Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) kicked off its 2016 Summer Reading program on Thursday, hosting a game-themed party at Central Library to encourage active learning through the summer months.
Hundreds of families joined in the fun at Grand Army Plaza, where kids took turns playing the pieces in a life-size game of chess hosted by Brooklyn Strategist, and at branches throughout Brooklyn, including a world music event at Kings Bay Library, a life-size game of Candy Land at Bedford Library, a performance by Miss Nina and the Jumping Jacks at Highlawn Library and a musical puppet show at Gerritsen Beach Library.
In partnership with the New York City Department of Education, BPL’s annual Summer Reading program aims to prevent “summer slide” by encouraging Brooklyn’s young readers to visit the library and continue reading while school is out of session. It is estimated that summer breaks will cause the average student to lose up to one month of instruction per year, with students from low-income families disproportionately affected.
This summer, Brooklyn families will be able to track their summer reading using Beanstack’s clean, user-friendly, mobile-first interface. The service will help families with young students log their reading and discover great library books and branch programs. In addition, BPL is partnering with Luna Park, New York City’s largest amusement park, to encourage summer reading. Readers who bring finished game boards or challenges to the park will be eligible for free, unlimited rides for a period of up to four hours. The library is also hosting a baseball book review contest for ages 6-18; the winners will represent BPL at the Summer Reading Yankee game on Aug. 17.
