Anne Wilkes sat at a small, red-and-blue table in a corner of the Orr’s Island Library, flipping through the pages of a children’s book on a gloomy Tuesday afternoon.
“That’s an unfair question,” the librarian said when asked to name her favorite children’s book. “There are so many. I could take an hour or two just listing.”
At the time, Wilkes was paging through “A Walk in the Forest,” by Maria Dek, highlighting the beauty of its illustrations. She lit up when talking about the author and illustrator Todd Parr, as well as her love for Pete the Cat.
Enlisting the help of volunteer Sue Reynolds, Wilkes has spent the last year and a half refreshing the library’s children’s section with familiar favorites like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and newer selections like “Reading Makes You Feel Good.”
After updating the children’s collection, Wilkes and Reynolds asked: “What can we do to draw them in?”
That’s when they came up with a children’s summer reading program — something Reynolds said the library has not offered in a number of years. The library also offers other programs for children, such as backpack adventure kits and discounted museum passes.
“We’re just trying to stimulate kids to keep reading through the summer,” Wilkes said. “Even if there’s just one person who responds to it, that’s huge.”
Younger children need to read 12 books, filling out a sheet with titles and dates of completion, while older children need to fill out a booklet with brief reviews of the books they read. Participants can then exchange their sheets or booklets for a mystery prize.
“While we recognize that not all kids like to read all summer long, we want to do what we can to support it and encourage it to prevent slide,” Reynolds said.
Summer slide, also known as summer learning loss, refers to a decline in students’ knowledge and skills when school is out of session, according to the Maine Department of Education. Summer reading programs are one way to combat that slide.
When Wilkes presented the summer reading program to the 130 or so kids at Harpswell Community School, the response was “very enthusiastic,” she said.
“I was on cloud nine for days,” she said. “I was walking on sunshine.”
The library also is rolling out backpack adventure kits for young readers. The adventure kits pair a book with an activity kids can do around Harpswell, whether it be stargazing, taking a hike, or exploring a beach.
Eight different kits cover a range of ages and come complete with a journal, magnifying glass, a list of suggested activities, and a Harpswell Heritage Land Trust map of places to do the activities.
“The hope is that a kid will check them out … go and do some reading and a lot of exploring,” Reynolds said. “That’s part of us trying to get kids to the library.”
In early May, the library also began offering passes that grant discounted adult admission to the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, as well as free entrance to the Portland Museum of Art.
While Harpswell is known for its older population, Wilkes said that year-round kids, visiting grandchildren and young vacationers still need library engagement.
“It’s also important to foster reading and love of libraries for those who are the next generation,” she said.
Wilkes and Reynolds said the programs are works in progress, but they are excited to get feedback from kids throughout the summer. Most importantly, they want to get kids in the door and help them see the library as a place to do homework, play a game, or bring their stuffed animals.
“Once they come in, they’ll want to come back,” Reynolds said. “We just want more and more kids to think of Orr’s Island Library as a place that’s on their radar.”
