Young readers enjoy ‘Anchors Aweigh’ summer reading session

GRAVETTE -- Young readers, ages 3 to 11, gathered at the Gravette Civic Center Thursday for the fourth session in the Gravette Public Library's summer reading program. The theme for this year's program was "Have Book, Will Travel." The topic for this weekly session was "Anchors Aweigh," and participants enjoyed boat-related activities.

Ashlee Bailey, educational programs director at the Amazeum at Bentonville, led activities for ages 6-11, providing various building materials for the youngsters to build a project illustrating a chain reaction. Youngsters each chose one item and worked with others at their table to construct an object that would transport a ball from one point to another and deposit it in a waiting container.

Younger readers, ages 3-5, adjourned to another room where they watched a video and heard library assistant Brittany Mangold read the book, "Alphabet Boat." They then returned to the main meeting room, where they constructed boats from aluminum foil and used them to transport candies across a small bowl of water. Representatives from the Amazeum conducted a program with the younger readers at Storytime on Tuesday and also presented a program for teens on Tuesday.

Readers in both age groups could turn in reading logs and bookmarks showing projects completed. They then collected beads representing books read and projects completed and were able to have their names entered in a drawing for prizes. Each one attending received a blue bead shaped like a boat. Beads are collected on a summer reading lanyard given to each child upon registration.

Volunteers from the Gravette Lions Club, the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chapter of Altrusa International, and other community volunteers were on hand to help with the program.

Thursday, Aug. 3, will be the final day of the children's summer reading program, with a celebration from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Civic Center. A special activity will be held with Turtle Dance Music and drawings for prizes in two age categories.

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