By By BEN RAYMOND LODE / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- "Laugh It Up At Your Library," is the name of Niles District Library's summer reading program.
And laughing it up is exactly what dozens of children visiting the library did Tuesday afternoon while listening to a children's librarian read pirate stories.
The summer reading program started June 8 and ends Aug. 2. It's not too late to get in on the program.
So far the summer reading program has been a great success, children's librarian Darlene Jackson said.
She said more than 170 children attended the summer reading last week, which is a lot more than the number of children they had coming in for reading programs in May.
Jackson was also Tuesday's reader.
She dressed up as a pirate wearing a black hat, a golden patch and carrying a colorful toy parrot on her shoulder.
Sitting in a rocking chair with the children on the floor in front of her, the children seemed to enjoy her pirate depiction.
But it wasn't only the children who enjoyed the summer reading.
Many mothers also sat behind their children and listened to Jackson read.
And, although most of them were aware of the summer reading program at the library, others didn't know until they came to the library Tuesday.
Wendy Bailey was among those who didn't know about the program.
She just came to the library to read read with her two children.
But, having experienced and seen how much fun the children had Tuesday, Bailey plans on coming back.
Jimmy Devlaminck came to the reading program with his mother and his siblings.
Although his favorite book is a chapter book called "Jack and Annie, he too enjoyed the pirate stories.
In fact, he enjoyed it so much he plans on maybe coming back for more stories.
No registration is needed to attend the summer reading programs and each week features different topics.
Children attending the summer readings are also able to take home craft bags each week.
Coloring pages are also provided to children under the age of five.