Schools and Library Team Up to Keep Kids Reading This Summer

School officials and the team at the are spreading the word about the many activities that will take place this summer designed to get kids reading and keep them entertained at the same time.

A group of parents and their children came to the library Tuesday night to learn all about the library’s summer reading program which once again consists of story times, book groups, games, author visits and special events for children grades pre-K all the way up to grade 12.

Peter O’Hare, current Principal of who is moving into the new role of assistant superintendent, told all  that the school district fully supports these programs the library is offering.

He said reading is the most important thing a young person can do and one can never read too much. O’Hare told parents he encourages them all to take advantage of the programs at the library to keep the kids reading over the summer months.

Registration begins as early as Friday, June 22, literally right after school lets out, explained both Marie Joyce, children’s librarian and Mimi Hui, library director who gave parents a run down of the many programs offered.

For the younger children age pre-K to grade 6, they have developed a program with a nighttime dream theme. The children’s library has been decorated with stars, nighttime animals and basically anything that has to do with nighttime to match the “Dream Big Read” theme, explained Joyce.

As they did last year, children are required to read about 30 minutes a day for a total of 2 ½ hours a week over a five week period. Each week they come into the library they can fill out their personal sheet with stickers which logs the amount of reading they have done and will receive a little prize each week, Joyce said. At the end of the 5-weeks the children will get a special prize, a book they get to keep.

A number of story time events are on the summer schedule for the younger children. O’Hare pointed out the importance of reading to young children who can not read on their own yet adding that it really peaks their interest, has them asking questions and they quickly become eager to hear more and more.

Joyce announced that the Chess Club will return for this summer, a popular feature that had more than 30 kids involved last year.

The reading program for the older children in grades 7 to 12 also has a nighttime theme of  “Own the Night.” O’Hare said it was a great title for a program that can keep kids busy over the summer months especially during evening hour when they could get into trouble.

The two weekly book discussion groups “Talk It Up” and “Speak Out” will be back again this year, Hui explained. The groups meet weekly for six weeks reading and discussing a new book every week, Hui explained. Visits from authors are also planned as a fun surprise for the kids taking part in the group, she explained. The group for kids in grades 10, 11 and 12 meets from 7 to 8:30 once a week and the group for grades 7, 8 and 9 meets from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Teen readers can also win prizes like gift cards and T-shirts just by checking out books over summer, Hui said.

Hui recommended parents mark their calendars for the many special events they have planned for the summer including their annual summer bash where they open the library to the entire community on the first Friday in August for a huge celebration. This year the theme will be a “A Midsummer Night's Sleepover” and yes families will be invited to spend the night at the library, Hui said.

Special events begin as early as next Monday when the library once again will present the interactive science and storytelling show “Sciencetellers” for youngsters that evening.

Hui said July 13 will be “Freaky Friday” night where kids and their parents are invited for a double feature of two versions of the film based on the book written by Mary Rogers, daughter of Richard Rogers of the acclaimed Rogers and Hammerstein duo who wrote numerous famous pieces of musical theater. The Friends of the Library went out of their way to get Mary Rogers to attend this special movie night to meet the community, Hui said. 

Registration for the programs can be done by calling the library at 201-288-0484 or visiting the library online at hasbrouckheights.bccls.org.