- Jessica Myers, Director
Seymour, TX

- Lorie Rohrer, Head of Children's Services
Lake Forest, IL

- Vicky Town, Children's Librarian
Elkin, NC

- Patrick Lodge, Youth Services Librarian
Hales Corners, IL

His costume and accordion were very authentic. He was on time and ready to start at the appropriate time. Sometimes he was at the branches before I was! Mike is very easy to work with and I really enjoyed his program. The Chicken Dance was my very favorite song and dance - I laughed and laughed! The kids and the adults were so funny. They were really into the song!

- Lynn Farrow, Children's Librarian
Jackson, MO

Evergreen Park Public Library
I really enjoyed your show at the Evergreen Park Public Library. You even got my 13-year-old daughter singing, dancing, and clapping along. Great job!

- Laura Meyer, Children's Librarian
Evergreen Park, IL

James J. Siebers Memorial Library
Thank you for a wonderful and FUN program! Everyone who attended had very positive comments. The music was great, and the multi-media content was fantastic, as well. You put on a top-notch show! Thanks for creating such a fun experience at the library for our patrons! I want to say "You Rock," but maybe I should say "You Polka!"

- Ann Hardginski, Youth Services Librarian
Kimberly, WI

Southwest Georgia Regional Library
Mike is very professional, he's easy to work with, and I would highly recommend him to anyone interested in booking him. Video testimonial

- Taryn Brown, Youth Services and Community Relations Librarian
Bainbridge, GA

Pelham Carnegie Library
Let me tell you, he's awesome! Mike nailed it. If you want something really unique that will create long-lasting memories, bring Mike into your library. I'll sing his praises 'til the cows come home. Video testimonial

- Scott Routsong, Branch Manager
Pelham, GA

Kids in the Rotunda
Mike's experience as a professional performer is explicit the moment you meet him. He is punctual, courteous, organized, presentable, and prepared - all attributes that make his yearly visits to Overture Center's Kids in the Rotunda Program such a dream from a host's view. When it comes to audience interaction, Mike does a wonderful job catering to all ages, backgrounds, skill levels, and paces. I believe these traits set Mike aside from other performers. One may be able to perform musically, but Mike can do it all! We highly recommend Pint Size Polkas!

- Meryn Daly, Coordinator for 2010/11 Season
Madison, WI

Red Lake Falls Public Library
You can put me down as highly recommending your program. It's important to preserve the unique heritage of the accordion along with its particular type of music for the benefit of our youth, and this you do in a friendly and upbeat way, without condescension or "cheesiness," as my kids call it! Thanks for a good program.

- Laura Schafer, Librarian
Red Lake Falls, MN

Wisconsin State Fair
I wanted to take the time and say thank you so much for coming this year to the 2010 Wisconsin State Fair. We really enjoyed having you here, and you were a pleasure to work with. Your shows always went great, and the fairgoers loved having you there. It was fun to watch and I always heard good things about your show. Your performances were a lot of fun and it drew a huge crowd. You were super nice about everything, and I am glad it all went well for you. I look forward to seeing you next year! Good luck with the rest of your year, and thank you again for participating with us at the 2010 Wisconsin State Fair!

- Kristin Farina, Special Event Coordinator
West Allis, WI

Hallock Library
I was very impressed with your program and heard such good things from the people who attended. People loved the music, and it was well presented. You definitely knew your stuff and people thought it was a flawless performance. In Hallock people realized that it was hard to perform in front of such a small crowd and admired you as a performer because it didn't seem to bother you. The music was so much fun to listen to. I spoke to many of the other librarians in our region who had your program and they all were very impressed. Thank You.

- Peggy Pearson, Librarian
Hallock, MN

Muehl Public Library
Mike Schneider from Milwaukee led his Pint Size Polka program at our library on Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. We had much fun and laughter as we polkaed the afternoon away. Mike played the accordion and sang polka songs. He also infused an interesting and educational slide show into his presentation. His motto is, “We’re bringing happy back.” Polka is a historical and cultural influence to our region. It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves along with the music. We will invite Mike back next summer because that will fit in perfectly with the theme of learning about cultures of the world!

- Elizabeth Timmins, Library Director
Seymour, WI

Menasha Public Library
Mike Schneider brought Pint Size Polkas to Menasha Public Library on Wednesday, August 11. The kids loved the concert and had great fun. Mike Schneider is a great performer who had the kids laughing and dancing to his interactive polka music. It's hard to sit still when you hear the beat of that terrific polka music. I would highly recommend Mike Schneider as a very professional performer!

