On Saturday, June 24, the Friends of the Children’s Library (FOTCL) helped the Community & Library Services Department usher in summertime with a Summer Reading Kickoff Carnival. Over 2,500 people attended the event in celebration of the begin of the library’s annual Summer Reading Program, which will run through August 13. FOTCL has planned and hosted the Summer Reading Carnival at Central Library for more than 20 years. This annual event provides low-cost entertainment for hundreds of families each year and serves as a fundraiser to support summer programming for children and teens at the library. This year’s carnival included games, face painting, balloon animals, prizes, food vendors, two shows, and a silent auction. The event was supported by a stellar collection of local volunteer groups, including the Kiwanis Club of Huntington Beach, the Pacific Coast Chapter of the National Charity League, Key Clubs from the local high schools, and the National Honor Society chapters from Edison and HB High.

Looking for a way to support the Children’s Library and assist with fun events like the Carnival? Find more information and register as a supporting or active member at fotcl.org.

While the Carnival fun took place outside, the Summer Reading Challenge sign-ups were happening inside the Central Library; more than 1,200 people registered over the course of the day. The Summer Reading Program is the library’s largest annual celebration of books and reading, encouraging people of all ages to read for fun and find books that inspire, engage, and delight. In addition to encouraging children, teens, and adults to read, the Summer Reading Challenge also helps parents combat “summer slide” – the learning loss that occurs when children and teens are not engaged in educational activities during their summer break from school. The Summer Reading Challenge offers participants incentive prizes that encourage them to set and reach their reading goals over the course of the summer, helping to offset learning losses as they head into the next school year. Parents can boost their child’s summer learning even more by reading with them, asking questions, and engaging in discussions to help build reading comprehension skills and encourage a love of lifelong learning. The 2023 Summer Reading Challenge runs from June 24 through August 13. Participants may register online or in-person at any Huntington Beach Public Library location.