Readers of all ages will travel the globe this summer as the Queen Anne’s County Free Library presents “One World, Many Stories” during its annual summer reading program. The 2011 summer reading program is open to young people, from babies through teens, with programs, story hours, a reading club, and more.  Beginning on June 15 and continuing through July 29, readers can pick up their independent summer reading club materials.

Families with infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers are invited to join the Read-To-Me club. They will receive a game board with literacy activities for child and caregiver to complete together, a reading record and suggested reading list, a paper teddy bear finger puppet, sticker, and calendar of summer reading events.

Children entering grades K through 5 will receive a summer reading bag that includes a “One World, Many Stories” reading log, game board, crayons, sticker, bookmark, and calendar of the library’s summer activities.

Sixth through twelfth graders are invited to participate in “You Are Here,” an annual teen summer reading challenge. The boys will be competing against the girls in a challenge to see who can read more pages this summer. Teen challenge parties are planned at the Kent Island Branch on June 30 and July 28 and at the Centreville Branch on June 22 and July 20, all beginning at 2:30 p.m. and featuring Xbox games, LEGO® building, crafts, and snacks.

In a special event for teens, PLB Comics will host a teen comic workshop on Saturday, July 9 at 10 a.m. at the Kent Island Branch and at 2:30 p.m. at the Centreville Branch. They will present all aspects of creating a comic book, followed by one-on-one feedback on teens’ comic book art or story ideas.

Each week from June 20 through July 22, children visiting the library can create a make-and-take craft and receive stickers for their reading logs.

All summer readers will earn certificates and a book by bringing completed reading logs or gameboards to the libraries in the week of July 25-29.

Summer readers may also request tickets to the July 24 Bowie Baysox game, the July 31 Delmarva Shorebirds game, and the August 10 or 11 Baltimore Orioles game, while supplies last.

One summer reader will win 4 tickets to the August 11 Orioles game and a trip onto the field for a pre-game ceremony. Another child in the county will win an annual family membership to one of the museums in the Downtown Baltimore partnership (Port Discovery Children’s Museum, the B&O Railroad Museum, or the National Aquarium). One reader per branch will win 4 tickets to the Maryland Science Center. Children may submit entry forms each time they visit the library during summer reading.

“One World, Many Stories” t-shirts featuring Sneaks the Library Cat will be sold at the libraries beginning on June 1. Sizes from children’s XS to adult 3X are available, while supplies last, for $6.35.

Registration for Kent Island’s LEGO ® programs on June 21 and July 13 opens on June 1.

Additional programs which do not require advance registration include pre-school storytimes, weekly from June 22-July 27 in Centreville and from June 23-July 28 at Kent Island, all at 10:30 A.M. A Saturday storytime will be offered at Kent Island on July 16 at 9:45 a.m. Storytimes are for children from birth through age 5 with a caregiver and feature stories, songs, rhymes, movement, and a simple craft or play.

On Friday, June 17, Betsy Diamant-Cohen, creator of the award-winning Mother Goose on the Loose program, will lead “Music and Movement Around the World” for children from birth through 36 months of age with a caregiver.

Alden Phelps presents “Silly Stories with the Barnyard Bard” for children entering PreK-5th grade on Wednesday, July 29 at 10:30 a.m. at the Kent Island Branch and at 2:30 p.m. at the Centreville Branch. Part of the Young Audiences of Maryland performers’ series, Mr. Phelps sings about animals and the role that farms play in our food and clothing.

On Thursday, July 7 at 10:30, join Rachael Vilmar as gypsy storyteller “Miss Mary Magpie,” who shares stories and dances from many lands for children from ages 5-8 at the Centreville Branch.

The libraries welcome Grammy-nominated children’s musical duo Milkshake on Tuesday, July 19 at 2:00 p.m. at the Kent Island Branch and at 4:30 p.m. at the Centreville Branch. Although suggested for ages 6-10, Milkshake’s music has been enjoyed by all ages.

For school-aged children, the Centreville Branch presents Book Looks, an opportunity to hear a new book each week while learning about different authors and genres, on Tuesdays, June 21 and 28 and July 12, 19, and 26 at 3:30.

Children from ages 3-7 are invited to “Sing-Along Songs with Mr. Sam” on Wednesday, July 27 at 10:30 a.m. at the Kent Island Branch. Musician Sam Eddington performs favorite children’s songs—with a twist!

All library reading clubs and activities are free of charge.

A complete list of library summer programs and activities with times and suggested ages is available at the Centreville Library, 121 S. Commerce St. and the Kent Island Branch Library, 200 Library Circle, Stevensville. Additional information is available at the library’s website (www.quan.lib.md.us) or by calling (410) 758-0980 or (410) 643-8161.