LEWISTON – The seventh season of Book Buddies will begin Tuesday, Jan. 29, in the Children’s Room of the Lewiston Public Library. Every Tuesday and Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., children will be matched – an older with a younger child – and guided through activities such as alternate-reading, listening to books on tape and playing reading-related games.

The Book Buddies program is designed to bring children together with books in a social setting where they can learn from each other. Older children get the satisfaction of helping younger ones use the library, and younger children get the longed-for attention of big kids. And everybody gets the chance to have fun.

On their third visit, each Book Buddy will receive a spiral bound progress book and begin working their way through the literacy activities. They will win small prizes as they go and learn more about how to use the library and make it work for them. An especially popular part of the program is the reading games portion in which Book Buddies play such games as Whiz Kids, Context Clues and 30-Second Mysteries.

Book Buddies was begun in response to children asking for a chance to read to younger children and help them work on their reading. Library staff has found that young children learn better library habits while the older children reinforce their own skills by helping the younger ones.

Informally, children have always helped each other in the library and the Book Buddies program gives the children a chance to gain recognition for their efforts. Through the program, children learn how to cooperate and direct the use of their own time in the library.

Book Buddies will continue at 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday until May 14. Book Buddies does not meet during school vacations or on school snow days. For more information, call the Lewiston Public Library at 784-0135, ext. 4, or visit www.lplonline.org.