the Friends of the Richland County Public Library’s
SUMMER READ ING
HALLENGE 2012
READ EVERY DAY. READ A NEW WAY. Summer reading keeps your mind sharp and helps young readers avoid the “summer slide.” We encourage you to challenge yourself to read your way through the summer! Here are a few practical and creative ways you can be a part of the Summer Reading Challenge.
Share the Story Start your own summer book club
Beat the Heat Stay cool at your library
Rediscover the Classics Read one aloud with friends
June 1 through
August 18
Relive History
Digitize Your Reads
Experience events like never before
Sign up for a chance to win a Kindle Fire
SUMMER READING CHALLENGE 2012
SHARE WHAT YOU LOVE
How
to Sign
Tony Tallent | Director of Literacy and Learning Have you ever read a book, seen a movie or heard a song you simply had to share with your friends? With feverish delight you summarize the plot or talk about the imagery or even hum a few lines. It makes your friends smile to see you so excited about something. Your fascination turns into their fascination! One of the great joys in life is sharing what we love with others. As you dive into our Summer Reading Challenge, I hope you’ll keep this in mind. Your library is a place that fosters conversation and opportunities to share, delight and learn from one another. You’ll find a great deal of these opportunities listed in the pages of this publication. According to the National Center for Family Literacy, a child’s reading ability improves exponentially when there is a family network that encourages reading. I believe this fact can be broadened to embrace the idea that we all learn more when we are encouraged and inspired in a supportive environment. Let your library be that place for you this summer. Through the Summer Reading Challenge, we offer a program constructed to encourage and reinforce reading throughout the summer—for children, teens and adults. More than that, we are here to help you creatively challenge yourself to read every day and read in a new way. Tell us what topic intrigues you. I bet we’ll find a book that will help you explore it more deeply. Tell us the type of song that makes you want to sing along. I bet we’ll be able to lead you to music that builds and broadens your sonic horizon.
“...we all learn more when we are encouraged and inspired in a supportive environment. Let your library be that place for you this summer.” Tell us what you’d like to know more about. I bet we’ll be able to connect you to information and community resources that you never dreamed existed. If it is an interest of yours, it’s an interest of ours! Challenge yourself in the best way this summer: share what you love with others. We’re ready to hear what delights you!
ii | summer reading challenge 2012
Up
1
Stop by any RCPL location.
2
Tell a librarian that you are ready to challenge yourself to read every day and read a new way.
3
Start reading!
Celebrate Your Success! Return your completed reading records to any RCPL location throughout the summer. Children will be presented with a reading medal to celebrate their success! Two lucky readers – a teen and an adult – will win a Kindle Fire sponsored by Geiger Carolinas O'Cain Advertising.
MYRCPL.COM/SUMMER
STAY SHARP THIS SUMMER WITH APPS It’s easy to find yourself being pulled in multiple directions, especially during the summer. Luckily, there are many apps designed to help keep you on track, learning and having fun.
Task & Time Management
Get organized & motivated.
Cozi ANDROID MARKET | free This app ties together each family member’s schedule with to do and shopping lists. It even allows you to keep a journal complete with pictures, making it perfect for family vacations.
Independent Learning
Everyone can learn something new.
TED, TEDx Youth Day ANDROID MARKET & APP STORE | free Watch as experts in their field present ideas that could very well change the world. There are three levels of talks: TED for all ages (but mostly adults and teens), TEDx Youth Day for kids and tedxteen.com for teens.
Improving Memory & Focus
Khan Academy ANDROID MARKET & APP STORE | free This app provides a diverse selection of how-to tutorial videos on a wide variety of topics, making it perfect for reviewing school work or learning about the current credit crisis.
Improve your brain power.
Brainscape APP STORE | free - some decks may cost Improve your knowledge with this flashcard-based system.
Just for Fun
Epic Win APP STORE | $2.99 Need a little extra motivation to get things done? Use this app to ‘level up your life’ as you cross things off your to do list.
My Personal Memory Trainer ANDROID MARKET | free Play games to help improve focus and memory.
Unleash your inner storyteller.
I Can Animate APP STORE | $2.99 Make animated movies with the camera on your iPod/iPhone or iPad 2. We use this app for animation programs at the library. It’s easy to use and fun for all ages. See Teen program on page vi.
Stick Fighter ANDROID MARKET | free Animate the stick man as he goes into battle.
Don’t Forget myRCPL.com Overdrive | Download your favorite books to read on your mobile device. Freegal | Download three songs per week to keep. Tumblebooks | Watch videos of your favorite children’s books.
10 1
Weeks of Challenges
TO GROW SCHOOL READINESS AND FUN
Books All Around
2
NURSERY RhyMES & SONGS
3
family & R
Establish a reading corner with at least two books per child on a child accessible shelf. Make sure every child has a library card.
Share rhymes and songs every day, and your children will learn to say them on their own. Children who know eight rhymes by heart by the time they are four are usually among the best readers by the time they are eight.
