LIBRARY READING PROGRAMS TO BEGIN

A single door stands between the imagination of a child and the world where unicorns fly, dinosaurs roam prehistoric lands and princes and princesses live happily ever after. The key that unlocks the door is a book.

"Open Doors to Fun, Facts and Fantasy" is the theme for this year's summer reading program at Jackson Riverside Regional Library.

Lynn Farrow, the children's librarian at Riverside, encourages parents to make reading a joint focus between them and their children by reading to and with them.

"Parents are the key to getting children to read," she said. "If the children see the parents reading, they know it is something important."

She believes story times and reading to children are important for another important reason. Babies read to in the womb show increases in listening comprehension skills, which lead to quicker reading comprehension, Farrow said.

And since books facilitate these skills, the library can be seen as the doorway to the future, she said.

Registration for the program begins with "An Evening of Magic" featuring magician Bill Coomer at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, at the Jackson Riverside Regional Library, 204 S. Union St. Children can also sign up to win a magic kit.

Every Tuesday until July 29 will have a different activity such as story times, a film festival and a food fair. Children who participate will receive a certificate signed by Gov. Mel Carnahan, Missouri State Librarian Sara Parker and Secretary of State Rebecca Cook.

The more books a child reads the more prizes he or she can receive. Prizes include stickers, buttons, book markers and door hangers. Kids who read more than 100 books will receive a special certificate.

Registration for Jackson Public Library's summer reading program begins today and continues through June. It will end Aug. 4.

Due to a budget cut last year, this year's program will not feature any activities beside the children's reading contracts, said Director Sally Pierce.

The basic reading contract requires children to read 20 books, but other contracts can be arranged. Once a reading contract has been fulfilled, children will be eligible for smaller prizes.

Children who read an exceptional amount can register to win one of two bikes donated by the Jackson Evening Optimist Club and the Jackson Noon Optimist Club. To qualify, children in preschool to second grade need to read more than 60 books. Children in third grade and above need to read more than 1,000 pages.

Registration for Cape Girardeau Public Library's summer reading program kicks off with a party from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the library, 711 N. Clark St.

Kids can stuff their faces with popcorn and Kool-aid, have their faces painted and participate in games like jelly-bean guessing.

Ann Randolph, the Cape Girardeau library's youth services coordinator, hopes the reading programs will give children an incentive to keep reading.

Randolph believes reading is a skill that children should keep in fine tune through the summer months.

"Those children who read through the summer tend to retain more information and have to do less review in the fall," she said. "Reading is practice for the mind. Like practicing an instrument, it doesn't let the mind stagnate."

The program, which runs from June 9 to Aug. 2, features activity days Monday through Friday.

Mondays are board-game days where children can enjoy everything from Monopoly to Candyland and Shoots and Ladders. Tuesdays are for Book Buddies in kindergarten through fourth grade who take turns reading chapters from a book.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are also craft days for first-through-sixth graders. Children should register in advance to participate in the weekly craft activity that starts at 1 p.m.

Every Thursday, a different movie such as Disney's "101 Dalmations" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" will be shown.

"Fantastic Fridays" will feature guest speakers such as representatives from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department and the Humane Society. They will speak at 1 p.m. except for special presentations like a magician who will perform at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on June 13.