The finish line is fast approaching for Verona Public Library’s 2023 Summer Reading program sponsored by the Friends of the Verona Public Library.
More than 330 children and 45 adults have signed up for the challenge ending Friday. Prizes for the adults who read the most include a Kindle, backpack picnic set, and gift cards to local businesses. Kid and teen prizes include a Giants poster, Squishmallows, a gift card to Learning Express, and tokens for free ice cream at The Towne Scoop.
Seven Verona children already collected prizes in the children’s poster contest designed to kick off the Summer Reading Challenge. Young artists designed posters to illustrate why they love their library. All entries are on display on the library’s first floor.
In the kindergarten through second grade category, Bria O’Boyle won with Gwen Cohen and Madison Martone getting Honorable Mention. In the third and fourth grade category, Hunter Gruchacz won and Anay Desai received Honorable Mention. And in the fifth through eighth grade category Prakash Bollineni won, with Leyla Weiss Yildirim getting Honorable Mention.
To add a little more encouragement, Friends of the Verona Public Library installed a collection of pool and beach reads for all ages at the Verona Community Pool.
“Summer reading is a fantastic program and one of the library’s most popular,” said Mindy Rosenthal, president of The Friends of the Verona Public Library. “Reading a good book is like a vacation for the mind and a perfect summer pursuit. The Friends is so pleased to support this fun program.”
To help students select books they’ll enjoy during the summer break, Verona Public School librarians released a list of recommended authors for elementary, middle, and high school students. And for the first time this year, Verona High School has invited students to join book clubs led by faculty members that include fiction and non-fiction selections.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary of supporting the town’s library, Friends of the Verona Public Library finances a variety of activities including college scholarships, yoga, Friday movie matinees, author talks, kids’ clubs, and the popular Museum Pass Program, which makes admission to many local and New York City museums free to Verona residents.
