PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME AT HACKLEY LIBRARY

Children and parents come together for family meals and talk about books Thursday evenings at Hackley Library. The Prime Time Family Reading Time is held each week 5:30 PM Thursdays, through March 17. Prime Time is part of a nation-wide program funded through the Michigan Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Prime Time is aimed at families with children in grade 1 - 4.

Each week families read and hear stories together, then talk about the values and meaning they find in the tales. Door prizes, a family meal, storytelling, skits and surprises are part of the fun. Participants go home with a short popular books to read and discuss for next week. All activities are free.

Educator David Klemm, leads the relaxed, friendly discussions, where kids and parents both have plenty to say. Storyteller Laurajoy Veeneman brings the books to life in spirited tellings. Preschool siblings are welcome and attend special activities just for them.

Generous support from local businesses has made Prime Time possible. Donors include Fricano’s Pizza, Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake, Muskegon Athletic Club, Gordon Food Service, Plumb’s, Subway and Walmart.

Families can join the ongoing program by calling Hackley Library Youth Services. To sign up, or for more information call 722-7276, ext 230.

The free program gets children and parents talking together about favorite books. Parents will find

Each week they take home a short, popular book aimed at grades 1 - 4.

An exciting family literacy program is coming to Youth Services this winter. A team of four Muskegon educators and librarians attended a training workshop this summer. The Prime Time Family Reading Time will target families who don’t use the Library, yet. Parents and children will meet weekly for talk about books they’ve read together. The open-ended discussions let people see how books relate to their own family values. Prime Time is funded through the Michigan Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Children’s author Sherri Winston will meet young readers 2 PM Saturday, February 19 at Hackley Public Library. She’ll tell how she created the characters and situations in “President of the Whole Fifth Grade,” her latest book. An inspiring speaker, she’ll have her audience laughing at the ups and downs of writing, and, just maybe, planning to write funny stories themselves.

A Muskegon native, Winston is currently a columnist for the Orlando Sun-Sentinel. Her books for teens and tweens include The Kayla Chronicles and Acting: A Novel. Her work appears in the award-winning Face Relations: 11 Stories about Seeing Beyond Color.

When Winston tells how to create characters she’s sure to mention the influence of her own childhood. She attended Muskegon Heights schools and admits wanting to be boss of everything, just like Brianna, star of her novel. In “President of the Whole Fifth Grade” Briana will stop at nothing - including bribing voters with cupcakes - to win the school election.

Inspired by the cupcake recipes that fill Winston’s novel, kids at Hackley Library will enjoy cupcakes too. The yummy refreshments are provided by the Friends of the Library. North Shore Books of North Muskegon will staff a book sale and autograph session at the end of the program.

For more information on the event call Hackley Library Youth Services at 722-7276 ext. 230.