Kids’ Summer Reading Program 2023
Sign Up
Sign up for the 2023 Summer Reading Program with programs for children (grades 1-5), teens, and adults (ages 18+)! Children in sixth grade can choose to participate in either the Kids’ or Tween/Teen program (see registration form for more details).
To participate in the Summer Reading Program register here! You can sign up at any point during the program — it’s never too late to join in on the summer fun!
Don’t forget to fill out our weekly prize form for your chance to win some awesome prizes!
Too young to register for the summer reading program? No problem! We have organized a series of preschool programs for our readers-in-training!
Log Your Books
Beanstack is a website and app that serves as an interactive home for all reading challenges and events. It’s your one-stop-shop to not only register for this summer reading challenge, but to also track your reading habits and unlock badges! New to Beanstack? Check out our easy-to-follow instructions!
Children in grades 1-5 can also choose to track their reading on the paper log included in the registration kits.
Earn Prizes
Participation Prizes:
Log at least 3 books and you will go home with our Summer Reading Program system-wide prize: glow-in-the-dark Plus-Plus Toy Tube! Participation prizes can be picked up at any of our locations from July 31st-August 31st. Prizes are available on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.
Grand Prize Drawings:
By logging at least 3 books, children are eligible to enter into the Grand Prize Drawing! To be entered into the drawing, children must fill out the Grand Prize Drawing online form. Four lucky winners will receive Plus-Plus Learn to Build Kits!
Weekly Prize Drawings:
For your chance to win during our weekly prize drawings, fill out the online form linked below each week! Winners will be notified and can pick up the prize from one of our locations.
Week 1 (June 12-17): Adventure WV 2 Person 2 Hour Rental Pass
Week 2 (June 19-24): BOPARC Pool Passes
Week 3 (June 26-July 1): Adventure WV 4 Person Canopy Tour
Week 4 (July 3-8): Launch Pad Jump Passes
Week 5 (July 10-15): Suburban Lanes Bowling Passes
Week 6 (July 17-22): $50 WOW Factory Gift Card
Week 7 (July 24-29): Marion County Parks & Rec Wave Pool Passes
Thank you to these local businesses for your generous donations!
Brag Tags:
Brag tags can be earned in lots of fun ways through our Collector’s Guide!
You must pick-up prizes in person at your home library.
Craft Kits
Each week, participating children can pick up a free takeaway craft kit at their home library corresponding to the weekly themes!
Week 1 (June 12-17): Pen Pal Writing Kit
Week 2 (June 19-24): DIY Dog Toy
Week 3 (June 26-July 1): Nature Observation Journal
Week 4 (July 3-8): Translation Tree
Week 5 (July 10-15): Jingle Stick
Week 6 (July 17-22): Love Bug Clip
Week 7 (July 24-29): PLARN Keychain
Attend a Summer Reading Program Event
Check out our full events calendar!
June 1st: Registration and reading begins
June 3rd: Registration Kick-Off Parties
June 12th: Official start to the Summer Reading Program
July 28th: End of the Summer Reading Program
August 4th: End of Summer Reading Program Pool Party
Registration Kick-Off Parties
Date: Saturday, June 3rd | 8:30am-12:00pm
Location: Morgantown Farmers Market | 400 Spruce St, Morgantown, WV 26505
Join us at the Farmers Market for our 2023 Summer Reading Program Kick-Off Party! Kids in Grades 1-5 are invited to visit our table to register for the program and receive their Registration Kit — which includes a reading log, fun activities, gifts, and more!
Date: Saturday, June 3rd | 9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Clay-Battelle Public Library
Join us at the Clay-Battelle Public Library for our Summer Reading Program Kickoff Party! We will be signing up kids (grades 1-5) for the program and providing them with Registration Kits. Light refreshments will be provided.
Friendship Jewelry Extravaganza!
Date: Tuesday, June 13 | 10:30am
Location: Clay-Battelle Public Library
Come celebrate the start of the Summer Reading Program by making friendship bracelets! Make one for you, and one for a friend. Brainstorm a list of words associated with friendship, and add them to your bracelet!
