AUBURN — The Auburn Public Library’s Teen Summer Library Program is heading into space with “A Universe of Stories” for six weeks, from now through Aug. 8.  In addition to reading, programs and activities will focus attention on stories and storytelling.

Keynote programs will include two writing workshops with Ernestine Whitaker, a student and peer tutor at the Writing Center in the Academic Resource Commons at Bates College; “Storytelling with Photos” presented by Sun Journal Photojournalist Daryn Slover; and a genealogy workshop, “My Family Story.”

There will also be several do-it-yourself workshops, and a summer movie series featuring three movies, “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” “Black Panther” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

The Pizza & Pages Book Club returns again this summer and will feature books from the Great Stories Club, “What Makes a Hero.” Teens will read and discuss four books that tell the stories of different types of heroes — from warrior heroes to heroic women to everyday heroes.

Books will include “March, Book 3” by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell; “Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet” by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze; “Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale; And Here My Troubles Began” by Art Spiegelman; and “Binti” by Nnedi Okorafor.

The Pizza & Pages Great Stories Club is sponsored by the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Teens may sign up for one, two, three or all four books. Discussions will take place in July, with the first discussion, for “March, Book 3,” on Wednesday, July 10.

To sign up, teens may either stop by or call the Reference Desk on the second floor. Due to space limitations, registration is required for the writing workshops, the DIY workshops and each of the four book club sessions.

During the summer reading program, teens will be able to pick up activity sheets, on which they will record reading, activities and program attendance. Once they complete six activities, they will turn in a sheet to be entered into the weekly drawing to win a prize box. Prize boxes may include books, gift certificate(s) and other items. Completed activity sheets should be turned in at the Reference Desk or emailed to dwallace@auburnpubliclibrary.org. Drawings will be held on July 5, 11, 18 and 25 and Aug. 1 and 8.

Teens going away over the summer can still participate. Although the program officially ends Aug. 8, participants can keep reading and doing activities. There will be one final drawing on Sept. 3 for participants who turn in completed activity sheets between Aug. 9 and Sept. 3.

The program is ages 12 to 18 and entering seventh through 12th grade. For more details and to register, visit the Auburn Public Library calendar at www.auburnpubliclibrary.org, call the APL at 207-333-6640, ext. 4, or email dwallace@auburnpubliclibrary.org.

Copy the Story Link