The St. Joseph Public Library is inviting children and teens up to age 18 to take part in its summer reading program aimed at encouraging reading throughout the summer months.
Participants can log reading days from June 1 through July 31. Youth who read for a minimum of 28 days will receive a free book and be entered into a grand prize drawing.
Reading can be tracked online through the library’s Beanstack platform or at any of the four St. Joseph Public Library locations.
Senior Library Assistant Amanda Farrell said the program helps students maintain and improve reading skills during summer break.
“Well, it helps with the summer slump when kids go back to school,” Farrell said. “Reading always keeps their reading levels where they were at the end of school, and it helps improve all their learning throughout the school year the more they read over the summer.”
The library will kick off the program with a party from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Carnegie Library. Activities will include animals from the Orrick Acres Petting Zoo, a Show Me Dinosaurs fossil exhibit and free freezer pops for attendees.