The Avondale Public Libraries are hitting the books hard this summer with their recently announced "Color Our World" Summer Reading Program, offering an array of events and prizes for literature lovers from June 1 through August 1. According to the details released by the City of Avondale, the program is designed to combat the educational backslide often seen in students over the break and to foster a love of reading among the city's youngest bibliophiles.
The kickoff is set for May 31, before the summer heat truly sets in, at the Phoenix Raceway with a scheduled start time of 10 a.m. and a wrap by noon, the event is free, will include sponsor booths—featuring local businesses such as Avondale Toyota and Coldwater Coffeehouse & Bakery — and hands-on crafts to entertain and engage families. A special emphasis this year has been placed on early literacy, aiming to captivate children from ages 0-4 with the magic of reading, as part of a community effort to keep the youthful mind sharp during the summer months, when the pressing obligations of schoolwork are replaced by the languid sprawl of summer days.
Marissa Dailey, the city's Arts, Culture, and Library Manager, told the City of Avondale news release, "The primary goal of the program is to interrupt the 'summer slide,' the common term for the learning loss children experience between school years," reinforcing the initiative's educational purpose. Participants can earn points towards prizes at multiple levels, and Avondale residents who hit the 1,000-point mark will receive a complimentary one-day pass to the Avondale Aquatic Center, making the challenge both an intellectual and recreational reward.
Interested parties of all ages can sign up and start gaining points from June 1 by not only devouring books but also by participating in the program's various scheduled activities; details and registration can be found on the Avondale Public Libraries' website. The Civic Center Library and Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library will be the main hubs for this literary jubilee.
