The Youth Room’s Summer Reading Program is in full swing with over 600 registrations. Registration is open through Friday, August 8. (You don’t have to register to attend special events.)

Next week is the first full week of events. There are two events for young adults, grades 5 and up. On Tuesday, July 1, join Young Adult Librarian Steve on the portico at 2 p.m. for tie dyeing. This event has been very popular during past summers and this year will be no exception. Bring your T-shirts (or whatever) that you want to dye and Steve will provide everything else you need, including instruction.

On Wednesday of next week, join Steve at 3:30 p.m. for velvet stamping. Create beautiful patterns on velvet using just an iron and some rubber stamps and you can have the beginnings of a pillow cover or velvet purse. Steve will have all materials, but if you choose to bring your own velvet, make sure it’s synthetic material.

The following week, there are two more exciting events for the middle school and older gang. On Tuesday, July 8, at 2 p.m. Ken Partello will return to draw your caricature. Registration is required for this event, so call and get your name on the list. Even if you’re too shy to have Ken draw your cartoon likeness, it’s fun to watch him at work.

Steve Brenner will be at the library on Wednesday, July 9, at 3:30 p.m. to apply airbrush tattoos. He brings hundreds of patterns from skull and crossbones to intricate flower patterns.

That’s just the beginning for young adults. In the following weeks there will be chess with chess master Michael Sullivan, Fear Factor, Karaoke, jewelry making, Guitar Hero and much more. You don’t have to sign up for the summer reading program to participate in these events. But if you do sign up, you’ll be eligible for some valuable reading prizes. Every week three gift certificates worth $25 will be raffled off. And the grand prizes for young adults are well worth reading for: $100 gift certificate to the mall; Nintendo Game Boy; and a video gaming night at the library.

Kids entering kindergarten and younger have their own summer reading club where they earn prizes for the time they spend listening to someone read to them. There are special programs at the library for these kids as well. Every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. starting July 8 and continuing through August 12, three to five year-olds are invited to drop in to “Little Wild Things” and listen to stories, songs and nursery rhymes and learn finger plays. Younger siblings are welcome to attend as well.

Peter Sheridan will lead a family sing-a-long on Friday, July 11, at 10:30 a.m. Peter’s program is funded by the Wakefield Cultural Council.

There are also great programs for kids entering grades one through four. These kids can register, track their reading and earn prizes. They can earn Beebe Bucks by completing special challenges and collect raffle tickets each time they visit the library. Every Monday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. from June 30 through August 11, these kids can join “Wild Readers” to experience books and stories with a wild theme and participate in related activities.

In addition, there will be programs every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. starting July 2 with Wingmaster’s World of Owls. Registration is required for the owl program.

On July 9 the performer will be magician Greg McAdams.

Don’t miss these fantastic programs and many others scheduled for later in the summer, such as the visit by the New England Aquarium when kids will have an opportunity to touch tide pool creatures and learn how they live. Registration is required for this event. There will also be puppet shows, performances by Kidstock and dogs trained to run the Iditarod in Alaska.

In all programs that require registration, preference is given to children who live in Wakefield. Non-residents will be placed on a waiting and if space remains, the staff will contact them the day before the program. Regretfully, Beebe Library does not provide library services, including the Summer Reading Program, to residents of communities without certified libraries.

For more information or to register for programs, phone 781-246-6334, x3.

Categories: Children's Programs, Library News, Young Adult Programs
Tags: Children's Programs, summer reading program