Winter 2012 Programs

Don't forget to check out our Winter 2012 Programs page! (that includes Mother Goose on the Loose and Preschool Storytimes)

New Books December 2011

We just got in some new books!  Check out our "New Books - December 2011" link to see the list.  There are lots of great titles but may we especially recommend:

• Mother Goose Picture Puzzles by Will Hillenbrand
• Bart's King-Sized Book of Fun by Bart King
• Three Hens and a Peacock by Lester L. Laminack
• Ferret Fun by Karen Rostoker-Gruber
• Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door by Adam Rubin
• Press Here by Herve Tullet
• Fuddles by Frans Vischer
• Scaredy Squirrel Has a Birthday Party by Melanie Watt
• Amanda and Her Alligator by Mo Willems

Happy Reading!

LEGO Club

Come see our awesome LEGO Club creations at the library! We will be meeting again on January 28th @ 9:30

The Change of Seasons

Thank you for participating in our Fall bulletin board display: "What is Your Favorite Fall Activity" in the picture book room. We had over 150 children color leaves, pumpkins, and turkeys! Ask at the Children's Reference Desk for mittens and crayons to help us decorate our new display: "Winter Wonderland!"

Holiday Surprise

We had a wonderful Christmas surprise this morning. Students from St. Patrick School came caroling. It made our morning and put us all in the Christmas spirit. They did a lovely job. Many thanks to St. Pat's students and staff.

Winter 2012 Programs

Check out our Winter 2012 programs! Make sure to check it periodically as we do add programs!

Graphic Novel Pick

Super Amoeba (Squish series)
by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Grades 2-4
Random House
Released May 2011

Summary:
Squish is just an average grade school amoeba that loves comic books and Twinkies. He goes to school, sits through boring classes, and has a best friend named Pod who likes to mooch lunch money off of Squish for cafeteria tacos. One day, a school bully tries to force Squish to cheat on a test. If he doesn't cooperate the bully will...gulp...eat his cheerful paramecium friend Peggy. Yep, that's right, single-celled bullies in the microscopic world do not threaten to beat up geeks, they eat them. While Squish is a small amoeba, he has always tried to follow his favorite comic book hero's code by finding: "the courage to do what's right!". Will Squish be able to find the courage to stand up to his bully and save Peggy? Find out in the highly anticipated new series, Squish!

Review:
From the creators of the popular Babymouse series, Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm introduce a new series that features a cute microscopic blob and comic book nerd that readers will love! Children will easily identify with Squish's school life, cast of loyal friends, and problems with bullies. This book also highlights facts about the microscopic world that are informative and entertaining to the reader. For instance, when the bully attempts to eat Peggy the author ads a side-note: "Seriously, this is how amoebas eat paramecia. Cool, huh?" There is even a section at the back of the book where Pod teaches kids how to do a science experiment. My only criticism of this book is that the authors decide to make the solution to the bully problem humorous instead of allowing Squish to confront his bully. However, overall this is an amusing and attractive graphic novel that kids will not be able to keep their pseudopods (or hands) off of! The illustrations are simple and easily accessible to new graphic novel readers. Recommended for grades 2-4.

A Very Special Santa

There must be LOTS of good girls and boys in Lowell because this December Santa Claus has made 3 visits to the Pollard Library. On Saturday Santa took time out of his very busy schedule to visit with some friends on the autism spectrum. He told me he had a wonderful time and is always happy to see such terrific kids.

Holiday Fun

We had a wonderful time at our holiday family storytime. We celebrated Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa with stories, songs, and games. We even had a special visitor - Santa Claus!
Happy Holidays to All!

Dec. 28th Family Storytime

Please note: Due to a staff family emergency we have had to cancel our Dec. 28th family storytime. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Holiday Sing Along 2011

We had a very merry time at our annual Holiday Sing Along. Santa was so impressed with our singing that he made a trip all the way from the North Pole!

This Week's (12/5/11) Kids' Activities at the Pollard

Please join us for these fun holiday events!

