SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Malden Public Library hosts event kickoff at Malden High School

Everyone ‘got the scoop’ on Summer Reading Challenge, which features weekly prizes all season long; open to all kids and adults

By Steve Freker

The weather may have been a scorcher, as temperatures soared into the low 90s, but it was certainly a “cool start” to the Malden Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Challenge for kids and adults on June 20. Close to 200 kids and their families turned out for the kickoff event held inside Malden High School, which is located across the street from the library’s 36 Salem St. location. Due to the expected high temperatures, the Summer Reading kickoff and ice cream social was hosted by library director Dora St. Martin and staff inside the comfortably air-conditioned high school.

The cafeteria was filled with kids, family and friends, who were greeted by Malden Public Library (MPL) staff and tables full of free books, along with an opportunity to register for the MPL Summer Reading Challenge. “It was a nice turnout and we are pleased that so many children are signing up for the Summer Reading Challenge,” said St. Martin, who is in her 12th year at the helm at the library. “We are offering some really great prizes all summer long, for kids and adults who log their minutes and then enter them online.”

St. Martin said more information on the Summer Reading Challenge is available by contacting the library by email – www.info@maldenpubliclibrary.org – or by calling 781-322-0218.

The kickoff featured a free ice cream buffet and social staffed by employees of Dairy Delight – located just outside of Malden Square at 766 Main St. Kids and others attending were treated to bowls of a variety of different scooped ice cream flavors. The Main Street shop – open from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. – features hard and soft-serve ice cream, frozen yogurt and slush.

The Friends of the Malden Public Library donated several tables full of books for the kids and families who attended the event. Volunteers at the event included Malden Mayor Gary Christenson and Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin, both of whom were in charge of administering the sprinkles (jimmies) on top of the ice cream bowls.

“It was great to see so many signing up for this great program, which encourages everyone to read all summer,” Mayor Christenson said.

Throughout the summer, participants can log their reading minutes on the Beanstack reading app to enter to win great prizes (for kids and adults). Here is the URL for the app: bit.ly/BeanstackMPL

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“We are very excited to announce our first summer reading prize is a certificate good for $5 at Bam Bam Chicken! They are very kindly sponsoring this week of reading by encouraging kids and teens to dive into a good book or 10,” MPL staff said this week.

Bam Bam Chicken is located at 2 Florence St., Malden, right across from the Malden MBTA station. You can pick up your certificate at either the information desk (for teens) or the children’s desk (for kids in fifth grade or younger). To see their menu or get location details check out their website – https://www.bambamchicken.com/

Did you forget to register? No problem, you can sign up and log your reading at our Beanstack site, the app (bit.ly/BeanstackMPL) or at any desk at the Library. Don’t forget to register for the Summer Reading Challenge for your age group when you sign up!

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