Summer reading

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, May 2014; written by Lisa Pearson.

Summer is finally here, and the library is ready to keep you and your children motivated to read with Summer Reading Clubs for the entire family. With prizes, games, reading suggestions and lots of great programs, Summer Reading Club (SRC) is a great way to encourage your child - and yourself - to read.

This summer is all about science at the library. The theme for the children’s SRC is “Fizz-Boom-Read”, while the teens will try to “Spark a Reaction”. The adult club will focus on “Literary Elements” (and yes, the adult theme always sounds duller than the kids’ club. That’s the downside of being a grown-up).

Preschoolers who are not yet reading can sign up for the “Little Listeners” read-to-me club. Along with incentive prizes, young pre-readers earn a free book at the end of the program. Story Crafts will be held every Thursday and Friday morning starting at 10:30 and the kids will have the chance to make Father’s Day cards, mini robots, ukuleles, binoculars and homemade play-dough. On Saturday mornings from 10-2, little engineers can come to the library for Tots and Trains, where they can build with wooden train sets and Duplo blocks.

School-age children will have a chance to win weekly prizes such as LEGO sets, science kits, movie theater passes, and even a Kindle Fire! There are seven different reading logs to fill up with minutes of reading time, and there is an incentive prize for each log that gets turned in, along with a chance to win a bonus prize. The library will also be offering a variety of fun events throughout the club, including film nights, LEGO building days, fun crafts and an opportunity to build forts in the library after-hours.

The Teen Advisory Group is organizing their 7th summer reading club this year with three electric months of parties, movies and games that will Spark Your Imagination, present a Spark of the Past, and Spark Your Creativity. Teens who check out books from the library and attend events can win prizes such as zip-line tickets, restaurant gift certificates, Visa gift cards, kayak trips and book sets. Events will include an Improv night, costume parties and a Dr. Who night.

For adults, the Literary Elements club is completely informal and can be easily adapted to family vacations, fishing season, and heavy cruise ship days. There will be games, quizzes, reading lists, and book reviews. Just like the kids, grown-ups can earn tickets for the prize drawings by keeping a reading log.

Registration for the Fizz-Boom-Read club begins on June 7th, but you can preview all the fun this Thursday, May 29th with a Beauty and the Beast puppet show, featuring the Stevens’ Puppets. This performance was made possible with funding from the Rasmuson Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. There will be shows at 3 pm and 6 pm and a free ticket is required for admission. Call the library at 225-3331 to check for availability.

The Spark a Reaction teen club begins on June 6th with a SteroTyped costume party. Teens can register for the club at the party and earn two prize tickets just for attending. Adults can pick up their first reading log for the Literary Elements club on Saturday, June 7th, along with a list of recommended titles. Pick up an event calendar at the public library or check our Facebook page to stay posted on upcoming programs.