AUBURN – Area children are invited to join the Auburn Public Library’s 56th summer reading program, “Catch the Reading Bug.” The program will kick off from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 23, with a celebration for children and their families, featuring the Swampdonkeys.

Hailing from Auburn andPoland Spring area, the Swampdonkeys incorporate styles of old time, bluegrass, Irish and modern rock into an eclectic set of high-energy folk music. From “Cotton Eyed Joe” to “Ape-man,” and even “Bob the Builder,” they appeal to a wide audience.

The group includes John Gunn, banjo; Michael Hayashida, guitar and viola; and Ted Tibbetts, mandolin and guitar.

The library invites children, families, everyone to bring a picnic blanket and dancing shoes to the celebration of homemade music and reading.

While there, or later in the kids’ room, children may register for a summer of reading the books they choose for enjoyment and for information, and for the additional benefit that their skills will stay sharp and ready for the next school year.

Participating kids will keep in a library file a log of titles read and collect small rewards as they progress to their self-determined goals. Prizes include a pass to Old Fort Western, a coupon for a Subway Kids’ Pack, a Sea Dogs ticket, the traditional theme badge, a coupon for a Gifford’s ice cream cone, and in August, a gift paperback book of each participant’s choice.

The program is designed for listeners as well as readers, and the librarians encourage children of any age to join.

Summer events for the kids’ room, all planned for July, include Tuesday morning preschool story programs; a messy art workshop for ages 3 to 8; a workshop led by Gabrielle Wallace for children in grade two and older to make a small summer art collage laminated into a badge for wearable art; and a creative dramatics workshop of African folk tales using colorful props and led by Judy D’Amour for kids in grades one through six.

Tuesday, July 8, at 2 p.m. Nancy Tyndall, a one-woman troupe, will bring her Milkweed Puppet Theater to entertain school-age kids and their families with a fairy tale, “The Lost Half-Hour,” written by Maine author and naturalist, Henry Beston, and adapted for a cast of wild animal characters.

Additional offerings include a workshop teaching children the green advantages of indoor composting, led by master composter Cindy Petherbridge, who will guide children in making small worm farms to take home to their own kitchens and gardens.

Contact the library for additional details and to register. Call 333-6640, ext. 2004, or visit www.auburnpubliclibrary.org and click on APL programs.

Visit the Children’s Services Department to learn about Kiwanis family passes that allow free or discounted entry to family groups for many Maine parks and museums. Sponsored by Auburn-Lewiston Kiwanis Club, family passes are a gift to young library patrons and their families.