'Find Your Voice': Marblehead Library Launches Summer Reading Campaign

MARBLEHEAD, MA — A day of family-friendly crafts, games, storytime, fun music and tasty treats for sale will mark the kickoff of this year's Marblehead Summer Reading program at the Abbot Public Library's temporary home of Eveleth School on Brook Road.

The theme of this year's campaign is "Find Your Voice" with readers invited to explore books for all ages that help them discover ways to express their own thoughts and creativity.

Teens are invited to make a pledge to read at least three books from June 10 through Aug. 18 with children invited to take part in the summer reading incentive program. With every 10 titles read, participants will receive a free book or a small prize.

On Aug. 18, the Abbot Library will celebrate the close of Summer Reading with an Ice Cream Cup Giveaway to all participants. The top three readers for the summer in each major age bracket will receive a gift certificate of $25 to a local bookstore.

Books on the Marblehead Schools Summer Reading lists will be available for checkout at the library in late June.

The program's kickoff event is June 10 outdoors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. if the weather works and indoors if it rains.

There will be arts and crafts, a Friends of Abbot Public Library book sale, a Sustainable Marblehead booth with environmental-theme books and prizes, a Marblehead Public Works STEAM Activity area, A Council on Aging booth with mini herb gardens, lawn games, temporary tattoos, chalk drawing and a reading station with the Marblehead Schools Parents Council.

Musical story time with Rockabye Beats will be at 10:30 a.m. for children 3 to 5 years old, Marblehead author Jodi-Tatiana Charles reading from her "It's Just a Rug" picture book at 1 p.m. for children up to 12 years old, music from Dan Blakeslee at 2 p.m, Shubie's Snacks available from noon to 2 p.m. and Terry's Ice Cream Truck set to stop by about 2:30 p.m.

For additional information, visit the Abbot Public Library, email mar@noblenet.org or call 781-631-1481.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)