Bruton Memorial Library is dedicated to ensuring local youth keep their minds engaged throughout the long summer
months. Its youth summer reading programs offer incentives for children and teens to dive into reading.
The kickoff event was June 2 and featured, “Rockin’ Red Riding Hood.” The rock play was performed by Atlantic Coast Theatre, which tours year-round to schools, theaters, museums, libraries and festivals. Founded in 1999, the group has had more than 3,000 performances in 19 states. During “Rockin’ Red Riding Hood” children learned the importance of not talking to strangers and finding courage in oneself.
Full calendars of the children’s events can be found at the library and children can pick up their reading logs anytime during business hours. The reading logs are based on the number of hours spent reading rather than the total number of books completed. Prizes are sponsored by businesses throughout the community. The logged hours can also be used for the Tampa Bay Rays Read Around the Bases program, which includes a prize of two free tickets to a Rays home game.
Some of the highlighted events include: A drum circle on June 14 at 3 p.m., Didgeridoo Down Under on June 21 at 3 p.m., Libraries Rock featuring fun photos on the green screen lab on June 25 at 3 p.m., Amazing Magic Show on June 28 at 3 p.m., Lucky Cat Yoga on July 5 at 3 p.m., Science in Music on July 9 at 3 p.m., Cook out while you rock out on July 12 at 5 p.m. and Professor Gazoontite: Reverberation on July 26 at 3 p.m.
The teen program is also based on number of hours spent reading. Teens can also take part in “Reading with the Rays.”
Teens events include: Beeps & Beats with LittleBits Synths on June 12 at 3:30 p.m., Make a Diddly Bow on June 19 at 3:30 p.m., Teen Book Club: Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey on June 26 at 3:30 p.m., Teen Game Zone on July 3 and July 24 at 3:30 p.m., Robotix Blox: Build a Guitar on July 10 at 3:30 p.m., Yoga for Teens on June 17 at 3:30 p.m. and Teen Book Club: Good Enough by Paula Yoo on July 31 at 3:30 p.m.