SD Performer's Database: 2025 Features

MUSH with Noggin, the Sled Dog! 2025 Feature

Karen Land-writer, public speaker, and three-time participant in the 1,049-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race across Alaska-and her Alaskan husky, Noggin, are excited to return to South Dakota public libraries and schools this year!

Since 2000, Karen Land has given over a thousand talks in almost every state. She loves providing MUSHING talks for always-eager students and enthusiastic library patrons. Dogs, the sport of mushing, and Alaska inspire a diverse audience, making the event fun and interesting FOR ALL AGES. Dog mushing, a traditional mode of arctic transportation, is a unique subject perfect for every classroom. From STEM (climate and environmental studies) to literature (Gary Paulsen and Jack London) to the Fine Arts and physical education, the options for exploration are endless.

2025 is the 100th Anniversary of the 1925 Serum Run-remember Balto and Togo? Celebrate these brave dogs and mushers with Karen and Noggin at your public library.

COLOR! CREATIVITY! COLLABORATION!

Explore the surprisingly colorful world of winter landscapes with Noggin, the Alaskan husky, and Karen, her musher. From shimmering snowbows* to intricate ice crystals to the awe-inspiring Aurora Borealis, a sled dog's perspective of this stunning and diverse planet is truly unique! Let Karen's exciting, real-life mushing stories, her alluring huskies, and Nature's magnificent beauty inspire you to create!

Mushing and Nature-themed arts and crafts resources/links will be provided. Unique coloring sheets, build-your-own-dog-sled instructions, lyric and cord charts available to go with Karen's new mushing-themed album** (great for ukulele groups!), prompts librarians can use to inspire young artists to think, create, and even collaborate on some projects are all part of the fun. And there is always our love of DOGS-they make the perfect furry, four-legged muses! Often times after Karen's talks, the simple act of drawing a dog (Noggin or one's own) brings some of the most profound joy to both students and patrons OF ALL AGES!

*WHAT ARE SNOBOWS? Snow can form a rainbow-colored halo on the ground rather than in the sky. Snow crystals thaw and recrystallize slightly during daily temperature changes and morph into larger, simple crystals that glint brightly in sunlight to make a ground halo. Look for one the next time you're walking in sunlit snow. - Les Cowley, Atmospheric Optics, England

Trail Angels by Peddler's French

Will Stuck 2025 Feature

This show's a M.E.S.S. (Music, Education, Stories & Science) and filled with high energy, audience participation and comedy!

Roz Puppets 2025 Feature

Children and adults alike enjoy our wonderfully handcrafted puppets as they journey through entertaining original stories with a humorous storytelling style that incorporates music and audience participation. We make events fun, furry and unforgettable!

Cartooning with Mike Artell 2025 Feature

Cartooning for Kids with Mike Artell! Kids draw along as Mike Artell shows them how to draw people, animals and objects. Basic cartooning for younger children, more advanced cartooning for older kids. Cartooning tips and tricks too. FUN!

Please note that summer reading library bookings fill up in January. Cartooning sessions are also available virtually as well as in person. Mike Artel Summer Cartooning Workshops

Sherlock Holmes, Color in the Sherlockian Canon 2025 Feature

Costumed skits, slide shows, interactive discussions and hands-on activities are used to introduce young adults to Scottish writer Arthur Conan Doyle and his greatest creation, the crime-solving duo of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Presenter Jeff Falkingham is a Browns Valley, MN native whose published works of historical fiction bring Holmes to Minnesota and the Dakotas in the late 1800s.

From 'A Study in Scarlet' in 1887 to 'The Retired Colourman' in 1927, color is a recurring theme in many of the 60 tales that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about his Great Detective, Sherlock Holmes. After a brief introductory primer on Doyle and Holmes, the presenter talks about Sherlockian adventures (The Red-Headed League, The Blue Carbuncle, Five Orange Pips, Silver Blaze, The Red Circle, Black Peter, The Speckled Band, The Golden Pince-Nez and more) in which color plays a key role. It's a great way to introduce young adult readers to a classic literary icon. CSLP Video

Brent Allan & Friends - Magic & Puppets & Fun! 2025 Feature

Puppets, interactive games, and magic with a reading theme!

This summer, I will be presenting a magic and puppet show called "The Colorful Carnival of Fantastic Tales", themed after the CSLP program. 2025 Promotional video for South Dakota Libraries

Mr. Twister 2025 Feature

Mr. Twister is a full time children's entertainment specialist and a regional favorite. His shows are packed full of fancy twisted balloons, magic tricks, stories, audience participation and BIG FUN! (Mr. Twister can also be hired to twist balloons for all the kids at your special events!)

Jonathan May - Professional Magician! 2025 Feature

A professional magician with over 400 shows per year! Jonathan specializes in family-friendly fun that makes the audience the stars of the show. Known for his "Happy Magic" and professionalism, Jonathan has become a Midwest favorite for families, churches, schools, and libraries. Every year is a different performance. It is the same quality and professionalism with a unique magic show to keep everyone engaged and entertained.

Pint Size Polkas 2025 Feature

Pint Size Polkas with Mike Schneider: The happiest music on Earth plus magic and comedy promises tons of fun for the whole family!

Let the sounds of polka bring some exciting musical color to your library in 2025! Mike Schneider's Pint Size Polkas program rolls magic, comedy, and education into one fluid, high-energy, live performing arts package guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of young and old alike! Age and theme-appropriate trivia questions, magic tricks, and a special edition of Name that Tune" will tie neatly into this summer's Color Our World" theme, from Paul Bunyan's Blue Ox Babe, to making water disappear from a red Solo cup, to Darth Vader's theme song from the dark side. Pint Size Polkas is the perfect fit for your library in 2025. It's tons of fun for the whole family! Pint Size Polkas 2025 CSLP Showcase Video

Jammin' Randy 2025 Feature

Fun Interactive Children's Music

The Colors of Music
Color is tied to the tone or themes of music. If a song is peaceful there might be greens and blues. If the song is angry there might be oranges and reds. Sad music is often associated with dark, grayish, or dark bluish colors. Happy music might have bright vivid colors. Jammin' Randy will take the audience on a color journey while singing, dancing and moving! Jammin' Randy 2025 Library Promo Video

Michael Albert / Modern Pop Art Experience 2025 Feature

Artist Visit & Presentation, hands-On Cereal Box Collage Workshop & Free Poster Giveaway & Signing

I will be traveling across the USA in Summer 2025 and will be able to spend up to 1 full week in South Dakota if there are enough libraries who would like to have my program. American Pop Artist Michael Albert Performers Showcase