Summer Reading program launches July 5 at library

A world of imagination awaits anxious young minds when the TD Summer Reading Program kicks off on July 5 at the Swift Current Library.

The summer program kicks off on Saturday with a ‘Slug Launch’ launch party. The kick off theme is based on the story ‘How to Teach a Slug to Read’, and will feature activities, games, prizes, and a chance to eat some marshmallow ‘slugs’.

Following Saturday’s launch, regular TD Summer Reading Club activities are planned for Tuesdays, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. throughout July and August before concluding on Aug. 26.

“The reason for TD Reading Program is to actually help children keep their grade level of reading up so that they don’t lose it over the summer and are ready for the next level when they get into school in the fall,” said Tekeyla Friday from the Swift Current Library. “We try to make it competitive so that the kids feel like they are gaining something from it and that they’re accomplishing something from it …”

They are encouraging children to read as much as they can over the summer, and are hoping the opportunity to win some prizes is the encouragement they need to jump into a book.

“This year we’re doing something a little bit different. In the past we only focussed on reading logs, which is filling out the name of the book or the chapter. This year, for the older children, we’re using a calendar. And so through July and August they can write down how many minutes or hours they spent reading each day. At the end of summer we’ll add it up, and the one that has spent the most time reading will earn a bigger prize.”