Portland District Library News

Picture Perfect Easter

Get ready to try your hand at the “reverse canvas” technique as you create egg-cellent Easter wall art!  After a few simple steps you will have a framed basket bursting with eggs, bunnies, chicks, and everything that reminds you of the holiday.  Register anytime, and pick up your Take-and-Make bag on March 26.  Ages 18 and up.

Seed Starting

Turn your backyard into the ultimate farm-to-table experience by seed-starting your own pizza garden.  With just a simple seed tray and a sunny window, you can get a head start on classic favorites like San Marzano tomatoes, basil, sweet peppers, and oregano.  Join us on March 31 at 6:30 for a fun, hands-on workshop where you will learn the skills to start your own seeds indoors.  This year, don’t just make a pizza . . . grow it!

Portland Creates

It’s been ten years since we launched our all-ages art contest and we want to celebrate a decade of your creativity with the biggest Portland Creates yet!  Look for special prizes, an amped-up reception, and more surprises along the way.  Submit your artwork between April 1 and April 30, then see it displayed and cast your votes from May 1 through May 30.  Visit the library or pdl.michlibrary.org for rules and entry forms.

Children’s and Teen

LITTLES

1, 2, 3... Count with me! Tiny Tots this spring is all about counting in the garden! Register with your little one (ages 2 & under) to explore numbers through activities inspired by plants, busy bugs, and garden friends. This storytime encourages movement and joyful interaction as we build early literacy and number awareness together. Join Miss Anna at the library every other Friday at 10:00 a.m. starting April 3. Want to try storytime at home? Grab one of our monthly caregiver packets and follow along to our videos! Registration begins Monday, March 16.

Come along with Miss Jamie this spring for Book Cubs storytime (ages 3-5), where we will explore food, where it comes from, and what makes a nutritious meal! We will chop, stir, and saute our way into healthy eating habits. Treat your Book Cub (and yourself) and join us in the Storytime Room at 10:00 a.m. every other Wednesday March 25 through May 20. Can't make it in person? Our virtual storytime has got you covered! Registration and Take-And-Make bags will be available at the Youth Desk beginning Monday, March 16.

Books & Blankets on Thursday, April 16 at 6:00 p.m. is all about money! Count up coins and explore our pretend market while learning smart money habits like saving, sharing, and making thoughtful choices. This storytime is perfect for families with little learners aged 8 & under. Come ready to think, count, and cha-ching your way through a hands-on adventure in money basics! Registration is required. 

We’ve got more adventures for our curious explorers, ages 5 & under, and their caregivers this spring at Messy Makers! Dig, squish, swirl, splatter, touch, and feel through all our sensory stations in the Storytime Room. Dress for a mess on Mondays April 27 and May 18 starting at 6:00 p.m. Registration is required!

MIDDLES

Do you love drawing, writing stories, or making comics? Sign up for Scribble Press and get ready to combine art and writing to create your own unique publications. Each session, we’ll explore a fun theme, try out easy book-making techniques, and fill the pages. Ages 8–12 welcome! Meetings will be Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 9 and May 14. No experience needed—just bring your imagination! Registration required.

Our furry friends from Love On A Leash will be all ears during Barks for Books this spring! Patrons, ages 6-12, can register for 15-minute time slots to read to some of the best, and fluffiest, listeners around. Pup pals will be at the library on Wednesday, April 29 from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Monday, April 20 and May 11, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 16 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Call us today at 517-647-6981 to register.

In honor of Earth Day, our Middles patrons (ages 6-12) will turn into tiny planet artists! Pick up begins Friday, April 10 for Planet Protectors Take-and-Make bags, which contain squishy clay and a little paint to create your one-of-a-kind necklace. Once ready to wear, each creator can proudly slip on their handmade Earth—like a superhero badge for planet protectors everywhere!

Virtual STEM Club: Mission Marble Maze is rolling into action! Middles engineers, ages 6-12, will put their creativity and engineering skills to the test as they design strategic, gravity-powered marble runs using common household supplies. Experiment with angles, speed, and structure to create the ultimate run—will your marble make it to the finish?  Grab your Take-and-Make Bag starting Wednesday, April 15 and get ready to build, test, and tweak your way to marble run mastery!

TEENS

PDL's teen (13-18) book club, Page Turners, is entering into a chilling paranormal realm with "Sweetest Darkness" by Leslie Lutz. In this supernatural horror novel a teenage psychic, Quinn, is drawn to an abandoned hotel in Gypsum, Texas. He unwittingly unleashes a predatory entity that threatens to destroy everything. Quinn has always been able to see the future, but can he find the power within himself to change it? Love a good haunting? Join us at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 and Tuesday, May 5 in the Community Room. Register now and get a free copy of the book to keep! 

March's Teen Art Hour is Pawsitively Glowing! Are you Team Dog or Team Cat? Make your stance known by lighting up your room with a glowing Mason jar decoupaged with adorable cats or dogs! Can't decide? Use both. There are no rules when it comes to art. Pick up your Take-And-Make bags, with all of the supplies you will need, at the Youth Desk beginning Monday, March 2.

Can you unlock the secret to stacking a can of potato chips so they form a sturdy, upright circle? In Virtual STEM Club Teen Edition: Stack The Snack, teen engineers will experiment with structure, balance, and design to see how shape and tension work together. It’s crunchy, creative, and packed with surprising science. Grab your Take-and-Make bag beginning Tuesday, March 17 and get ready to stack, test, and rethink the way you look at your favorite snack!

Lit Loot, PDL's monthly teen book subscription box, is back and better than ever for the spring quarter! Each box is packed with two awesome books and fun, themed goodies to match. Every month brings a brand-new aesthetic, new stories to discover, and surprises you won’t want to miss. Lit Loot is the perfect monthly treat for yourself.

April Theme: Music- This box celebrates all kinds of music—from pop and hip-hop to classical, indie, musicals, and everything in between. Expect stories about creativity, performance, identity, and finding your voice through sound.  

 May Theme: Revenge- Get ready for dramatic plots, bold characters, and satisfying payback in stories you won’t be able to put down.

Register today at the Youth Desk and start a new chapter!

ALL-AGES

Looking for something hands-on and inspiring to do on Saturday, April 25? Hang out with us for STEM Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., where patrons of all ages can dive into a variety of engaging STEM kits designed to ignite curiosity and creativity in science, technology, engineering, and math. Whether you're a curious beginner or a budding innovator, STEM Saturday is a fun way to build new skills and spark fresh ideas. Drop in, no registration required.