Recording time: 54 sec.

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

Recording time: 3 min., 04 sec.

Recording time: 1 min.

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.

This story is read by Merissa Kittleson.

Recording time: 12 min., 7 sec.

Recording time: 3 min., 44 sec.

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

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.

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.

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

Recording time: 1 min., 17 sec.

How cheerfully he seems to grin,

How neatly spreads his claws,

And welcomes little fishes in

With gently smiling jaws!

Recording time: 27 sec.

That is what happens to Miss Hooper.

Recording time: 2 min., 5 sec.

Recording time: 1 min., 5 sec.

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

Recording time: 2 min., 24 sec.

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.

Recording time: 6 min., 39 sec.

Recording time: 3 min., 05 seconds

Recording time: 2 min., 45 sec.

Recorded time: 1 min., 54 sec.

                                         The Moon

  The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
  She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
  On streets and fields and harbour quays,
  And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

  The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
  The howling dog by the door of the house,
  The bat that lies in bed at noon,
  All love to be out by the light of the moon.

  But all of the things that belong to the day
  Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
  And flowers and children close their eyes
  Till up in the morning the sun shall arise.

Recording time: 7 min., 43 sec.

Are you interested in being a reader?

Volunteering is easy and fun. You can sign up for as little as a half-hour of time. Many great stories are just waiting to be read . . . won't you read one?

If you are interested please pick up an application/information form at the circ desk or e-mail Michelle at mgurung@selco.info.

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

Recording time: 3 min., 04 sec.

  I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
  And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
  He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
  And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

  The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow--
  Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
  For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
  And he sometimes goes so little that there's none of him at all.

  He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
  And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
  He stays so close behind me, he's a coward you can see;
  I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

  One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
  I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
  But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
  Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Bed in Summer

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people's feet
Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
To have to go to bed by day?

Recording time: 4 min., 32 sec.

Recording time: 5 min., 21 sec.

Recording time: 35 min.

Recording time: 1 min., 53 sec.

Recording time: 4 min., 19 sec.

Recording time: 2 min., 45 sec.

This classic English folk tale is read by Carolyn Smith.

Recording time: 10 min., 13 sec.

Recording time: 3 min., 19 sec.

At Your Library by Bill Harley2005 Round River Records, used with permission www.billharley.com

Recording time: 6 min., 48 sec. 

Recording time: 4 min., 44 sec.

Recording time: 7 min., 35 sec.

(Introduction music is Rogg Maddeford Piano Duo's"Song for Madeleine.")

(Introduction music is Rogg Maddeford Piano Duo's"Song for Madeleine.")