Make a photo book filled members for your childre over. Read the book. Put i a grocery list by having y common things they eat the board or a large piece
4
5
6
Animals
Have your children learn five new animals by sharing books and songs. Give children toy animals to play with. Children will naturally practice the words and sounds they have learned while developing storytelling skills.
7
colors
Read five color books five times this week. Mix colors and talk about them. Watch red and yellow come together to become orange! Give your children color specific toys to play with or help them sort their toys into various color groups.
10
Around the world
Share stories and songs from three other places and cultures. Use a variety of book styles from photographs to rhymes to bilingual books to widen your children’s knowledge of the world beyond their daily lives.
ABCS
Share alphabet books each day this week. Spend time using string, magnets, shapes, play dough and crayons to create letters. Ask children what letter their name starts with and name other things that start with that letter.
8
Shapes
Name, trace and play with Talk about the shape of sig at the grocery store. Have of various shapes. Write shape under the rubbin on your bulletin board.
9
Guessing
Share books that invite children to guess what happens next. Ask your children questions and they will start making predictions on their own. Children love to guess. Hum ‌ I wonder what this book is about. Can you guess?
Read
Storytell
Have your children tell the discussing what is happen an open-ended question a you share at storytime. W live? How many trucks we do you think this book is a
Talk Sing
& Pla
EVER iv | summer reading challenge 2012
SUMMER READING CHALLENGE 2012
WHAT IS A READING MOMENT?
Clo Cammarata | Programs and Partnerships Manager Over the years, my son and I have enjoyed the discovery of reading and the fun in everyday life – our Reading Moments. Nothing in the world can compare to the utter joy and elation of a child. I never really understood how many opportunities for Reading Moments existed until I became a parent. My son would cackle with delight as we played reading games wherever we were.
Routine
with pictures of family en to look at over and it on the list. Make your children name and write them on e of paper.
h shapes this week. gns, toys and things children do rubbings e the name of the ng and hang them
ling
eir favorite stories by ning in the books. Ask about one of the books Where did that gorilla ere in that book? What about?
ay
RYDAY
Reading Moments help supplement formal reading and allow parents and children to bond and discover together. As a parent, I encourage you to read to your child every day. Libraries are special places that bring books to life and add a social dimension for parents and children. Storytimes, crafts and discovery programs reinforce early literacy skills, such as the spoken word, color and number recognition, and even how to hold and touch a book. This helps little ones have tactile relationships with books while celebrating and sharing the joy of reading. Sign up for the Friends of Richland County Public Library Summer Reading Challenge. You’ll get great pleasure and a memento for your child’s Memory Book. Then share the laughter and delight that comes from Reading Moments with your child and share a new way you created a Reading Moment at myRCPL.com.
Here Are a Few of My Favorite Reading Moments: In the Car:
Read billboards, especially those with words and pictures. Read signs while learning colors and meanings. Read the names of restaurants and businesses to learn new words and see uppercase letters in proper names.
In Stores:
Read produce signs to see the spelling of the words along with the items. Read sales signs that combine numbers and letters. Read cereal boxes, cans and other recognizable items while shopping from your grocery list.
At Home:
Read each label as you play pantry in your own home. Read newspaper and magazine captions and advertisements, putting pictures and words together. Write words in the sand describing the things you see and read aloud. Fill a small basket with favorite stories, rhymes and board books to pick up throughout the day. Include books about the alphabet, counting, colors, shapes and sizes.
summer reading challenge 2012 | v
Check Out These Special SUMMER READING CHALLENGE EVENTS Aesop’s Fables Red Herring Puppets
Family Picture Book Club Looking for something the whole family can enjoy? Come share your favorite picture books and discover some of the best, brand new ones too! Pizza and soft drinks provided.
Watch your favorite characters from The Lion and the Mouse, The Tortoise and the Hare, and more come to life in this production, presented by the renowned Asheville Company Red Herring Puppets. 3:30 p.m., Thursday, June 14, Cooper Branch
Sing Along with Charlie Hope
Ready, Set, Animate with ReadyANIMATOR
Join Charlie Hope as she shares music that children and adults can both love! Explore the limitless possibilities inside yourself through her melodic songs and interactive show. 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 20, Sandhills Branch 10:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 20, Wheatley Branch
Find your inner artist and express yourself. Produce your own stop motion short. We’ll help you from start to finish – From envisioning your idea to uploading it on YouTube.
2:30 p.m., Thursday, June 7, Sandhills Branch 11 a.m., Friday, July 6 , Southeast Regional 3 p.m., Friday, July 13, Northeast Regional
Commedia Cinderella Taradiddle Players Our favorite children’s theatre group out of Charlotte is at it again, bringing one of the world’s most famous fairy tales to life. 11 a.m., Friday, June 8 Children’s Room, Main
EGBE Kilimanjaro Join EGBE Kilimanjaro, a family of African Drummers and Dancers, and learn about the culture of the Gullah Geechee community through the art of drumming. 10 a.m., Thursday, June 7, Eastover Branch 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 13, Blythewood Branch 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 13, North Main Branch
Balloonopolis Twist and turn with Mr. Balloon Man and Twister Extraordinaire. Watch as magnificent balloon creations take shape before your very eyes. 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 12, St. Andrews Regional
adults
teens
5 p.m., Thursdays, May 3, June 7, July 5 and August 2, North Main Branch
Celebrate Summer Reading with Miss South Carolina Miss South Carolina Bree Boyce will discuss goal-setting, reading and the challenges and triumphs that led her to her title.
