"Catch the Reading Bug @ Your Library" is a five-week summer reading program for children ages 5-12, and will begin on Monday, July 6 and continue through Friday, August 7. The program is designed to encourage children to make reading an important part of their summer leisure activities.

Registration:
Sign-up begins Monday, July 6 and continues throughout the program. Dover Public Library card holders (including Non-resident borrowers) are welcome to register for the program. Children must come to the library in person to register and receive their booklets or folders.

Reading Folders for Children Ages 5 & 6:
"Catch the Reading Bug" folders will be given to children ages 5 and 6 who have a Dover library card but who are not yet ready or eligible to participate in the more extensive program we have planned for independent readers.

Children will list their favorite books each week (that they have read themselves or that they have had read to them) in these folders and receive a special sticker and a prize for each section completed.

Reading Logs for Elementary/Middle School Children:
Children who have completed grades 1-6 will receive a specially designed reading log on which to record the books they read this summer and the minutes spent reading them. Each reading log has 80 "bug" symbols to be crossed out (one at a time) for every 15 minutes of reading (that's 20 hours of reading necessary to finish the log!) as well as spaces to record the titles of the books read.

Children will earn a sticker for their log for every hour of reading they complete. In addition, for every 4 hours of reading, the children will earn a special "catch a reading bug" sticker and a theme-related prize.

Children are invited to fill out a "Readers Recommend Bug-catcher Net" when they’ve finished a book they especially liked. Their recommendations will be posted throughout the summer on our large bulletin board.

Weekly Raffle:
Readers earn a raffle ticket each time they receive a prize. We will pull 3 names out of our raffle jars every Friday morning. The lucky winners will receive a special prize!

*Make-It, Take-It Craft Table”:
During the summer program, materials will be available for children to make five different crafts (a bouncy caterpillar, an butterfly magnet, a dancing spider, a ladybug bookmark, and a paper plate frog). Watch for a new craft each week!

“Catch” the Entertainment:
Wednesday, July 8, 1:30pm—Program Kick-off special: “Bugs in our Backyards” . Jerry Schneider (a former teacher and children’s librarian) of Morpho Productions will present of program of singing insects and their symphony of song. The program includes a wonderful slide show that studies the bugs living in our own yards. There will also be a create-a-T-shirt craft (children may bring their own T-shirt or purchase one for $4).

Wednesday, July 15, 10:30am—Wendy Booth, NH’s 2008 Beekeeper of the Year, will bring a live, working hive to the library and discuss the important role of the honey bee, life inside the hive, and the problems affecting bees. She will also explain the hobby of keeping bees. Wendy will also have “hands-on” tools of the trade for all to explore. (Don’t worry, the bees will not escape!)

Saturday, July 18 (10:30am-12noon) and Tuesday, July 21 (6:30-7:30pm) ---“Paws for Reading”
Goldie, a Certified Therapy Dog, and her handler, Karen, will continue their monthly visits to the Children’s Room. Goldie loves to hear a good story, but needs some kids to read it to her. If interested in helping Goldie and practicing reading aloud, please sign up for a 15 minute reading session during one of these times. (Children may count their session to cross off a “bug” or record the book read on their summer reading logs or folders!).

Friday, August 7, 10:30am—12Noon--- Summer Readers' Party for all program registrants and their families on the library’s front lawn. Leslie Smith and Sammie Snail will entertain with a dynamic musical performance and puppet show.

Monday Matinees:
During the five-week summer reading program, free first-run movies will be shown in the library Lecture Hall every Monday afternoon. Due to licensing requirements, we cannot advertise the titles, but pick up a copy of the library’s newsletter for that information. Family-friendly movies will be shown on July 6, 13, 20, 27 and August 3 at 3pm. Everyone is welcome! Feel free to bring refreshments!

Museum Passes:
Looking for more things to do this summer? The Friends of the Library have renewed the library’s memberships to the Children’s Museum of NH, Strawbery Banke, the Museum of Science in Boston, the Children’s Museum of Maine in Portland, the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne State Park in Rye, the NH Farm Museum in Milton, and the SEE Science Center in Manchester. Reserve the passes by calling the Children’s Room 516-6052. Call early as the passes are very popular in the summer and it is recommended to book well ahead of your preferred date(s) in order not to be disappointed.

The Teen Summer Reading Program is called “Imagine, Create & Participate @ Your Library” and also runs from July 6th to August 10th. Lots of great prizes for participants will be offered throughout the five-week program. Every registrant who completes at least one level of the program, out of a possible four, will qualify to win the grand prize,
a Flip Video Camcorder, donated by the Friends of the Library.
To reach each level of the program, participants must do one of three things: read for an accumulated total of 5 hours, create a bookmark containing a booklist of suggested reading for your peers (bookmark provided), or create a piece of art inspired from something read, which will be added to our art wall in the "Teen Loft". Each time a level is completed, teens can dip into our prize box, which is filled with gift certificates, books, and merchandise from local businesses (limit 4 prizes per participant).
As a bonus, participation in either of the Dover Public Library’s Reading Programs satisfies the Dover Middle School summer reading requirement. Plus, “high-octane” middle school readers may participate in both the Children’s Program and the Teen Program if they wish. Drop by the library’s reference desk to sign up for the Teen Program or call 516-6082. Visit the Children’s Room to sign up for “Catch the Reading Bug” or call 516-6052. It’s a proven fact: keep your kids reading over the summer and they’ll do better in school this fall!