2025 Children's Summer Reading Club
June 19 - August 16
If you miss the Reading Club
It really would be stinko
There's prizes, programs, fun
And oh my goodness ..... Plinko!
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Dear Kids:
If you join the summer reading club you'll get to:
a. Play the Plinko board - if you read for 2 1/2 hours a week.
b. Qualify for the grand raffle with a chance to win The Big One - a bicycle, if you read for 24 hours over six weeks.
c. Become really, really smart and boss everyone around - okay the "smart" part is true - the "boss" part is not!
In 2024, Summer Readers logged over 4,500 hours of reading!
Click here to log your reading:
There's a Reader Zone app for Summer Reading!
Available in the App Store and Google Play
For an overview of how to use Reader Zone, visit the Reader Zone Help Page
Reading and Reporting Dates
Summer Readers can begin logging their reading on June 24 (at the Read-a-thon).
Reporting: Log online with Reader Zone! Paper logs are also available on request.
Play the Plinko board: Play the Plinko board on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday each week, starting Wednesday, July 9. Simply read two and a half hours Wednesday through Tuesday and log the time on Reader Zone before 11:59pm on Tuesday night to qualify!
Didn't read for two and a half hours? Stop by to chat with Mr. Mark and pick up the weekly prize for the reading you did do!
The Plinko board will be set up outside on the patio (to the right of the book drop) on:
Wednesdays, 2:30-4:30 pm
Thursdays, 4:00-7:00 pm
Fridays, 2:00-3:45 pm
Saturdays, 12:00-1:30 pm
Rain location: Inside the Library, 3rd floor
Plinko board begins on July 9 and ends on August 16.
Summer Activities
Come into the Library for scavenger hunts, puzzles, crafts, and other great challenges, or try the Reader Zone Challenges at home!
Summer Take & Make Kits
Available...
Wed, June 18: Paper Plate Frisbee, for ages 4-12
Wed, June 25: Popsicle Stick Beach Scene, for ages 5-adult
Wed, July 2: Tabletop Basketball Game, for ages 6-18
Wed, July 9: Design Your Own Puzzle, for ages 4-18
Wed, July 16: Tiny Art Show kits, for ages 1-adult
Wed, July 23: Paper Popsicle Mini Box, for ages 6-18
Wed, July 30: Sports Magnets (from Oriental Trading), for ages 3-12
Wed, Aug 6: Plush Dice for ages 6-18
Wed, Aug 13: Sports Necklace/Keychain (from Oriental Trading) ages 5-18
Reader Zone Challenges
Invention Attention
Make up an invention using LEGOs, blocks, or anything from your house. Give it a name, tell what it does, and you'll win a prize. Email a photo to Mr. Mark (mmalcolm@minlib.net), bring the photo to the library, or upload it to Reader Zone!
Make Mr. Mark Laugh
So you think you're funny? Well, come up with a riddle or a joke, make a crazy face, do a funny dance, pull your pants up over your shirt - the point is if you can make Mr. Mark laugh, you'll get a digital award. Email a joke (mmalcolm@minlib.net), upload a picture to Reader Zone, or do something crazy in person. Then go to Reader Zone and select "YES!"
Stage "Presents"
Come to the library, do a show for Mr. Mark in our own puppet theater, and you'll win a prize! The show must be at least 3 minutes long. Remember, today the Maynard Library - tomorrow - Disney!
The "Write" Turn
Write a story using these three words somewhere in it (note: It can be as long or short as you want.):
a. librarian
b. hero
c. smart
Email it to Mr. Mark or bring it to the library to get a prize. After showing it to Mr. Mark, go to Reader Zone and select "YES!" for a digital award!
Stump the Librarian
Okay, this isn't going to be easy because Librarians know EVERYTHING! But if you could possibly come up with a question that Mr. Mark does NOT know the answer to, you'll get a digital award! Write down the question on a slip of paper or email it to Mr. Mark (mmalcolm@minlib.net). Once you've stumped Mr. Mark, go to Reader Zone to say "YES!" But undertake this challenge at your own risk - Mr. Mark will show no mercy!
P.S. You must be able to document the answer to your question.
Summer Events
These are just a few of the summer children's events. See the Library calendar for more programs.
Annual Read-a-Thon
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
10:00am-1:00pm at Memorial Park
(Rain location: 3rd Floor of the Library)
For the Read-a-thon you'll get to:
a. Read to raise money for children's programs like animal and music shows
b. Get to eat free pizza and drinks
c. Read live and in-person outdoors!
Directions:
Get pledges from friends and family for each page that you read (ex. $.05 or $.10 cents a page).
Donate to the "Friends of the Maynard Public Library"
**Crucial Announcement**
Donate $10 and win a gift certificate from Erikson's - Donate $50 or more to win three Erikson's certificates.
Click here to download the pledge sheet.
Summer Reading Club Kick-Off Movie Event
Wednesday, June 25
11:00am at the Fine Arts Theatre
Get ready, gang. All of the members of our Maynard Public Library Summer Reading Club are invited to the Fine Arts Theatre for an exclusive FREE screening of a first-run motion picture.
