The theme this year for the Lake County Library Summer Reading Program is “Paws to Read.”

The Summer Reading Program encourages children and teens to read over their summer break from school.

Starting May 31 children can come to the library to register for the Summer Reading Program and receive a library game card.

Once they receive a game card participants receive credit for each library book they’ve read when they return them to the library.

All participants will receive a prize but if you sign up as an Independent Reader and read 25 books or 1,000 pages The Friends of the Lake County Library donates a book to the library with a special bookplate inside the book commemorating the achievement.

There are also a variety of programs for children and teens at the library during the summer that promotes reading.

The Summer Reading Program is one activity that can help prevent learning loss over the summer.

Students who don’t participate in educational activities over the summer generally lose some of what they have learned the previous year when they go back to school.

This means they start the school year at a disadvantage and teachers have to spend the beginning part of each school year on remedial education.

This loss builds up over time and students who consistently don’t engage in academic activity over summer can end up falling far behind their classmates.

Reading just five books over the summer can help prevent the loss of reading skills. The Summer Reading program is a great way to promote reading over the summer because children are encouraged to find and read materials that interest them.

Students read more when they can choose their own materials from a wide selection and are able to share their choices with their peers.

There have been many studies that show that students who read often achieve higher academic success than students who read rarely.

Also, students who read just for fun are more likely to do better in school. A study performed by Dominican University in 2010 found that students who were part of a library summer reading program had better reading skills at the end of the third grade than students who didn’t participate.

Reading helps develop more than just literacy and a child’s vocabulary. Reading can enhance critical thinking, empathy and the ability to see things from a different perspective.

Literary characters can also serve as important role models for children often teaching them courage, determination, and loyalty.

Reading is such an important activity for children and is truly one of the major keys to maturing into a happy, capable adult.

For more information about the Lake County Library Summer Reading Program contact the main branch of the Lake County Library in Lakeport at 707-263-8817 or visit the Lake County Library Web site at www.library.lakecountyca.gov .

Christopher Veach is the county librarian for Lake County, Calif.