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Community Corner

Winter Reading Program Helps Children Read During Break

Children soon may be out of school for winter break, and it is important for families to continue to enhance reading skills through the holidays. Now through Jan. 31, the Naperville Public Library will offer its Winter Family Read Aloud Program.

Studies show that parents who read aloud to their children help to increase their vocabulary and language skills as well as help to create special bonding time. 

Children ages infant through fifth grade, with the accompaniment of at least one adult, currently are eligible to sign up. This year's theme is Reading is our Thing!, with Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss' "The Cat in the Hat" guiding the way toward prizes and activities, which include story and letter writing, reading to a pet or stuffed animal and attending a library program. The library will provide 15 activities listed on each "Thing Tracker," and finishing eight of the 15 projects completes a tracker.

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Trackers are available at the children's reference desk at any of the three Naperville Public Library facilities--Nichols Library, 200 W. Jefferson Ave.; Naper Boulevard Library, 2035 S. Naper Blvd. and 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive. To register, Naperville cardholders must have one current library card per family. All others may participate for $5 per child.

Upon turning in each tracker, children can select prizes, which include snowmen footballs, puzzle balls, Dr. Seuss erasers and movie tickets. Tickets to a Chicago Wolves hockey game also will be raffled off during each week of the program.

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Families can turn in their trackers beginning Dec. 16, the second turn-in date is Dec. 31 and the third starting Jan. 13. Participants can turn in up to three completed trackers through Jan. 31. Completed logs must be returned by Jan. 31 to be eligible for the grand prize raffle.

At the end of the program, each library location will raffle a gift basket of Dr. Seuss puzzles and games as well as an assortment of books.

The program is sponsored by the Chicago Wolves' READ TO SUCCEED program, Auerlio's Pizza, TCBY, Nothing Bundt Cakes and Raging Waves.

For more information, call the library at 630-961-4100. The library offers programming for children, teens and adults. Visit naperville-lib.org to view its Winter Program Guide.

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