Food & Drink
King County Library System Makes Summer Reading Fun | Sponsored
Children, teens and adults can all win prizes through its annual program
By King County Library System July 10, 2023
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2023 issue of Seattle magazine.
Join the King County Library System (KCLS) for all-ages summer reading! Earn prizes and attend events at your KCLS library all summer long. Our free Summer Reading Program is open to children, teens, and adults — all are welcome! Visit kcls.org/summer to get started.
Here’s how to participate:
Drop into your KCLS library to pick up a Reading Challenge log or sign up online. Read anything you’d like for 20 minutes a day, through Aug. 31. This includes reading to someone else or listening to an audiobook. Track your time to earn prizes.
Each time you meet your daily goal, just mark a shape on your reading log. When you mark 25 shapes, you may receive a Halfway Prize; when you mark 50 shapes, you may receive a Finisher Prize.
The Halfway Prize consists of a KCLS Reader patch, with artwork from local artist Jenna Riggs, and the patron’s
name is posted on the community board at their local library.
The Finisher Prize consists of a journal that celebrates being a KCLS Reader, with artwork from local artist Jenna Riggs, and a sticker next to the patron’s name on the community board at their library.
Prizes are available while supplies last and are made possible by the King County Library System Foundation. Prizes may be picked up beginning July 1.
You can also participate in fun and educational events and activities all summer long, including arts and crafts workshops, music and magic programs, outdoor StoryWalks, STEM learning opportunities, and more!
Reading is important for all ages. Research shows that children and teens grow their reading skills when they choose their own books and read for enjoyment. It is especially important to keep children’s minds active and engaged during the summer to prevent learning loss while students are out of school. Reading for pleasure also benefits adults. It improves brain health, reduces stress, and offers opportunities for learning and growth.
Follow Us
Book Excerpt: Old White Man Writing
Seattle resident Joshua Gidding examines his own white privilege
In his book, Old White Man Writing, Seattle resident Joshua Gidding attempts to come to terms with his privilege. Gidding grapples with the rapidly changing cultural norms in 21st-century America while examining his own racial biases and prejudices. As Manhattan Book Review notes: “Old White Man Writing is an introspective deep dive into an eventful life…
Glacial Expressions
Local scientist and painter Jill Pelto spotlights climate change in a multi-artist show at Slip Gallery
The divide between the arts and sciences is long-fostered and well-documented. From elementary school onward, children are often singled out for their penchant for math or artistic ability and guided toward classes — and later careers — that align with their right or left brain tendencies. For Jill Pelto — a local climate scientist, painter,…
How Taproot Theatre Survived A Financial Crisis
Theatre is planning for its 50th birthday next year
Karen Lund vividly remembers that sinking feeling she had in the fall of 2023. That was when Lund, producing artistic director of Taproot Theatre Co., first realized that the financially strapped, midsized professional theatre in the Greenwood neighborhood might not survive. The theatre had already weathered the worst of the pandemic, but costs were mounting….
Humanities Washington Fights ‘Midnight’ Cuts
Nonprofit loses previously approved federal grants with little warning
The letter came without warning, like a slap in the face from an invisible hand. Humanities Washington CEO and Executive Director Julie Ziegler had already been talking with peers in other states, and she readied herself for the blow. The National Endowment for the Humanities (think DOGE) had terminated her nonprofit’s previously awarded federal grant…