- Kathy Beson, Head of Children's Services
Menasha, WI

Flagg-Rochelle Public Library District
We closed out our summer programming with an evening of family fun featuring Uncle Mike and his polka music. Our audience was made up of toddlers, pre-school and school-age children, parents and grandparents. From the very first song, Uncle Mike had everyone clapping and singing along. Even the “Oh, we think we are bored, but we’ll act like we’re having fun” kids were soon volunteering, clapping and joining in as we danced to the Chicken Dance and the Jolly Lumberjack Polka. Mike weaves video clips full of information into his music - from geography to accordion information to a brief “how to polka” clip. The time flew by, and all too soon, we were singing the “E-I-O” song.

We purchased one of Uncle Mike’s CDs last summer, and we have used it with our lapsit programs, pre-school story times, a Hispanic Head Start group and with our Summer Readers (grades K-4). The music is fun, the words are easy to follow, and you honestly cannot remain sad when that CD is playing.

For the fastest one hour of programming you will ever enjoy, you must have Uncle Mike come and play for you. I’m certain that we will have him back again. His program was a favorite with my co-worker and myself last summer, and this year, he treated families to an evening of music and fun.

- Connie Avery, Assistant Director / Youth Services
Rochelle, IL

Fountaindale Public Library District
We all had a fantastic time yesterday at Pint Size Polkas! The audience members told me they thoroughly enjoyed the program and they loved seeing the children up and dancing and having fun. It was great that the children danced with other children they didn’t even know! The expressions on their faces were so joyful.

People commented that they learned from the program and that they would definitely recommend it to others. It was so much fun to learn about the various polkas. We loved “The Chicken Dance” and “The Lumberjack Polka,” as well as all the other great music and songs.

Thank you, Mike, for bringing such a lively show to the families of our community! What a wonderful addition to our summer programming.

- Nancy Sauer, Senior Children’s Services Librarian
Bolingbrook, IL

Germantown Community Library
We had Pint Size Polkas perform during our 2010 summer reading program and both the kids and adults had a blast! Everyone had fun dancing, singing and playing along with Uncle Mike's quizzes. I recommend Pint Size Polkas for a fun time and a cultural learning experience.

- Stephanie Reister, Children's Librarian
Germantown, WI

Aram Public Library
Uncle Mike's show was entertaining, educational and plain fun to watch! The kids loved the music and interacting with him and his show! We would highly recommend his performance!

- Mary, Youth Services
Delavan, WI

Graham Public Library
Pint Size Polkas is a wonderful program for all ages. Mike is an engaging performer and his multimedia approach is pure fun.

- Pat Freitag, Librarian
Union Grove, WI

Garrett A. Morgan Elementary School
Having the Pint Size Polkas party at our school was a great change of pace. During the fourth quarter of each year at Garrett A. Morgan we try to make it interesting. Students traditionally feel school is over because the mandated testing is over. Uncle Mike provided a very interesting and stimulating introduction to our students about the polka and the history of the accordion. Math, reading, and geography-related questions kept the audience participating in the presentation. The students just raved about the event. They even liked Uncle Mike’s costume. We’d surely have him back again! Video testimonial

- Linda Walker, Principal
Chicago, IL

Assumption B.V.M. Catholic School
Our students and staff loved your polka presentation. Thank you for engaging everyone (all ages) in your polka assembly. We learned much and had a great time trying out our dancing steps!

- Deanne Wilinski, Principal
Pulaski, WI

West Bend Community Memorial Library
Pint Size Polkas was a great program for everyone. Toddlers and grandparents alike had such a lot of fun! Mike kept the whole audience engaged. The song lyrics (written especially for kids) were remarkable. Who wouldn't love "The ABC Polka"? Thanks, Mike, for a truly entertaining "family night" program. Everyone raved about the program and wanted to know when you'll be back.

- Nancy Bauer, Coordinator of Youth Services
West Bend, WI

Kids in the Rotunda
Thank you so much for performing at the Kids in the Rotunda Series at Overture Center for the Arts. We are always excited to welcome new artists into our series and your performance was certainly a treat for our audiences! You and lumberjack Doug are talented, engaging and educational. Our kids really lit up for the accordion and your humor kept the audience laughing all afternoon. Above and beyond the performance, you are a true professional and a delight to work with. I do hope you will consider returning to our series in future years. Best wishes in your continued performances and we look forward to working with you in coming years!