Annual Holiday Sing-Along
Tuesday, December 6th at 10:30 AM
All children and their grownups are welcome!

Sensory Santa
Saturday, December 10th
Children on the autism spectrum and children with sensory issues are invited to this special visit with Santa. The lights will be low and the carols playing softly. Children can stop by any time between 9:30 AM and 11 AM to visit with Santa. Bring a camera to capture a memory! This event is specifically for special needs children. We appreciate your understanding!

Holiday Storytime
Saturday, December 10th at 11:30 AM
All children and their grownups are welcome!

Lego Club

Our next Lego Club meets this Saturday, December 3rd at 9:30 AM. All kids in grade one and older are welcome.

December Programs at the Pollard

We've got a busy December here at the Pollard. Check out our December Activities page to see what we're doing!

Thanksgiving Storytime

Join us on Saturday, November 19th at 10:30 AM and come count your blessings with us at this special Thanksgiving storytime. All children and their grownups are welcome.

Family Storytime

November is Family Literacy Month!
Come to our special family storytime on Wednesday, November 16th at 10:30 AM. All children and their grownups are welcome (yes - even babies and toddlers!)

Graphic Novel Pick of the Week

Sidekicks
By Dan Santat
Ages 10+
Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic)
Released July 2011

Summary:
When Metro City's hero Captain Amazing decides to recruit a new sidekick, he never imagined who would interview for the job....his pets! Meet Metal Mutt, Static Cat, Chameleon, and Fluffy (the hamster). Who will Captain Amazing choose to be his next sidekick? Will the sidekicks be able to defeat Captain Amazing's arch nemesis Dr. Havoc and save Metro City? Find out in Dan Santat's Sidekicks.

Review:
This superhero graphic novel is action-packed with crime-fighting, sibling rivalry, and pet super powers. Children will eagerly follow along with sidekick newbies Fluffy the hamster and Shifty the gecko when they go up against their first criminals and dream of a day when they will have a "decked-out super car". But what really makes this graphic novel a great read is when these pets put aside their sibling rivalry and learn what it really means to be a superhero and a family. This is a humorous and heartwarming tale that kids will not be able to put down! Recommended for readers 10 and up.

*Ask at the Children's Reference Desk for Sidekicks by Dan Santat and other new graphic novels!

LEGO Club

Thank you for joining us for the LEGO Club Fall Session. Check the calendar on the library website soon for the Winter LEGO Club dates!

This Week at the Pollard (Oct. 31st)

Monday, October 31st
10:30 AM
Child and Me Playgroup

Tuesday, November 1st
Mother Goose on the Loose
10 AM or 11:15 AM

Wednesday, November 2nd
Preschool Storytime
10:30 AM

Thursday, November 3rd
Movin' and Groovin'
3 PM

Saturday, November 5th
Lego Club
9:30 AM

For more information about these events check out our Fall Programs link.

Trick or Treating in Lowell

Due to the unexpected snow storm and resulting power outages, Trick or Treating in Lowell has been postponed to Sunday, November 6th from 6PM - 8 PM. Happy Halloween!

Help for Families

I received this from LifeLinks:

HALLOWEEN

Do you need HALLOWEEN Costumes for your children?
Come join us at OUR FREE COSTUME GIVE-AWAY! We have HUNDREDS OF Costumes available * free of charge!
Children may keep their costume and can enjoy wearing them while trick-or-treating on Halloween!
DATE: SATURDAY October 29th
TIME: 11AM-3PM
Location: UMASS Lowell Inn and Conference center
50 Warren Street Lowell, MA 01852

THANKSGIVING

If you will be unable to have a Thanksgiving dinner this year please contact the Lifelinks Family Support Center. All requests will be taken under consideration, quantities are limited. Email: familysupport@lifelinksinc.net with the number of people and your family and a brief description of need.

CHRISTMAS

· For families with children under the age of 13, who need assistance with gifts. Lifelinks Family Support Center will be organizing a ‘giving tree’ to sponsor children in need. Please email: familysupport@lifelinksinc.net with the gender, age and gift request of the child (limit 3 things). These need to be submitted by November 4 in order to be considered.

