Clan Tynker performs at Ashly Pond Park. Courtesy photoLIBRARY News:
As school lets out for summer, it’s the perfect time for children and teens, parents and caregivers to come to the Los Alamos County Library System and participate in Summer Library Club. The theme for the summer is “Read to the Rhythm.”
“We’re so happy that our Summer Library Club is back,” Angie Manfredi, head of Youth Services said. “We have worked to make the program engaging and active. Summer Library Club will encourage everyone to write reviews, visit museums, attend library programs, and stop by to visit the library every week to participate in challenges.
“We encourage parents and kids to think of summer as a time for kids to be empowered by the ability to choose their own reading. No more reading for tests or points; summer is all about books kids want. Library staff is here to recommend and share the fun stuff! It’s going to be an amazing time!”
There are programs designed for all ages of readers, including a special program for 0-3 year olds focused on developing early literacy skills for “baby bookworms.” There is also a separate program for older kids in 7 th grade and up.
Also new this summer is Anime Addicts, a weekly program for 7-12 year olds to gather and talk about and watch their favorite anime and manga – cartoons and comics from Japan.
“We’ve had a long time program for anime for our older teens,” Manfredi explains “but we realized there were younger fans who wanted in on the fun!”
“We’ve added more programs to nights and weekends,” Manfredi said, “because we really want to encourage families to come to the library and we wanted to give working parents a chance to participate in all the fun.”
Weekend programs include events for favorite characters like Minions, Fancy Nancy, Doctor Who, The Descendants, and Star Wars.
There will be returning summer favorites like the American Girl program and Ready, Set, Read. Ready, Set, Read is a weekly story-time for older children ages 4-8. Comix Club is for learning how to create comics and talking about favorite comics and graphic novels. Meet the Music features biographies of
famous musicians and includes listening to their performances. Regular story-times and Music and Movement continue as well.
For teens there are programs celebrating fandom, games, anime, and the newest young adult books, as well as two special book club sessions that will include live Skype sessions with authors.
Participants can start getting their entries in by stopping by either Mesa Public Library or the White Rock Branch to pick up game pieces. Printed calendars of all of the events are available at the Youth Services desk at Mesa and at the main desk in White Rock. All children and teens who complete the program will receive a free book of their choice as well as fun prizes- everything from pencils and bookmarks to passes for a one-time admission to the Aquatic Center.
Studies show that students who do not read during the summer can experience “summer set-back,” losing ground in learning and returning to school less ready for the next year than when they began their summer break. The best – and most fun – way to stem summer set-back is to make sure kids and teens
stay engaged with reading and learning all summer long.
The kids program begins on May 31 and runs through July 30, for children from newborn to age 18. There is a separate adult reading program with its own set of prizes and contests from June 5 to August 5. The adult program features the Any Book Book Club, special film presentations with musical themes, and a new coloring program on Wednesday evenings.
Read to the Rhythm kicks off with a special performance from circus troupe Clan Tynker at 6 p.m. Monday, June 6, at Ashley Pond Park. So take a book along to the park, or take an audiobook along on a long car trip, and spend the summer discovering the rhythm inside every great story!
