What better way to instill the love of reading in families, than to visit the library regularly and take part in the annual summer reading program?

Registration for Pizzareadia has been underway for a few weeks now, and this week, the library's manager of children's services, Inge Saczkowski, has provided an update of summer reading club 2009:

Pizzareadia opens today at all four library locations. The annual summer reading club is a fun, game-based program that encourages children to read a variety of genres.

Spinning the spinner on the pizza box will you get spooky, adventurous or a funny book. For each book they read, children put their names on a large-sized literary pizza. Choose from a mystery meatball marker, time-travelling tomatoes or an anchovy adventure.

Children need to read 10 books to complete the program and are encouraged along the way with great coupons and fun prizes. All finishers receive a paperback book of their choice, and are invited to an end-of-summer party in August. This year, the celebration will be a
pizza party, complete with pizza, popcorn and a showing of Aliens versus Monsters.

For emerging readers ages three to six, we offer our read-to-me program, with the theme: "Use Your Noodle, Books are Yummy!"
Children read with parents or caregivers and fill their booklet with pizza toppings. All finishers also receive a book of their choice and are invited to see a performance by Madame Buskerfly Aug. 20 at 11 a. m.

Both programs cost $2 for a full summer of reading fun.

For older children, ages 12 and over, the popular Summer Breezes Teen Book Club will be offering fabulous prizes courtesy of Canada One Factory Outlet and Niagara Square Shopping malls.

The library is grateful to its sponsors: McDonald's, Zappi's Pizza, Scholastic Books and Alex Herlovitch for providing the funds to purchase books for the finishers. We appreciate all support and are looking forward to a summer of books to go. Reading delivers!

The next Big Screen Tuesday is June 23 and features the police action thriller 12 Rounds starring John Cena. Call the library or visit the website for more details.

Meet author Bev Armstrong Rodman, today from 2:30 to 3:30 p. m. at the Victoria Avenue branch.