By: Varin Worthington

The days are getting longer, the school year is getting ready to come to a close, and for public libraries that can only mean one thing: it’s time for summer reading!

Summer Reading is going to look a little different this year at Neuse Regional Libraries. Upon registration, children ages 5 - 12 will receive a “Summer Out of the Box” challenge kit, which contains all the materials needed to complete this year’s summer reading challenges. There are 45 challenges in total and participants are welcome to complete the activities at their own pace. For each challenge they complete, participants will earn entries for the Grand Prize Raffle.

In order to earn additional prizes, participants are challenged to read 10 hours over the course of the program. Each hour read will earn an additional entry for the Grand Prize Raffle. Children can log their reading minutes, as well as their challenge completions through the Readsquared app, which is available on all Android and Apple devices. Once downloaded, search for Neuse Regional Libraries and then register for the Summer Out of the Box Challenge specific to your library -GC for the Greene County Public Library, JC for any of the Jones County Public Libraries, KL for the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library, LG for the La Grange Public Library, or PH for the Pink Hill Public Library).

Registration begins on Monday, June 5th, 2023 with a special unboxing party taking place between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at all Neuse Regional Libraries locations in Lenoir and Greene Counties. Participants in Jones County can visit their local Neuse Regional Library on Tuesday, June 6th, 2023 between 4 pm and 6 pm to pick up their boxes. Select participants will have a lucky golden ticket attached to their box and will receive a $5 gift card to a local ice cream parlor.

This year’s Teen Summer Reading Program will feature a rotation of gaming championships, cook-offs, and media programs. For a full schedule of events check with your local library. Registration for the Teen Summer Reading Program begins Monday, June 5th from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. at the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library, Pink Hill Public Library, and the La Grange Public Library.

For more information about Summer Reading or library programs, please call 252-527-7066, Ext. 133 or email ys@neuselibrary.org. We hope to see you here this summer!