Pirates, performing dogs, wild animals, gross food and more will be on the agenda for youngsters who participate his summer in the summer reading program sponsored by the Sweet Home Library, along with the Linn Library League.
The program kicks off this week with a free book giveaway to children who sign up between 4 and 6 p.m. Thursday, June 29, or between 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday, July 1, to participate.
Librarian Leona McCann said three programs will be offered, “practically back to back,” for youngsters of various age groups.
“We’ve got some fun things lined up and scheduled,” she said.
Tales for Tots will be held Tuesday mornings, from 11 a.m. to noon, for children 0 to 35 months.
For children 3 through 12, the regular summer reading program, themed “Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales,” will be held Wednesdays, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Topics include “Unusual Pet Day,” “Wild Animals in our Forests,” “Performing Dogs” and “Working Animals.”
The very popular Find the Library Dragon will be held again this year. The dragon will be hidden in local businesses and children are encouraged to find it and report back to win a prize.
Library Teen Scene, for teens 13-18, will be on Wednesdays from 2 to 3 p.m. Events will include Mad Science on July 5, and a visit from John Baur, “the Pirate Guy,” at 2 p.m. on July 19. Also, each week in The New Era, a question will be printed that participants are challenged to find an answer for to win a prize.
“This year they’ll just have to name the book the answer is found in,” said McCann.
More information about the Sweet Home Public Library summer programs—for babies through 35 months and for 2- to 12-year-olds, as well as for teens—is available from the library.
For the third year in a row, children who live in the Foster area can enjoy a summer reading program in their own community. In Foster, the program will run on Tuesdays, at Foster Elementary School, from noon to 1 p.m. (with no meeting on July 4). Activities will include crafts, prizes for reading, a free book for each participant, and visits to the Linn Library League Bookmobile.
There will also be two performances: “Leo the Late Bloomer” (story telling by Cindy Cady) on July 11, and, on July 25, a performance by the Fairer Sax, a saxophone quartet.
Children of all ages are welcome to participate, at no charge, in the Rural Summer Reading Program.
“This should be a lot of fun,” McCann said. “There are a lot of things going on this year.”