Tails and Tales at the Library Summer Reading Program

The Navasota Public Library will offer an animal-themed Summer Reading Program, Tails and Tales, to encourage children to read. After registering at the Library on Friday, May 28, they will be given sheets to log the books they read. The books can be from any source including e-books, audiobooks or someone who reads to the child. After turning in the logs at the end of the week they will be given a prize donated by local merchants. At the end of the summer there will be a grand prize drawing. Any child from birth on up can participate. No Library card is required.

Librarian Tiffany Sammon and Assistant Artist and Library Clerk Apinya Srikhwanthong have worked to provide activities for the children on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sammon said, “In Navasota there’s just not a lot for kids to do especially since the movie theater has closed. Reading is so important in everything you do. Even in math you have to have an understanding, be able to read. I was a substitute teacher for a few years so I know how important it is for kids to not fall backwards over the summer.”

Srikhwanthong, former Navasota Artist-In-Residence, will teach an Art Camp June 21 to 25 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. for children ages 7 to 12. There is a $20 fee to cover supplies. She has been teaching Art Camps at the Arts Center in College Station since 2018. Srikhwanthong said, “The program is designed as a 5-day art study so they’ll have the full experience to experiment with art and learn about basic art fundamentals. I would love for everyone to stay inspired and stay creative. To me our Library is more like a community center that’s family-friendly. [It’s a place] where everyone can come and have a great time.” Some of her art has recently been accepted for the Global Art Project called “Art in the Time of Corona” at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the largest art museum in the western U.S.

Sammon will lead a “Let’s Explore” Nature Camp on July 12 to 16 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. for children 7 to 12 years old. There is a $20 fee for supplies. Sammon said the purpose is “to study the animals and plants in our ecosystem and how we can do our part to protect their environment. We will play games, create art and conduct experiments to learn more about our natural world.” Referring to all summer activities she said, “We’re hoping that by offering the programs that we are, it will encourage kids to read, get them excited, and to get them to want to come to the library.”

There will be a book fair on June 18 to 25 during normal library hours. It’s a program offered by Scholastic, a company that works with schools. The Library will receive several boxes of books and get a portion of the sales.

• Registration for the free Summer Reading Program is Friday, May 28 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. This is when you get the log sheets. You can also register the following week.

• Art Camp on June 21 - 25 and Nature Camp on July 12 - 16, both $20, have limited capacity. Pre-registration is required and children can be dropped off.

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday activities are free, require no registration and can be found at by visiting www.navasotatx. gov/public-library. An adult must accompany children.

The library is at 1411 E. Washington in Navasota, Texas. Hours are 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday and 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. They are closed Saturday and Sunday. Call 936-825-6744 for more information or visit their website, www.navasotatx.gov/public-library.