“A Universe of Stories” Summer Reading 2019 recap

We would like to thank the donors of this year’s Summer Reading Program prizes: Story Land, Water Country, Cinemagic, Canobie Lake Park, Lago’s Ice Cream, Diversions Puzzles & Games, Cowabungas and Santa’s Village. Congratulations to the raffle winners: Sadie L, Timmy M, Norah B, Wyatt S, Jaymin C, Kaleb S, Lia R, Eloise R, Austin B, Liv R, Maggie C, Nat J, James C, Emma W, Sallie L, Dave Turbide, Norah C, Cash M, Kaiden S, Sam L, Max P, Andy N, Clara C, Jamie N, Lowell Berry, Mike Mazeau, Emilia C, and Emily M.

For those of you who are unaware, “Summer Reading” is a nationally recognized annual program for which the American Library Association provides a theme. This year’s was “A Universe of Stories.” Libraries design 6-8 weeks of related events and programs upon that theme, while simultaneously tracking the reading of program participants. Donations such as the prizes we raffled this year are requested from local businesses in the spring, and distributed at the end of the program.

This summer, we learned about Nocturnal Animals with hands-on activities presented by Dover Children’s Museum, we watched the Hampstead Stage Company perform adaptations of Greek myths in “Stories in the Stars”, we made our own UFOs and rocket ships out of recycled materials, we experimented with color-changing putty and magnetic slime, and we went on a scavenger hunt in the library. We also heard songs and stories from World War II performed by musicians Curt Bessette and Jenn Kurtz, learned some history of Portsmouth and the Piscataqua from Lou Ferland, and reflected on our heritages with Michael Lang.

This summer 16 adults participated, 2 teens and 39 kids. Our adult and teen participants read a total of 82 books, and the kids read a collective total of (approximately) 714 “days” this summer! We included an Early Literacy program this year for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers which provided family literacy activities participants could do to earn more raffle tickets in addition to tracking the days they read. Check in with the library in June next year to get your reading log right away—next year’s theme is already determined: “Imagine Your Story!”