Chinese New Year at the Pearl Public Library

We recently had our Chinese New Year Party at the Pearl Public Library. The kids enjoyed making Good Luck Goldfish and Handprint Dragons. We also read the book "The Runaway Wok", a humorous book about the Chinese New Year. Our next big event will be the Mad Hatter Tea Party on Thursday, February 16, at 4:00 pm. This event is for children 12 years and under.We will be making and decorating top hats and making a pocketwatch craft. We will also have games including Mixed Up Musical Chairs, Top Hat Toss, and Pin the Grin. Join us for crafts, games, food, and of course hats! So, remember to wear your favorite hat and don't be late for this very imporatant date!

Paw Pals at the Pearl Public Library

Paw Pals is in full gear this year at the Pearl Public Library. Betty Hutchinson and Mary Jo Anderson bring their posse of dogs the first Saturday of each month at 10:30 am to the Pearl Public Library. All of their dogs are certified therapy dogs who love to hear stories. Pictured on top from left to right: Hexie, Ranger, Liesl, Bongo, and Buffy. Stop by and pick up a book to read to one of the dogs. You can improve your reading skills and visit with the dogs. Become one of our regulars like Xander and Sophia pictured above. For more information, contact Beth Hindman, Youth Services Supervisor, at 601-932-2562.

Preschool Story Time @ Raleigh

Come join us in February for Preschool Story Time
at Raleigh Public Library every Tuesday morning at 11:00 a.m.
for children up to school age.
We have loads of FUN!
Stories, songs, and crafts!
For more information call 601-782-4277.
We are open Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
See you on Tuesdays!

Crafting @ Brandon

This week in Kid Corner and Creative Connection we up cycled some old cigar boxes and made them into one of a kind keepsake boxes! We have such talented patrons! Take a look at a few of their creations. We hope you can join us next week, Tuesday, January 17th at 3:30 and 5:00 when we make CD Case Notebooks and Bubble Stationery! For more information call Brandon Public Library, 601-825-2672!

Kid Corner

Creative Connection

Who doesn't love penguins?

It's winter time again, and it is the perfect season to read stories about penguins. Check out these penguin books we read for story time this week at the Pearl Public Library!

Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton

This is a very cute book about a hippo and a penguin. An unlikely combination? Maybe, this penguin just wants to be best pals with hippo. Read to find out all the fun things penguin wants to do with hippo.

I Like It When by Mary Murphy

This is a perfect book for bedtime! Little penguin shares his favorite things with the one he loves the most including bath time and dancing!

If You Were a Penguin by Wendell & Florence Minor

Did you know that you and a penguin are very similar? This delightful book explores all the fun activities of penguins and explores the ways in which they live.

Remember, Pearl Public Library has story time every Tuesday morning. Baby Bookworms is at 9:30 am and Preschool Story Time is at 10:30 am. Enjoy songs, stories, crafts and much more!

Free Programs at Brandon!

The Children's Department at Brandon Public Library is proud to announce that we have revamped our schedule and will now offer FREE weekly programming for K-2nd grade on Tuesdays at 3:30 and 3rd-6th grade on Tuesdays @5:00. Bring your kids in for fun crafts and lessons while you peruse the shelves! Please call ahead so we can save you a spot, 601-825-2672. We can't wait to see you there!



January crafts include:
10th-Keepsake Box

17th- CD Case Notebook with Bubble Stationery

24th- Magnetic Memo Board Set

31st- Glass Painted Trinket Jar

For more information, call Brandon Public Library and ask for the Children's Department!

Story Time Party @ Taylorsville Public Library

Wonderful Winter Holidays at the Taylorsville Public Library. Stories, music, crafts and a special Christmas party for the preschool Story Time Kids today.

Join us for fun each Wednesday @ 11:00 am., it's our Story Time Hour for preschoolers.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO 
THE MENDENHALL LIBRARY!!

It won't be too long now before Santa Claus makes his grand appearance for our "Beary Merry Christmas" Preschool Story Time at our Mendenhall Library, Thursday, December 22, at 10:00AM! All children under the age of 5 are invited to attend. Moms and Dads...bring your own camera for free pictures! Santa Claus will read a favorite book, The Christmas Bear and then each child will have the chance to tell Santa what they want for Christmas! Christmas goodies will be served afterwards!

