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COLUMN: Imagine the possibilities at the library

Programs at Summerland Library promote reading among children
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A world of possibilities emerge when you crack open a book, there is no knowing where the story will take you which is the most exciting part about reading.

We can all be entertained and even learn from watching movies or television but when we do, we are just watching somebody else be creative.

Movie and TV directors get to have all the fun. They get to decide what we see by choosing details like the costumes, set designs and special effects.

They even get to influence how we feel about a scene by using happy upbeat music, or sad dreary music.

With reading however, it’s a whole different story. We get involved when we read a book, there aren’t any flashy special effects or music to set the mood. We get to be the set decorators and the costume designers and fill in all those details ourselves.

The simple fact is the more we read, the more we get to use our imaginations.

For children, using their imagination and reading is extremely important, especially in the summer months.

Kids who don’t read during the summer might lose some of their reading skills they gained during the school year.

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To prevent this from happening, it is crucial that children have access to books throughout the summer that they can select themselves.

When a child picks out their own books to read for enjoyment, they receive the most gains in reading achievement, including better reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling and grammar development.

At the Summerland Library, we have books for all interest and reading levels that can be explored by kids to find their perfect book.

The librarians have also created four different booklists for kids and teens for those who are stuck.

There is a booklist dedicated to graphic novels, young adult literature, great summer reads and one that is full of our staff’s favourite childhood books.

Some of the books on the childhood favourites list are well-known classics, and some are hidden gems that you may have never heard of before.

The library runs a Summer Reading Club for children ages five to 12 to encourage reading and provide some fun activities on Tuesday evenings during July and August.

Children younger than five can also get in on the summer reading fun.

We have another reading club especially for the toddler/preschool age group called Read-to-Me that can help foster a joy of reading from an early age.

The library also introduced a new program a couple of years ago for kids age 11 to 13 called the Challenge Tracker.

Participants earn points for completing tasks that involve reading, outdoor activities or exploring the community and they can then trade those points in for special prizes.

Come to the front desk at the Summerland Library to register for the club and sign up for the free programs.

You will receive a reading package to start reading away!

Just imagine all the possibilities when you walk into your library!

Kayley Robb is an Assistant Community Librarian at the Summerland Branch of the Okanagan Regional Library.

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