CORNER BROOK — Seth Ocaña likes all kinds of books.
In fact, the 10-year-old Corner Brook boy finds reading very important.
"Because reading helps improve your skills and stuff," said Ocaña, while concentrating on completing his hat for the Alice in Wonderland Tea Party at the Corner Brook Public Library on Thursday.
Ocaña is one of about 30 children between the ages of six and 12 who have signed up for the library's TD Summer Reading Club.
He said he's participated in programs like this before, but found this one especially fun.
"It's fun that you get to do crafts and imagine stuff," he said. "And like here we do fun stuff."
Crystal Mercer, library tech, was helping run the program for Thursday's session.
She said the aim of the program is "to promote reading in the summer, to keep literacy skills up during the summer until they return to school."
She said the number in the six- to 12-year age group shows there is a big interest out there in the program and that pleases the library staff.
"We love it," said Mercer. "The more the merrier."
The Imagination Station group for six- to 12-year-olds meets every Thursday at 2:30 p.m. for one hour. Each week the kids get to do some fun activities centred around a special theme.
Every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. the Fantastic Follies group for teens aged 13 to 17 meets. Programs for this group will include murder mysteries, costume parties and a talent night.
On Mondays at 2:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. the six to 12 group can also drop by the library for Book Buddies. During these sessions they'll pick a book to read and partner up with another child to read to each other.
The club is also holding a reading contest and children don't have to take part in the weekly programs to enter.
"They have to read and every hour that they read they colour in a picture (in a log) and after five hours of reading they get a ballot for a prize that will be awarded at the end of the program in early August.
The prize for the six- to 12-year-olds is a scooter and the teens are reading for a PlayStation Vita.
James Goodyear, 9, plans to read enough hours to fill out all the pictures in his reading log and earn lots of ballots.
"I'm going to have to find some books that I haven't read in my house because I've practically read every last one," he said.
Goodyear's first day with the program was Thursday, but already he was close to earning one entry.
"I almost read enough for one ballot already and I just started yesterday," he said while showing off the five coloured pictures in his reading log.
Goodyear said he really likes reading.
"Well sometimes you read funny books, cartoon like, and some books you can learn stuff," he said.
"I really like the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books and I just finished the series."
Tanner Wells, 7, was signed up for the program by his nan, and said he "just got to like it."
He enjoys reading all types of books and likes the pictures in a lot of books.