Calling All Parents! Free Massages @ Brandon Public Library!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! With only 15 shopping days left until Christmas the holiday stress is in full swing and we've got just the thing to help! On Friday, December 16th, the Mississippi School of Therapeutic Massage will be at Brandon Public Library from 11-3 giving free, fifteen minute massages! Go ahead and bring the kids, we'll have coloring pages for them while you unwind. Call today to book your spot, 601-825-2672.

Happy Thanksgiving

What's so happy about Thanksgiving?  Well, let's see!

Q: What's the best way to stuff a turkey?
A: Serve him lots of pizza and ice cream!


Q: What was the turkey suspected of?
A: Fowl play.


Q: Why did the turkey cross the road?
A: Because it was the chicken's day off!


So, are you smiling yet?  Let's see if we can make it an even happier Thanksgiving.....

An  industrious turkey farmer was always experimenting with breeding a better turkey.  His family was fond of the leg portions for dinner but, there were never enough legs for everyone.  After many frustrating attempts, the farmer was relating the results of his efforts to his friends.  "Well I finally did it! I bred a turkey that has 6 legs!" he exclaimed.   His friends all wanted to know how it tasted.  "I don't know." said the farmer.  "I never could catch the thing!"                 




"I don't think it's gonna' work, Charlie."



Q: Why do turkeys always go, "gobble, gobble"?
A: Because they never learned good table manners!

Q: What sound does a space turkey make?

A: Hubble, Hubble, Hubble!         

 

Q: Who is not hungry at Thanksgiving?

A: The turkey, because he's already stuffed!

Q: What sound does a Turkey's phone make?            

A: Wing! Wing!                  



                                                                

Q: Why don't you let a turkey get near corn?

A: Because they will "gobble" it all up!

Q: What country does not celebrate Thanksgiving?

A: Turkey!                         

Q: What's a turkey's favorate song?

A: I'm dreaming of a White Christmas.

Q: If you call a large turkey a gobbler what do you call a small one?

A: Goblet!                                  

                                  

After Thanksgiving dinner was finished, Mort saw his little brother Sid in the backyard, poking holes in the dirt and filling them with birdseed.

"Why are you planting birdseed?" Mort asked.

"I'm growing next year's turkey." Sid replied.

Q: What did the 500 pound turkey say as he tramped through the woods?

A: Here, hunter, hunter, hunter!

We hope you have very safe and HAPPY Thanksgiving!



Movie Day @ Lake Public Library

Congratulations to Mrs. Everett's third grade class at Lake Elementary for earning a movie day at the library! They all worked to get their library cards during National Library Card Sign Up month in September and achieved 100% in their class. They brought their cards today to check out books and now they are enjoying some time off from school while they watch "Judy Moody and the Not So Bummer Summer". Where will your card take you?

Computer Play for Little Ones!

Have FUN feeding the fish!

Have you scrolled down to the bottom of this page to see the two games? One of these games is great for little ones learning to click a mouse. Just point the mouse somewhere around the fish and click; the fish come to eat the food you've just left for them. Come often and feed the fish to develop great 'mousing' skills!

The second game and familiar to many, PACMAN, is also a great 'keyboard training' game. You must use the arrow keys to follow the trail and not get caught. This builds more computer skills and coordination, also.

Stop by the CMRLS KiDS blog often to see what's going on and to have some fun building computer skills with with your little one!

Holiday Crafts!



"My Dad really does rock!" she says.



I can't believe she snapped that picture!

We had a great time in our Holiday Crafts 4 Kids program!  We made 4 easy, inexpensive and cute crafts that you can make at home to use as gifts. 

We had tea candle holders, button bookmarks, rock paperweights and braided sachets!

We had lots of smiles and fun! 

Lots

        of

            serious

                       work,

                                 too.

Hopefully, you will get to come next time we have a craft program!   If you can't make it to Florence, several of the other branches have crafts, too;  just watch the CMRLS calender to know when and where the next one is.  We hope to see you soon and will leave you with couple of last glances of our Holiday Crafts 4 Kids 2011.....



Double take!





Isn't this great, I can't wait 'til next year to see what we will do then!  How about you?



