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Library, Kids Catapult Into Summer Reading
Catapult
Eight-year-old Ethan Morrill smiles as he sends the white craft ball flying, his homemade catapult working well at the Science Saturday program hosted at the Escalon Library. Marg Jackson/The Times - photo by Marg Jackson/The Times

With plenty of kids already signed up, the Escalon Library is looking forward to another successful Summer Reading Program.

Officially kicking off on Friday, June 1, several youngsters then gathered for a special Science Saturday event on June 2 that catapulted them into the fun, educational summer program.

Small catapults were constructed and utilized inside the cool library, while the temperature outside climbed past 90 degrees. The catapults, made with wooden building blocks, pegs and rubber bands, were then used to shoot small. soft craft balls, with the distance measured to see how far they could fly.

“I was surprised by how far some of them went,” admitted library staffer Amanda Clifford, with some of the balls flying several feet.

Also on the schedule for the Summer Reading Program are: Circus of Smiles, Thursday, June 7 at 11:30 a.m.; Tony Borders on Wednesday, June 13 at 1:30 p.m.; The Bubble Lady on Monday, June 18 at 1 p.m.; and Miss Sonya’s Art: Chalk and Monet on Tuesday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m.

The upcoming Circus of Smiles will feature “Mr. Quick and Mr. Mustache in a silly, interactive and action-packed acrobatic adventure,” library officials noted.

Borders, a puppeteer, is a returning favorite, as is the Bubble Lady, who has appeared multiple times at the local library. The chalk art program with Miss Sonya will also feature information about the artist Monet.

July programs on the schedule include The Science Wizard on Saturday, July 7 at noon. Magic Dan returns for a show on Thursday, July 12 at 1:30 p.m. and Paint Your Own Maracas will be the program on Wednesday, July 18 at 1:30 p.m. Rounding out the program will be Musical Robot, scheduled for Friday, July 27 at 3 p.m.

The Escalon Library is at 1540 Second St., and is open Monday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sign-ups are still being taken for the Summer Reading Program and all ages are welcome to participate.