Practice makes perfect’ is certainly true when it comes to reading. Adding to that practice time is the goal at the Elmira library as it kicks off its summer reading club next month.
Beginning this week, kids of all ages and grade levels can come in and register for the 15th annual TD Summer Reading Club – Canada’s largest reading club for kids which officially gets rolling locally on July 6.
With every book read by or read to a participating child, he or she receives a stamp on a progress sheet. Children who read more than nine books throughout the summer are given a certificate to commemorate their accomplishment.
“The main purpose of the project is to get kids reading,” explained Bette Cummings of the children’s department at the Elmira branch. “If they stop reading when they are not in school, their reading skills get worse. If they keep their reading skills up throughout the summer, they will do far better come September.”
Reading with a flashlight under the covers and imagining lions and tigers and monkeys will be a fun way for kids to keep up with their reading skills – this year’s theme is “Destination Jungle.” Each age group has its own age appropriate reading list, which eliminates any guesswork for book selections.
More than 500,000 kids participated in last year’s program. Public libraries and TD Canada Trust branches distributed close to 400,000 free reading kits, making the summer reading club a popular summer activity. In 2009, kids across Canada collectively read more than 1.9 million books before heading back to school in September.
The Elmira library is hosting a number of events to go along with the program, including a visit by Elmira’s ‘frog man,’ Steve Racey, as well as others.
“Nothing stimulates a child’s imagination like reading does,” said Cummings. “I just want the kids to keep coming in to visit us to get started with their books.”
Following the launch, parents and kids eager to learn more about the TD Summer Reading Club can visit their local public library or participating TD Canada Trust branch. Families can also visit “Destination Jungle” online at www. td-club-td.ca.
