Porter Ranch Library Small Group Storytime, Oct. 28

The Porter Ranch Branch Library has one more Small Group Storytime on the calendar for October, on Wednesday the 28th. That's three days before Halloween, so expect a room full of kids who are already a little wound up about costumes. If you're looking for things to do with kids LA families can fit into a normal Wednesday, a half hour of picture books at the neighborhood library is hard to beat.

The session shows up on the L.A. Parent events calendar. Porter Ranch is a Los Angeles Public Library branch tucked into the northwest corner of the San Fernando Valley, close to the Santa Susana foothills and a short drive up from Northridge and Granada Hills.

What a Small Group Changes

A packed storytime can feel like a concert: one reader, a sea of toddlers, and not much back and forth. Shrink the circle and it turns into a conversation. The reader can pause on a page and ask what the dog is about to do, and actually hear three different guesses. Shy kids get a turn. Kids who've never sat in a group before get to try it without thirty strangers staring.

This branch has run the same format on Wednesdays through the fall, so by late October some families will be on their fourth or fifth visit. You'll notice it. The regulars know the opening song and they'll often shout the refrain before the reader gets there.

We don't have a book list, and the branch hasn't said whether this one has a seasonal theme. Given the date, a pumpkin or a friendly monster sneaking in wouldn't be a shock.

Before You Go

The listing gives the date and the branch, and that's it. There's no posted start time, age range, price or sign-up process. Library storytimes are usually free, but we couldn't confirm that here, so check the L.A. Parent listing or call the branch before you leave. Small groups fill up, and showing up a few minutes early is a good idea.

A few things that help:

• Bring your library card. The picture book shelves are right there when the last song ends.
• Hold the snacks until after.
• If your kid needs to move around, grab a spot at the edge of the circle. Nobody minds.
• Costume on a Wednesday? Probably fine, but keep the mask off during the reading so the little ones can see faces.

Getting There

Most families drive. The lot gets busy when a kids' program is running, so leave a few extra minutes. Coming by bus? Look the branch up on the LAPL site and plan a Metro route from there.

More Family Ideas

Our family events page collects puppet shows, museum days and weekend festivals, and it's the easiest place to find family events Los Angeles parents can actually plan around. For more spots across the city, browse the Los Angeles page. And if the 28th doesn't work, keep an eye on the branch calendar, since this storytime has been a regular Wednesday fixture all fall.