Checking Out Summer Escapes

The school-free days of summer will soon hit parents with that age-old complaint from kids--there is nothing to do. But don’t believe it. The summer reading programs and activities planned by the county’s libraries and bookstores have something for everyone, so take note.

The Thousand Oaks Library begins its Summer Reading Club Kickoff Program at 1 p.m. Monday when Theatre of the Puppets presents multicultural folk tales for ages 3 to 10 at the Newbury Park Branch at 2331 Borchard Road and at 4 p.m. at the Grant R. Brimhall Library at 1401 E. Janss Road. For details, call the children’s desk at 449-2660.

Ventura County Library’s Summer Reading Program 2000 has already begun at some branches, but not all. The kickoff puppet show, featuring the stories “Knock, Knock, Teremok!” by Katya Arnold, “The Judge” by Harve Zemach and “Chicken Licken” from “The Stinky Cheese Man” by Jon Scieszka, will be presented at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Moorpark Library at 699 Moorpark Ave.

Kid can read books and earn stickers as part of “Library Kids Lead the Way” or “Tear Through Time.” Special wolf and wildlife programs and an audience participation magic show also will be scheduled. For more information, contact Mary Goldberg at 529-4258.

The Simi Valley Library at 2960 Tapo Canyon Road offers the same programs, beginning at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday. Throughout the summer the library story times will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 11 a.m. Saturdays. Other special programs will include magician Shawn McMaster; Alexis O’Neill, author of “Loud Emily”; and a reptile family. For more information, contact children’s librarian Jean Dote at 526-1735.

At the Oxnard Public Library, the Summer Reading Program for elementary school children begins at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and continues every Wednesday through July 26. Special events scheduled at each of the three library branches will include story times, crafts, an insect zoo and tropical birds.

The Downtown Main Library is at 251 S. A St., the south Oxnard Branch is at 200 E. Bard and the Colonia Library is in the Family Investment Center at 1500 Camino del Sol, No. 21. For more information, call children’s librarians Kay Driscoll or Sharon Dykstra at 385-7535.

For seventh-graders and up, “Bookscape 2000” events begin June 24 and run every other Saturday through Aug. 19. For more information, call Steve Alcorta at 385-7532.

Spanish story time for all ages is held at the south Oxnard Library from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays and at Oxnard’s main library from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, except June 21 and July 19.

At 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursdays, the Ojai Library at 111 E. Ojai Ave. will also present the puppet show, a wildlife program, mosaics and a storytelling festival. A special bilingual story time will be offered every Friday at 3:30 p.m. through Aug. 25. Call Julie Albright at 646-1639 for details.

Reading programs already in progress can be reached by contacting the following: Louise Adaikkalam at the Fillmore Library, 524-3355; Dayna Canada at the Meiners Oaks Library, 646-4804; Susannne Squires at the Oak View Library, 649-1523; Alberta Word at Ventura’s Avenue Library, 643-6393; and Donna Roff at Ventura’s E.P. Foster Library, 641-4414.

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Then there are the bookstores. The Thousand Oaks and Ventura Barnes & Noble stores call their program “Dig Into Books.” Kids earn coupons for books they have read--no purchases required. At 3 p.m. Tuesday, the kickoff celebration for the Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble (446-2820) will feature artist Carol Heyer, illustrator of “Dinosaurs! Strange and Wonderful,” who will demonstrate how to draw the reptiles.

At Adventures For Kids at 3457 Telegraph Road in Ventura, themed story times will begin at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and 3 p.m. Saturdays starting June 27. July and August activities will include art “journaling” and book series for ages 8 to 13 and parent/child book discussion groups for middle school children and elementary students. For more information, call 650-650-9688 or e-mail: afk@jetlink.net.

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Plan Ahead: The Camarillo Library at 3100 Ponderosa Drive will begin its summer reading program at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. June 27, with a puppet show and featured stories. Story times will be on Tuesday mornings, Tuesday evenings and some Monday mornings. Other weekly scheduled events will include bagpipes, marionettes, and magic and creepy critters. For more information, contact children’s librarian Gail Demirtas at 482-1953.

The H.P. Wright Library at 57 Day Road in Ventura kicks off its summer reading program at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. June 28. Events will include puppets, storytellers, wildlife programs and stickers. For more information, contact Mary Lynch at 642-0336.

The Ray D. Prueter Library at 510 Park Ave. in Port Hueneme presents a puppet show kickoff at 2 p.m. June 29 with featured stories. In July and August, special programs will include animals from the Humane Society, sing-alongs, magic and a fashion show. For more information, contact children’s librarian P. Schafer at 486-5460.

DETAILS

* Monday: 11 a.m. A child’s eye view of the work and style of Claude Monet, plus create your own art. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Partners in Crime Mystery Discussion Group welcomes LAPD Det. Paul Bishop to discuss his new thriller, “Chalk Whispers,” and his previous Fey Croaker novel, “Tequilla Mockingbird.” A book-signing will follow the discussion. Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Story time about animal friends. Bring a picture of your pet to share. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Writers of all forms and genres welcome to read and talk about their writing, share ideas and discuss publishing. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Thursday: 7 p.m. The American Girls Club meeting will focus on Molly. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., 446-2820.

* Friday: 7 p.m. Story time, featuring a puppet show. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Saturday: 10:30 a.m. Story time for kids in grades K-3. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Saturday: 2 p.m. Donna Andrews will discuss and sign “Murder with Puffins.” Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 374-0084.

* Saturday: 7 p.m. Members of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority present African American children’s literature. Borders, 497-8159.

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Information about book-signings, writers groups and publishing events can be e-mailed to anns40@aol.com or faxed to 647-5649.