Tulsa Library Summer Reading Program

I love a good library.  When we lived in DC, William and I would walk to the library almost every day on our way to Shirlington.  We'd check out every book about airplanes and spend time on the couch reading and studying all the plane parts.  I think he was a little over a year old when he discovered how much he liked stories.  We read more and more books during my pregnancy with Adeline because well, I was tired and sitting on the couch with story books was a great way for William and I spend time together.  I am lucky too because ever since William was baby, he's LOVED books.  He has always been able to sit still and go through the pages one at a time.  He studies the details and wants to know EVERYTHING about ANYTHING.  To this day, he's the same way. I love that about him. 

Adeline is now 15 months old and she likes books too.  I would say her attention span isn't quite there for a cover to cover read, but she LOVES animal books.  These hold her attention the most and she gets a kick out of making animal noises as she turns the pages.  She starts one book and hands you another one about half way through the first read.  But, books peek her curiosity and I am thankful for that!

So when we got to Tulsa, I discovered a library right around the corner from our house.  Last week we dropped in to stock up on some books for the summer, and we discovered the Tulsa Reading Program.  It's kinda like a contest for kids.  Children have to read 25 books over the summer and earn 4 stickers by visiting the library 4 times by the end of July.  Each time you go, you get a sticker.  Once you get all 4 stickers and read 10 books, you get a medal.  William thought a medal sounded fantastic, so we signed up for the "contest" and wound up bringing home 2 big bags of books.  And being a super big brother, one bag is stocked with books for Adeline because she, of course, had to enter the contest for her very own medal.  Once the kids read 25 books total and log them in a library brochure, they turn their reading list in to the Librarian and receive the "grand prize," a stuffed animal bat.  Not sure why a bat is the mascot for the summer reading program, but when you are 5, the whole idea is down right exciting.

So far, the kids have logged 10 books each and earned 2 stickers in 2 weeks.  William is trying to read his books on his own which is why we are going slowly.  Adeline just enjoys flipping through her picture books and listening to Dada talk in a funny voice as he reads the stories to her.  She's taken a liking to a book about getting dressed for the day.  Perhaps this is the beginning to her inner fashion bug.

Summer Reading Rocks!