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Library kicking off summer with party

By Caroline Trowbridge - | May 31, 2006

Tonganoxie Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program kicks off Thursday with a chance for participants to show off their pets.

The registration party and pet carnival are set for 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the library, 303 Bury. The party also will feature face-painting, balloon art with LuLuBell the Clown, an opportunity to make crafts and to meet Maizie, a therapy reading dog.

The eight-week program is designed to fill the gap between school years, library director Sharon Moreland said. And it also is designed for youngsters to have fun with reading.

“There are not tests,” she said. “There are not book reports. … It’s reading for enjoyment.”

Participants will be eligible for prizes. And the library is offering weekly events — all in keeping with this year’s program theme of “Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales.”

A switch this year from previous years will mean that youngsters will be asked to track the amount of time they spend reading, rather than the number of books they read. The summer reading program is open to children through sixth grade.

And a program for teens, called “Creature Feature,” also is available.

Moreland said the library also has a new teen group that will have its kickoff party at 4 p.m. June 8 at the library.

Local 4-H’er Hannah Davidson has worked with Moreland to organize the Tonganoxie Library Teens, which will serve as an advisory group to the library, Moreland said.

And again this year, adults are invited to participate in the “Second Chance Adult Summer Reading Program,” Moreland said. Adults can win a customized bistro-style coffee mug.

The library will have registration forms and reading logs available Thursday, and at all other times the library is open.

Here’s a list of events:

  • 10:30 a.m. Mondays and 7 p.m. Thursdays: storytime for children through age 5.
  • 6:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Thursday: Summer Reading Program registration party and pet carnival.
  • 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Fridays, June 2 through July 28: Lunchtime movie, feature children’s movie. Children can bring their lunch and eat as they watch.
  • 9:30 a.m. June 8: Abe Buddish and his Angora goat, Sandi. Abe will talk about how his goat’s coat can be used to make yarn.
  • 10 a.m. June 15: Representatives from Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence will bring animals.
  • 9:30 a.m. June 22: Nicole Allen and Shannon Smith and their 4-H dogs will demonstrate dog obedience, a safe-approach program and freestyle dog dancing.
  • 9:30 a.m. June 29: Participants can decorate a big fish with scales and markers, then stuff it and hang it from the ceiling.
  • 9:30 a.m. July 6: Learn how Operation Wildlife diagnoses and treats injured animals.
  • 9:30 a.m. July 13: Reno Bobwhites 4-H “Cats, crafts and more cats!” Participants will meet the cats, play some cat and mouse games, and make a craft.
  • 9:30 a.m. July 20: Bongo Barry goes looking for wild things as he involves you in Maurice Sendak’s story, “Where the Wild Things Are.” The rumpus features Bongo Barry’s treasure chest of musical instruments for everyone to play.
  • 9:30 a.m. July 27: Storyteller Priscilla Howe.
  • 9 a.m.-11 a.m. July 29: Wrapup party and petting zoo.