Find Friends and Fun at the Library

Are you looking for a new series, or a really good book to read this summer?  We can help with that.  Are you feeling a need to sing, drum, or dance around?  We can help with that too. With the summer break from school lasting over two months, Sedona Public Library should be added to your list of happy places for children to spend their time during June and July.

Friends of the Library are once again supporting summer reading and learning by funding many interesting programs that can be appreciated by all ages. Events to enrich your summer experience will feature authors, musicians, scientists, writers, and rangers, as well as Yavapai Search and Rescue team members and their search dog. Movie Mondays, Teen Tuesdays, “Make-it, Take-it” workshops, game days, and opportunities to build with blocks and make friends will also be offered.

The summer reading program officially kicks off in June with resounding harmony and rhythm.   Drumming will be featured at the first event, which will be musical, interactive, and educational.  Three Trees—a local musician, mesmerizing sound maker, and educator—will lead us on an auditory exploration of various soul-touching musical instruments. Young children can enjoy the music and older children will be encouraged to participate in group drumming and chanting designed just for them. This 50-minute to an hour program takes place on Saturday, June 4, at 11 a.m. in the community room.

On Thursday, June 9, at 1 p.m., we will host a “Hug-a-Tree and Survive” program, which teaches children how to survive in the woods should they become lost. The program was developed to educate children in a few of the most vital survival principles.  It was specifically designed for children between the ages of 7 and 11 but can be effective with slightly younger and older children. The Yavapai Search and Rescue team will also talk about the role of their search dog and provide basic survival kits for each child who attends the program. 

A Phoenix Zoo crew will present “Animal Olympics” on Wednesday, June 15, at 1 p.m., and the Arizona Science Center will put on a “Body Works!” program for ages 5 to 12 on Wednesday, June 29, at 1 p.m. 

The delightful local hummingbird lover and author Beth Kingsley Hawkins will read aloud her children’s picture book, “Anna’s in the Snow,” on Saturday, June 18, at 11 a.m. The book is about the only species of Pacific Northwest hummingbird that endures a cold winter. At the end of the presentation, we will bring out the red glitter as part of an art activity for children.  

The place to be this summer is the Library!  Be sure to check our online calendar often for additional programs, and don’t forget to join the summer reading program.  Register and read!

Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, partially supported by the City of Sedona and Yavapai and Coconino Counties. We also require donations and grants to fund our operations. Your tax-deductible donation may be sent to: Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, AZ 86336.

Sedona Public Library
Column for June 3, 2016
Written by Karen Mack, Youth Services Librarian