by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman

Libraries across the country are gearing up for summer reading and many with the same theme.  Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware are all programming “Catch the Reading Bug” for kids preschool to 6th grade.

At the Free Library of Philadelphia, the program for teens is “Metamorphosis” denoting change. Bugs change as they mature and reading tastes do as well.  On the Library’s website, there are recommendations for books at all levels.

There’s a summer reading program for adults too, and those who want to share book reviews can do so on the web, www.freelibrary.org.

Read to kids and make sure they read so they won’t lose skills; but  don’t be concerned if kids want to hear the same stories over and over or if teenage boys want to read nothing but sports. It doesn’t matter. Reading is supposed to be fun.

The program includes prizes and events and since for the first time every public school child in the city has just received a library card, it’s a sure bet that libraries will be crowded this summer.