- Syrah Gunning, Coordinator for 09/10 Season
Madison, WI

Eleva-Strum Elementary Schools
When I first heard about Pint Size Polkas, I thought, “What a great idea. But there must be plenty of polka music written for children.” Polka is ideal for young children. It’s fun. It’s lively. It makes you want to move to the polka beat. I was surprised to find that I could not find polkas written for kids anywhere. Mike Schneider, a.k.a. Uncle Mike, and Pint Size Polkas are one of a kind! Now I really wanted to hear Uncle Mike’s music. I booked him to perform at my school and wasn’t disappointed. I introduced Uncle Mike by telling the young students that he plays music that is described as the happiest music there is. It didn’t take long for them to start believing it for themselves. Uncle Mike had them singing, dancing, clapping, smiling, and laughing. Kudos to Mike Schneider for introducing polka music to a new generation for a lifetime of fun.

- Craig Semingson, Principal
Eleva and Strum, WI

Parents Cooperative Preschool
Pint Size Polkas was a great addition for our Spring Fundraiser. Both the parents and the kids were fully engaged for the whole show! We would definitely have Mike Schneider and Pint Size Polkas back again!

- Amy Larson, Preschool Parent
Fort Atkinson, WI

Madison Public Library - Lakeview Branch
Mike Schneider brought the audience of children and parents to their feet with his bouncy polka beat. His energetic presentation was fun for everyone in the room. Mike is personable and easy to work with, and great with children!

- Jenny Baltes, Youth Services Librarian
Madison, WI

Colman-Egan School District
I have been a school superintendent for over 18 years and have witnessed numerous assemblies for our students. Mike Schneider’s “Pint Size Polkas” far exceeded my expectations. It is superior to other assemblies where the artist/entertainer forgets the real reason why they are there, and that is to entertain and educate. Pint Size Polkas is not only entertaining and educational, but our K-6 students loved his program. Why? Because of Uncle Mike’s enthusiasm and how he involved the students. He even had them dancing the polka along with the staff members, several of whom told me how much they enjoyed the program. I would highly recommend the “Pint Size Polkas” assembly. Video testimonial

- Darold Rounds, Superintendent
Colman, SD

Schurz Elementary
I wanted to send you a quick note about your Pint Size Polkas Show. We at Schurz enjoyed it very much. It was not our usual assembly program; we don’t often have a real polka artist such as yourself! The added videos and games were a plus. The kids loved it and so did the staff. Thanks!

- Andy Bare, Principal
Watertown, WI

Milwaukee Public Central Library
The Polka band added a festive atmosphere to our Harvest Fest this year. They got everyone's feet tapping to the polka beat. The kids really enjoyed themselves, especially when it came time to do the Chicken Dance. Great job, lot's of fun!

- Kelly Hughbanks, Children's Services
Milwaukee, WI

McMillan Memorial Library
Uncle Mike and Lumberjack Doug recently performed at McMillan Memorial Library. Their show was so much fun for our audience of various ages. The music was fun and fast paced and many of the children danced in the aisles throughout the show. I also enjoyed Mike's use of the video to inject some educational elements into the program. The video presentation was very well done. I would be happy to have Uncle Mike back to perform at our library again in the future!

- Kerry Preece, Head of Children's Services
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

St. Henry Catholic School
What a delightful hour we spent recently as part of our school's "Heritagefest Day" celebration, thanks to Mike Schneider. Sharing his Pint Size Polkas program with our 4K through grade 8 youngsters, he was able to engender a spirit of downright fun in the audience. Sing-alongs, dance-alongs, clap-alongs, short informational video clips interspersed with questions for audience participation - all made the time fly by. The price - extremely reasonable; seeing so many people of such varying ages having such a good time - priceless!

- Francine Butzine, Principal
Watertown, WI

Our Lady Queen of Heaven School
Thank you for presenting the educational concepts to our students in a fun and bouncy way. The children couldn’t help but move to the beat of the polka. Lots of smiles and twinkling eyes mean that we have succeeded in what we do as educators.

- Pam Fochs, Principal
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

St. Paul School
St. Paul School Students and Staff thoroughly enjoyed Uncle Mike's Pint-Size Polka Program! Both students and teachers sang along and danced to the music. This is an enjoyable assembly program that holds the interest of all attending! I sincerely recommend it.

