HANCOCK COUNTY — The Lederman family spends much of their time engrossed in stories. They read traditional books and listen to audio books almost every day, from graphic novels to historical nonfiction.
“We just read all year, and sometimes we get prizes for it,” said Leah Lederman, with a laugh.
The Ledermans are among the nearly 3,000 county residents, from toddlers to adults, who have signed up to participate in Hancock County Public Library’s 2019 summer reading club. Called a “Universe of Stories,” the program’s events focus on science and space, said Cathy Riley, youth services manager. Kids can earn prizes based on the number of minutes spent reading, and adults can for each book read.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryThe reading program started June 1 and lasts until Aug. 1. Riley said it’s still not too late to sign up.
Librarians at the branches in Greenfield and Sugar Creek display space vehicles, planets and other outer space-related items during the summer. Many kids tend to read the same genre or series, Riley said, so she hopes the reading club’s theme has inspired some kids to go outside their comfort zone.
“If we can catch their attention and get them to read broadly, that’s great,” Riley said.
Most of the summer reading club participants, almost 2,000, are elementary-age children.
So far this summer, Lederman’s 10-year-old son, Riley Paul, has spent 900 minutes reading, or 15 hours, which meets the highest milestone among the reading program’s prize levels. Riley Paul reads graphic novels and also science books about anything that’s “gross and disgusting,” Lederman said.
Lederman, who participates in the adult reading club, said her youngest son, 4-year-old Oliver, is pre-literate, so he listens to audio books and regularly attends the library’s storytime activities.
Penny Loman and her grandchildren, 4-year-old Jacob and 20-month-old Ryder, visit the Hancock County Public Library in Greenfield multiple times a week. Loman’s grandchildren spend the day with her four days each week, so they’re always eager to check out the library, especially over the summer.
“It’s one of their favorite places to be,” Loman said. “Anything that’s happening, those kids think, ‘We should be there.’”
The libraries during the summer months offer crafts, games, science activities, music and much more. On Friday, both the Greenfield and Sugar Creek branches will wrap up the summer events with “Amazon John” presenting his popular Silly Safari show in the morning, afternoon and evening.
Once a week, Jacob pairs up with a teenager for the library’s “Teens Read the Way” summer program. Teenagers in grades 6-12 can sign up to read with a younger child for at least one hour a week.
“They might get 12 books read in that short of time,” Loman said.
Jacob and Ryder have spent 1,600 minutes this summer being read to, Loman said, from animal books to superhero books.
“He just grabs any book really,” Loman said about Jacob.
Some children suffer from “summer slide,” a decline in academic ability when school isn’t in session. The summer reading program is meant to curb that trend, Riley said. Librarians encourage kids to read for 20 minutes each day, and that habit also lines up with what they’re instructed to do in school.
Each May, librarians visit each Hancock County school to promote the reading club, Riley said. Once school starts back up in August, Riley said library staff update each principal on how much their students spent reading over the summer.
Riley said as kids keep signing up for the summer reading program each year, it gives the librarians a chance to see children grow up and hear about what books interests them as readers.
“We really want to share that enthusiasm,” she said. “When they’re excited about something, we want to hear about it.”
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Any Hancock County resident, from birth to adulthood, can participate in the Hancock County Public Library summer reading club. To sign up, go to hcplibrary.org or visit the Greenfield or Sugar Creek branches. The program lasts until Aug. 1.
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