Today officially marks the end of the 2023-24 school year for kids in Pocahontas County. Remember that feeling? The endless possibilities. Two-and-a-half months was basically forever.
I’m not gonna lie – summers as a college professor were pretty great, too. Multiple weeks in which to read and write about whatever you wanted.
For most kids, reading isn’t exactly a high priority for the summer. And that can be a problem. Reading is a bit like exercise—if you stop doing it, your skills erode. Teachers call this the “summer slide,” when hard-won reading comprehension and new vocabulary can fade.
That’s why every summer, all across the country, public libraries participate in the Summer Reading Program.
But this is not your stuffy sit-in-a-corner-and-read-quietly kind of program.
Our theme this year is “Adventure Begins in the Library.” And everybody knows you don’t adventure quietly in a corner.
Instead, kids will get to do things like meet – and pet – Nala, a very good girl whose day job is helping her human friend – SRCD Patrol Captain Chad Carlson – conduct search and rescue for those who get lost or hurt exploring.
And they’ll meet Mr. Moose, who will make the trip in from Cranberry Glades to talk about some of the fun things you can find in the forests.
They’ll be making some crafts, too. Maybe performing a science experiment.
And, yes, there will be some reading. But the reading will be related to the other cool things happening that day. After all, anyone who meets Nala is going to want to read about Johannes – the dog charged with being the eyes of the park in which he lives in Dave Eggers’ delightful The Eyes and the Impossible.
This year’s program runs from June 17 to July 26. That’s six weeks of adventures!
Each of our five branches – Durbin, Green Bank, Hillsboro, Linwood and McClintic – will meet on a different day of the week. And each offers different activities. So if your kids are feeling especially…adventurous…they can take part in all 30 activities. When you’re visiting a new branch, make sure to ask for a badge. Each one is different!
Finally, don’t forget to come to our end-of-summer bash on July 29. This year, we’ll be meeting at the Linwood branch for food and games. There will be prizes for those who meet their summer reading goals. We’ll also be raffling off a family four-pack of Snowshoe Fun Passes.
Everyone who meets their reading goals is automatically entered.
Thank you, Snowshoe, for the generous donation!
While our programming is aimed at elementary school kids – though, just being honest, I want to meet Nala, too. The Summer Reading Program is for everyone. We’ll have some things going on for middle and high school students. We even have a few adults who have signed up.
Stop by your local branch to set your own summer reading goals and meet up with others who love to read and talk about books.
You can register on our website (www.pocahontaslibrary.org) or in person at any branch.
Happy Summer Reading!
