By Jennifer Nicholson

Rowan Public Library

Did you know that the summer is great time for learning? Or that in the fall when school starts back teachers can spend four to six weeks re-teaching material students have forgotten over the summer? Or that kids who spend just two to three hours a week reading in the summer can retain more of the skills and knowledge they have learned the previous school year?

This year, Rowan Public Library has created many great ways to help kids not only retain knowledge and skills they have learned, but to also to have fun, and more importantly, win prizes.

School-age children, first through fifth grade, can sign up for RPL’s annual Summer Reading Program. Students will have 20 activities that they can do over the summer from June 12 to July 28. Activities such as watching a movie a based on a book you have read, reading for one hour with a friend or two, to even taking a picture of yourself reading.

These activities encourage children to try new genres and making the reading experience exciting and different, helping to motivate children to read more.

Have you ever read a book with a flashlight? Or have you ever read a book you had to read with a flashlight? No? Then check out the “Shine-a-Light” series by Carron Brown. These books are specially designed to be read with a flashlight, using unique paper that allows images to shine through the page as you read. Find a great book on animal camouflage, space stations, gardens or on the human body. These books make a great read while hiding in a tent or in a pillow fort in the living room. It is perfectly OK to read these books in the dark.

Summer is also a great time for an adventure to a museum or to a faraway place. The “Jack Stalwart” series is another new series at RPL, which features Jack Stalwart, who travels around the world solving mysteries and having adventure.

Learn about a new country while helping Jack find his missing brother Max. If you know any kids who love the Magic Tree House series, then this would be great new series for them to read.

Know a child who loves history or learning about people and places? Many kids love the “Who was? What was?” and “Where is? “series, as each book features a different person, place or event in history. Students can learn about the Amazon rainforest, Mozart or even about the Great Chicago Fire. This is a very popular series among many young library users.

How about reading a book to a pet or a stuffed animal? For emerging pet-lover readers, “King and Kayla” series by Dori Hillestad Butler is great series about a fun loving girl, Kayla, and her dog, King, as they try and solve mysteries. Maybe you can figure out who ate the missing dog treats?

Or maybe work with the Pet Rescue Club as they help pets find a new home. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has created a wonderful new book series for kids. Each book is inspired by real life events of an animal rescue and adoption. Focusing on a group of kids who created a Pet Rescue Club after helping a dog in need, this is group of kids who help teach others about pet care and safety.

Visiting a park this summer, perhaps Dan Nicholas Park? Why not take a book with you and read for an hour? Solve a mystery in the “Clubhouse Mysteries” by Sharon M. Draper, or maybe a light-hearted series such as the “Owl Diaries” by Rebecca Elliott would be a colorful way to spend a day a the park.

Or maybe you know someone who loves math and would love to win prizes? Did you know the loss of math skills is greater in the summer? This year, RPL is proud to introduce a summer math program.

Children can simply visit any library location and pick up math sheets, complete the math sheets and turn them in for a special prize drawing each week and a final prize drawing at the end of summer. These sheets allow students to solve the math problems in order to color the picture on the sheet or to connect the dots. Have images come to life while solving math.

This year’s Summer Reading is about exploring different genres, finding new ways to read, but more importantly having fun with reading and learning. For more information on new book series, the summer reading program or math program, please visit your local Rowan Public Library branch location, or visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.

Summer Reading Registration: Ongoing. Three age categories: Children (newborns-rising fifth-graders), Teens (rising sixth- through 12th-graders), and Adults (ages 18+). In addition to tracking reading hours, 2017 Summer Reading festivities include special programs and a variety of prizes. Contact your nearest branch for full details.

Baby Time: A highly interactive program for infants up to 23 months with a parent or caregiver; 30 minutes. June 12-July 7. Headquarters, Wednesday, 10 a.m.; East branch,  Mondays, 10 a.m.; South Regional, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.

Toddler Time: 18 to 35 months. Highly interactive, 30-minute program with a parent or caregiver. June 12-July 7 Headquarters, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.; East, Tuesdays, 11 a.m.; South, Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.

Preschool Time: Each program last 30-45 minutes. Doors close at 10:40 a.m.; 3- to 5-years-old. June 12-July 28. All at 10:30 a.m. — Headquarters, Tuesdays; East, Thursdays; and South, Mondays.

School age: Rising first through fifth graders; 45-60 minutes. Storytellers, educators and entertainers provide different programs each week for seven weeks. To enter the weekly prize drawing, “Reader Book Reviews” should be turned in before the program begins. Headquarters, Thursdays, 2 p.m.; East, Wednesdays, 2 p.m. (Down to Earth Aerials is June 21 at 10:30 a.m.); South, Tuesdays at 2 p.m.

Program schedule: June 19-23 Down to Earth Aerials; June 26-30, Piedmont Players; July 3-7, Ro & Mo Stories; July 10-14, Dan Nicholas Wildlife; July 17-21, Captain Jim; July 24-28, Lee Street theatre.

Cleveland: School-Age programs at Town Hall, 302 E. Main St., on Thursdays at 10 a.m. Patrons in Cleveland may report summer reading hours during the programs.

Teen Summer Reading: Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt. All at 3:30 p.m. June 19, East Branch; June 20 at headquarters; June 21 at South Rowan Regional. Compete against other teams on an international treasure hunt and complete exciting challenges. Snacks will be provided.

Program schedule: June 26-29, Water Balloon Catapults, build catapults and have a balloon war; July 3-6, Coloring With My Community, learn about art and its impact with Brittany Gaddis; July 10-13, Build a Better Bridge, complete the bridge and tower challenge; July 17-20, Mini Model United Nations, become an expert on a deadly zombie pandemic that threatens the world and stop the next outbreak; July 24-27, Quiz Bowl; July 28, National Teen Lock-in, 6:30-10:30 p.m. at library headquarters; permission slip required for teens to participate.

Book Bites Book Club: June 27, 6-7 pm., South Regional, Free, open to the public. Join this free book club where we discuss a different book each month and serve refreshments loosely related to the theme. This month’s book is “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston. Need a copy? Call 704-216-7731.

Displays: Headquarters, music box collection (Jennifer Hands) and Plein Air art; East, “Build a Better World” summer reading celebration; South, stained glass.

Gallery at headquarters: Photographs and glass work by Maria Hall.

Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.