Book-Happy Teens Are Winners This Summer

By Larissa Lytwyn

The C.H. Booth Library’s annual Teens and Tweens Summer Reading program is in full swing this summer; rising sixth graders and up who log 50 pages or more each week are eligible to participate in a weekly drawing for prizes provided by area merchants.

The program began June 30 and will end August 14.

“Fifty pages and more is the equivalent of one book,” explained coordinator Margaret Brown, Young Adult librarian.

Students record the title, author, and full summary of the book they are reading, then record their progress in completing the book in an adjoining tracking log.

Dozens of student volunteers record the readers’ names on tickets that qualify them for inclusion in the weekly prize drawing.

“Books that have been popular this summer include the Harry Potter series, Eragon by Christopher Paolini and books by Dan Brown,” said volunteer Victoria Mead.

Mr Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons have been solidly entrenched in bestsellers’ lists all year.

Also popular are titles recommended on Newtown Middle School’s summer reading list. Listed books are divided by genre, including adventure books like Jean Craighead George’s My Side of the Mountain and fantasy reads like Monica Furlong’s Juniper.

Victoria is also participating in the program as a reader.

“Victoria’s been a great help this summer,” said Ms Brown. “She’s done a great job. She has a lot of experience, having helped out last summer as well.”

The 2004 Teens and Tweens Summer Reading donors are Big Y, Andrea’s Pastry Shop, Bagel Delights, Botsford Drive-In, Cave Comics, CVS, Dick Blick Art Materials, Newtown Drug Center, Dunkin’ Donuts, Edmond Town Hall Theatre, Loews Theatres, Borders Books & Music of Danbury, Mona List Restaurant, Monroe Nails, My Place Restaurant, Pizza Palace, Ricci’s Salon, Sandy Hook Hair Company, and West Redding Hair Stylist.

Winners for the week of June 23 are: Rachel Fintz, cake from Andrea’s Pastry Shop; Alyesha Dholakia, gift certificate to West Redding Hair Stylist; Josh Stowell, gift certificate from Bagel Delights; Tony Fragoso, pizza from Pizza Palace; Chris Fragoso, gift card to Borders;, Ashwini Kishore, tickets to Edmond Town Hall Theatre; and Emily Duff, gift card to CVS.