Daniel Boone Regional Library

The library’s annual Summer Reading program helps young children get ready to read and encourages older kids to continue reading while they are taking a break from school. During the summer, we also make a special effort to reach kids in the county schools outside the towns where we have library buildings.

Summer Reading sign up begins June 8 for kids and June 15 for teens.

This year’s Summer Reading theme for children ages 5-12 is “Be Creative,” and the teen theme is “Express Yourself.” As usual, patrons at each library and bookmobile stop will enjoy activities led by our staff members and entertainment from outside storytellers and performers. Our regional programs will include performances by Dr. Gesundheit (a.k.a. Craig Sjorgerman) and nationally-recognized storytellers Bobby Norfolk and Priscilla Howe.

To extend Summer Reading into our smaller communities, we have, for the fourth year in a row, received a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, administered by the Office of the Missouri Secretary of State. A key part of the grant is reaching elementary school kids who do not have easy access to a library over the summer. Last year, we piloted the Books by Snail program in Hallsville and Sturgeon, and it was so successful that we are expanding it. It will now be available for kids who go to school in Auxvasse, Hallsville, Harrisburg, Holts Summit, Mokane, New Bloomfield, Sturgeon and Williamsburg (all the schools in our regional system located in towns where there is no library building). Eligible children will get a sign-up form at school or they can sign up at www.booksbysnail.org starting May 15. Then, they’ll be able to check out books through the mail, postage-paid, all summer long.

The grant will also fund staffing for summer open hours at elementary school libraries in Hallsville, Sturgeon and Blue Ridge Elementary in Columbia. These school libraries will be open a few hours a week for about a month in the summer, so students can check out books or do summer reading activities.

You can sign up for any of these Summer Reading programs at your library or bookmobile stop:

Little Scribblers (Birth-Age 4)

Sign up starting June 8.
It’s never too early to read to your child. Sign up your little ones and then read to or with them and do a few activities like singing together. You’ll get a simple calendar and stickers for keeping track of your progress.

Be Creative (Ages 5-12)

Sign up starting June 8.
Children get a journal when they sign up to use for creative projects and to record the time they spend reading and doing activities like attending a library program or sending a postcard to the library. Kids who read for 20 hours and do 10 activities will get a t-shirt for completing the program.

Express Yourself: Teen Reading Challenge

Sign up starting June 15.
Teens who sign up for the reading challenge will get a journal to write or sketch in. Read for 20 hours and complete six activities such as writing a book review or bringing in a friend to sign up, and you’ll get a t-shirt and be entered in a drawing for other rewards.

Group Summer Reading

Sign up May 18-June 30.
Any small group like a child care, an after-school activity group or a neighborhood group can register for summer reading together. Get the group sign-up form online (beginning May 18) or at your library. The group will receive a simplified reading record and activity ideas.