.
Ballerina and Mickey Mouse checked out some more exhibits, and Hoppy joined them after a short rest. Aikat Floyd ate a treat, and Kipod took in the views one last time before we packed everything up!
After our busy and fun day, it was time to go back to the Library, but not before picking up some souvenirs for you! We gave the Zoo staff a big thank you, and hopped in the car to head towards home. We had a great time at our sleepover, but we were all very excited to see you at the Library for pick up. We can’t wait to do it again next year somewhere new!
Here is a list of book recommendations shared during the Queer Reading Group’s meeting on June 12, 2025. We hope to make this a yearly tradition. Please enjoy this collaborative list!
Click and drag the book covers above to scroll through these suggestions. Each book cover links to the catalog.
Percival
We Both Laughed in Pleasure: The selected diaries of Lou Sullivan
Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Megan
Leap by Simina Popescu
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Jacob
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
From the Belly by Emmett Nahil
Carrie
In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan
Scapegracers by H. A. Clarke
Elizabeth
Black Salt Queen by Samantha Bansil
The First Sister by Linden Lewis
Aidan
Be Sure by Seanan McGuire
Voyage of the Basilisk: a memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan
Sasha
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Lumberjanes volume 1 by ND Stevenson
Violet
Summer Fun by Jeanne Thornton
Eros the Bittersweet by Anne Carson
Eliana
Is Love the Answer? by Uta Isaki
I Want to Be a Wall volume 1 by Honami Shirono
Emma
Here for the Wrong Reasons by Annabel Paulsen
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck
Kate
Mamo by Sas Milledge
The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Natasha
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell
Hungerstone by Kat Dunn
Kathy
Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation volume 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
Hello! -About the crafter
My name is Michiko Oyoshi. I am originally from Tokyo, Japan, and have called the Boston area home over 20 years. I’m a scientist by profession, but outside of my lab, I find joy in crafting—jewelry making, sewing, baking, and most recently, crochet. In 2024, I began crocheting amigurumi—whimsical, hand-crafted plush figures—for my daughter, Mia, and our friends. I am excited to share this growing collection with the Brookline community that I have loved for so many years.
About the Collection – Kawaii Meets Crochet
Since childhood, I have adored “kawaii” (cute) miniatures—especially those with tiny moving parts that bring them to life. Pairing that with my love of food and crafting, I have created a collection that blends crochet, miniature playfulness, and storytelling.
Many of these tiny creations are food- or nature-inspired, with a few surprises—some even have moving parts! From a chick peeking from an egg to a mischievous jellyfish disguised as ice cream, each piece invites a closer look and a bit of joy.
This collection is a celebration of joy, imagination, and care in small details. I hope it brings a smile to your face. Please feel free to leave a comment—I would love to hear your thoughts!
With gratitude,
– Michiko
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