SUMMER READING

2011

Read a New Way.READ EVERY DAY. Summer reading keeps your mind sharp and helps young

readers avoid the “summer slump.” We encourage you to challenge yourself to read your way through the summer!

June 1-August 13Here are a few practical and creative ways you can be a part of the Summer Reading Challenge:

Richland County Public LibrarymyRCPL.com/summer

If you’re an adult reader, go find your favorite children’s books

and get reacquainted.

Let the book do the talking. Listen to a book on disc or Playaway from

the great collection at your public library.

Read a vintage cookbook. The recipes may scare and delight you!

Turn off the tube. Instead of watching summer reruns,

try a night of reading with friends and

family.

If you’re a kid, add a list of your favorite summer

books to your reading passport.

Read outside. Porch swings and picnic blankets

go great with books of all kinds.

What comes to mind when you think of summer? For me, I think of summer rainstorms.

Yes, rainstorms. You see, my parents and grandparents grew acres of vegetables during

the summers of my youth. My grandmother Carrie would preserve these vegetables for

the winter months, feeding many families with glass jars full of green beans, corn and her

simple delicious soup. I remember some summers that would languish without rain and

we’d worry about the crops. My mother would work to keep the soil moist with buckets

of water and earnest hope. Even as a child who didn’t understand all of the implications

of a few weeks without rain, I could feel what it meant. The rain meant growth. The rain

kept the world green. The rain was the dear companion of the summer sun.

What helped keep our spirits alive during those dry summer times were stories. Some

were stories we shared quietly like the ones my sister made up for me as we swayed on

my Uncle Robert’s porch swing. Others were family histories that ranged from anecdotal

minutia to the morose (true ghost stories!). What could have made it better? Books. More

books. It’s that simple. At that time there was little focus on the importance of students reading through the summer months in the small Ap-

palachian town where I lived. The public library there was a relatively new entity and had not been able to reach into the hollows and hills of

the communities tucked far away. How much more exciting and story-filled would those long summer days have been if we’d had stacks of

library books around the house!

I like to imagine there will be stacks and stacks of books in homes all over Richland County this summer. This is what our summer reading chal-

lenge is all about. Join us at the library for challenging (and fun) ways to fill your life with books, stories, reading and learning. You’ll also see

that the library offers opportunities throughout the summer to both share and create new memories. Challenge yourself to read something

new. Challenge yourself to have fun with books. Challenge yourself to step into the deep thoughts and memories of others during the sum-

mer months. Your library will be tracking right along with you as we challenge ourselves to offer more creative ways to engage you. Let’s start

making summer memories together!

SUMMER: The Importance of Reading and RainstormsTony Tallent | Director of Literacy and Learning

How toSIGN UP

1. Stop by any RCPL location.

2. Tell a librarian that you are ready to challenge yourself to read every day and read a new way this summer.

3. Start reading!

Read To Me Children too young to read can participate in the Read to Me program by having others read to them and completing 10 reading moments.

ChildrenChildren who are reading on their own up to age 12 can join this program.

Teens & AdultsTeens and adults can participate in their own speciallly crafted programs.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMS

Summer Reading Challenge Kick-Off Celebration Stop by The Link and sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge.

Enter to win special prizes just for signing up on the first day!

Wednesday, June 1, The Link, Ballentine

One World, Many Stories Summer Reading Kick Off Party Sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge, enjoy stories and games

from around the world, learn about exciting programs for the sum-

mer, and more!

3 p.m., Wednesday, June 1, Cooper Branch

Summer Reading Kick-Off! Join Tanya, the balloon maker, as she kick off our Summer Reading

Program with some balloon twisting fun.

11:30 a.m., Saturday, June 4, Wheatley Branch

Summer Reading Challenge Celebrations Join Richland County Public Library as we celebrate summer reading with the following programs.Bright Star TheatreCelebrate world cultures, literature and the art of African storytelling

with Aliki and The Bright Star Touring Theatre as she shares exciting

tales traditionally passed down by word of mouth.

10 a.m., Monday, June 16, North Main Branch

Taradiddle PlayersTarradiddle Players Children’s Theatre from Charlotte brings Laura

Numeroff’s picture book If You Take a Mouse to School to life.

11 a.m., Wednesday, June 8, Children’s Room, Main3 p.m., Wednesday, June 8, Southeast Regional

Sarah DippityFollow Sarah Dippity on a hilarious, fun-filled trip around the world

with magic, storytelling and puppets the whole way!

11 a.m., Tuesday, June 14, St. Andrews Regional11 a.m., Friday, July 29, Children’s Room, Main

Pork Chop ProductionsPork Chop Productions presents a fanciful adaptation of the classic

folk tale, The Bremen Town Musicians. Enjoy the live music and

audience participation with your family and friends.