· Sun Santa: Applications will be accepted from October 31 – November 18 through CTI. The office handling applications is located at 17 Kirk Street, Lowell. You can go directly there during the dates above to apply. I believe you will need proof of residence (a bill mailed to the house), Social Security Numbers and birthdates of children and possibly income verification.

Graphic Novel Fans

Check out our new graphic novels and graphic novel series at the Children's Reference Desk.

*Please ask at the Children's Reference Desk for assistance with the graphic novels.

New Graphic Novels

Action/Adventure
Bakugan (series) by Cartoon Network
Tower of Treasure by Scott Chantler
Yu-Gi-Oh!: GX (series) by Naoyuki Kagayama
Panda Man (series) by Sho Makura

Animals
Owly and Wormy, Friends All Aflutter by Andy Runton
Robot Dreams by Sara Varnon

Mystery
Nancy Drew New Case Files: Vampire Slayer by Stefan Petrucha

School Stories
Babymouse: Mad Scientist by Jennifer Holm
Squish: Super Amoeba by Jennifer Holm
Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Science Fiction/Fantasy
Fairy Idol Kanon (series) by Mera Hakamada
Zita the Space Girl: Far From Home by Ben Hatke
Big Adventures of Majoko (volume 4) by Tomomi Mizuna
Taro and the Magic Pencil by Sango Morimoto
Tall Tales by Jeff Smith
The Quest for the Spark by Tom Sniegoski
Magic Trixie and the Dragon by Jill Thompson
Magic Trixie Sleeps Over by Jill Thompson
Swans in Space (series) by Lun Lun Yamamoto
The Warrior's Trial (Vermonia series, volume 5) by Yoyo

Superheroes
Tiny Titans (series) by Art Baltazar
Batman: The Story of the Dark Knight by Ralph Cosentino
Wonder Woman: The Story of the Amazon Princess by Ralph Cosentino
Super Friends (series) by Sholly Fisch
Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! by Mike Kunkel
Sidekicks by Dan Santat
Marvel Adventures: Thor (series) by Louise Simonson
Marvel Adventures: Spiderman (series) by Paul Tobin
Marvel Adventures: Iron Man (series) by Fred Van Lente
Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade by Landry Walker

This Week at the Library (Week of Oct. 24th)

Monday, October 24th
10:30 AM
Child and Me Playgroup

Monday, October 24th
11:45 AM
Early Childhood Screenings conducted by South Bay Early Intervention

Tuesday, October 25th
10 AM or 11:15 AM
Mother Goose on the Loose

Wednesday, October 26th
10:30 AM
"Unscary" Halloween Celebration
All children and their grownups are welcome!
Get in the spirit and wear a costume!

Thursday, October 27th
3 PM
Movin' and Groovin'

For more information about any of these programs please check our "Fall Children's Program" link.

Fall Festival 2011 Photos

The Pollard Library's Fall Festival was a success! The Children's Department activities featured a children's performer, Elaine Kessler and her friend Stinky Goat. The Girl Scouts and teen volunteers helped with crafts and face painting.

Elaine Kessler, children's performer

Uh oh, Stinky Goat stole some laundry!

Arts and Crafts with the Girl Scouts

Face painting

Thank you so much for joining us and we hope to see you next year!

Unscary Halloween Celebration!

Halloween is here
Let's all give a cheer
For ghosties, goblins, and trick or treating
Halloween is here!

Join us for our annual "unscary" Halloween celebration. We'll sing songs, dance, and make a Halloween craft to take home. Get in the Halloween spirit and wear your costume. All children (yes - even babies and toddlers!) and their grownups are welcome.

Wednesday, October 26th at 10:30 AM
This is a drop-in program. No sign up is necessary.

What's Going on at the Library - Week of Oct. 17th

Monday, October 17th
10:30 AM*
Child and Me Play Group
* Beginning Oct. 17th Child and Me Play Group will meet at 10:30 AM.

