Summer Reading
The Gaston County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program
June 1-August 24, 2019
Explore a Universe of Stories! Choose books, magazines, comic books, ebooks and audiobooks at the library or at home that you love to read. Need help finding the perfect book? Ask your librarians for suggestions!
Research shows that reading at least fifteen to twenty minutes a day is optimum for slowing the summer slide. Summer slide is defined as the loss of learning which happens over the summer.
Pick up some great books at your library and come to the public library for programs focused on literacy for all ages—babies to adults. Programs for all Gaston County Public Library locations can be found online at www.gastonlibrary.org.
How does Summer Reading work at the Gaston County Public Library?
For babies to age 3, grab a free early literacy record at your local branch. Parents, complete the activities with your child to receive a bubble pack and be entered into the grand prize drawing for early literacy toys.
For kids in pre-K to Grade 5, pick up your free reading record and summer reading chain at your local library. Read for 15 minutes a day (read anything you like!) and mark it on your record. Come back to the library and receive beads for every block you’ve finished. By the end of summer, you will have a chain full of beads and dog tags as well as a chance to win a grand prize.
For teens in grades 6-12, get a free teen reading card, read 6 books over summer and bring in your completed card to earn a bag and be entered into the grand prize drawing.
Adults, pick up a free adult reading card at your library, read 4 books over summer to win your choice of a bag or stress ball and a chance to win a grand prize.
FREE Library Events
Enjoy FREE programs at all library branches all summer long! Check the online calendar for events. You can even look at specific age and location categories in the calendar. You can also pick up a printed events brochure at your library.
Colgate® Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™
Your child is invited to visit the COLGATE® BRIGHT SMILES, BRIGHT FUTURES™ van on Wednesday, July 10th at the Gaston County Public Library. We will kick off the visit with a special storytime at 1:30 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., kids ages 1-12 can receive free dental screenings in the COLGATE® BRIGHT SMILES, BRIGHT FUTURES™ van parking in the library lot.
A permission form must be signed by parent or legal guardian for a child to participate in the screening. For caregivers and/or daycare providers, you can access and print the permission forms here, have the child's parent/legal guardian sign it, and bring it with you on the day of the event.
English permission form
Spanish permission form
Online Reading Tools
Need help strengthening Reading Skills like comprehension, phonics and fluency?
Try Home Reading Helper https://www.homereadinghelper.org/
Concerned about your child’s readiness for Kindergarten?
Gaston County Early Literacy Collaborative provides fantastic resources for birth to age 5
http://gastonlibrary.org/online-databases/gaston-county-early-literacy-collaborative/
Great Books to Read this Summer
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Reading List for Birth to Pre-K
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Reading List for Grades K-2: Coming Soon!
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Reading List for Grades 3-5
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Reading List for Grades 6-8
Elementary School Battle of the Books for 2019-2020
Middle School Battle of the Books for 2019-2020
High School Battle of the Books for 2019-2020
CSLP and the State Library of North Carolina's 2019 Summer Reading Booklist
National Summer Learning Week
National Summer Learning Week is July 8-13, 2019. During National Summer Learning Week, we celebrate summertime efforts to keep children healthy, safe, and learning so that they are ready for school success. Learn more at https://www.summerlearning.org/