STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

“Oceans of Possibilities” await Wood River Valley youngsters with the 2022 Summer Reading Program.

The Community Library will kick off its summer reading program from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 28 at the Children’s Library. There’ll be a jellyfish craft for kids to concoct and snacks will be served.

The summer reading program runs through July 29 and will include great prizes for both kids and teens who read and report their summer reading. Among the prizes for the young’uns: Straws & Connectors building set, Aquarium Lego sets, Melissa & Doug Giant Stuffed Narwhals and $100 and $50 Toy Store gift cards.

Teen prizes include Apple AirPods and $100 cash.

All youth participants who report at least 500 minutes of reading will receive a $10 voucher to Chapter One bookstore in Ketchum or Iconoclast Books in Hailey. Vouchers must be picked up in person at The Community Library or at the Bloom Truck as it makes its way up and down the valley this summer delivering free lunches and free books.

Participants may make six reports of 500 minutes each for a maximum of six tickets entered into the Grand Prize Drawing.

Teen participants in 7^th through 12^th grades must report at least 200 pages to receive a $10 voucher to the bookstores. They may make up to 12 reports of 200 pages each on paper logs available at the library or Bloom Truck.

Youth can sign up online at https://comlib.org/use-the-library/children-and-young-adult-library/kids-summer-read/.

Teens can sign up online at https://comlib.org/use-the-library/children-and-young-adult-library/teen-summer-read/.

• Hailey Public Library is having a Mix ‘n’ Match Summer reading program. To learn more, visit https://haileypubliclibrary.org/summer-reading-2022/

  Teens can sign up online at Summer reading is considered important to stop the Summer Slide where youth learn some of the skills they had cultivated in school. Youth who read six books over the summer score higher in reading and match when they return to school.

• And Bellevue Public Library will have a registration party for its Summer Reading Program on June 8. The library will also offer free outdoor games, storytelling and crafts on Wednesdays June 15 through July 13. To learn more, call 788-4503.