If you join the Club, you'll be given elite access to meet in the lobby of the theater at 10:45am for a dose of movie magic. But don't forget, as soon as the movie's over, it's time to start reading.
Double Puzzle Challenge
Tuesday, July 1
6:30-8:00pm in the Roosevelt Room
Ages 8-adult, Registration Required
Do you love jigsaw puzzles? Can your team complete a jigsaw puzzle faster than your friends and neighbors?
Each team will receive the same 500 or 300 piece puzzle provided by the library. The team that finishes first or completes the most before time is called wins!
Adults, teens, and families with children aged 8+ are welcome to participate. (Limited to 8 teams)
There will also be a free puzzle exchange table--bring in a puzzle you've already completed and go home with a new one.
Light refreshments will be served.
Stories & STEM
Tuesday, July 8
Tuesday, August 12
6:00pm in the Storytime Room
Ages 5-12, Registration Required
Hear a story, then participate in a science challenge or activity! Themes to be announced!
Tiny Art Show
4th Annual Tiny Art Show
Kits available beginning Wednesday, July 16
OR attend an In-person Creating Event:
-
Monday, July 21, 1:00-4:00pm, Storytime Room
-
Tuesday, July 29, 6:00-8:00pm, Storytime Room
All Ages, No registration needed.
Show dates: Saturday, August 3 - Saturday, August 17
Artists' Reception: Tuesday, August 6, 7:00pm
Create artwork no larger than 4" at home or attend one of the two In-person creating events. Return the artwork by 9pm on Tuesday, July 29 for it to be included in a gallery show in the Roosevelt Room.
Library Lift-off: The Planetarium Show
Saturday, July 12
For Ages 6-8 - 10:15-11:00am
For Ages 8-12 - 11:15am-12:00pm
In the Storytime Room
Registration Required
Register for the 11:15 show
You'll get to go inside a mobile planetarium and take a journey to the stars. Don't forget your space helmet. Okay, you don't need a space helmet but you WILL need your imagination.
The Maynard Truck Parade
Wednesday, July 16
11:00am-12:15pm at the Maynard High School Field
(Rain date: July 23)
All Ages, No registration needed
What are our two favorite things in the world - books and trucks, right? But we can't fit the trucks in the library so you're all invited to the Maynard High School field to view the third annual Truck Parade. We'll all be watching as the fire trucks, rescue vehicles, police cars, dump trucks, diggers, and the most important truck--what am I talking about?--the ice cream truck drive around us in a big procession--a true vehicular vista!
Family Board Game Night
Thursday, July 17
6:30-8:00pm
Ages 8-adult, No registration needed
Play a wide variety of board and card games, from old favorites like Connect Four to classics like Monopoly, from games that are just plain old like chess (which was invented in the 7th century and evolved to the game we know in the 15th century) to recent releases like Exploding Kittens.
Monthly Tween Craft
Tuesday, July 22: Pixel Art
Tuesday, August 19: Bag Charms
6:00pm
Ages 9-14, Registration required
Join Ms. Casey for a craft program for upper elementary and middle school-aged kids!
Curious Creatures Live Animal Show
Wednesday, August 6
10:30am at Memorial Park
(Rain location: Roosevelt Room)
Ages 4 and up, No registration needed.
Memorial "Park" will suddenly turn into Memorial "Habitat" as the place will be taken over by live animals! We're not talking about squirrels and birds, every park has that - we mean a chinchilla, a bearded dragon, a bunny, a snake, a tortoise, and uh-oh, a baby gator!
LEGO-lover's United
Friday, August 15
10:00-11:00am in the Storytime Room
Ages 4 and up
Check back for registration information
You will undertake a series of challenges to prove your LEGO Prowess. You'll come into this program a raw beginner and emerge a LEGO Master!
Presented by Cody Wells
End-of-Summer Pool Party & Raffle Extravaganza
Date & Time TBA
At the Thoreau Club
What are our two favorite summer activities? Reading and swimming, of course! At this event you'll have the chance to do both - not at the same time, hopefully.
To celebrate all the great reading everybody did, we're all heading, yes, to the Thoreau Club for our end-of-summer pool party and raffle. We'll take a nice dip in the pool and when we're through swimming, it'll be time for the Final Raffle. Everyone who read for at least 24 hours over the six weeks of the program will qualify and one lucky reader will drive off with the grand prize, the Big One - a bicycle!
More information and registration coming soon.
Many thanks to...
"Level Up at Your Library", the Massachusetts Statewide Summer Library Program, is funded by the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. It is also sponsored by the Friends of the Maynard Public Library.
The theme of "Level Up at Your Library" and related artwork is provided by iRead and the Illinois Library Association. Artwork used in the Children's program was created by Ruth Chan.
Also many thanks to the Western Mass Library Advocates and all those who donated prizes for weekly prizes, the Plinko board, and the Final Raffle.