11 a.m., Saturday, June18, Cooper Branch10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 7, Sandhills Branch

Red Herring PuppetsJoin the renowned Ashville Company Red Herring Puppets as they

bring the timeless Aesop’s Fables to life.

10:30 a.m., Monday, June 27, Sandhills Branch2 p.m., Monday, June 27, North Main Branch

Grey Seal PuppetsPerforming nationally for 30 years, the Grey Seal Puppets present

A Tangle of Tales. Three favorite folk tales from around the world

come to life with a touch of the familiar and a taste of the new.

10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 29, Southeast Regional2:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 29, Northeast Regional

Pantasia Steel Band Cruise around the Carribean with the steel drums of Pantaisa. Enjoy

exciting Calypso and Reggae music outside and view some

island art.

10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 6, Blythewood Branch

Mr. RichardStoryteller and songwriter Mr. Richard plays lively children’s music

with an attitude. His clever lyrics and bluesy style will have the entire

family rockin’ along.

10 a.m., Wednesday, July 20, Wheatley Branch3 p.m., Wednesday, July 20, Cooper Branch

NiA presents The Three Billy Goats Gruff Find out what happens when three billy goat brothers meet one

hungry troll.

11 a.m., Saturday, July 30, St. Andrews Regional

Summer Reading Wrap-Up Party for all ages

Wrap up the summer with music, fun and prizes for the whole family.

Bring your beach chairs and join us for an outdoor concert featuring

nationally known children’s rock sensation Lunch Money. For more

information, call 776-0855.

6:30 – 8 p.m., Saturday, August 13, Southeast Regional

Challenge YourselfGear up for the Summer Reading Challenge with...Double Dare You for adults

Who says you can’t? Who says you won’t? You’ve been chal-

lenged! Take the reading challenge; you can set your own. Just

come to the North Main Branch Library and put it in writing.

On you mark (June 1st), get set, go! Every finish gets a reward.

June 1 – August 13, North Main Branch

Summer Reading Challenge: Explore Poetry for adults

Come hear Dr. Jennifer Pournelle, archaeologist and winner of the

South Carolina Poetry Book Prize, as she reads from her book of po-

ems “Excavations” inspired by her recent archaeological work and

travels in Iraq.

6 p.m., Wednesday, August 10, Walker Local History Room, Main

Challenge EVENTS SUMMER READING

Eat Smart and Move More for ages 6 – 12 *

Join Ms. Johnese Bostic with Eat Smart, Move More of SC and learn

how to make healthy food choices and get moving.

2:30 p.m., Thursdays, June 16 and June 30, North Main Branch

Learn a New LanguageHablamos: Spanish Conversation Club for adults and teens

Learning Spanish? Yo lo hablas? Enjoy an hour of some relaxed

Spanish chit chat.

6:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Jun1 and 15, July 6 and 20

Southeast Regional, Meeting Room

Bilingual Storytimes for families

Join us for stories, songs and fingerplays in both English and

Spanish.

11 a.m., Saturday, June 4, Northeast Regional3 p.m., Wednesday, June 15, The Link, Ballentine10:30 a.m., Monday June 20, Children’s Room, Main

Basic Spanish for adults *

Learn basic conversational Spanish with local teacher

Lindsay Wolfe.

6:30 p.m., Tuesdays, June 7 – July 12 , Southeast Regional

Explore Our WorldOne World, Many Stories for ages 6 – 12 *

Pack your bags because we’re traveling this summer. Join us

as we tour the world through language, stories and crafts.

• Wheatley Branch10 a.m., Fridays, June 3 – July 22

• Southeast Regional11 a.m., Saturday, June 4

• St. Andrews Regional3:30 p.m., Thursday, June 9

• The Link, Ballentine 11 a.m., Satudays, June 11, July 9, and August 6

• Blythewood Branch3 p.m., Saturday, June 11

• Blythewood Branch3 p.m., Tuesdays, June 14 and July 19

• Cooper Branch3:30 p.m., Thursday, June 16 and 30, July 14 and 28

• Blythewood Branch 3 p.m., Thursdays, June 23, July 14, August 4

• Blythewood Branch

3 p.m., Wednesday, June 29 and July 27

• North Main Branch3 p.m., Saturdays, August 6 and August 13

Painting Around the World for ages 6 – 12 *

Explore painting from different countries and create your own

with Jackie Humphries from Tag It – Children’s Art Studio. Dress

for a mess!

3:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 8, Cooper Branch

Romp Around the World! for ages 6 – 12

Solve a puzzle, play some games, draw a picture, learn what to

do when it rains! Come join us for games, puzzles and crafts from

around the world.

3 p.m., Thursdays, June 9, June 23, July 7, July 21, August 4, and Au-

gust 18, Southeast Regional

Armchair Traveler for adults

Escape the summer heat and travel to destinations across the globe

from the comfort of a library chair. Seasoned travelers will share their

travel experiences and pictures, and offer handy travel tips. Enjoy

light refreshments and get inspiration for your next vacation.