- Sandi Stankowski, Head Teacher
Mosinee, WI

Massillon Public Library
Pint-Size Polkas was enjoyed by our patrons, both young and old! Although we had publicized it as a children's event, several of those who attended were adult polka fans who came just to hear the music. Mike was very easy to work with, and I could always count on him to email me answers to my questions right away. His playing and singing are wonderful, and he is a true professional. His video segments are funny, informative, attention-getting, and a meaningful addition to his program.

- Laura Klein, Children's Programming Specialist
Massillon, OH

Euclid Public Library
Mike Schneider and his Pint Size Polkas program was great! He involved the audience in the program and included historical and educational information about polka music and the accordion. They clapped, they sang, they danced and had a marvelous time. Thanks Uncle Mike! Video testimonial

- Teresa Smith, Children's Services Manager
Euclid, OH

Centralia Regional Library District
Accordionist Mike Schneider does a wonderful job educating children with his upbeat bouncy polkas. The audience of 150 enjoyed his energetic musical performance. The bouncy polkas make you want to leap and cavort, and many children did throughout the performance… a wonderful, enjoyable program for everyone.

- Rita Lewis, Youth Services
Centralia, IL

Cudahy Family Library
Everyone who attended had a great time listening to Uncle Mike and his Pint Size Polkas! Although it was advertised at our library for young children, I was thrilled by how inter-generational the program became. Even our most elderly patrons, hearing the polka music, popped their heads in the door and stayed to clap to the beat and smile as they watched the younger generations dance the day away. The kids had so much fun learning about polka through the short video clips, and dancing with their parents and grandparents. I can’t wait to see what Uncle Mike has in store for us next year!

- Heather Holton, Youth Services
Cudahy, WI

Community Library of Allegheny Valley
I just wanted to tell you again how very much we enjoyed your program. As a children's librarian, I find it hard to find quality programs for children 4-7 years of age. Your program is designed to draw in the younger children but yet it keeps the adults entertained, as well. I thought the videos you use help to give the children information in a fun way. The children and I did enjoy dancing to the "Chicken Dance." Hopefully, we will be able to have you back to visit us in the near future. Keep up the great work!

- Judy Errico, Children's Librarian
Natrona Heights, PA

Moon Township Public Library
I just wanted to thank you again for an excellent program! I heard many compliments from the families who attended. It was such a beautiful evening for the families to be outside, to listen to the music, to sing along (the song sheets were a great idea!), and to watch the children dance. Your program was timed just right, with the little snippets of videos interspersed with the music. I like how you drew the kids in with your interactive quiz questions and audience participation activities. We hope you will make a tour of the Pittsburgh area again.

- Jane Miller, Children's Librarian
Coraopolis, PA

Dormont Public Library
We recently had Pint Size Polkas as a program for our library. We advertised it as a way for children to learn to about Polkas. The attendance was great for all ages, including the Parents and Grandparents, and everyone enjoyed dancing and singing along. Mike and Bob did a great job with the songs and instruments and all of the songs were appropriate for any age, with many of them being familiar tunes everyone could follow or sing-a-long with. The intermittent video explanations were a great way for everyone to catch their breath and learn something new about different types of Polkas, and the brochures were a great help to follow along with the words and have a friendly reminder of the music for that performance. I would recommend this program for any age and any location. It's a unique idea that is well executed and a blast for any participants.

- Cindy D'Agostino, Library Director
Pittsburgh, PA

Green Tree Public Library
Uncle Mike and his Pint Size Polkas program was a great hit at our library. Who would have known that important concepts like personal hygiene could be set to accordion music! The room was full of bouncing children and adults; you can't help but to move along to the beat. I was particularly impressed that he included not only music for audio listeners, but also video footage for those visual learners, too. From beginning to end, Mike was a pleasure to work with. For anyone looking for festive, family-friendly fun, I highly recommend Pint Size Polkas. Video testimonial

- Adaena Tray, Library Director
Pittsburgh, PA

Burlington Public Library
Uncle Mike is a musical magnet for the pint-size crowd. Children are captivated by his polka music and friendly banter, and become active participants of his programs quickly and thoroughly! He's proof-positive that learning is fun when polka is involved.