Friendship Trail Mix Cooking Class
Date: Tuesday, June 13 | 11:00am
Location: Morgantown Public Library
Let’s make friendship trail mix together in Meeting Room A! Each ingredient in the trail mix will represent an ideal quality in a friend, and we will read a story about friendship.
Friends Forever Firefly Event!
Date: Wednesday, June 14 | 11:00am
Location: Cheat Area Public Library
Join us at the Cheat Area Public Library for a summer reading kick-off party! Come enjoy popsicles, glow sticks, balloons, fun activities and crafts, and everything that makes summer so much fun!
Best Friends in Books Trivia & Friendship Trail Mix
Date: Wednesday, June 14 | 2:00pm
Location: Arnettsville Public Library
Test your knowledge in children’s literature and see if you can identify these best friends in classic and current storybooks. We will also make a friendship trail mix for our snack that you can take home and enjoy.
Friends Forever Friendship Bracelet
Date: Thursday, June 15 | 10:00am
Location: Clinton District Public Library
Make a friendship bracelet for yourself and a friend using morse code to design your bracelet.
Meet a Therapy Dog
Date: Tuesday, June 20 | 11:00am
Location: Morgantown Public Library
Join us in Meeting Room A for a paws-itively awesome time meeting Annie, a therapy dog. Children will have the opportunity to meet Annie and read to her. Dogs are great listeners and motivators!
Explore a Fire Engine
Date: Wednesday, June 21 | 11:00am
Location: Cheat Area Public Library
Come to the Cheat Area Public Library to see a real firetruck! Meet the firefighters and learn all about the helpers who live in your community!
Neighbors Helping Neighbors (and their dogs too)
Date: Wednesday, June 21 | 2:00pm
Location: Arnettsville Public Library
Find out how we can help the neighbors in our community and our local non-profits plus our canine friends. Learn more about the Arnettsville Community Center and how we can help it out. We will take a walk around the center and pick up any trash we see plus plant a few flowers. We will learn how we can help the local food pantry and contribute to the blessing boxes in our parking lot through donations. Additionally, we will learn about the Free Little Libraries in the area and make dogs toys for a local non-profit.
DIY Dog Toys
Date: Thursday, June 22 | 10:00am
Location: Clinton District Public Library
Join us to make dog chew toys using already cut fabric or t-shirts you bring in. Give your toy to your pet or to donate to a local shelter!
Meet The BVFD!
Date: Saturday, June 24 | 10:30am
Location: Clay-Battelle Public Library
Come learn about what it means to be a community hero! We will have a visit from the Blacksville Volunteer Fire Department, and kids will learn all about firefighter gear and the firetruck!
Let’s “Root” For One Another!
Date: Tuesday, June 27 | 10:30am
Location: Clay-Battelle Public Library
Learn about the science of flowers, and plant a few outside of the library! Watch the blooms grow and attract pollinators throughout the summer.
Making BrushBots with MARS
Date: Tuesday, June 27 | 11:00am
Location: Mountaineer Middle School | 991 Price St, Morgantown, WV 26505
The Morgantown Public Library System is partnering with Mountaineer Area Robotics (MARS) for Week 3 of our Summer Reading Program: “Science that Serves.” We will meet at the MARS building located on the Mountaineer Middle Campus to learn how to make BrushBots! Clinton District Librarian Ms. Janet will read a story, and we will have a free book for children who attend.
Be a Mad Scientist Day
Date: Wednesday, June 28 | 12:00pm
Location: Cheat Area Public Library
Come to the Cheat Area Public Library for a day of fun wacky experiments! Do hands on activities and learn all about what it feels like to be a scientist!
Science Experiments with WVU Extension
Date: Wednesday, June 28 | 2:00pm
Location: Arnettsville Public Library
For “Science that Serves” week, our 4-H friends from the WVU Extension office will be joining us to lead a variety of science experiments. Come put your thinking cap on and learn more about STEM!