3 p.m., Sunday, June 24 Bostick Auditorium, Main
Salsa Cinderella Grey Seal Puppets Come see one of your favorite fairy tales performed with a spicy new twist. Performing nationally for 30 years, the Grey Seal Puppets present Salsa Cinderella. 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 26, Northeast Regional 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 26, Southeast Regional
Who Said That? Join in the laughter with comic ventriloquist Steve Brogan and his hilariously funny friends. 3:30 p.m., Thursday, July 12, Blythewood Branch
CHECK OUT ALL THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE HAPPENINGS @ MYRCPL.COM/SUMMER vi | summer reading challenge 2012
Come enjoy a presentation by the South Carolina Aquarium as they bring all the fun and adventure of the aquarium to you! With hands-on activities and a chance to learn about wildlife and animal habitats, this program is sure to be a splash! 3 p.m., Thursday, July 12, St. Andrews Branch 11 a.m., Thursday, July 12, North Main Branch
music
South Carolina Aquarium
Come hear this nationally acclaimed children’s band as they perform some of their most singable and danceable tunes at your library.
3 p.m., Sunday, July 22
Sarah Dippity
Get your visors ready! Spurrier’s Gamecocks are taking the field at RCPL for a morning of stories, games and autographs. 11 a.m., Friday, July 13 | Bostick Auditorium, Main
Sarah Dippity is back with more magic, storytelling, puppets and fun! 3:30 p.m., Thursday, July 26, Cooper Branch 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 26, Wheatley Branch
party
Carl Winters Is the Kalimba King
Chicken Little Porkchop Productions
Recess Monkey
Bostick Auditorium, Main
Pigskin Poets
Learn about something new! “The Kalimba King” introduces the kalimba, a.k.a. the African thumb piano, and captivates young and old audiences, alike, with this instrument’s unusual sound. 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 19, Eastover Branch 3:30 p.m., Thursday, July 19, Northeast Regional
Summer Reading Challenge Wrap-Up Party Wrap up the summer with music, fun and prizes for the whole family. Bring your beach chairs and join us for an outdoor concert featuring nationally known children’s rock sensation Lunch Money. For more information, call 776-0855.
6:30 p.m., Saturday, August 18 Southeast Regional
The sky is falling and Chicken Little, Henny Penny and the rest of their friends want you to know about it! Enjoy live music and loads of fun during Porkchop Productions’ adaptation of this classic tale. 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 19, Sandhills Branch 2:30 p.m., Thursday, July 19, Southeast Regional
ENCOURAGING YOUR RELUCTANT READER If “reading for fun” is not something you normally see around your house, try some other approaches. Check out a pile of books - various genres, subjects and reading levels. Ask your young person to try one of the books. If he isn’t engrossed, have him set it aside and try another.
Check out the 39 Clues series & the Trackers series by Patrick Carmen.
Encourage your young reader to pick out the stack of books at the library. Library staff members are happy to help select a number of items and highlight a few hidden gems that may be easily overlooked.
Today, there are many interactive multimedia books available that involve the reader in not only the physical book but also in online games. The 39 Clues series by various authors is an excellent adventure mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Throughout the series, readers are encouraged to do online puzzles to solve the 39 clues along with the characters. If your reader likes his action more tech-based, the Trackers series by Patrick Carmen is a good bet. Visit any library location and the expert staff will help you find a wealth of great books and resources to encourage your child. summer reading challenge 2012 | vii
GREAT FRIENDS, INDEED! The Friends of Richland County Public Library support RCPL and our community in so many ways throughout the year. From their engaging author series to their signature event, The Literary Vine, the Friends work hard to bring even more value and delight to the library offerings. This summer, the Friends are graciously sponsoring the Summer Reading Challenge. Knowing that reading is both important in creating connected individuals and communities, it fits perfectly with the Friends’ goal to increase support for library programs. By supporting the Summer Reading Challenge, the Friends are helping put more strength into one of the broadest reaching programs of the year! It’s easy to join the Friends of RCPL! Memberships start at only $25. Simply visit myrcpl.com/friends or call 988-0885.
Join Today! Visit myrcpl.com/friends or call 988-0885.
STUDENTS, GIVE US A HAND! VOLUNTEER AT YOUR LIBRARY.
Volunteer Today! Call 929-3436 or visit myRCPL.com/volunteer.
The library is looking for volunteers, rising 5th graders through high school students, for its Summer Volunteer Program. Volunteers can apply at any branch location through May 26 and at the Main Library through June 28. Volunteers will help with programs, help maintain shelves, create and prepare materials for storytimes and help with special projects. Volunteers work one hour per week, Monday through Saturday throughout the summer at any library location. We hope to see you this summer!
myRCPL.com/summer
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