Get Ready to “Plant a Seed, Read” at FFPL
The Fergus Falls Public Library is getting ready to grow a bunch of readers with its upcoming annual Summer Reading Program (SRP). This year’s theme is “Plant a Seed, Read” and will feature artwork, challenges, programs, and events centered around plants, flowers, gardening, fruit, vegetables and, of course, reading. The eight-week program will run from June 8 through July 31, and there will be something for everyone.
Our kickoff for Summer Reading will take place on Monday, June 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The library celebrates the first day of SRP with a yearly celebration for the community. The Friends of the Library will hold a free ice cream social from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and again from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Thank you to Service Food for donating ice cream cups and popsicles for this event. A free art program will be held on the library’s plaza from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. This year, we are welcoming Minnesota artist Michael Weatherly to be a part of the kickoff. Weatherly will offer a nature-inspired art project for all ages. In nature mono-printing, participants take elements from nature and create an individual print to take home. This art program is sponsored by FFPL and the Viking Library System, and funded in part or in whole with monies from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
The kickoff is also the first day the community can register for the Summer Reading Program and receive a gameboard. The library offers gameboards for four different age categories: Early Learning (birth to age 5), Children’s (K through 5th grade), Teen (6th through 12th grade), and Adult. Each gameboard contains a variety of reading and community challenges to complete, and participants have until the end of July to finish. Turn in your finished gameboard to the front desk to receive a free book and a special bookmark. Children and teens will also earn a coupon for free pizza at Papa Murphy’s. Can’t make it to the library on June 8? No worries! You can register online or come to the library before the end of July to sign up.
While people are busy working on their gameboards at home over the summer, FFPL offers weekly incentives to visit the library. One of the most popular things for children and teens to do during the summer months is to look for the hidden mascot in the children’s area. This year, we are hiding both “The Bad Seed” and “The Good Egg” from the picture books by Jory John and Pete Oswald. The mascots change locations every week, and children and teens win a piece of candy or a sticker when they find them. Another well-liked tradition is participating in the Summer Reading Weekly Challenge. Near the entrance to the library, a table is set up with two different questions to answer. One question is for children up to eight years old and the other is for ages nine to adult. Questions can be trivia, picture puzzles, or guessing games. Winners are drawn at random every week for a chance to earn extra prizes.
The library is also offering a large variety of events to attend over the summer. Registration for summer events began April 30. Some events are already filling up, so we encourage people to sign up as soon as possible. Every year, the Viking Library System sponsors a free family event. This year, we will be hosting Schiffelly Puppets on June 22. Master puppeteers Jim Schiffman and Shelley Kothe will spin surprising new twists on traditional tales in an entertaining performance for all ages. Registration is not required for this event. This family program is sponsored by FFPL and the Viking Library System, and funded in part or in whole with monies from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
New for 2026 is a kids-only escape room. The library has offered summer escape rooms for older children and adults for the past several years. They can be quite challenging to solve, so this year we decided to create one for our younger participants. The “SOS: Save Our Seeds” escape room will be held on July 10 and 11 and is for students entering 3rd through 8th grade. Registration for the escape room can be done in person or by calling the library.
We encourage the community to check out the library’s website or Facebook page for the complete list of events and programs for all ages. We hope to see you at our SRP kickoff on June 8!
Arielle McCune is the Youth Services Librarian at the Fergus Falls Public Library