Embark on A Grand Adventure: Morinville Library’s Fantasy-themed Summer Reading Program

by Stephen Dafoe

The Morinville Community Library is making plans for its annual Summer Reading Program, running from
July 1 until Aug. 13. Registration for this year’s summer reading program opens on June 12.
Morinville Community Library Program Coordinator Jessica Sheppard said this year’s program, A Grand
Adventure, has a fantasy theme. Readers will be divided into four fantasy-related groups to compete as
a unit.
“It gets a healthy amount of competition for people,” she said. “Our teams are going to be Team
Amethyst, Team Ruby, Team Saphire, and Team Emerald.”
Sheppard said the Summer Reading Program is a program where people of all ages can utilize the
summer to read.
“It’s promoting literacy. We want people to have fun while they read,” Sheppard said. “It’s especially
good for reluctant readers if you have a reluctant reader in your family.”
Sheppard said the program, which tracks reading time, incentivizes readers through activities and events
where they can feel celebrated for hitting milestones. Additionally, prizes will be awarded to top readers
in preschool, elementary, teen and adult divisions.
“It’s making reading a positive experience for people instead of making it something that they feel like it
they have to do,” she said. “When you feel like you have to do something, [you] don’t want to do it.”
The Library will track reading through BeanStack, an online resource to log and monitor reading
challenges. Those without access can get a paper log, and library staff will put those hours into
BeanStack.
Each team will have its own challenge, a page to log the collective reading minutes of the group.
Sheppard said each week would feature a new mythical creature that will form part of the program and
the drop-in activities connected to the program.
“For example, week two is going to be all about mermaids,” she said. “I’ve created a narrative for people
where they can make their own characters, and those characters get to go through the story as if they
are doing something like a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.”
Sheppard said in addition to the reading minute prizes, there will also be a draw for an award based on
character creation.
Participants do not need a library card for the drop-in programs or the reading challenges; however,
participants do need a library card to sign out books.
“It’s going to be really fun,” Sheppard said of the month-and-a-half-long program. “Honestly, I think that
the theme especially is going to be fun for kids to imagine themselves in a fantasy world.

The Library sees the Summer Reading Program as an excellent way to get involved in the community and
a good way to get kids out of their comfort zone, especially for in-person crafts and events.
“It’ll be good for them to meet other people, especially if they enjoy going to the Library,” Sheppard
said.
The Library also seeks volunteers to assist with this year’s A Grand Adventure Summer Reading Program.
For more information on the program or volunteering to be part of it, visit MorinvilleLibrary.ca or visit
the Library’s front desk.