Youths don't ease reading habits despite holiday break from school

~ Public library's winter reading program, Wrapped Up in Reading, will begin on Jan. 23.

With most area students out of school for the holiday break more children and young adults are spending their days off at the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

While Sharon Anderson, youth services coordinator at the library, has observed more parents hurrying their children through the library recently, she has also seen children lingering at the shelves and spending more time searching for the perfect book.

Amy Dai, a first-grader at Alma Schrader Elementary, is one of those students who lingered over the shelf full of recent children's books with her mother, Ziping Liu.

Liu said she enjoys coming to the library and spending time with her daughter.

Amy said she would like to read 31 books before she starts back to school.

Nick Bira, a fifth-grader at St. Vincent's, rode his bike to the library Thursday morning for the second time in two days.

He returned all of the books he checked out and spent part of his morning looking for new things to read.

Nick said he anticipates coming to the library at least three or four more times before school starts up again, but says he will not participate in the library's winter reading program because he prefers reading on his own.

The winter reading program, Wrapped Up in Reading, will begin on Jan. 23 and is focused around Egyptology.

The library is hoping to top last year's involvement of just under 200 readers.

The program allows readers from birth to age 12 and their parents to choose books at the appropriate levels.

Setting reading goal

To participate in the program readers set a goal of how much time they will spend reading.

In addition to reading, children will be invited to create their own mummy, a mummified head and participate in a mummy-wrapping contest -- all at the library.

"The program is designed to keep kids encouraged about reading for fun," said Anderson.

The highlight of the winter reading program will begin on March 17 as the program winds down. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has agreed to partner with the library and offer free tickets to the readers who participate in the circus-themed reading program.

When Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was in Cape Girardeau last two years ago, a clown came and read to children at the library with such a response that Anderson asked them to keep in touch and let her know when they would return.

The library is also looking for teen volunteers to help out with the reading programs.

For more information on the programs or to volunteer, contact the library at 334-5279.

ameyer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127