Senior Citizen Pen Pals
Date: Wednesday, July 5 | 10:30am
Location: Clay-Battelle Public Library
Write a letter to a “pen pal” at the local senior center. Discuss what it means to be kind. Before the end of SRP, you will receive a response from your pal!
NEW Nature Appreciation Event (Sign Language Class Cancelled)
Date: Wednesday, July 5 | 12:00pm
Location: Cheat Area Public Library
We have unfortunately had to cancel the Sign Language Class. Instead, please join us at the same time and place for a fun nature appreciation event!
Explore Wild, Wonderful West Virginia
Date: Wednesday, July 5 | 2:00pm
Location: Arnettsville Public Library
Learn all about Wild, Wonderful West Virginia! Participate in WV trivia, make a WV craft, sample pepperoni rolls, listen to stories by WV authors, and sing along with the book “Country Roads.”
Bubble Art Stationery
Date: Thursday, July 6 | 10:00am
Location: Clinton District Public Library
Kids are invited to come write a letter to a friend in another country, introducing yourself and your life!
Instruments across Borders
Date: Friday, July 7 | 11:00am
Location: Morgantown Public Library | Meeting Room A
Come learn about instruments from around the world with the Director of WVU’s Community Music Program, Dr. Eftihia Arkoudis, and Teaching Assistant Professor of Musicology, Dr. Katelyn Best. Demonstrations will include instruments from Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, and Australia. Attendees will learn about the classification of instruments, different materials they are made of, where they’re from, and their uses. Participants will be able to engage with some of the instruments, learn how sound is produced from them, see what they look like up close, and make their very own instrument as well! Demonstration of instruments include the Balinese anklung, Egyptian tabla, West African shekere, Cuban maracas, Andean sikus, and more! You can also explore the library’s music resources, including our digital library service ArtistWorks.
Chalk the Block!
Date: Tuesday, July 11 | 10:30am
Location: Clay-Battelle Public Library
Help us decorate our new sidewalk with chalk! Try to draw images of people being kind or write kind phrases.
Book Bingo
Date: Tuesday, July 11 | 11:00am
Location: Morgantown Public Library
Come play Book Bingo and learn about great books available at the library. Participants will have a chance to win a free book!
A Day of Play
Date: Wednesday, July 12 | 12:00pm
Location: Cheat Area Public Library
An exciting day of indoor and outdoor play with special guests coming to teach us how to paint D&D figurines and making character sheets!
Chalk the Block & Bubble it Up
Date: Wednesday, July 12 | 2:00pm
Location: Arnettsville Public Library
Come by and decorate the porch and sidewalks at the Arnettsville Public Library. We will also play with bubbles and “bubble up the neighborhood.”
Making Music at Clinton
Date: Thursday, July 13 | 10:00am
Location: Clinton District Public Library
Come to CDPL and create a jingle stick to make music together with your friends! The materials will be provided by MPLS.
Book Bingo
Date: Thursday, July 13 | 6:30pm
Location: Morgantown Public Library
Come play Book Bingo and learn about great books available at the library. Participants will have a chance to win a free book!
“Kindness Rocks!”: Rock Painting
Date: Monday, July 17 | 11:00am
Location: Morgantown Public Library
Come create “kindness rocks” with us! Keep one for yourself, share with a friend, or donate them to a local park.
“Kindness Rocks!”: Rock Painting
Date: Tuesday, July 18 | 10:30am
Location: Clay-Battelle Public Library
Come create “kindness rocks” with us! Keep one for yourself, share with a friend, or donate them to a local park.
Kindness Tea Party
Date: Wednesday, July 19 | 12:00pm
Location: Cheat Area Public Library
A fun tea party with tasty snacks, new friends, and exciting activities will surely be your cup of tea! Wear something fancy, your favorite outfit, or a costume to this “tea-riffic” event! We will read cool books about kindness and use our art skills to design kindness themed bookmarks for the Cheat Library Patrons.
Book Bingo
Date: Wednesday, July 19 | 2:00pm
Location: Arnettsville Public Library
Come play Book Bingo and learn about great books available at the library. Participants will have a chance to win a free book!