- Joy Schnupp, Youth Services Director
Burlington, WI

Whitefish Bay Library
I am pleased to let everyone know about Uncle Mike (Mike Schneider) and his music, Pint Size Polkas. We had Mike perform here at the Whitefish Bay Library as part of our summer reading program and his performance was wonderful! He had the entire audience, both kids and adults, clapping, dancing and singing along. Highlights included a rousing rendition of the Chicken Dance and a new polka written by Mike called the "Parents Polka." Mike performs in lederhosen, sings and plays the accordion and has a warm and welcoming stage presence. He includes an educational component about polka music that is interactive AND fun! Mike’s slogan “We’re bringing happy back” is a great way to describe the effect his performance had on our audience…smiles all around! I highly recommend Mike for any family or children’s program.

- Mary Beth Murray, Youth Services
Whitefish Bay, WI

Flagg-Rochelle Public Library District
Pint Size Polkas is the perfect program for children and adults. There is audience participation that will get everyone singing and smiling. Do not expect a “sit still and listen” program — you won’t be able to keep yourself from clapping your hands or tapping your feet. Uncle Mike is a talented musician who brings in great music that covers the alphabet, numbers, occupations and more. He provides words to his songs, so you can join right in. And of course, you get to do the “Chicken Dance!” Lots and lots of fun.

- Connie Avery, Assistant Director / Youth Services
Rochelle, IL

Pecatonica Public Library District
Uncle Mike from Pint Size Polkas performed at our library this morning for our summer reading program. His program was a delight! He has cleverly found a way to use an accordion and polka music to entertain and education the children on numbers, letters, geography, careers, and the history of polka. The kids get to participate during the program with the chicken dance and a short video “test” on geography. The hour went quickly and the children had nothing but positive comments. I would recommend Mike to any library or school, and hope to have him back to our library next year.

- Shari Bouray, Director
Pecatonica, IL

Bean Sprouts
If you want your kids to have a rip-roaring musical time, I would highly recommend Uncle Mike and his Pint Size Polka Band!

Mike Schneider is not only a great musician, but excellent at engaging and involving children in his performances. He recently captured the attention of a packed audience of families at my healthy kids cafe, Bean Sprouts. Kids and parents were singing and dancing, and my own children sang his songs for weeks after the show.

Please consider Mike a great addition to your event lineup. If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me at 608-213-7426.

- Shannon Seip, Co-Owner
Middleton, WI

KIDSfest 2009
I am writing this letter in support of Mike Schneider of Pint Size Polkas. Pint Size Polkas performed at our recent Metroparent’s KIDSfest event, held April 18 & 19 at the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park. KIDSfest, now in its sixth year, is a celebration of southeast Wisconsin’s best for families. The event features fun, entertainment, learning and hands-on activities in 160,000 square feet of space, on seven stages, with a dozen special areas, 150 exhibitors and 20,000 attendance.

Mike and his group provide fun, wholesome entertainment for families, while at the same time educating audience members on a delightful aspect of our Germanic heritage. We work with 40 to 50 performers and presenters at this event and Mike proved to be perhaps the most pleasant of all to work with before, during and after the event.

Mike is extremely focused, professional and punctual, takes great pride in his work and presentations, and obviously has a deep love for polka as well as a great enthusiasm for bringing it into people’s lives. He is responsive to our needs as an event organization and even did much to promote KIDSfest in general – inviting all his Facebook friends as well as promoting his appearance at KIDSfest on TV. Mike was one of the handful of KIDSfest performers that we invited to represent KIDSfest on a series of promotional spots taped at and aired on TODAY’S TMJ4 in advance of the event.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Events department regularly conducts online surveys of attendees after each event we produce. When asked what they liked best about Metroparent’s KIDSfest 2009, a number of the several hundred respondents included “the polka” in their responses. When you consider everything there is to see and do at KIDSfest, anything receiving special mention is impressive.

Mike Schneider is a true professional, a talented musician and performer, a smart promoter, and a very positive, upbeat individual. Mike and Pint Size Polka are the kind of performers we are thrilled to invite back to KIDSfest year after year. He makes our job a pleasure and our mission easier.

- Becky Steimle, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Special Events Manager
Milwaukee, WI

Barnes & Noble
Sarah, the Music Manager, and I very much appreciated your interaction with our young storytime children on April 2, 2009. Your music is entertaining and educational for young children and best of all is designed for them to move! Your personal demeanor was very professional and your flexibility helped make the event a success.

- Jeanne K. Huie, Community Relations Manager
Madison, WI