A new book club just for kids!
05/01/21
Arguably, the later years of elementary school are some of the prime years for children to fall in love with reading. They’ve moved on to chapter books, they still have an intense sense of imagination, and they’re not so busy with school they can’t find a quiet moment to read for pleasure. Books like Harry Potter, the Percy Jackson series, and the discovery of graphic novels are all on the table and can feel like tangible magic.
Therefore, when South Branch library staff member Luke Vidic heard parents were searching for a book club for their elementary-aged children, he wanted to deliver. This summer, Rocky Mountain Readers will be Summit County Library’s book club for 3rd through 5th graders. The program will run in conjunction with the summer reading program, and will meet to discuss weekly reading assignments each Wednesday from June 7 through July 26 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The date and time was chosen to allow parents with younger preschoolers to attend Wednesday Preschool storytime while the older siblings are able to attend a program for their age group at the same time.
Luke heads up Junior programs at the South Branch Library and just so happens to love fantasy, a genre that’s popular among students of that age. Not only is Luke a big reader, he also is well-practiced in keeping kids entertained.
For the past six months, Luke has been enjoying occupying children from ages five to 12 after school with legos, scavenger hunts, sock puppets, science experiments, and much more. For his book club, Luke plans to weave reading and fun together.
For the first meeting, kids will pick up a copy of The Wild Robot by Peter
Brown and get to know other group members through ice breakers, games, and crafts. That day, and all following days, kids will receive a new reading assignment to complete by the next session for discussion about what they liked, loved, or even despised.
Luke has planned each session to include a short game or activity, discussion of the reading, and a craft to complement the book. "By the end of the summer, the goal is to have kids chatting away about their favorite moments with their peers", Luke said. He hopes each reader will walk away with a better appreciation for books, summer reading and maybe even a new friend or two. Participants will be able to log their reading in a physical badge book and on the Beanstack app to earn prizes and virtual tickets for the end of the summer grand prize drawings.
How Do I Sign Up?
Parents and guardians can sign their readers up via Sign Up Genius. The program will be held at the South Branch Library in Breckenridge.
To Sign up for Summer Reading Program June 5 - July 31st: visit: https://summitcountylibraries.beanstack.org/reader365
Questions? Email Luke or call 970-668-3550.
