Summer Reading Program
Youth 0-18
We’re excited to introduce a new way of approaching our Summer Reading Program for kids. Does your child think of reading as homework or something they only do over the summer for a cheap plastic prize? Studies show that this external motivation actually stunts reading growth, even for great readers! We want to flip that script. We are designing programming that will help families make reading an integral and fun part of their daily lives. This is the kind of internal motivation that grows lifelong readers and engaged, curious kids! Every Monday night we’ll have a different event that will help make reading fun, get your children talking about reading, and give them ownership of their library. Can’t make it Monday night? No worries! The activities will be available throughout the week whenever you drop by.
Summer Reading: Family Literacy Dinner
Monday, Jun. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Family Event
Kick off Summer Reading with a FREE spaghetti dinner catered by Napoli’s! Bring the whole family and enjoy food, stories, and talk about books. Your youth librarian will speak briefly about the best strategies for growing lifelong readers while you eat your fill. Then create your own learning goals for this summer and decorate a reading log of your own design!
Summer Reading: Cozy Reading Nooks
Monday, Jun. 19, 6:30 p.m.
Family Event
Could you read them in a nook?
Could you read them by a brook?
Could you read them here or there?
I bet you could read them anywhere!
Where do you read your books? Come to the library and create a cozy reading nook somewhere in the library. Will you make a blanket fort between the shelves? Under a table? Snuggle up on a couch with a drink and a stack of books? Or will you head outside under a tree? At home with the dog? Create the coziest, comfiest nook and take a picture of you reading in it. Send your photos to ask@burlingtonlibrary.org or post them on social media and tag us!
Summer Reading: Be an Illustrator with Jerry Moffitt from Do Art Productions!
Monday, Jul. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Family Event
Join Jerry Moffitt from Do Art Productions comics team to learn all about illustrating books. He’ll talk about his creative process, how he approaches a book, and what comic publishing looks like behind the scenes. Then you’ll get to pick your favorite book in the library and create a new cover for it! We’ll attach that cover and keep it on the book for the whole summer! If you register ahead, we’ll have your book ready and waiting for you!
Summer Reading: Be an Author with Ana Michelle
Monday, Jul. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
Family Event
Join Ana Michelle, published author of Long Live the King, to learn all about illustrating books. She’ll talk about her writing process, how she approaches creating characters, and how to get published. Then create your own, magnificent book, fill it with your thoughts, stories, and illustrations. You can take it home, or leave it in our “My Books” library for others to read!
Summer Reading: Kindness Bookmarks
Monday, Jun. 26, 6:30 p.m.
Family Event
Everyone needs a little more kindness. Did you know reading is one of the most effective ways of promoting empathy? Make it even better by creating kindness bookmarks and hiding them in books here at the library, at home, in Little Free Libraries around town, and at the new Burlington Library Outposts at local businesses including Kravings, Archives, The Coffee House on Chestnut and Pine, and Low Daily! Kindness rocks just got booked!
Summer Reading: Buddy Reading
Monday, Jul. 24 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jul. 25 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Jul. 26 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Friday, Jul. 28 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Family Event
Reading is better together. This week we’ll have extra therapy dogs to read to. Who else can you read to? A favorite stuffed animal? A younger sibling? A grandparent, neighbor, or friend? Come to the library to read with a therapy dog this week and take a picture of you reading with a buddy. Send them to ask@burlingtonlibrary.org or post them on social media and tag us!
Summer Reading: Book Hunt
Monday, Jul. 31, 6:30 p.m.
Family Event
How well do you know your library? Clues hidden throughout the library will lead you to a secret prize! Come Monday night to hunt in teams, or throughout the week to search on your own.
Year Round Readers Festival!
Monday, Aug. 14 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Family Event
Because reading doesn’t end when Summer does, we will have a Year Round Readers Festival! There will be karaoke, a food truck, popcorn, carnival games, community booths, and more. The whole City will turn out to show just how important reading and learning is to our community! Eat, play games, win prizes, sing, dance, and….create your reading and learning goals for the fall! Thank you to our sponsors: United Way of Racine County and the Burlington Coalition for Dismantling Racism.
