T.rex's energetic dancing was a hit with the young and not-so-young at the finale of Palmerston North City Library's summer reading programme last Thursday. Photo / Judith Lacy
Hundreds of Palmerston North and Ashhurst children visited a volcano and hung out with pirates this summer.
Space was another popular destination.
They took part in Palmerston North City Library’s summer reading programme.
The theme was choose your adventure and children who completed four book chats attended the finale last Thursday at Victoria Esplanade.
They received a book, certificate, and medallion.
Children’s programme co-ordinator Rhonda Chenery said there were 549 registrations for summer reading (ages 4-10), 50 registrations for the te reo Māori programme (ages 4-10) and 106 for the iread programme (ages 11-13).
Participants completed 96,800 minutes of reading.
At the finale, Chenery and colleague Helen Dailey entertained the children with an energetic reading of We Are In a Book! by Mo Willems.
The summer reading programme has been running for more than 20 years. Last year, the Eastern and Central Community Trust withdrew its funding but thanks to support from the Middle Districts Lions Club, Freedom Plus, Paper Plus, Scholastic, and the Lido Aquatic Centre the programme was able to continue.
Chenery acknowledged the incredible support from volunteers who took the book chats, which were completed in 10 languages.
The older children completed written book reviews.
Last Thursday, Milson Scout Group cub leader Joyce Culley and kea leader Dorothy Chandler offered a range of activities for different ages - making a paper helicopter, finding Baloo from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, and learning to tie knots.
Manawatū Multicultural Council’s stand invited children to test their knowledge of flags and greetings of a range of countries. Ahoj from the Czech Republic challenged many adults.
The National Library says children and teens who don’t read much over the long summer holidays can lose gains they’ve made in their reading levels and fluency over the year. Children who keep reading over the summer holidays can avoid the summer slide and might even make reading gains for the start of the next school year.
Judith Lacy has been the editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001 and this is her second role editing a community paper.
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