Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Today was "Read Across America" day at Mendoza Elementary School. It was fantastic. The whole school met outside and reading awards were given out. They honored the student who read the most in each class. The Principal, Ms. McMullin, told every student that they were all winners because each and every student was reading! She's absolutely right! It is so much fun for me to be able to go out to the schools and see the children get rewarded for reading. The children and the teachers were all wearing the "cat in the hat" hats. The county of Los Angeles fire department came and brought Tremor, the Cat in the Hat, and the Eagle for the Mendoza mascot, the Eagle.

The entire event was wonderful. I got to go to two classrooms and read. This was my second year to attend this event and I sure hope it's not my last!

While I was sitting there I reflected about the person Mendoza was named after. Candelario Mendoza was principal of this school and the first Hispanic American to get a teaching position in Pomona. I am really sorry that I never got to meet him because anyone who talks about him says what a wonderful person he was. For someone to love children the way he did he more than deserves this school to be named for him. His legacy truly lives on in this wonderful school.

Here is to you Principal McMullin and your wonderful Mendoza Elementary School!

Joke of the day: Why do traffic lights turn red?
Answer: You would too if you had to stop and go in the middle of the street! :)

Kellogg Park, Pomona, California

Good Wednesday, young Pomonans! I had the opportunity to go out to Kellogg Park this afternoon to tell stories and sing songs. It was great fun! I had never been to Kellogg Park before and I had a little trouble finding it. I'm glad I left early because I just got there on time.

Kellogg Park is right next door to Kellogg Elementary School. It is not a very big park as you can see, but it is beautiful. I love the trees!

As I've mentioned before, I have had a lot of dental work done. My mouth is full of fake teeth. I kid you not. Not only that, but this morning the fake teeth in the top front of my mouth fell out!! Nooooooo! I put them back in but they are loose. I went out to Kellogg Park hoping against hope that they don't fall out and fly across the room when I'm telling a story or singing a song! I decided to be honest with the kids and tell them that this might happen because my fake teeth are loose. They took it very well but stared at my mouth the whole session! When I left I think they were very disappointed not to have seen flying teeth! Sigh.

Take my story to heart, young Pomonans! TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEETH!

Joke of the day: What should children and adults alike tell all the time?
Answer: The tooth and nothing but the tooth!

Happy Birthday, Greg!

Greg's party was a great success! Bruce Guter, our Library Systems Manager and Allan Lagumbay put together a great video. Great pictures from the past came back to haunt him (especially one from the 1970's!)

Great cake and punch added to the fun. Staff from our Community Services came over to share in the fun. It was great to have them!

Happy Birthday, Greg, and many many more!

And in Greg's honor is a nice cat joke:

What makes more noise than a cat stuck in a tree?
Answer: TWO cats stuck in a tree! :)

Library Director's Birthday!

Great day to you, young Pomonans! Last week our library director, Greg Shapton, celebrated his 60th birthday. I know that sounds terribly old to you, and well I guess it is! :) These pictures were taken last year when he wasn't nearly so old. I'll take pictures today and let you decide for yourselves if he's "over the hill." :) I knew we were having his party today and I still managed to forget his card. Shoot! It's a really good one too.

Here are our weekly activities:

Monday: 12:00-2:00pm Come play at elf.

Tuesday: 12:15pm Preschool story time.
3:00pm After school story time.
4:00-6:00pm Homework Assistance Center

Wednesday: 3:30-4:30pm Grandparents and books.
4:00-6:00pm Homework Assistance Center.

Thursday: 12:15pm Infant story time.
4:00-6:00pm Homework Assistance Center.

Don't forget that Friday is "Read Across America" day. It is a celebration of Dr. Seuss and how important reading is. I'll be at Mendoza Elementary School with my "Cat In the Hat" stuffed animals. I think I'll bring my "Horton Hears A Who" animals as well.

READ FOR THE FUN OF IT!!!

Joke of the day: Why did the little girl put ice in her Father's bed?
Answer: Because she like cold pop. :)

Homework Assistance Center

Hello young Pomonans! Just a reminder that our homework center is open and going strong. Cal Poly Pomona students are here to help you with your homework. They are open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 4:00-6:00pm.

This is a wonderful program where college students volunteer their time to help you.
Come on in and meet everyone and you might just learn something. You never know!

Joke of the day: Knock, knock
Whose there?
Ben and Don.
Ben and Don who?
Ben there, Don that. :)

Malie and Sadie

Aren't they cute??? These are the two youngest of my cats. They love to sleep on top of the refrigerator. Malie will be two years old in May and Sadie is eight months old. Now that Sadie is getting older it is sometimes hard to tell them apart.
For two cats that aren't related they sure do look alike!

Another joke of the day: What kind of balls do cats NOT like to play with?
Answer: Fur balls! :)

I'm back......

Good day, young Pomonans! I'm back from my week off and it feels like I've been gone for a very long time! I had a good week off with the exception of having to go to the dentist. I was there for seven (7) hours! It was horrible. Always remember, young Pomonans, to take care of your teeth!

