Summer Reading Program 2026
JOIN US FOR A SUMMER OF FUN AT THE JACKSON COUNTY MEMORIAL LIBRARY!
Summer Reading Begins Monday, June 1st!
Find FAQs here!
Important SRP Info here!
Summer Reading Challenge!
Monday, June 1st: Registration Open & Book Logging Begins!
Who? Anyone! The reading challenge is open to all ages, with two different “leagues” for different age groups: a Minor League intended for ages 0-17, and a Major League intended for ages 18+.
What? It’s the Reading Challenge Home Run Rally! All summer, keep track of how many minutes you’re reading by marking squares on the baseball field playboard. As you reach each base, stop in the library for a prize. Make a home run, and you’ll earn a free book plus an entry to win one of 6 grand prizes! For ages baby to 17, we have the Minor League playboard, a paper playing field where each square equals 20 minutes of read time. Or, intended for ages 18+, there is the Major League, a bookmark log where each baseball equals 1 hour of reading time. (Ages baby to 17 can try a harder challenge if they want to join the Major League. There are no base prizes on the bookmarks, however.)
You’ll also notice red stars halfway to each base – when you reach those squares, you’ll be challenged to complete a fun activity.
When? June 1 through July 22. Start tracking your reading beginning Monday, June 1. Try to make a home run by Wednesday, July 22, then be sure to come to the library no later than that Wednesday (7/22) to collect your prizes and get your grand prize entries. We’ll do the grand prize drawings on Friday, July 24 at the Summer Reading Wrap-Up event.
Where? The Jackson County Memorial Library, of course! And make sure you check the Calendar of Events on the backside of your playboard to have a great Summer at the Library!
How? Come by the library beginning June 1 to pick up your playboard, then start reading! There are no rules for reading – you can even read books more than once! But we do hope that you’ll choose to read books on your reading level to continue improving your literacy over the summer. We want the reading challenge to be fun, so you can read however you choose: physical books, ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, comic books – any interaction with reading counts!
This year, in addition to our regular Friday events, we have activities happening all summer so there will always be something to do at the library. Please note that some activities do require registration, have age restrictions, and/or may be limited to the number of participants
Summer-Long Activity
-Adopt a Baby Dino: Join us on Tuesday, June 2nd, for our Dino Adoption Day, where you’ll be able to take home an adorable baby dino. Take your dino on any summer adventures you have, and photograph the “Dino in the Wild,” share the photo on social media and tag the library.
Friday Events
Open to all ages; no registration required, unless noted; program begins at 10 am
Friday, June 5th: Brazosport Museum of Natural Science
Program begins at 10 am in the Jackson County Services Building Auditorium (back of the library building)
Friday, June 12th: Robb Holladay, Balloon Magician
Program begins at 10 am in the Jackson County Services Building Auditorium (back of the library building)
Friday, June 19th: Science Heroes
Program begins at 10 am in the Jackson County Services Building Auditorium (back of the library building)
Friday, June 26th: ZOOfari
Program begins at 10 am in the Services Building Auditorium (back of the library building)
Friday, July 10th: Circus ChickenDog
Program begins at 10 am in the Jackson County Services Building Auditorium (back of the library building)
Friday, July 17th: Dino Bingo
Activity begins at 10 am & 11 am in the library, registration required; seating is limited
Friday, July 24th: Summer Reading Wrap-Up
Program begins at 10 am in the Services Building Auditorium (back of the library building)
Maker Mondays
3 pm – 5:30 pm, Come-and-Go
Monday, June 1st: Dino Bridges: Engineer sturdy bridges to get the dinosaurs across the river
Monday, June 8th: Stack Cards like Dino Bones
Monday, June 15th: Dino Tracks
Monday, June 22nd: Jurassic Triorama
Monday, June 29th: America250
Monday, July 6th: Cookie Fossil Dig
Monday, July 13th: Dino Bones with Pasta
Monday, July 20th: Dino Wings
Creator Tuesdays
Activities held at 10 am & 3pm; Registration Required, NOT a come-and-go
Tuesday, June 9th: Dinosaur Silhouette Art
Tuesday, June 23rd: Food Activity: Soil Layers Dirt Cup
Tuesday, June 30th: America250: Anna Strong Secret Messages
Tuesday, July 7th: Dinosaur Paper Squishy
Tuesday, July 21st: Dino Terrariums
Wednesday Family Storytimes
10 am in the library
Wednesday, June 10th: Family Story Time – Fossils
Wednesday, June 17th: Family Story Time – Construction
Wednesday, June 24th: Family Story Time – Dogs
Wednesday, July 1st: Family Story Time – America
Wednesday, July 8th: Family Story Time – Worms/Bugs/Roots
Wednesday, July 15th: Family Story Time – Beach
Come and Craft It Thursdays
Come-and-go craft activity, 10 am - 3 pm, All ages
Thursday, June 4th: Bugs in Amber
Thursday, June 18th: Paint by Sticker
Thursday, July 16th: Dino Flip Books
Sensory Station
Sensory-friendly activities; limited to 5 participants; Registration Required; All ages; begins at 10; NOT a come-and-go
Thursday, June 11th: Volcanoes, Fossil Search, Dino Ice Eggs
Thursday, July 9th: Fossil Dig, Dino Puzzle, Fossil Matching
Cookbook Challenge Picnic
Open to all ages; recipes should be from a JCML cookbook; held on front lawn, weather permitting; craft stations
Thursday, July 2nd, 11-1