12 Days of Christmas Advent Book Bundles available

This holiday season, Belleville Public Library is pleased to once again offer 12 Days of Christmas Advent Book Bundles. This is the third year of this annual program, where families can check out 12 holiday wrapped picture books from the library. These bundles can be opened, one book at a time, to be read to a child for the days leading up to Christmas. Make reading a fun surprise this holiday by picking up a 12 Days of Christmas Advent Book Bundle!

Each bundle will contain a variety of picture books, with at least one holiday book included. The bundles are not set by age or theme. French book bundles will also be available for families that are interested. Book bundles can be picked up at the library's circulation department from Monday, November 28 to Sunday, December 11. There is no registration required. A library card will be needed to check out the books. These wrapped bundles will be available while supplies last and will be limited to one bundle per child.

The library has several great holiday events for children in December. For the first three weeks of December, we will be making holiday crafts during our regular Saturday Kids Club from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. On Saturday, December 3, come out to make a lovely reindeer paper bag puppet and snowman bookmark. On December 10, stop by to build and decorate a paper gingerbread house. Our Saturday Kids Club on December 17 will be our last children's event of the year. Join us that morning while we make Christmas Cards & Ornaments. All three events are for children of all ages. No registration is required.

We have a special, holiday Storytime event planned on December 7 from 10-11 a.m. Local author and local illustrator, Valerie McEvoy and Ruby Curtis-Cowen will read their new picture book

The Gingerbread Mouse. What happens when a mouse cannot resist the urge to eat a delicious ginger bread house? Come find out. This is a drop-in program the will be held in our children's program room on the first floor of the library. For those that are interested, Valerie and Ruby will also be selling and signing their picture book at the end of the event. Music and Movement,

Toddlertime and Storytime for December events will also feature holiday music and holiday read-aloud stories until the Holidays. See our website for more information.

From now until December 7, Letter to Santa template sheets will be available in the children's area of the library. Letters can be filled out and dropped in our Christmas mailbox that is also in the Children's area. Remember to include a return address in order to receive a response from Santa.

For questions about our children's holiday events, or for any other library program, please contact us at cys@ bellevillelibrary.ca, call us at 613968-6731 extension 2035, or stop by the Reader's Advisory desk on the first floor of the library.

Jonathan Powell is the Acting Coordinator of Children's,

Youth & Readers' Services at Belleville Public Library and John M. Parrott Art Gallery.