Here is what's happening at PPL this week:

Tuesday: 12:15pm Preschool story time
3:00pm After school story time
4:00-6:00pm Homework Center

Wednesday: 3:30-4:30pm Grandparents and Books
4:00-6:00pm Homework Center

Thursday: 12:15pm Infant story time
4:00-6:00pm Homework Center

And, as always, we are here for you. Come on in and see us.

Joke of the day: Why didn't the hen go bungee cord jumping with the turkeys?
Answer: She was chicken. :)

43rd Annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable

Hello young Pomonans! Ms. Lois is taking a bit of break this week from the library. If you plan on attending tomorrow's storytime, you might catch a glimpse of her during her week off. ;-)


I hope you were able to attend this year's Sociable because we had a roping and rolicking time! Cowboy Ken entertained us with some prairie songs and tales that Laura Ingalls herself probably heard as a young girl. Cowgirl Christie taught some lasso tricks and cracked her bullwhip for us a few times. Grandma Sue had a great wagon craft that everyone got to drive home, but not before having some birthday cake and apple juice in honor of Laura's 142nd birthday. A big thank you to our Friends of the Pomona Public Library for sponsoring this fun event and refreshments!


Here's two western jokes in honor of our performers:


What do you get from nervous cows? Milkshakes!


Why did the cowgirl plant bullets in her garden? She wanted to grow bangs!

The Last Call for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable!

It's finally coming, young Pomonans! Our Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable is this Saturday, February 7, 2009. We will start at 1:00pm with Cowboy Ken who will tell cowboy/cowgirl stories and songs and do trick roping as well! At 2:00pm Cowgirl Christy will do her roping tricks and stories and songs. It will be a really fun time for the whole family. 3:00-4:00pm Grandma Sue will be doing crafts. You'll be making these Conestoga Wagons (like the one pictured) and of course we will have birthday cake and punch.

Hooray to the Friends of the Pomona Public Library who sponsor this event. They are a wonderful group of people who help us keep this tradition alive.

This is the last "official" notice of the Sociable. I have tomorrow off and I may or may not send one last shout out from home.

See you Saturday! We'll have fun, fun, fun!

Joke of the day: No joke! Be at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable! Saturday, February 7, 2009 from 1:00pm-4:00pm!

Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable, 1975

Good Wednesday young Pomonans! We are counting down to our annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable. This picture is from the year 1975 when Melissa Sue Anderson visited the Pomona Public Library to sign autographs. For those of you who weren't born yet, Melissa Sue Anderson played the part of Mary Ingalls in the television version of Little House On the Prairie. It was quite exciting at the time to have a television personality visit the Pomona Public Library. It still is!

Remember: Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable
This Saturday, February 7, 2009.
1:00-3:00pm Cowboy/Cowgirl stories, songs and trick roping
3:00-4:00pm Crafts and refreshments

On Saturday, steer yourselves here!

Joke of the day: What's a troll's favorite cowboy song?
Answer: "Gnome on the Range." :)

Four Story time kids excited for the Sociable!

Yes, indeed, young pomonans. We had stories about Laura Ingalls Wilder today at story time. We read about how she lived in a log cabin in the big woods of Wisconsin. This coming Saturday, February 7th is Laura's actual birthday. We will be celebrating her birthday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm here in the Laura Ingalls Wilder Children's room. Ken Frawley and Christy Lewis will be entertaining everyone with stories, songs, and trick roping. You won't want to miss this! By the way, if Laura were alive today she would be 143 years old!

Remember:

February 7, 2009
1:00-3:00pm Stories, songs, and trick roping with Ken & Christy
3:00-4:00pm Crafts and refreshments

Don't be near, be here!!!

Joke of the day: Who was the most underhanded cowboy?
Answer: Billy the Cad! :)

Laura Ingalls Wilder Sociable this Saturday!

Happy Monday, young Pomonans! We are officially counting down the days to our Sociable. This Saturday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm we will be having fun at our Sociable. Ken Frawley and Christy Lewis will be performing cowboy/cowgirl stories and songs as well as performing rope tricks. Since Saturday, February 7th is Laura's actual birthday, we will be having birthday cake and punch. I'll drag out my guitar and we can sing happy birthday to her as well. I've never actually sung to a dead person before but I think Laura would really like it if she were here.

Feel free to dress up in period costume. Not everyone does but we usually have some that do. Personally, those bonnets would seriously get on my nerves but some like to wear them.

This is a fun, free, family event. You'll be tapping your toes and humming along to familiar tunes. It helps us to remember our past. They didn't even have electricity let alone I-pods. :)

These pictures above are pictures of the original handwritten manuscript of Little Town on the Prairie. Laura hand wrote all her books and this manuscript she sent to Miss Webber who was the first Children's Librarian at the Pomona Public Library. This is the only manuscript on the west coast and we are very proud to house it. Come in and see it!

I'll see you here this Saturday!!

Joke of the day: Where do cowboys go to ride horses and be impolite?
Answer: To a rude-eo! :)