“Kindness Rocks!” Rock Painting
Date: Thursday, July 20 | 10:00am
Location: Clinton District Public Library
Come create “kindness rocks” with us! Keep one for yourself, share with a friend, or donate them to a local park.
Meet the Ambassador Birds
Date: Monday, July 24 | 11:00am
Location: Morgantown Public Library
The ambassador birds from the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia are coming to visit the Morgantown Public Library during Protect Our Planet week! Come meet the birds and learn about how important they are to the ecosystem. You can also explore the library’s information about birds and check out our bird watching backpacks!
DIY Bird Feeders
Date: Tuesday, July 25 | 10:30am
Location: Clay-Battelle Public Library
Celebrate the end of SRP by thinking of our feathery friends! Make your own bird feeder, take it home, and watch how many birds you can attract! We will also be having pizza at this event!
WALL-E Movie Day
Date: Wednesday, July 26 | 11:00am
Location: Cheat Area Public Library
Join us at the library for a showing of Pixar’s WALL-E. Wear your pajamas or something comfy! We will be enjoying movie snacks and an interactive seed planting station.
Go Green or Go Home
Date: Wednesday, July 26 | 2:00pm
Location: Arnettsville Public Library
Learn about recycling and how you can save the Earth. We will paint rocks with kind words and pictures to share with others and keep for ourselves. Participants will receive a free copy of The Lorax!
Feed the Bees
Date: Thursday, July 27 | 10:00am
Location: Clinton District Public Library
Feed the bees with recycled paper and seeds for plants specifically aimed toward bee pollination!
Meet the Ambassador Birds
Date: Friday, July 28 | 11:00am
Location: Cheat Area Public Library
The ambassador birds from the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia are coming to visit the Cheat Area Public Library during Protect Our Planet week! Come meet the birds and learn about how important they are to the ecosystem. You can also explore the library’s information about birds and check out our bird watching backpacks!
Preschool Programs
Morgantown Public Library
Tuesday Evening Preschool Story Time
Dates: June 20, 27 and July 18, 25 | 6:30pm | Meeting Room A
Join us for our Summer Session of Tuesday Evening Pre-School Story Times. Children ages 2-6 are invited to attend our fun and free story time sessions. Children can visit our free play stations which include blocks, play-dough, games, puzzles, crafts and more which will be followed by circle time with a story or two, songs, fun and more. Story time begins at 6:30pm and lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Summer Story Time
Dates: July 5, 12, 19, 26 and August 2, 9 | 10:00am | Meeting Room A
Children ages 2-5 are invited to join us for stories, activities, songs, and crafts during these Summer Story Time events. The themes for the story times are as follows: July 5th – summer, July 12th – colors, July 19th – pets, July 26th – jungle animals, Aug. 2 – mice, Aug. 9 – picnic.
Cheat Area Public Library
Wednesday Morning Story Time
Dates: June 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th and July 5th, 12th, 19th, & 26th | 10:30am
Come to the Cheat Area Public Library every Wednesday to listen to engaging stories, do themed crafts, and play with new friends! Ages 3-6 recommended.
Toddler Playgroup
Dates: June 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th and July 7th, 14th, 21st, & 28th | 10:30am
Toddlers ages 1-5 and their parents can meet up in the library space to play and socialize! The library provides a variety of exciting toys and crafts that make for a fun, casual weekly gathering.
Morgantown Public Library System at Krepps Park
Krepps Kritters
Dates: June 15th, 29th, and July 13th, 27th | 10:00am
Meet us at Krepps Park for an outdoor story time! Ms. Cathy and Ms. Ruth will be there to read stories, sing songs, and play fun activities surrounding the theme of the day. There will also be a snack and a take-home craft.The theme for June 15th is “Birds of a Feather,” June 29th is “Join Our Forest Friends at the Park,” July 13th is “Going Green at the Pond,” and July 27th is “Let’s Go Buggy!” This program is designed for children ages 3 to 6. You can register for this event at Krepps Park on the day of the event. Registration is limited to 24 children.