A break in yesterday’s showers gave about 25 egg hunters the chance to dash around the playground at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (3916 Locust Walk) in search of their bounty.

We were lucky to get a close-up look at the action. The slideshow below shows you what we saw.

UPDATES:
• The hunt at Malcolm X Park has been moved to the First Corinthian Baptist Church at 5101 Pine St. The noon start time is still on.

Rain has washed out the egg hunt scheduled for today at Clark Park. We will keep you posted on a possible rescheduling and also on the other hunts scheduled for Malcolm X Park and St. Mary’s. The original story on the hunts is here.

Three Easter egg hunts are on tap in the neighborhood on Saturday.

• Malcolm X Park – The 20th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Malcolm X Park is Noon- 3pm. It’s a free event with drill team, face painting, line dancing, DJ. Volunteers are needed to help out with the set-up. Call Helen at 215-476-0983 or just show up and enjoy!

• St. Mary’s at 3916 Locust Walk will host a hunt for children 13 years and under at 4 p.m. rain or shine. Please bring your own basket. Light refreshments will be available for adults. For more information call 215-386-3916.

• Children up to 8 are invited to Clark Park “B” for a hunt hosted by Renewal Presbyterian Church also at 4 p.m. For more information call 215-727-7200.

• The “Great Egg Hunt” will be at the Walnut Street West Library (40th and Walnut) at 1 p.m.

Wednesday is supposed to be sticky (about 80 degrees we’re told) and thunderstormy. Since the public school kids are home this week for spring break, a cool event might be The Boy Who Cried Bully, a free performance put on by the Walnut Street Theatre’s touring company at the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library (52nd and Sansom).

Here is a description of the play from the Walnut Street Theatre website:

“Meet Nate, a typical third-grader with a love for telling tall tales. Nate’s biggest problem is Sam, a fifth-grade bully who has it in for him and his friends. Thankfully, Bob the Bully-Buster visits to teach Nate’s class what they can do to identify and prevent bullying in school. Based on the classic Aesop’s fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, this honest, funny and engaging production looks at stretching truths and accepting differences.”

The performance begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and is suitable for kids K through 5th grade. For more info call the library at 215-685-7424.

Every couple of weeks a small room in the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library at 52nd and Sansom is converted into a shrine to the Japanese comic art genre of manga. Teens and ‘tweens (10-12 year-olds) stop by to talk manga, draw manga, read manga and even listen to music about manga.

Manga, which in Japan is read by all segments of society, has swept through this generation of American kids in Harry Potter-like fashion.

“It appeals to a wide range of what you’re looking for,” said Shaunda, a Philadelphia High School for Girls student. “If you’re looking for fantasy, they have fantasy. They’re got action and lots of romance.”

Librarians have welcomed the interest in manga and have dedicated more money to bolster library collections.

“Some of the stories are kind of fantastic,” said Blackwell librarian Jeanne Hamann.

She added that kids who grew up with Pokemon were sort of “primed” for manga.

Hamann also said interest in manga has opened a window into Japanese culture for many.

That was certainly evident at this week’s Manga Cafe. As fans sat at table drawing, reading and talking manga, Japanese music played in the background. Kids leafed through Japanese magazines and Japanese food was served.

See the slideshow below for a better look at the Manga Cafe.

A few scholarships still remain for the Neighborhood Bike Works summer cycling camp. Half of camp spots go to scholarship recipients ages 8-12.

Based out of the Neighborhood Bike Works shop at 3916 Locust Walk behind the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, the summer camp offers kids the chance to rebuild a bike and earn a bike, helmet and lock over a two-week session. The camp also includes rides and field trips and instruction on safe cycling, nutrition and healthy lifestyles.

The camp, now in its ninth year, runs Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and there are four two-week sessions available. The sessions begin on July 5, July 18, August 1 and August 15. Only scholarships slots remain for all camp sessions. The fees for campers normally run $425 to $450 per session.

A half-day session is also available at the North Philly Neighborhood Bike Works shop.

For more information go to the Neighborhood Bike Works website or call Summer Camp Director Daniel Helms at 215-386-0316. His e-mail is dan – at – neighborhoodbikeworks.org.