by Jill Philby

June is right around the corner, and Ames Public Library has exciting news!

First, save the date of June 24.  Why? Because Lauren Tarshis, author of the kid-favorite “I Survived” chapter book series, will be visiting Ames Public Library!

Each “I Survived” book tells the story of a young person who experiences, and lives through, an amazing event from history. The books tell the stories of everything from the San Francisco earthquake and the destruction of Pompei, to September 11 and the Battle of D-Day. Perfect for elementary school readers, and hitting that sweet spot for struggling or reluctant readers, many “I Survived” titles are now also available in graphic novel format.

Ms. Tarshis will be talking about her books and signing copies here in Ames Public Library’s Auditorium on Monday, June 24, from 10 to 11am. Books for signing can be purchased online from Dog-Eared Books (https://dogearedbooksames.com/lauren-tarshis/) before the event and picked up here at the library that morning. A small selection will also be available for purchase at the event.

Our second bit of big news is that our Summer Reading Challenge, “Read, Renew, Repeat,” will be starting June 1!  This Challenge is open to readers of all ages and runs through August 22, 2024. It’s easy!  Read 700 minutes, earn prizes along the way, and then keep reading to earn chances at fantastic prize drawings!

What kinds of things can you read? Books are always good, but so are magazines and newspapers, ebooks, and your newsfeed on your device.  Listening to a book also counts as reading, so audiobooks are a great option. And if you read aloud to someone else, that counts for both you AND the lucky listener. You can even read the same book over and over this summer and all that reading counts. But why would you want to read the same book when we have so many other fantastic books here at the Library to choose from? 

Come in, take a look, and walk out with something new to try. Maybe I’ll start with Lauren Tarshis’ latest, “I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964”!