3 p.m., Saturdays, June 11, July 9 and July 30, Southeast Regional

Try Something NewContainers for Kids for ages 6 – 12

Learn how to plant your own container garden (and one

for the library) during this interactive workshop.

3 p.m., Wednesday, June 8, Northeast Regional

Reel RCPL Young Filmmakers Series for teens*

Everwanttomakeafilm,buthavenoideawhere

tostart?Letexpertsinthefieldguideyouontheart

andtechniqueaswellasthenutsandboltsoffilm-

making in preparation for the REEL RCPL: A Young

Artists Showcase submission deadline of July 16.

Events will be held in multiple locations:

6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 24 – Sandhills

3 p.m., Saturday, May 28 – Southeast

3:30 – 5:30 p.m., Friday, June 3 – Northeast

3 p.m., Saturday, June 18 – Southeast

6:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 21 – Sandhills

7 p.m., Thursday, June 30 – St. Andrews

3:30 – 5:30 p.m., Friday, July 1 – Northeast

A YOUNG ARTISTS

‘

showcase6:30 - 8 p.m., Friday, August 5

Bostick Auditorum, Main

TEENS!

Learn about the art of the Japanese tea ceremony and experience

the beauty of this ancient tradition.

3:30 p.m., Saturday, June 18 | Main

Japanese Tea Ceremony for teens

Have you ever asked someone to name a favorite picture book? Not only do

kids love picture books, parents, teens—the whole family loves them! We’ve

created an easy way for families and individuals to share their favorite picture

books with one another in a casual and welcoming setting. Let’s talk about the

picture books that still capture our imaginations together! We’ll also share some

of the best in brand new picture books with you.

We’ll provide pizza and soft drinks, so there’s no need to rush to have dinner

first! Come as you are, bring your favorite picture book or simply join us in the

conversations.

This is a new program of the library’s Community Outreach Department and

support’s the library’s commitment to the Eau Claire Promise Zone.

Family Picture Book Club

Sewing 101 for ages 9 – 17 *

Basic sewing class, make a pillow for your bedroom.

Supplies provided.

3 p.m., Thursdays, July 14, July 28, August 11 and August 25

North Main Branch

Blueprints to Photos for ages 9 – adult *

Learn about early photographic processes and make

your own cyanotype prints.

3 p.m., Thursday, July 21, Northeast Regional Rain date: 3 p.m., Friday, July 22

Basket Weaving for adults

Learn the artistry of basket weaving.

11 a.m., Mondays, August 1 – 29, North Main Branch

How Yoga Can Reduce Stress in Your Life! for adults *

Is stress robbing your happiness from home or work? Learn how

you can restore your mind, body and spirit and feel renewed!

Gigi Garzon Dommers, a certified yoga instructor with Pillars of

Grace, will demonstrate stretches and relaxation techniques,

some, that can be done in your chair!

12:30 – 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 3, Northeast Regional

Graphic Novel Summit Join your fellow Graphic Novel “Graphicionados” for an informal

conversation about favorite titles, heroes, villains, writers, and art-

ists. Special Secret Surprise Guest Facilitator Expert will be there.

3 p.m., Saturday, August 20, Southeast Regional

Express YourselfTeen Writing Club for teens

This is a forum for people who love to write. Whether it’s

poetry, stories, or song lyrics, join fellow writers for a no

pressure experience.

6:30 – 7:30 p.m., June 6, June 20, July 4, July 18 and August 1

Southeast Regional

Poetry Workshop and Open Mic for teens

Calling all poets, singers and teens with something to say!

Practice your skills with poet Margo Stewart and then hit

the stage.

3:30 p.m., Saturday, July 9, Main

MoneyLunchDiscover the sounds of Lunch Money, the nationally

known children’s indie rock band, as they play songs

from their latest album, “Original Friend.” Find out more

at lunchmoneymusic.com.

New!

music!

5 - 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 145 - 6 p.m., Thursday, July 21

10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 11 | Children’s Room, Main

for families

11 a.m., Tuesday, July 26 | Northeast Regional

North Main Branch

A YOUNG ARTISTS

Ten weeks worth of challenges that grow school readiness and fun! Each week is a new topic with a new challenge.

WEEKLY Challenge SUMMER READING

Week 1 | Books All Around!Reading to children on a daily basis is important. Thechallenge is to findthe time. This can be overcome by having books within reach. Having books everywhere leads to reading everyday.

Weekly Challenge: • Establish a reading corner with

at least two books per child on

a child accessible shelf!

• Make sure every child has a

book bag!

Week 2 | Nursery Rhymes How many nursery rhymes do you know? Can you think of eight of them? If a child knows eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time he is four, he will be among the best readers by the time he’s eight. Line up with Jack be Nimble by calling out the chil-dren’s names and having them jump over a faux candle or bean bag.