Leaf Man

What a beautiful day at the Mendenhall Library! We were "blown away" by our Preschool Story Time when we learned that "Leaf Man's got to go where the wind blows". After reading Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert, we took a walk around the Library and found lots of different colored leaves so that we could make our own Leaf Man. And if that wasn't all, one of our little patrons asked if we could collect more leaves to make a "chicken". So Daisy and Mike made a doggie and a chicken too! Our exploration of leaves brought us to books like Why Do Leaves Change Colors by Chris Arvetis and Carole Palmer and Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber.

Fall Fest at the Pearl Public Library

This year's Fall Fest at the Pearl Public Library was a big success. We had over 80 kids attend! They enjoyed refreshments, games, crafts, and a costume contest!

Pearl Public Library's next big event will be our Holiday Open House on Thursday, December 15, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. The Pearl Upper Elementary Choir will be performing holiday songs, and the Friends of the Pearl Public Library will provide delicious cookies and punch. We will also have holiday crafts for kids! The library will also be decorated just in time for Christmas and for Santa's arrival. Get your holiday picture taken with him! Please join us for this festive event!

Fall is here!

Fall may have begun back in September, but here in Mississippi we just started getting that cool weather!

At Brandon Public Library we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather today. Normally our preschool friends end story time with a craft, but today we took a nature walk instead! Each of our friends had a brown paper bag to collect their findings (pine straw, leaves, acorns, etc.) We read, "Leaf Man" by Lois Ehlert and our friends were inspired to make their own creations at home from their findings. We can't wait to hear all about what they come up with!



One of our friends showing off one of the beautiful leaves he found!

November Crafts-4-Kids

It is that time again kids!  Yep, you got it!  Time to start your Holiday Gift planning.  It is hard to decide what to give to parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and, yes, even teachers!  Well, come to Florence Public Library on Monday, November 7th  from 5 to 6 PM for some great gift ideas!  We will learn to make several items that you can make without spending all your allowance!  Here you can see the Braided Sachet and the Button Bookmark.  They are made with items that can be found in your home or can be bought without too much expense.  (Your grandmom might even have some of the supplies you need.)

Above you can see the Rock Paperweight and the Mini Candle Holder.  You will learn different ways to make these items on your own.  Won't all the adults on your Gift List be surprised when you tell them that your gift is custom made just for them! 

Come join the fun and take home the items you make! 

Halloween @ Brandon Public Library

We had a blast here at Brandon this Halloween. We stayed busy with parties, our annual pumpkin contest and a visit to "Under the Harvest Moon", an event hosted by Brandon Parks and Recreation in coordination with StoneBridge Elementary and Mayor Tim Coulter's Office.

Take a look at some pictures from our Halloween festivities!

Professional face painting was provided by Fabulous Fancy Faces.

Pete the Cat is Rocking and Rolling!

If you are not familiar with Pete the Cat, you should be. He is a lovable, blue cat who loves shoes!! This series of books is written by Eric Litwin, and is a joy to read.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Pete the Cat is a groovy kind of cat. He loves shoes, but he finds himself stepping in some big messes. His shoes change colors, but no matter what mess Pete gets into he just keeps singing his song and walking along! Check this out today at your CMRLS library!


Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
Pete the Cat is back—and this time he’s rocking in his school shoes. Pete discovers the library, the lunchroom, the playground, and lots of other cool places at school. And no matter where he goes, Pete never stops moving and grooving and singing his song . . . because it’s all good. Coming soon to your CMRLS library!

A Fox Just in Time for Fall!

Who doesn't love a fox? Here are two new children's books about a fox! Enjoy!

The Fox in the Dark by Alison Green

Rabbit, duck, mouse and lamb are scared of the fox in the dark. They all decide to hide in rabbit's house in his tiny little bed. Rat-a-tat-tat! Could it really be the fox at the door. This is a wonderful, humorous story of being scared of something and then finding it out that it wasn't so scary after all.

Foxy and Egg: A Book by Alex T. Smith

Foxy Du Bois has plans for her friend Egg. She plans to fatten him up and eat him! However, Egg has a plan of his own as well. This is a very well written book that teaches kids that selfishness often bites you back in the end!