Listen to "The Duck and the Kangaroo" by Edward Lear as read by Maria DeGennero. A fun, silly poem about a duck and a kangaroo who set out to see the world together.

The stars just seem to shine brightest on Christmas Eve. Read by library staff.

Recording time: 54 sec.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas is a classic poem by Clement C. Moore. Treasured for many generations, it is possibly the most well-known poem about Santa and his eight reindeer. Can you name all eight reindeer?

Read by Randy Erdman, Former Mayor of the City of Albert Lea.

Recording time: 3 min., 04 sec.

Jolly Old St. Nicholas is a favorite Christmas carol of many. What do you hope to get from Santa when he visits?

Recording time: 1 min.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus is the reply letter printed in The New York Sun to Virginia, who had written a letter to the editor asking if Santa Claus really exists.

Listen to Tristyn and her grandmother Terry Olson read the real-life letters of Virginia O'Hanlon and Francis P. Church published in 1897.

Ready by Tristyn and her grandmother, Terry Olson.

Recording time: 3 min., 38 sec.

The Velveteen Rabbit is an award-winning beloved classic children's story.

Read by Bev Leonard.

Recording time: 22 min., 06 sec.

Enjoy listening to the classic fairytale Jack and the Beanstalk. Jack and his mother are so poor they must sell their cow at market. But Jack is fooled into buying magic beans. But what luck! The beans are really magic! What do you think will happen next?

This story is read by Merissa Kittleson.

Recording time: 12 min., 7 sec.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff want to cross the bridge to eat the sweet, spring grass. But first they must get by the horrible troll who guards the bridge!

Recording time: 3 min., 44 sec.

Enjoy this classic children's fairy tale about Cinderella. Cinderella gets bullied by her stepsisters and gets left out. But, her fairy godmother has some tricks up her sleeve. 

Do you think Cinderella will ever be able to go to the ball and meet the prince?

The New Vestments by Edward Lear is an poem about a man who dresses himself in absurd, ridiculous clothing! Very funny. Sure to have boys laughing.

Recording time: 2 min., 40 sec.

Poor old lady, she swallowed a fly.

I don't know why she swallowed a fly.

Poor old lady, I think she'll die.

Poor old lady, she swallowed a spider.

It squirmed and wriggled and turned inside her.

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.

I don't know why she swallowed a fly.

Poor old lady, I think she'll die.

Poor old lady, she swallowed a bird.

How absurd!   She swallowed a bird.

She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,

I don't know why she swallowed a fly.

Poor old lady, I think she'll die.

Poor old lady, she swallowed a cat.

Thank of that!   She swallowed a cat.

She swallowed the cat to catch the bird.

She swallowed the bird to catch the spider.

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,

I don't know why she swallowed a fly.

Poor old lady, I think she'll die.

Poor old lady, she swallowed a dog.

She went the whole hog when she swallowed the dog.

She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,

She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,

She swallowed the bird to catch the spider.

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,

I don't know why she swallowed a fly.

Poor old lady, I think she'll die.

Poor old lady, she swallowed a cow.

I don't know how she swallowed a cow.

She swallowed the cow to catch the dog,

She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,

She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,

She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,

I don't know why she swallowed a fly.

Poor old lady, I think she'll die.

Poor old lady, she swallowed a horse.

She died, of course.

Did you know that neither elves or mice like to get wet? Listen to our young readers Trysten and Jayden and see how they get in out of the rain.

The Elf and the Dormouse by Oliver Herford

•  
  Under a toadstool crept a wee Elf,
  Out of the rain to shelter himself.  
  Under the toadstool, sound asleep,
  Sat a big Dormouse all in a heap.  
   
  Trembled the wee Elf, frightened and yet
  Fearing to fly away lest he get wet.  
  To the next shelter - maybe a mile!
  Sudden the wee Elf smiled a wee smile.  
   
  Tugged till the toadstool toppled in two.
  Holding it over him, gaily he flew.  
  Soon he was safe home, dry as could be.
  Soon woke the Dormouse,"Good gracious me!  
   
  "Where is my toadstool?" loud he lamented.
  And that's how umbrellas first were invented.

Enjoy listening to these four classic Mother Goose rhymes.

Old Mother Hubbard
Pat a Cake
Jack and Jill
Sing a Song of Sixpence

Recording time: 1 min., 17 sec.

The Crocodile by Lewis Carroll

How doth the little crocodile

Improve his shining tail,

And pour the waters of the Nile

On every golden scale!

How cheerfully he seems to grin,

How neatly spreads his claws,

And welcomes little fishes in

With gently smiling jaws!

Recording time: 27 sec.

Hoop and stick was a game that your grandmother or great-grandmother might have played. This poem Miss Hooper's Hoop is about a girl who is just crazy for the game. She pushes her hoop until is seems like the hoop will just keep on going. Have you ever played a game so much that your parents had to beg and plead for you to stop?

That is what happens to Miss Hooper.

Recording time: 2 min., 5 sec.

The Fishing Song by William Brighty Rands is about a boy who has fishing fever!

Recording time: 1 min., 5 sec.

Jennifer Pena, who is known as Miss Rosa - a host of PBS Kids, took time to chat with us about her favorite things after our story time with her today. (We hope you had fun at our event - she sure is friendly!)

Can you guess what her favorite color is? What about her favorite food? What are your favorite things?

Recording time: 2 min., 24 sec.

The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse (remember, she helped the Flopsy Bunnies escape from Mr. McGregor?) by Beatrix Potter tells the tale of a very tidy, neat mouse who has some very messy, univited guests.

Just what will she do with Mr. Jackson, the toad, who comes in looking for honey and leaving wet, dirty footprints all over the house? Or, with the Babbity Bumble, the bumble bee, who leaves beeswax and honey stuck all around?

Mrs. Tittlemouse will think of something!

Recording time: 8 min, 44 sec.