Weekly Challenge:• Learn two new nursery rhymes

and sing/say them until your

children know them by heart.

Week 3 | Home Sweet HomeBooks that relate to a child’s routine allow him to make connections with the world around him. Reading stories that focus on family are comforting and familiar to young children.

Weekly Challenge:• Read stories about families and

routine, and share stories about

your own children’s families.

Week 7 | Use Your Words!Use picture books to encourage chil-dren to narrate the story in their own words. Ask them open-ended ques-tions using Who, What, When, Where and How. There are no wrong an-swers. Open up a discussion about the book and allow the children to explore their language. It’s equally as important for a child to be able to talk about a book as it is to sit and listen quietly.

Weekly Challenge:• Instead of traditional readings

have your children tell their fa-

vorite stories by discussing what

is happening in the pictures.

Week 8| Traditional TalesBecome familiar with traditional stories such as Goldilocks and The Three Bears, The Three Pigs and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. These types of stories have simple yet memorable characters and rep-etition. Children love to retell these tales, even if their version is saying, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff!” over and over again. It all leads to being able to tell a story which leads to higher reading and writing skills later on.

Weekly Challenge:• Make paper bag puppets

and re-tell Goldilocks and

the Three Bears or another

favorite traditional tale.

Week 9 | All around the WorldShare stories about children and fam-ilies in faraway places. Your children will notice the differences and similar-ities between themselves and people around the world. This is a great week to develop knowledge and empathy for others.

Weekly Challenge:• Share stories and songs from

other places and cultures. Find

someone that speaks a different

language or is knowledgeable

about

another country to share

with your children.

Take Note!PARENTS & TEACHERS

FIND OUT MORE AT myrcpl.com/summer

Ten weeks worth of challenges that grow school readiness and fun! Each week is a new topic with a new challenge.

Week 10 | Book MakingCreate books that contain pictures of your children’s favorite things or things you want to celebrate like all that you have done in the last 10 weeks. You can use photos, maga-zine cut-outs, drawings and memen-tos. For babies and toddlers, photos of the people, places and things in their life work best. These books are not only comforting: they make strong connections between the world and books.

Weekly Challenge:• Make an accordion book with

pictures of your children!

Week 4 | Animals!Identifying animals and their sounds is a skill children need upon entering Kindergarten. See how many animals your chil-dren can identify and how many sounds they know. They may iden-tify an elephant, but do they know what a camel is? Do they know the difference between a tiger and a lion? What sound does a chicken make? Is it different from the sound a goose makes?

Weekly Challenge:• Haveyourchildren learn five

new animals by sharing books

and songs.

Week 5 | ColorsWhat’s your favorite color? Skills can only develop if they are practiced. Reading books that introduce colors allows children to practice learning in a fun way.

Weekly Challenge:• Readfivecolorbooksfivetimes

each this week!

Week 6 | ABCsMake learning letters fun! Put away your flashcards andworksheets andexperiment with various books and hands-on activities to help children learn their alphabet. Knowing that letters are different from each other, knowing their names and sounds, and being able to recognize letters ev-erywhere in kindergarten is a strong predictor of reading ability in tenth grade.

Weekly Challenge:• Read one alphabet book each

daythisweek,searchoutthefirst

letter in each child’s name. Try

one of the hands-on activities.

PoetsPigskinGet your visors ready! Spurrier’s Gamecocks are taking the field at RCPL for a

morning of stories, games and autographs.

11 a.m., Friday, July 15 | Bostick Auditorium, Main

Lend a Hand This SummerThe library is looking for volunteers, rising 5th graders through high school students, for its

Summer Volunteer Program. Volunteers can apply at any branch location through May

28 and at the Main Library through July 6. Volunteers will help with programs, help main-

tain shelves, cut nametags and prepare materials for storytimes and perform special

projects.

Volunteers work one hour per week, Monday through Saturday throughout the summer

at any library location. We hope to see you this summer! To volunteer or for more infor-

mation, call 929-3436 or visit myRCPL.com/volunteer.

3 p.m. Saturdays, June 25, July 23 and August 12 | Sandhills Branch3:30 p.m., Saturday, June 25 | St. Andrews Regional3:30 p.m., Saturday, July 23 | St. Andrews Regional1 p.m., Friday, July 29 | Wheatley Branch2:30 p.m., Saturday, August 20 | North Main Branch3:30 p.m., Satuday, August 30 | St. Andrews Regional

Come celebrate completing the Summer Reading Challenge!

If you have completed your reading record and have not yet

received your medal, bring your record with you and you will

be presented a medal at the award ceremony. If you have re-

ceived your medal and would like to participate, please bring

your medal with you.

SUMMER READING CLUBAward Ceremonies