Welcome to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Children's Room!

Ms. Clara Webber was the first children's librarian of Pomona Public Library. A long time correspondent with Mrs. Laura Ingalls Wilder, she was instrumental in having the Children's Room named in honor of Mrs. Wilder on May 25, 1950. Today, we house the original hand written manuscript for the novel Little Town on the Prairie. Every February, we host the Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable in honor of Mrs. Wilder's February 7th birthday.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Homework Center Comes to PPL!

Homework! Oh, Homework!
by Jack Prelutsky
(Prelutsky, Jack. The New Kid on the Block.)

Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You Stink!
I wish I could wash you
away in the sink,
if only a bomb
would explode you to bits.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You're giving me fits.

I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework
my teacher assigns.

Homework! Oh, homework!
You're last on my list,
I simply can't see
why you even exist,
if you just disappeared
it would tickle me pink.
Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!


If this is how you feel about homework, we're here for you! We are opening a homework center beginning Tuesday, March 4th. So, March Fourth into the library! Cal Poly Pomona students will be here to assist elementary students in grades 3 through 6. The hours are: Tuesday and Thursday 4:00pm-6:00pm. Wednesday: 3:00-5:00pm.

So be there if you care!

Homework Jokes
(Rosenbloom, Joseph. 696 Silly School Jokes & Riddles.)

Harold: Teacher, would you punish me for something I didn't do?
Teacher: Of course not.
Harold: Good, because I didn't do my homework.

Teacher: Did you do your homework?
Arthur: No, teacher.
Teacher: Do you have an excuse?
Arthur: Yes. It's all my mother's fault.
Teacher: She kept you from doing it?
Arthur: No, she didn't nag me enough.

And one last joke ...

Teacher: This homework looks like your father's writing.
Dwight: Sure, I used his pen.

Monday, February 25, 2008

National Pig Day at PPL



Attention all care givers of preschool children: tomorrow 2/26/08 at 10:15am we will be celebrating National Pig Day at story time. National Pig Day is actually March 1, 2008. (That's my brother's birthday. I would have loved to have known that when I was a kid.) :)

We will be having pig stories. You'll meet Hamilton; Humphrey the Dancing Pig; you'll hear the
TRUE Story of the Three Little Pigs; and This Little Piggy. Pigs are pure phun here at PPL. We'll have a snorting good time hearing about all those swine and porkers.

So come all of you preschoolers out there. Be sure to bring your care giver because after all you are a little short to drive. We can all be stinkers!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

A Tribute to Phebe



Most people who know me know that I love cats. I always have and I always will. Our friend, the Goddess of Pomona, predicted that I would write about cats and she's absolutely right! But this post isn't about any cat, it's a tribute to a special cat, a cat named Phebe. Her whole name is Phebe B. Huntington and if you want to know why, feel free to come into the library and ask.

Phebe was born April 6, 1987 and passed away from cancer on January 15, 2008. She was 20 years, nine months, and nine days old. In this tribute I would like to share books about cats that you don't see everyday. Fiction books on cats are easy to find so I would like to focus on non-fiction books that you may not know exist.

If you are looking for books on cat care, the X 636.8's is the place to go.
Hausherr, R. My First Kitten.
X
636.8
HAU

Rosen, Michael. Purr--: Children's Book Illustrators Brag about their Cats.
X
636.8
PUR

We have plenty of folklore on cats:
Zaun, M. Catlore Tales From Around the World.
X
398.2
ZAU

Mother Goose. Cats by Mother Goose.
X
398.8
MOT

Schwartz, Alvin. Stories to Tell a Cat
X
398.24
SCH

Drawing Cats:
Ames, Lee. Draw 50 Cats.
X
743
AME

Cat Poems:
Livingston, Myra Cohn. Cat Poems.
X
811
CAT

Jokes about Cats:
Friedman, S. Cat's Out of the Bag: Jokes About Cats.
X
793.7
FRI

When that moment comes and you have to say good-bye:
Rylant, Cynthia. Cat Heaven.
XP
R


Even a pop-up book:
Gurney, E. Eric Gurney's Pop-Up Book of Cats
XR
096
GUR
This book is in our Webber Collection and cannot be checked out. However, if you want to look at it, you can go to our Special Collections room and ask to see it. Our Special Collections room is located downstairs and their hours are: Monday - Wednesday 2:00pm to 6:00pm.

These are only a very few of the many great books about cats. In fact, if you put the word "cats" in our advanced search, any fields search box, you get 1,469 hits! Keep reading and keep taking care of those sweet pets out there. Phebe, this one's for you.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Library Programs

Attention all teens! Our anti-valentine craft is today at 4:00pm. We will be making an anti valentine for you to give to your not-so-significant other.

Everyone please remember that we will be closed on Monday, February 18th, to celebrate President's day. I know you will be out of school so instead of coming to the Library, try finishing your favorite book, or go to the park, or hang out at your friend's house because our doors will be locked! You have our permission to return on Tuesday in droves and drive us crazy...

One of our programs that I would like to focus on is our Grandparents and Books. We have this every Wednesday from 3:30-4:30pm. Grandma Jean has been coming in for several years now and she does a great job of reading books to kids. She even lets you practice your reading out loud if you want to. This is an informal group, you can come and go as you need to. We pick out GREAT books and to tell you the truth it's fun just being around Grandma Jean.

Joke for the day: "Please hush," said the librarian to some noisy children. "The people around you can't read."
"Really?" asked one little girl. "Then why are they here?"

Monday, February 11, 2008

Even more Sociable Pictures!


Journeys to the Past helped us understand Native American culture with hands on artifacts. Several volunteers from the audience were needed.

These pictures were taken at our Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable on February 2, 2008. February 7, 2008 would have been her 141st birthday!


This third picture shows our performer, Craig Newton, with one
of our Library's loyal patrons. He is helping Craig by blowing a train whistle.



More Sociable Pictures!







Children came to our Sociable in period costume. When Craig Newton started in on "Twist and Shout" the three Librarians couldn't sit still! More to come ...

Sociable Picture

This picture was taken at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable on 2/2/08. I have been trying to upload more pictures but I find myself severely challenged. But there is hope. I have friends in high places, right Allan? More later.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

We've made it easier to get to the Blog!

Yesterday, we learned that an extra button has been added to our library's catalog. When you look at our library catalog (http://www.youseemore.com/pomona/default.asp)
you will see the new button with the label "PPL Kid's Blog." Click on it, and it'll take you right to this blog! Pretty handy. :-)


Today's knock, knock joke:

Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kanga.
Kanga, who?

NO- KangaROO!

Monday, February 4, 2008

A Successful Sociable!

A big thank you to all of you who came to our 42nd annual sociable. We had great fun! Craig Newton did a great job singing his way through the prairie. (We don't really know what "Twist and Shout" had to do with Laura, but we didn't care!) His knowledge of all of his instruments were impressive as was the fact that he played them so well.

Journeys to the Past recreated Native American history and had many artifacts for us to see. She showed us how Native Americans wove baskets and had beautiful ones on display. We all learned a lot and appreciated this added perspective.

Grandma Sue took over the conference room with her craft and I saw many children going home with a one room schoolhouse. The Friends of the Library provided refreshments and a good time was had by all.

This week we will have our children's valentine craft. It is Wednesday, February 6th at 3:00pm.
Next week will be our teen craft February 13th at 4:00pm.

One of our resident teens took pictures at the Sociable and we will post them when we are able. Since as of today no one has stopped by to help me with uploading pictures, I will leave that task to Ms. Nissa or Grandma Sue. :)

Joke for the day: Why did the one-eyed monster close down his school?
Answer: He only had one pupil.