Check It Out: Dive into summer reading

Summer is here and the Newport Beach Public Library is ready to begin its annual Summer Reading Program. As always, there will be special reading programs designed just for children, teens and adults. A change for this year is that each age group will have the same theme of “Dream Big: Read!”

The Summer Reading Program begins on June 23 and runs until Aug. 10. Saturday’s opening day festivities will include activities and prizes for registration participants at all NBPL locations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Throughout these seven weeks children, teens and adults who sign up can read books to earn prizes and enter prize drawings. On a designated day every week, there will be either a performer or crafts for the kids at all NBPL locations.

The following night-themed books for children, teens, and adults are in the spirit of “Dream Big: Read!”

For children: “Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night” by Joyce Sidman features fantastic wood-block illustrations by Rick Allen. This book is a collection of poems that celebrates the wonder, mystery, and danger of the night and describes the many things that hide in the dark.

“The House in the Night” by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes is the 2009 Caldecott Medal winner. Illustrations and easy-to-read text explore the light that makes a house in the night a home filled with light. This brief, comforting story is a nice bedtime read for young children.

“The Man in the Moon” by William Joyce is the first book in the new Guardians of Childhood series. A highlight of this book is its detailed, steampunk-style illustrations. When a newly orphaned baby in the moon airship makes friends with the children of Earth, he begins to shine as brightly as possible to ward off their fears.

Teen readers might like to try “London Calling” by Edward Bloor. Seventh-grader Martin Conway believes that his life is monotonous and dull until the night the antique radio he uses as a night-light transports him to the bombing of London in 1940.

Also for teens is “Night Star” by Alyson Noël. Psychic teenagers Ever and Damen face down bitter rivals, jealous friends, and their own worst fears--all in the hope of being together forever.

For adults, a popular title is “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern. Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways.

It’s going to be a great summer. Dream Big and join the Newport Beach Public Library for reading and fun. Call the library at (949) 717-3800 or visit https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org to find more information about all the summer events.

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.