summer reading at the library

The Multnomah County Public Library has a summer reading program for children that encourages and rewards them for reading over the summer months. Steve and I both have semi-fond memories of such programs from our own childhoods. I seem to remember some kind of racing wall at the local branch of the Edmonton Public Library, with a personalized piece that you moved along the gameboard as you read books. Steve remembers the moment when he discovered he'd read exponentially more books than the next closest reader in his class, and the social embarrassment that ensued.

Anyway. Back to the present. We signed Sebastian and Liesl up for the program a week or two ago - a bit late, but I didn't know what to expect and was managing to encourage enough reading as it was. But we got onboard and then discovered the intermediate prizes that they could earn after reading (or being read to) for a certain number of minutes, and we were all super impressed.  Free admission to the zoo, Children's Museum, PlaydatePDX, the ice-skating rink, various swim parks....  coupons for free food at a doughnut shop, at Chipotle, and at Grand Central Bakery.  Seb picked out a ticket for admission to the pool, and Liesl (no surprise here) went for the treats. She got a coupon for Grand Central Bakery this morning at 10, we went directly to the shop, and my girl got a cinnamon bun as big as her head. :)