The St. Albert Public Library is on the hunt for a precious jewel as part of its annual summer reading game, and it needs the assistance of adventurous readers of all ages.
Ashley King, children’s librarian, explains that the theme of the game changes every year, to keep up with the times and to cater to changing tastes.
“We ask for suggestions from kids who play about what theme they might want to see. Kids have been wanting a mystery theme for a little while so we’ve gone with iSpy. The idea behind the game is that the library is not just the library; we are actually a secret organization called Bibliopol.”
The game is called iSpy: Around the World. It’s about how SNARL, the Society of Nasty and Rotten Lowlifes, has stolen the Jewel of Aris just as Bibliopol’s new technology was going to use it to solve world pollution. SNARL, on the other hand, intends to use it to power a doomsday machine. Players have to clean up the mess and find clues to the gem’s whereabouts.
“We’re hiring kids to be special agents and detectives and spies so that they can track down the jewel and solve the world.”
There are prizes along the way but the grand prize is a book unlike any other that they would get from the library: they get to keep it.
The program is for kids in grades 1 to 6. For even younger kids three and up, there’s an entirely different game to play called It’s a Big World. It’s based on the premise that the child woke up and was too big to fit into her or his house. There’s a magic spell that can bring him or her back to the right size but each player has to go on an imaginary adventure around the world to get it.
The teens get to celebrate their game with a kick-off party coming this Saturday. From 1 to 3 p.m., teenagers (or children entering Grade 7) can get themselves registered and then hang out, have some crazy mocktails and blended drinks while library staff take votes on a movie to watch. There will also be a draw for prizes.
All games start Thursday, June 27. This is the same day that the library hosts its annual Appreciation Day.
Michelle Papineau-Couture, the adult programming librarian, said that more and more adults are getting into the action with their kids. She said that while their ranks keep increasing every year, they are still are a far cry from the number of children who participate.
Maybe that’s why the library is gearing up its adult version to be much the same as the one for the youths.
“We’re doing a similar theme. It’s a little bit in line with the children’s game as well which is almost like a Carmen Sandiego thing, a detective around the world.”
The name of the game is Book It Around the World. The teens (aged 12 and up) will get a map and passport to progress through the game by conquering technological challenges, and reading books of course. There will be weekly prize incentives and an iPod Nano as the grand prize.
Adults face an even greater challenge: themselves. It all starts with a big wheel that spins out sites on a globe.
“The destination is a particular genre of book,” Papineau-Couture explained. “You have to read a book from that genre and then a book of your choice. The idea is to get adults reading material that they wouldn’t normally read, and also to keep encouraging them to read throughout the summer, of course.”
There are weekly prizes for the adults as well, with a grand prize of a Kobo Glo to be given out at the end of the game.
Patrons and participants can also check out the blog for the summer reading games at saplsrg.wordpress.com.
All of the games end on Monday, August 19.
