To the Editor:

Congratulations to the 487 children who participated in the C.H. Booth Library’s Summer Reading Program, “A Universe of Stories.” Children enrolled in the summer reading program read 10,772 books in just nine weeks!

A special thanks to My Place for the thousands of free pizza slices they’ve donated over the years and to Dunkin’ Donuts for providing countless free doughnuts to eager readers. We’ve come to count on their support, but we never take it for granted. I would also like to recognize the Westerners Baseball organization for providing free tickets for home games and Sky Zone in Bethel free passes. Readers who read at least 20 books received a coupon for the Friends of the Library Little Book Store. Thanks to funding provided by Friends of the C.H. Booth Library, we were able to offer a wide variety of music, art, nature, and science programs for children and families.

The success of the summer reading program is due to the efforts of many: our dedicated library staff, our community partners, and the 42 young adult volunteers who donated 608 hours listening to reading reports and awarding incentives.

Last but not least, I’d like to recognize our readers and thank the family, friends, and teachers that encouraged them to spend time reading over the summer months. Now that school has begun, do not wait until next June to check out a book in a favorite series, catch up with one of your favorite characters, or dare I say, find resources for school reports. Reading has no season. Now that you’re in the habit of reading, why stop?

Alana Bennison

Children’s Librarian, C.H. Booth Library

25 Main Street, Newtown August 27, 2019