Tuesday, October 18th
10 AM or 11:15 AM
Mother Goose on the Loose

Wednesday, October 19th
10:30 AM
Preschool Storytime

Thursday, October 20th
3 PM
Movin' and Groovin'

What's Going On the Week of October 10th

Due to the Columbus Day holiday, the library is closed, Monday, October 10th. That means no "Child and Me" group at 9:30 AM that day.

Here's what's going on for the rest of that week:
Tuesday, October 11th
Mother Goose on the Loose
10 AM or 11:15 AM

Wednesday, October 12th
Preschool Storytime
10:30 AM

Thursday, October 13th
Movin' and Groovin'
3 PM

For more details on these programs, check out our "Fall Programs" page.

What's Going on the Week of October 3rd

Monday, October 3rd
9:30 AM
Child and Me Playgroup

Tuesday, October 4th
10 AM or 11:15 AM
Mother Goose on the Loose Storytime

Wednesday, October 5th
10:30 AM
Preschool Storytime

Thursday, October 6th
3 PM
"Movin' and Groovin'"

Saturday, October 8th
9:30 AM
Lego Club

*Please check out our "Fall Programs" page for more details on these programs.

Program Change

Please note:
The start time for Monday morning's "Child and Me" playgroup has changed from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM. This new time change begins on October 17th. (There is no playgroup on Oct. 10th as that is Columbus Day.)

Fall Festival

Don't forget that our Fall Festival is this weekend! The festival runs from 10 AM to
2 PM. Activities for kids are 10 AM - noon. The featured children's performer is Elaine Kessler (and her stinky goat!) Elaine performs at 10 AM. Her program is geared for children ages 3 years and older.

We will also be holding a "Food for Art" raffle during the festival. Due to the struggling economy, the demands on food banks is quite high. With this in mind we designed our "Food for Art" raffle. Pollard reference librarian and professional artist, Monica McDermott, has painted an original piece of artwork for the raffle. To enter the raffle, bring in nonperishable food items, one raffle ticket per item.

We hope to see you on Saturday!

This Week at the Pollard (September 26th)

Don't miss out on these fun activities!

Monday, September 26th
9:30 AM
Child and Me Playgroup

Tuesday, September 27th
10 AM or 11:15 AM
Mother Goose on the Loose Storytime

Wednesday, September 28th
10:30 AM
Preschool Storytime

Thursday, September 29th
3 PM
Movin' and Groovin'

Saturday, October 1st
Fall Festival, 10 AM - 2 PM
Come join us for music, crafts, and more!
The featured children's performer is Elaine Kessler. If you are age 3 and older, celebrate fall with Elaine and her stinky goat!
This program starts at 10 AM and sign up is required.
For more information about our first ever Fall Festival see our brochure.

For more information about any of our programs, check out our Fall Programs' link.

Literacy and Laughter Program

We certainly had both at this program! Courtesy of the UFund, Miss Lynda shared the story of the "Three Little Pigs." After the story the children got to pretend to be little piggies and acted out the story. But the highlight of the program was a visit from Elmo!

Rainy Weekend!

They are predicting a rainy Saturday. We've got a fun and free activity for Saturday morning! Join us for a morning full of stories and fun and a surprise special guest. All children will leave with their own books to take home. This program begins at 10 AM and is for children ages 3 years to 6 years.

This Week at the Pollard (Sept. 19th)

Here's what's going on this week in the Children's Department:

Tuesday, September 20th
10:00 AM or 11:15 AM
Mother Goose on the Loose

Wednesday, September 21st
10:30 AM
Preschool Storytime

Thursday, September 22nd
3 PM
Movin' and Groovin'

Saturday, September 24th
10 AM
Literacy and Laughter Program

Check out our Fall Programs link for more details on these fun activities!

New Books - September 2011

We've just received in some new books! Check out our New Books - Fall 2011 page to see a list of titles.

LEGO Club Pictures!

Come join at the next LEGO Club meeting on October 8th!