The Almaden resident is co-executive director of Safe From the Start San Jose, a nonprofit organization that strives to provide a healthy environment in which children can thrive. March 19 marks the third annual Book Circus, an event held at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, where children can receive free books and backpacks and parents can receive literature on parent resources.

Ariss says "We also have a construction equipment petting zoo," where the life-size Tonka trucks and tractors come out for the Building Blocks for Growing Minds event. Children will be encouraged to "pet" the equipment or to just admire from a distance.

Ariss, a mother of two, helped organize a citywide Halloween night event that gave away 30,000 green glow-necklaces to San Jose trick-or-treaters. The focus of that event was safety; one of the three concentrations of the Safe From the Start organization. The two other areas of concentration are nutrition and literacy, to which the Book Circus draws attention.

The Book Circus will include readings of children's books by Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez and two authors of children's books, Matthew Golub (The Jazz Fly and Gobble, Quack, Moon) and Dennis Hysom (Wooleycat's Musical Theater).

Special appearances will be made by literary characters Clifford the Big Red Dog, Madeline, Franklin the Turtle, Curious George and Dora the Explorer.

Ariss says the event is intended to show the importance of reading and help children discover the magic and wonder that can be found in reading, with a special focus on kids whose first language may not be English.

There will also be book recordings by Books Aloud, craft booths, health screenings, and give-aways of hard hats, popcorn and bookmarks.

Safe From the Start San Jose was founded by Chavez but continues to grow under the direction of Ariss, her co-executive director Sally Souders and a host of working and advisory board members, such as Almaden neighbor Rob Davis, chief of police.

The Book Circus will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library located at Fourth and San Fernando streets. For more information on donations or volunteer opportunities with Safe From the Start San Jose, visitwww.safefromthestartsanjose.org.